College Football Rankings 2015: Power Ranking All 128 Teams for Week 3
So much for a relatively uninspiring slate of college football games in Week 2.
Instead, we got treated to what was likely the first of many crazy weekends full of late drama, thrilling comebacks and plenty of near-misses—a few upsets too, all of which led to some notable movement in the power rankings.
Bleacher Report's power rankings are comprised of an average of five sources: B/R's weekly top 25, the Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls, ratings guru Jeff Sagarin's computer rankings and the author's personal ranking of every school. The top 50 teams are broken down individually, while the rest of the 128 FBS teams are summarized in a few easy-to-digest chunks.
Check out where everyone ranks after two weeks, and then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Nos. 128-91
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A few teams in the bottom end of the power rankings had some notable achievements during Week 2, ending long streaks and achieving milestones in the process. And many of them did so on the road.
Georgia State earned its first-ever win over an FBS opponent and its first road victory in three seasons at the FBS level, edging out New Mexico State in Sun Belt Conference action. Nick Arbuckle threw for 372 yards and two touchdowns, both to Penny Hart, while Kyler Neal had two rushing scores as the Panthers also ended a 13-game losing streak.
Eastern Michigan claimed its first nonconference road win since 1988, per Alex Alvarado of SB Nation, as Brogan Roback threw for 330 yards and three TDs in a 48-29 win at Wyoming.
And Tulsa improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2009, matching its win total from a year ago, with a 40-21 win at New Mexico behind Dane Evans' 321 passing yards and two TDs.
- 128. New Mexico State Aggies (0-2, 0-1 Sun Belt)
- 127. Wyoming Cowboys (0-2)
- 126. Idaho Vandals (0-2)
- 125. Georgia State Panthers (1-1, 1-0 Sun Belt)
- 124. Miami RedHawks (1-1)
- 123. Charlotte 49ers (2-0)
- 122. Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-1)
- 121. Tulane Green Wave (0-2)
- 120. Kent State Golden Flashes (1-1)
- 119. South Alabama Jaguars (1-1)
- 118. Army Black Knights (0-2)
- 117. Massachusetts Minutemen (0-1)
- 116. North Texas Mean Green (0-1)
- 115. UNLV Runnin' Rebels (0-2)
- 114. UTEP Miners (0-2)
- 113. New Mexico Lobos (1-1)
- 112. Florida Atlantic Owls (0-2)
- 111. UTSA Roadrunners (0-2)
- 110. Akron Zips (0-2)
- 108. (tie) Troy Trojans (1-1)
- 108. (tie) Old Dominion Monarchs (2-0)
- 107. Kansas Jayhawks (0-2)
- 106. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (1-1)
- 105. Ball State Cardinals (1-1)
- 104. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (1-1)
- 103. Connecticut Huskies (2-0)
- 102. Texas State Bobcats (1-1)
- 100. (tie) SMU Mustangs (1-1)
- 100. (tie) Central Michigan Chippewas (1-1)
- 99. Florida International Golden Panthers (1-1)
- 98. Buffalo Bulls (1-1)
- 97. Western Michigan Broncos (0-2)
- 96. UCF Knights (0-2)
- 94. (tie) San Jose State Spartans (1-1, 0-1 Mountain West)
- 94. (tie) Fresno State Bulldogs (1-1)
- 93. Hawaii Warriors (1-1)
- 92. Nevada Wolf Pack (1-1)
- 91. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-0)
Nos. 90-61
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Washington State shook off the embarrassment of losing at home to an FCS school in its opener to pull out a last-second 37-34 win at Rutgers, and in doing so won a game in the Eastern time zone for the first time since 1996. Luke Falk threw for 478 yards and four touchdowns, including an eight-yard TD pass to River Cracraft with 13 seconds left.
Elsewhere in this tier, Bowling Green earned its second win over a Big Ten school in as many years with a 48-27 drubbing of Maryland on the road. Matt Johnson threw for 491 yards and six TDs as the Falcons scored 42 second-half points.
- 90. Arkansas State Red Wolves (0-2)
- 89. Appalachian State Mountaineers (1-1)
- 88. South Florida Bulls (1-1)
- 87. Rice Owls (1-1)
- 86. Colorado Buffaloes (1-1)
- 85. Vanderbilt Commodores (0-2, 0-1 SEC)
- 84. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (1-1, 0-1 ACC)
- 82. (tie) Ohio Bobcats (2-0)
- 82. (tie) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (1-1)
- 81. Purdue Boilermakers (1-1)
- 80. Oregon State Beavers (1-1)
- 79. Georgia Southern Eagles (1-1)
- 78. San Diego State Aztecs (1-1)
- 77. Washington State Cougars (1-1)
- 76. Maryland Terrapins (1-1)
- 75. Indiana Hoosiers (2-0)
- 74. East Carolina Pirates (1-1)
- 73. Colorado State Rams (1-1)
- 72. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-1)
- 71. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (1-1)
- 69. (tie) Northern Illinois Huskies (2-0)
- 69. (tie) Iowa State Cyclones (1-1)
- 68. Virginia Cavaliers (0-2)
- 67. Utah State Aggies (1-1)
- 66. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-1, 0-1 American)
- 65. Marshall Thundering Herd (1-1)
- 64. Bowling Green Falcons (1-1)
- 63. Texas Longhorns (1-1)
- 62. North Carolina Tar Heels (1-1)
- 61. Syracuse Orange (2-0, 1-0 ACC)
Nos. 60-51
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Boston College beat up on FCS Howard so badly on Saturday the teams agreed to play 10-minute quarters in the second half. The Eagles had scored 62 points before halftime en route to a 76-0 victory to give them a boatload of confidence heading into Friday's visit from Florida State for the ACC opener.
BC held the Bison to 11 total yards of offense.
- 60. Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1)
- 59. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (1-1, 0-1 Conference USA)
- 58. Air Force Falcons (2-0, 1-0 Mountain West)
- 57. Navy Midshipmen (1-0)
- 56. Boston College Eagles (2-0)
- 55. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-1, 0-1 SEC)
- 53. (tie) Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0)
- 53. (tie) Louisville Cardinals (0-2)
- 52. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-0)
- 51. Michigan Wolverines (1-1)
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50. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
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Average rating: 44.9
Week 2 result: Won 41-38 vs. Louisiana Tech
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Indiana
Western Kentucky (2-0, 1-0 Conference USA) has a pair of Thursday night victories under its belt to start 2015, and those wins have come by a combined five points. The most recent one was especially huge, since it came against a Louisiana Tech team the Hilltoppers lost to by 49 points a year ago.
Quarterback Brandon Doughty has thrown for 650 yards this year, giving him 8,450 for his career and 5,480 since the beginning of the 2014 season.
49. Kentucky Wildcats
5 of 53
Average rating: 44.88
Week 2 result: Won 26-22 at South Carolina
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Florida
Kentucky (2-0, 1-0) won an SEC road game for the first time since 2009, jumping out to a 24-7 lead and then hanging on late for its second straight win over South Carolina.
The Wildcats are unbeaten despite being outgained in both games this season. They rank 103rd in total defense and have only outscored their opponents by 11 points.
48. Minnesota Golden Gophers
6 of 53
Average rating: 41.5
Week 2 result: Won 23-20 (in OT) at Colorado State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Kent State
Minnesota (1-1) avoided its first 0-2 start since 2011 with a come-from-behind road victory, forcing a turnover in overtime and then winning it on an 18-yard field goal from Ryan Santoso.
Mitch Leidner threw two touchdown passes and had 280 yards of total offense, and the Golden Gophers forced four turnovers.
47. Nebraska Cornhuskers
7 of 53
Average rating: 41.17
Week 2 result: Won 48-9 vs. South Alabama
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Miami (Florida)
Coming off its first loss in a home opener since 1985, Nebraska (1-1) made sure to put away South Alabama early and keep the Jaguars from posting any sort of comeback.
The Cornhuskers scored the game's first 31 points and outgained South Alabama 561-332, allowing only 19 rushing yards. Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, while Terrell Newby ran for 198 yards and two scores.
46. Illinois Fighting Illini
8 of 53
Average rating: 40.83
Week 2 result: Won 44-0 vs. Western Illinois
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at North Carolina
Illinois (2-0) has been absolutely unstoppable so far under interim coach Bill Cubit, averaging 48 points and 421 yards per game while giving up just a field goal. Sure, it's come against an FCS school and lowly Kent State, but for a program that fired its coach a week before the season, any success is a big deal.
The Fighting Illini posted their first shutout since 2012, giving up 141 yards in the process, and in two games they've forced six turnovers and are yielding 193 yards per game.
45. Virginia Tech Hokies
9 of 53
Average rating: 40.38
Week 2 result: Won 42-3 vs. Furman
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Purdue
Virginia Tech (1-1) rebounded from the season-opening loss to Ohio State with a dominant performance against an FCS opponent, allowing new starting quarterback Brenden Motley a chance to gain confidence after he struggled in his time on the field the week before.
Motley, playing in place of the injured Michael Brewer, threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing score. He orchestrated an attack that gained 583 yards, the Hokies' highest yardage output since October 2010.
44. Florida Gators
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Average rating: 39.13
Week 2 result: Won 31-24 vs. East Carolina
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Kentucky
Florida (2-0) has gotten off to a strong start on offense under new coach Jim McElwain, averaging 46 points and 489.5 yards per game despite very few experienced players to work with. The two-quarterback system of sophomore Treon Harris and redshirt freshman Will Grier has produced 694 yards, with the duo combining for 72.6 percent passing with six touchdowns and one interception.
The Gators defense has been very strong against the run, yielding 51 yards in two games, but without cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III available against East Carolina because of injury, they gave up 346 passing yards and three touchdowns.
42. (tie) Toledo Rockets
11 of 53
Average rating: 38.88
Week 2 result: Won 16-12 vs. Arkansas (in Little Rock, Arkansas)
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Iowa State
Toledo (1-0) was without its best offensive player and winless in three previous games against current SEC teams, yet the Rockets in no way looked intimidated by facing Arkansas on the road and thus produced one of the biggest shockers of the 2015 season to date.
Damion Jones-Moore ran for 68 yards and a touchdown in place of Kareem Hunt, who was suspended for a team-rules violation, while quarterback Phillip Ely threw for 237 yards and a TD. The Rockets were outgained 515-318 but held Arkansas to 103 rushing yards and led the entire second half.
42. (tie) Miami Hurricanes
12 of 53
Average rating: 38.88
Week 2 result: Won 44-20 at Florida Atlantic
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Nebraska
Miami (2-0) has somewhat lowered the temperature of coach Al Golden's seat with a strong start, averaging 44.5 points per game while allowing only 234 yards.
The Hurricanes are rushing for 210.5 yards per contest, with three players gaining more than 100 yards so far. Mark Walton and Joseph Yearby have scored six times on the ground and together average 6.52 yards per rush.
41. Houston Cougars
13 of 53
Average rating: 38.6
Week 2 result: Won 34-31 at Louisville
Week 3 matchup: Bye
First-year coach Tom Herman has already made his impact with Houston (2-0) with an offense that is averaging 43 points and 541.5 yards per game. That includes an upset road win at Louisville, the Cougars' first victory over a power-conference team since 2009.
Herman has a rising star at quarterback in Greg Ward, who through two games has thrown for 511 yards and four touchdowns while completing 73.3 percent of his passes and has run for 199 yards and two scores.
39. (tie) Boise State Broncos
14 of 53
Average rating: 36.7
Week 2 result: Lost 35-24 at BYU
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 18 vs. Idaho State
There's something about that first road game of the season that just doesn't agree with Boise State.
The Broncos (1-1) have dropped the first game they've played outside of Boise in four straight seasons following the setback at BYU, but the others weren't as painful as this one since none saw them blow a 10-point lead or give up a desperation 35-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-7 with 45 seconds left. Or saw them give up an interception return for a TD 15 seconds later to thwart any chance of their own comeback.
Boise quarterback Ryan Finley was intercepted three times, and in two games the Broncos have five turnovers.
39. (tie) Arkansas Razorbacks
15 of 53
Average rating: 36.7
Week 2 result: Lost 16-12 vs. Toledo (in Little Rock, Arkansas)
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Texas Tech
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema might be wise not to rag on other teams' schedules anymore, not after losing to a Mid-American Conference school and thus losing all of the goodwill that had been built up from last season's late run and a blowout win to start 2015.
"When you're 11-16 at your current school, you probably shouldn't talk too much about what's happening in the Big Ten," wrote USA Today's Dan Wolken, referring to Bielema's statement prior to the Toledo loss that his team had a far tougher schedule than teams like Ohio State. "When you lose to Toledo, it's probably best to be quiet about Ohio State."
It was an altogether un-Arkansas-like performance in Little Rock, where the Razorbacks play at least once each season but where they've now lost five of their last six. Brandon Allen threw for 412 yards, but Arkansas only ran for 103 yards, the fourth-lowest ground total in Bielema's three-plus seasons at the helm.
38. Washington Huskies
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Average rating: 36.5
Week 2 result: Won 49-0 vs. Sacramento State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Utah State
Washington (2-0) recovered from a three-point opening loss at Boise State to post its first shutout in two years, allowing just 11 rushing yards in the process. More impressive, though, was how much better the offense looked after struggling in its opener.
The Huskies gained 544 yards, with true freshman quarterback Jake Browning earning his first victory behind 326 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing.
37. Memphis Tigers
17 of 53
Average rating: 36.38
Week 2 result: Won 55-23 at Kansas
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Bowling Green
Memphis (2-0) has now won nine straight games after a blowout road victory, its first against a power-conference team since downing Ole Miss to start the 2004 season. The fact it came against a Kansas team that lost at home to an FCS school the week before doesn't lessen the accomplishment, not when the Tigers racked up 651 yards.
The Tigers are averaging 59 points and 585 yards per game so far. Quarterback Paxton Lynch has completed 81.1 percent of his passes, and Memphis is gaining 5.34 yards per carry on the ground.
36. Iowa Hawkeyes
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Average rating: 36.25
Week 2 result: Won 31-17 at Iowa State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Pittsburgh
Iowa (2-0) reclaimed the Cy-Hawk Trophy on Saturday, taking it out of Ames thanks to two fourth-quarter touchdowns to break a tie and win at Iowa State. The Hawkeyes offense has been quite effective and creative to this point in the season, averaging 31 points and 453 yards per game.
Quarterback C.J. Beathard has thrown for 426 yards and four touchdowns along with 103 rushing yards and two scores, and Iowa is gaining 235 yards per game on the ground.
35. Duke Blue Devils
19 of 53
Average rating: 35.75
Week 2 result: Won 55-0 vs. North Carolina Central
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Northwestern
Duke (2-0) has outscored its opponents 92-7 this season, and the shutout of North Carolina Central was its first in two years. The Blue Devils are also averaging 592.5 yards per game, which ranks them ninth in FBS through two games.
Quarterback Thomas Sirk has 758 yards of total offense with six touchdowns accounted for, and in addition to completing 67.7 percent of his passes, he's averaging 6.42 yards per carry.
34. California Golden Bears
20 of 53
Average rating: 35.2
Week 2 result: Won 35-7 vs. San Diego State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Texas
It's not surprising that California is 2-0 and is averaging 54 points and 570.5 yards per game. What is hard to believe is how well the Golden Bears have played so far on defense, particularly in defending the pass, as in 2014 they were far and away the worst in the country in that area.
Through two games Cal has allowed 21 points and 622 yards, with only 279 of that coming via the pass. A year ago it allowed 367.2 passing yards per game and 42 passing TDs, but so far this season it's picked off six passes and held opponents to a 40.3 percent completion rate.
33. Stanford Cardinal
21 of 53
Average rating: 35.0
Week 2 result: Won 31-7 vs. UCF
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at USC
Stanford (1-1) didn't score its first touchdown of the season until its sixth quarter of play, but once it posted that initial TD on the scoreboard, several more followed during its home opener on Saturday.
The Cardinal haven't struggled on defense as much as when they have had the ball, however. They allowed 181 yards to UCF and are yielding just 255.5 yards and 11.5 points per game.
32. North Carolina State Wolfpack
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Average rating: 34.6
Week 2 result: Won 35-0 vs. Eastern Kentucky
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Old Dominion
North Carolina State (2-0) has yet to be challenged in its first two games, allowing only 417 yards so far this season. On Saturday the Wolfpack posted their second shutout of an FCS team in as many years.
While quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been as effective as expected, with an 84.4 percent completion rate and three touchdown passes, the big surprise has been the production of running back Matt Dayes. He has 242 yards and five TDs this year.
31. Arizona State Sun Devils
23 of 53
Average rating: 32.7
Week 2 result: Won 35-21 vs. Cal Poly
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 18 vs. New Mexico
It's been a rough start to 2015 for Arizona State (1-1), which lost a high-profile game to Texas A&M in its opener and then needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to dispatch an FCS team at home on Saturday.
The Sun Devils gave up 284 rushing yards to Cal Poly, which runs a triple-option attack, and for the season they've allowed 462 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. ASU's offense was more in sync this time out, with 531 yards after gaining only 291 against A&M.
30. Temple Owls
24 of 53
Average rating: 31.8
Week 2 result: Won 34-26 at Cincinnati
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Massachusetts
Temple (2-0) has early control of the American Athletic Conference's East Division after winning at preseason favorite Cincinnati, and the Owls are doing it with an unexpectedly strong run game.
Jahad Thomas ran for 193 yards and a touchdown last week, giving him 328 yards and three TDs in 2015. Last year Temple averaged only 107.75 rushing yards per game, but this season it has 364 in two contests.
29. Mississippi State Bulldogs
25 of 53
Average rating: 31.4
Week 2 result: Lost 21-19 vs. LSU
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Northwestern State
Mississippi State (1-1, 0-1 SEC) set a Guinness World Record for most cowbells used at one time on Thursday, but it couldn't carry over that success to the field in falling at home in its conference opener. The noisemakers were in full force on Saturday evening, but they might have contributed to the Bulldogs getting slapped with a delay-of-game penalty at a key part of their final drive.
Because of the flag, MSU ended up having to attempt a 52-yard field goal that fell far short and to the right.
Before that, the Bulldogs had been fighting hard to get back in a game they trailed 14-0 and 21-6, doing so almost exclusively via the pass since LSU prevented Dak Prescott from doing any running. Prescott ended up with 335 passing yards and a touchdown, but he had to throw it a career-high 52 times while being held to minus-19 rushing yards on 10 tries.
28. Oklahoma State Cowboys
26 of 53
Average rating: 31.2
Week 2 result: Won 32-8 vs. Central Arkansas
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. UTSA
Oklahoma State (2-0) gained 578 yards in its home opener on Saturday, with 401 coming from quarterback Mason Rudolph. That gives him 667 yards and three touchdowns this season and 1,520 yards with nine TDs in five games since taking over the starting job last November.
The Cowboys allowed only 220 yards to Central Arkansas—their best defensive effort since a 206-yard performance against this week's opponent, UTSA, last September.
27. Kansas State Wildcats
27 of 53
Average rating: 31.0
Week 2 result: Won 30-3 at UTSA
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Louisiana Tech
Kansas State (2-0) has allowed three points in two games, the lone score coming on a 51-yard field goal this past weekend in San Antonio. The Wildcats' great effort on defense has enabled their offense to settle in to a change at quarterback, with Joe Hubener taking over for the injured Jesse Ertz.
Hubener, who made his first-ever start (including high school) at UTSA, has 486 yards of total offense this season. That's nine yards fewer than K-State has allowed in two games.
26. Northwestern Wildcats
28 of 53
Average rating: 29.5
Week 2 result: Won 41-0 vs. Eastern Illinois
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Duke
Northwestern (2-0) has outscored its opponents 57-6 this season and is one of four FBS teams yet to have allowed a touchdown. The Wildcats have allowed only 378 yards in two games after holding Eastern Illinois to 138 yards.
The Wildcats' rushing attack has carried them on offense, gaining 344 yards last week and 569 for the season. Justin Jackson has 212 of that, while quarterback Clayton Thorson is also averaging 7.5 yards per carry and has two TDs.
25. Tennessee Volunteers
29 of 53
Average rating: 26.4
Week 2 result: Lost 31-24 (in 2 OT) vs. Oklahoma
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Western Carolina
So, where does Tennessee (1-1) go from here?
The much-anticipated chance to make a splash on a national stage came to a painful finish on Saturday, as the Volunteers blew a 17-0 first-half lead (the largest lead ever squandered at home) and managed only 57 yards on their final seven drives.
Overall, Tennessee had just 254 yards, with quarterback Joshua Dobbs contributing 137. He had 125 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 13-of-31 passing and just 12 rushing yards while being sacked three times.
Jalen Hurd was the only Vols player who consistently produced, rushing for 106 yards and a TD, but that came on 24 carries. The rest of the team had 148 yards on 51 plays.
24. Missouri Tigers
30 of 53
Average rating: 25.0
Week 2 result: Won 27-20 at Arkansas State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Connecticut
Missouri (2-0) continues to be a stellar road warrior, no matter the venue, winning its 11th straight road game but struggling offensively.
The Tigers had only 282 yards, with Maty Mauk completing just 16 of 36 passes for 148 yards. He had three touchdowns but two interceptions.
Missouri hasn't lost on the road since the 2012 season finale at Texas A&M.
23. Arizona Wildcats
31 of 53
Average rating: 24.4
Week 2 result: Won 44-20 at Nevada
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Northern Arizona
Arizona (2-0) looked far better on the road against a Mountain West opponent than it did in its opener at home against an FCS team, scoring two quick touchdowns and then cruising to its fourth straight 2-0 start under coach Rich Rodriguez.
The Wildcats had 570 yards at Nevada, with 301 coming on the ground thanks to a 194-yard, three-touchdown effort from Nick Wilson. Anu Solomon threw for 264 yards and two TDs on 24-of-33 passing, giving him six TDs in two games.
22. Utah Utes
32 of 53
Average rating: 23.8
Week 2 result: Won 24-14 vs. Utah State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Fresno State
Utah (2-0) lost its quarterback just before halftime but was still able to lean on its defense and run game to knock off its rivals on Friday night.
Travis Wilson left the game late in the first half with a shoulder injury, and backup Kendal Thompson came in and orchestrated two touchdown drives, including one when he scored himself from two yards out to break a 14-14 tie midway through the third quarter.
Devontae Booker had 120 rushing yards and a TD, and the Utes forced three turnovers.
Wilson suffered a sprained left shoulder, per Matthew Piper of the Salt Lake Tribune, and is not expected to miss much time.
21. West Virginia Mountaineers
33 of 53
Average rating: 23.2
Week 2 result: Won 41-17 vs. Liberty
Week 3 matchup: Bye
West Virginia (2-0) gets a week off to celebrate a strong start to 2015, holding its opponents scoreless for the first six quarters while finding great balance from a young offense.
The Mountaineers are averaging 42.5 points and 514.5 yards per game, with quarterback Skyler Howard throwing three touchdown passes on 21-of-26 passing against Liberty and Wendell Smallwood adding two rushing scores.
20. BYU Cougars
34 of 53
Average rating: 22.6
Week 2 result: Won 35-24 vs. Boise State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at UCLA
The throw-it-deep-and-hope-someone-catches-it offense doesn't usually produce positive results, but so far it's working for BYU (2-0). Both of the Cougars' wins this season have come thanks to desperation heaves in the final minute, first a Hail Mary touchdown catch at Nebraska and then a 35-yard TD pass from Tanner Mangum to Mitchell Juergens with 45 seconds left to beat Boise State.
A pick-six 15 seconds later made the final margin much bigger, but in actuality BYU trailed almost the entire game and was down 10 points entering the fourth quarter. But then the fast-growing legend of true freshman Mangum added his latest chapter with a rushing TD and then the game-winner to Juergens, giving him 309 passing yards for the night.
Mangum, thrust into a starting role after the team lost Taysom Hill for the year against Nebraska, has attempted 39 passes in his career and already thrown two game-winning TDs.
19. Wisconsin Badgers
35 of 53
Average rating: 21.8
Week 2 result: Won 58-0 vs. Miami (Ohio)
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Troy
Wisconsin (1-1) didn't have Corey Clement available to run the ball because of a groin injury, but it didn't need him to easily destroy Miami. The Badgers still ground out 188 rushing yards, 112 of which came from Dare Ogunbowale, while Taiwan Deal had two short touchdown runs.
Joel Stave threw three TD passes, giving him five in two games after throwing just nine all of last season.
The Badgers held Miami to 157 total yards and minus-three on the ground, rebounding from a season-opening loss to Alabama when they gave up 238 rushing yards and four TDs.
18. Auburn Tigers
36 of 53
Average rating: 17.6
Week 2 result: Won 27-20 (in OT) vs. Jacksonville State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at LSU
Auburn (2-0) is one of the 51 FBS schools with perfect records after two weeks, but it's the only one that needed to go to overtime with an FCS opponent to maintain such perfection.
The Tigers narrowly avoided one of the biggest upsets in college football history by outlasting unheralded Jacksonville State, trailing for nearly the entire second half before forcing OT with 39 seconds left. That was possible only because the Gamecocks shanked a punt after playing conservatively following an Auburn red-zone fumble.
Auburn allowed an FCS quarterback (Eli Jenkins) to throw for 277 yards, while its passer (Jeremy Johnson) threw two more interceptions to give him five this season.
17. Texas A&M Aggies
37 of 53
Average rating: 16.0
Week 2 result: Won 56-23 vs. Ball State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Nevada
Texas A&M (2-0) christened the expanded and renovated Kyle Field with one of its textbook onslaughts, gaining 503 yards and scoring seven offensive touchdowns.
Kyle Allen threw three TD passes on 13 attempts, while Kyler Murray tossed his first career TD pass. The Aggies ran for 270 yards and three TDs, while true freshman Christian Kirk added another 134 all-purpose yards to give him 358 in two games.
A&M had a 49-3 halftime lead over Ball State and in two games has outscored its opponents 63-10.
16. LSU Tigers
38 of 53
Average rating: 15.2
Week 2 result: Won 21-19 at Mississippi State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Auburn
LSU was denied an opportunity to ease into the 2015 season when its opening game against FCS McNeese State was canceled because of lightning. This led to a lot of uncertainty about the Tigers offense, particularly how quarterback Brandon Harris would fare, with the first official game being on the road in SEC play.
But thanks to the ability to hand off to Leonard Fournette as often as needed, LSU was able to get through the initial test with a key victory to get an early jump on the rest of the field in the tough SEC West Division.
Fournette ran for 159 yards and all three of LSU's touchdowns on 28 carries, making it so Harris only had to throw 14 times (completing nine) for 71 yards along with 48 on the ground. The Tigers' win was balanced out by a strong effort defensively, at least when it came to preventing Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott from running wild.
Prescott was sacked three times for 28 yards, finishing with minus-19 yards and no carry of more than three yards.
15. Oklahoma Sooners
39 of 53
Average rating: 15.0
Week 2 result: Won 31-24 (in 2 OT) at Tennessee
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Tulsa
Oklahoma (1-1) managed to pull off the rare feat of looking absolutely dreadful on offense for more than three quarters then suddenly become an unstoppable attack over its last four drives to pull out a road win that coach Bob Stoops ranked up there with his greatest achievements in 17 years with the Sooners.
"We played as poorly as we could with penalties and everything, and still won it," Stoops told Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman. "That's strong."
Oklahoma's Air Raid passing game had fewer than 100 yards with two turnovers in three-plus quarters before Baker Mayfield came alive to throw three touchdown passes and run for another. He connected with Sterling Shepard on a pair of thrilling TD scores, the first a fade in the corner of the end zone to force overtime and the second in which Shepard showed off his acrobat skills by tiptoeing the sideline and dodging defenders for the game-winning score.
What kept the Sooners in the game during the extended offensive drought was a masterful defensive game plan, which ended up holding Tennessee to 254 yards and stifled quarterback Joshua Dobbs' ability to make plays with his legs.
14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
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Average rating: 13.4
Week 2 result: Won 65-10 vs. Tulane
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Notre Dame
How dominant has Georgia Tech (2-0) been in its first two games? The Yellow Jackets not only lead FBS in rushing offense at 457.5 yards per game, but their passing attack is also tops in the country in yards per attempt at 13.9.
Sure, they've only thrown it 15 times out of the triple-option, but 12 of those passes were completed for 209 yards and four TDs.
Tech has rushed for 15 TDs and gotten ground scores from 10 different players. Its rushing production is so spread out that only two players have topped 100 yards to this point, but eight have at least 60 yards.
13. Oregon Ducks
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Average rating: 12.4
Week 2 result: Lost 31-28 at Michigan State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Georgia State
It's been a while since Oregon (1-1) has had an early-season loss, but now that it has returned home after the setback in East Lansing, the mission is clear: There can be no more setbacks anytime soon, not if it wants to remain a playoff contender.
Oregon had a chance to win, twice rallying from 10-point deficits in the second half and putting together a potential go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter. However, Vernon Adams Jr.'s pass to a wide-open Byron Marshall in the end zone was too long, and on the next play Adams was sacked to push the Ducks out of field-goal range. An incomplete pass on fourth down ended the comeback attempt.
Adams had 315 yards of total offense and two total touchdowns, but he was intercepted twice and sacked four times as he struggled with MSU's pass rush and looked very much like a player who only joined his team a month ago.
The Ducks now have a stretch where they can spend a lot of time working out the kinks for a stretch run, with only a Sept. 26 visit from Utah likely to be of concern.
11. (tie) UCLA Bruins
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Average rating: 11.4
Week 2 result: Won 37-3 at UNLV
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. BYU
True freshman quarterback Josh Rosen proved he was human on Saturday, throwing an interception and completing only 22 of 42 passes after a masterful debut. But that was about the only thing that went wrong for UCLA (2-0) in Las Vegas, as it racked up 526 yards and got a dominant rushing performance from Paul Pierce.
Pierce, who led the Pac-12 in rushing last season, ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
UCLA's defense has come to play too, allowing 19 points in two games. Against UNLV, it gave up only 56 passing yards and scored a pick-six on an interception by Kenny Young. The Bruins have yielded just 294 passing yards and one TD in two games, which bodes well with BYU's potent air attack coming to town this weekend.
11. (tie) Ole Miss Rebels
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Average rating: 11.4
Week 2 result: Won 73-21 vs. Fresno State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 at Alabama
The offensive pace that Ole Miss (2-0) is on after two weeks just can't continue—unless the Rebels are on the cusp of producing the best season in college football history. Still, back-to-back games with at least 70 points and a combined 1,269 yards look mighty nice heading into the SEC opener at Alabama.
Ole Miss is averaging 9.33 yards per play and against Fresno State got 346 passing yards and four touchdowns from Chad Kelly while the run game produced four TDs. In 2014 Ole Miss ran for 21 TDs; it has nine so far through two games.
On the defensive side, five forced turnovers (including four interceptions, three of which have been returned for scores) have provided great support.
10. Florida State Seminoles
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Average rating: 10.4
Week 2 result: Won 34-14 vs. South Florida
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 18 at Boston College
We got a glimpse of what Florida State's offense is apt to look like for much of 2015, at least until its quarterback and young receivers get on the same page. And that means a lot of handing the ball off to Dalvin Cook, who is quickly becoming a Heisman Trophy contender with his production.
"Cook was as close to a one-man show as you’ll see this season," wrote CFB Huddle's Kyle Kensing after the sophomore ran for a career-high 266 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries.
The rest of the Seminoles (2-0) produced 177 yards on 41 plays, with Everett Golson throwing for 163 yards and a TD on 14-of-26 passing.
9. Clemson Tigers
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Average rating: 9.0
Week 2 result: Won 41-10 vs. Appalachian State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Louisville
Through two games, Clemson (2-0) has produced great results on both sides of the ball and seen plenty of growth from a young defense hoping to follow last year's top-ranked unit. The competition gets much harder starting on Thursday, though, with the Tigers starting a critical three-game stretch that begins on the road and then continues with home games against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
Clemson's defense gave up only 95 passing yards to Appalachian State and in two games has yielded 255.5 yards and 10 points per contest.
Deshaun Watson has been near-perfect on offense, with 442 yards and five touchdowns and a 77.1 percent completion rate, and Clemson's run game has scored six times.
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Average rating: 8.8
Week 2 result: Won 34-27 at Virginia
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Georgia Tech
Notre Dame (2-0) pulled out a last-second victory with a quarterback who a few months ago was third on the depth chart. Now the Fighting Irish have to find a way to make their push for a national title with a freshman who wasn't expected to contribute much this season as their leader on offense.
DeShone Kizer threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller with 12 seconds left to beat Virginia, his second TD pass after coming on for Malik Zaire in the third quarter. Zaire, who fractured his left ankle and is out for the season, beat out Everett Golson for the starting job during spring practice and prompted Golson to transfer to Florida State.
Despite the late-game heroics, Notre Dame's Vegas odds to win the national title dropped from 12-to-1 to 40-to-1, per ESPN's Brett McMurphy.
"There's no reason why we can't win with DeShone Kizer," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told Bleacher Report's Mike Monaco. "He can win games for us. We have to elevate him to that next level."
7. Georgia Bulldogs
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Average rating: 7.8
Week 2 result: Won 31-14 at Vanderbilt
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. South Carolina
In the previous two seasons, an unexpected road loss derailed Georgia's hopes of winning the SEC East. The Bulldogs (2-0, 1-0) made sure that wasn't going to happen in Nashville, leading throughout the convincing 17-point win over Vanderbilt.
Plenty of Nick Chubb (189 rushing yards, his 10th straight 100-yard game) and no risks with the passing game made for a mistake-free game on offense for the second straight week.
The Bulldogs allowed 400 yards but also intercepted three passes—one that Dominick Sanders brought back 88 yards for a TD—while the return game was highlighted by Isaiah McKenzie's 77-yard punt return score.
6. Michigan State Spartans
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Average rating: 7.1
Week 2 result: Won 31-28 vs. Oregon
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Air Force
The Spartans (2-0) took a major step in their quest to be in the playoffs by holding off Oregon at home in a rematch of last year's classic in Eugene, and in doing so have moved further away from their old reputation of blowing it in big games.
"In recent history, it's possible that no team has better rehabilitated its image than the Spartans," Matt Brown of Sports on Earth wrote. "The old Michigan State would have lost to Oregon in devastating fashion."
Instead, MSU never trailed and thus controlled the tempo against a team that's all about tempo. Thanks to a bruising run game and just enough big plays on defense—such as a sack of Vernon Adams in the final minute that pushed the Ducks out of field-goal range—it has a quality resume-building win that in essence can help offset a loss later this year (such as at Ohio State) and keep MSU in the playoff hunt.
MSU ran for 197 yards, with Madre London churning out 103 and true freshman LJ Scott scoring twice with 76 yards. And four sacks of Adams gave it 11 in two games this season.
5. Baylor Bears
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Average rating: 6.8
Week 2 result: Won 66-31 vs. Lamar
Week 3 matchup: Bye
Baylor (2-0) has more than enough offensive firepower to make giving up 21 first-half points to lowly opponents nothing to worry about. But the Bears will need to shore up their defense by the time they hit the tougher games on their schedule in October and November if they hope to be considered for the playoffs.
The Bears are now averaging an FBS-best 754 yards per game after going for 785 against Lamar, with 342 passing yards and four touchdowns from Seth Russell (along with three interceptions) and 412 rushing yards and five TDs from the ground game. That included three 100-yard gainers—Shock Linwood had 130, while Johnny Jefferson and Terence Williams each went for 121.
Baylor was tied at 21 in the second quarter for the second straight week, however. In its opener it scored the final 35 points of a 56-21 win at SMU, and this time strung together a 21-0 run in a five-minute span late in the first half and early in the third quarter.
4. USC Trojans
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Average rating: 5.8
Week 2 result: Won 59-9 vs. Idaho
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Stanford
If things don't work out for USC (2-0) in the Pac-12 this season, at least it knows it has a shot at a Sun Belt Conference title following a second straight blowout win over a team from that league.
The Trojans gained 739 yards on 74 plays, with quarterback Cody Kessler tossing four touchdowns with 410 yards on 26-of-31 passing. The senior has completed 78.9 percent of his passes with seven TDs and no interceptions so far, albeit against Idaho and Arkansas State.
USC also ran for 284 yards and scored five times on the ground, with Justin Davis and Tre Madden each scoring twice.
3. TCU Horned Frogs
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Average rating: 3.3
Week 2 result: Won 70-7 vs. Stephen F. Austin
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. SMU
TCU (2-0) returned to the dominant offensive force we became used to in 2014 with 627 yards and its fifth game with at least 50 points in its past 13. It came against an FCS team, sure, but after Minnesota held the Horned Frogs to 23 points the week before there were concerns that Trevone Boykin might not be able to mount another season of prolific production.
Boykin had 285 passing yards and four touchdowns, hitting four different receivers, and TCU ran for 224 yards and four scores.
More impressive was the defensive effort by a unit that's been ravaged by injuries already. The Frogs allowed only 167 yards including just 21 through the air on 28 attempts, with Denzel Johnson contributing a 50-yard interception return TD.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
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Average rating: 2.2
Week 2 result: Won 37-10 vs. Middle Tennessee
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Ole Miss
Alabama (2-0) tuned up for its first of many SEC showdowns with an easy home win over Middle Tennessee, continuing its balanced offensive approach and its ability to stifle opponents' best attributes.
The Crimson Tide got a combined 312 passing yards from starter Jake Coker and backup Cooper Bateman, though each had an interception to go with their touchdown passes. And the run game produced 220 yards on 39 carries, with Derrick Henry going for 96 yards and three TDs, while Kenyan Drake had 202 all-purpose yards and a receiving TD.
A week after shutting down Wisconsin's run attack, Alabama held Middle Tennessee to 189 passing yards on 43 attempts after the Blue Raiders threw for 363 yards and four TDs the game before.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
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Average rating: 1.2
Week 2 result: Won 38-0 vs. Hawaii
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 19 vs. Northern Illinois
Ohio State (2-0) didn't have to do much to be able to handle overmatched Hawaii, which was good because its offense didn't look very sharp. Five days after averaging more than 10 yards per play at Virginia Tech, the Buckeyes had 363 yards on 83 snaps and only led 17-0 after three quarters.
Hawaii's aggressive front seven disrupted quarterback Cardale Jones early on, and he finished with just 111 yards on 12-of-18 passing without a touchdown. All four of OSU's TDs came on the ground, three from Ezekiel Elliott as part of his 101 yards on 27 carries.
The Buckeyes defense was solid throughout, though, holding the Rainbow Warriors to 165 yards and forcing four turnovers.
Statistics provided by CFBStats.com.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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