Rating Each Top 25 College Football Team as Contender or Pretender
The first two weeks of the college football season have provided a fair amount of surprises and strong performances from the nation's top teams.
A few teams have already pulled out into the front of the race for the College Football Playoff with big wins over quality opponents, while others have seen their stock plummet thanks to some bad outings.
With a weird Week 2 in the books, let's go through the latest AP Top 25 poll and break each team down with one fundamental question—playoff contender or playoff pretender?
To be completely fair to all of these quality ranked teams, these answers are based solely on a small sample size of two weekends of action. The contenders have looked championship caliber early on this season, while the pretenders have failed to impress.
Of course, there is still plenty of time for pretenders to rise up and become contenders (remember Auburn in 2013 and Ohio State in 2014?) and vice versa, especially with some first real tests coming up for programs that have gotten off to hot starts.
25. Oklahoma State
1 of 25
Win at Central Michigan, 24-13
Win vs. Central Arkansas, 32-8
Oklahoma State slid into the Top 25 this weekend after a quartet of teams dropped all the way out of the poll. The Cowboys haven't been overly impressive during the first two weeks of the season thanks to a pair of slow starts on the offensive side of the ball.
The Cowboys trailed Central Michigan 13-10 in Week 1 before rallying for back-to-back touchdowns, and they only led FCS foe Central Arkansas 10-0 heading into halftime in their Week 2 home opener.
"It felt like we were more urgent [in the second half]," quarterback Mason Rudolph said after the Central Arkansas win, per Kyle Fredrickson of the Oklahoman. "We felt like we had to start quicker because we didn't start quick in the first half. We have to get that figured out."
Oklahoma State needs to see more urgency from its offense—and improvement in the run game—before it can be called a contender out of the Big 12.
Verdict: Pretender
24. Wisconsin
2 of 25
Loss vs. No. 3 Alabama, 35-17
Win vs. Miami (Ohio), 58-0
Wisconsin started the season with a chance to make a huge statement, but Alabama ultimately was too much for the Badgers in an 18-point loss at AT&T Stadium.
While the Badgers made some big plays against the Tide, they looked like a team with a new head coach and a banged-up replacement for a superstar running back. Wisconsin only mustered 40 rushing yards on 21 carries against Alabama and ultimately allowed more than 500 yards.
The Badgers were able to get back on track and climb into the Top 25 again after a rout of lowly Miami (Ohio) in Week 2. With running back Corey Clement out again, the Badgers were paced by an improved passing game with quarterback Joel Stave.
Wisconsin has the opportunity to improve each week and run the table with a favorable schedule in the Big Ten's Western division. If it can do that and get into the conference title game with a great record, Wisconsin could be a surprise contender in December. But right now, the Badgers are still on the outside.
Verdict: Pretender
23. Northwestern
3 of 25
Win vs. Stanford, 16-6
Win vs. Eastern Illinois, 41-0
After back-to-back losing seasons, Northwestern wasn't on many radars heading into 2015. But the Wildcats' Week 1 upset over Stanford and a rout over FCS team Eastern Illinois have them ranked heading into Week 3.
Northwestern played nearly mistake-free football and handcuffed the Stanford offense in the season opener, knocking the Cardinal out of the Top 25. Offensively, a stronger ground attack—Northwestern ranked No. 103 nationally in rushing yards per game last season—has been a huge difference-maker.
"You can debate the importance of a top-25 ranking in mid-September, but it's a sign Northwestern should be a far stronger team in league play than many people initially thought," Jesse Temple of ESPN.com wrote. "Northwestern was picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten West. With the way this team is playing defense, that prognostication seems silly."
It'll take a few more big wins before anyone considers Northwestern a strong contender in the Big Ten or on the national stage. But the Wildcats have exceeded expectations so far this season.
Verdict: Pretender
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22. Missouri
4 of 25
Win vs. Southeast Missouri State, 34-3
Win at Arkansas State, 27-20
After an easy win over FCS team Southeast Missouri State in Week 1, Missouri didn't exactly impress with its Week 2 performance against Arkansas State.
Missouri's strong defense clamped down on the Red Wolves in the second half after the hosts took a surprise 17-10 lead into the locker room, but the offense was inefficient. Quarterback Maty Mauk went 16-of-36 through the air with three touchdowns and two interceptions, and he was also the lead rusher for an attack that only averaged four yards per play against a team that USC scored 55 points on in Week 1.
"We could be sitting here talking about a loss," head coach Gary Pinkel said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "But we found a way to win a game, and that's good. The bad news is we're not playing as good as we can play."
Missouri has rebounded from shaky out-of-conference performances before (see last year's loss to Indiana), but the Tigers need a lot more out of their offense in order to contend.
Verdict: Pretender
21. Utah
5 of 25
Win vs. Michigan, 24-17
Win vs. Utah State, 24-14
Utah was the Pac-12 South team that most of the country slept on heading into 2015, and it's found itself in the Top 25 after a pair of weeknight wins to start the season.
The Utes had fewer yards than their opponents in victories over Michigan and Utah State, but the defense ranks in the top 15 nationally with six forced turnovers—three in each game—to start the season. With starting quarterback Travis Wilson recovering from a shoulder injury, Utah needs to show more explosiveness offensively.
"Even with Wilson, the offense is well shy of where [head coach] Kyle Whittingham wants it," Matthew Piper of the Salt Lake Tribune wrote. "...Wilson's injury may have altered the gameplan, but fans would obviously hope their outside receivers would finish the season with more than a few dozen catches between them. Utah's longest completed pass this season: 20 yards."
If Utah can give bruising running back Devontae Booker enough help with an improved passing game, it can do some damage in the division. Right now, though, it's had to rely on an opportunistic defense for a pair of close home wins.
Verdict: Pretender
20. Arizona
6 of 25
Win vs. UTSA, 42-32
Win at Nevada, 44-20
Arizona's 2015 season got off to a rougher-than-expected start against UTSA, as the high-powered Wildcats offense hit cold stretches and the defense struggled without its leader for most of the contest.
The defending Pac-12 South champions are without do-it-all linebacker Scooby Wright for the next several weeks, and they have some other key injuries across the defense. By the end of the close win over UTSA in Week 1, the Wildcats had allowed more than 500 yards to an offense that only returned two starters from last season.
The defense, along with the offense, played much better in a Week 2 road win against Nevada. Quarterback Anu Solomon tightened up his game, and running back Nick Wilson went on to have a monster performance on the ground. Offensive line play continued to be an issue, though, as Nevada registered eight tackles for loss and put quite a bit of pressure on Solomon.
Arizona showed some much-needed improvement against Nevada, but the defensive woes without Wright are highly concerning—especially considering the fact the Wildcats face Josh Rosen and high-powered UCLA in two weeks.
Verdict: Pretender
19. BYU
7 of 25
Win at Nebraska, 33-28
Win vs. Boise State, 35-24
Not only does BYU have the most dramatic pair of wins in the entire country, but it might have the best pair of wins out of any team.
With quarterback Taysom Hill out for the season, freshman backup Tanner Mangum has become an overnight sensation with back-to-back last-minute touchdown heaves in wins over Nebraska and Boise State. And while the defense didn't impress in Week 1 against the Huskers, it made some huge plays to keep BYU in the game against Boise State.
While it's easy to get caught up in the euphoria surrounding these comeback Cougars, they have a massive hill to climb in order to compete for a playoff spot or even a Group of Five berth into the New Year's Six bowls. BYU travels to face No. 10 UCLA next week before a trip to the Big House to take on Michigan.
If BYU can split those games and win out, then the Cougars might be a dark horse for the big bowls. The comeback wins over Nebraska and Boise State are fantastic, no doubt, but BYU hasn't shown—yet—that it has enough quality to run the table with such a treacherous schedule.
Verdict: Pretender
18. Auburn
8 of 25
Win vs. Louisville, 31-24
Win vs. Jacksonville State, 27-20 (OT)
Auburn took a nosedive out of the Top 10 this weekend in the AP poll, and for good reason. The Tigers needed an overtime victory to avoid what might've been the biggest upset in college football history.
After holding onto a tight win over Louisville in Week 1, Auburn couldn't find its groove offensively against FCS program Jacksonville State. Quarterback Jeremy Johnson, who was considered a preseason Heisman contender by some, threw two awful interceptions as the defense struggled to contain Jacksonville State dual-threat quarterback Eli Jenkins.
"Johnson is a liability, not a strength," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote. "The defense is banged up and can't stop even the most obvious zone-read plays when everybody knows what's coming. The secondary is susceptible to quarterbacks who aren't known as downfield threats."
Auburn has a chance to get healthy, settle down its quarterback and start off the SEC West slate with a pair of wins over LSU and Mississippi State in the next two weeks. But these Tigers don't look like contenders at all so far this season.
Verdict: Pretender
17. Texas A&M
9 of 25
Win vs. Arizona State, 38-17
Win vs. Ball State, 56-23
Texas A&M went from unranked to a team trending up in a brutal SEC West after Week 1's impressive showing against a then-ranked Arizona State team in Houston.
The Aggies showcased instant improvement under new defensive coordinator John Chavis by putting up nine sacks and holding an opponent to under 300 yards of offense for the first time under head coach Kevin Sumlin. The defense has been A&M's Achilles' heel in recent seasons, but it dominated against Arizona State and then held Ball State to just three first-half points in Week 2.
"I thought our first unit played very, very well in the first half," Sumlin said after the Ball State win, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "They did what they were supposed to do."
With Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray leading a deep and explosive offense, Texas A&M is looking more and more like a well-rounded playoff contender out of the SEC. While some of the conference's other teams have struggled early on, the Aggies have emphatically answered their biggest questions.
Verdict: Contender
16. Oklahoma
10 of 25
Win vs. Akron, 41-3
Win at Tennessee, 31-24 (2OT)
Oklahoma entered the 2015 season as the "other" playoff contender in the Big 12 behind defending conference co-champions Baylor and TCU. The Sooners' performance at Tennessee on Saturday night changed some of that perception.
The Sooners held Tennessee to just 3.34 yards per play in their thrilling comeback win, which is their best defensive performance in that category against any Power Five team not named Kansas since a blowout win over rival Texas in 2011. The Oklahoma defense that struggled in 2014 has put up back-to-back dominant performances.
Offensively, it took a while for the Sooners to get off the ground, but quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Sterling Shepard were incredible in the fourth quarter and overtime against Tennessee. Mayfield should continue to build confidence and chemistry with the rest of Oklahoma's skill talent in a new Air Raid scheme.
Oklahoma went into a hostile and extremely loud environment in Week 2 and came out with an impressive comeback victory over what was then a ranked team. Through the first two games of the season, the balanced Sooners have shown they can be more than just potential spoilers for Baylor and TCU.
Verdict: Contender
15. Ole Miss
11 of 25
Win vs. UT-Martin, 76-3
Win vs. Fresno State, 73-21
Yes, Ole Miss has played an FCS-flavored cupcake and a sliding Mountain West team to start the season. But with the exception of slightly better defensive play in a 52-point victory over Fresno State, Ole Miss has more than delivered through the first two weeks.
Questions about the Rebels offense with new quarterback Chad Kelly have practically been erased in their opening routs. Ole Miss has scored 70 points in back-to-back games for the first time ever thanks to Kelly's efficiency, strong offensive line play without star Laremy Tunsil and a much-improved ground game.
"Ole Miss has surpassed expectations on offense for its first two games," Parrish Alford of the Daily Journal wrote. "The Rebels will need to carry the same execution and more consistent defense into this week’s game at No. 2 Alabama."
It may be too early to pronounce Ole Miss as a surefire playoff contender—like Alford writes, how it looks against Alabama this weekend will be key—but there's nothing at all that shows this team is a pretender.
Verdict: Contender
14. Georgia Tech
12 of 25
Win vs. Alcorn State, 69-6
Win vs. Tulane, 65-10
Georgia Tech is in the same boat as Ole Miss at this point in the season—two big-time routs over an FCS and a Group of Five school, but it has still exceeded expectations on offense.
The Yellow Jackets had to replace almost every one of their key players at running back and wide receiver, yet head coach Paul Johnson's option attack has been as devastating as ever. Georgia Tech has put up well over 400 rushing yards in each of its first two games of the season.
The defense has improved, too. Last season, Georgia Tech allowed 19 points to Wofford, 21 points to Tulane and 38 points to Georgia Southern in early nonconference play. This season, Georgia Tech held both Alcorn State and Tulane to one touchdown and fewer than 200 yards of total offense.
The road gets a lot tougher this week, though, as Georgia Tech travels to face Notre Dame. If the Yellow Jackets can keep up their high-scoring ways on offense against a Top 10 team, they'll cement themselves as top contenders out of the ACC.
Verdict: Contender
13. LSU
13 of 25
Cancelled game vs. McNeese State
Win at Mississippi State, 21-19
LSU didn't get the chance to have a warm-up game against McNeese State due to inclement weather, so Week 2's SEC West trip to face Mississippi State was the first action of the season for the Tigers.
The 21-19 victory in Starkville was a mixed bag of results. Running back Leonard Fournette dominated the game, quarterback Brandon Harris looked improved with a smaller share of the offensive load and the defense helped LSU jump out to a 14-0 lead. But several issues contributed to a rally by Mississippi State.
"In the second half, [the offense] was handcuffed by the coaching staff and one more costly offensive penalty," Jim Kleinpeter of NOLA.com wrote. "Defensively LSU looked great, holding Mississippi State and Dak Prescott without a touchdown until the fourth quarter. It's apparent depth is going to be an issue there. The starters were gassed on the last two drives, which contributed to the Bulldogs' late surge."
LSU's extremely small sample size probably makes this a harsh "pretender" pick. Any win is big in the SEC West—especially one on the road—but LSU left Starkville with plenty of questions still needing answers. If the Tigers can beat Auburn at home this weekend and string together some wins in a manageable middle of the schedule, they'll definitely be viewed as contenders.
Verdict: Pretender
12. Oregon
14 of 25
Win vs. Eastern Washington, 61-42
Loss at No. 4 Michigan State, 31-28
Oregon's loss to Michigan State didn't kill its playoff hopes (it's much too early for that), but it makes the road to back-to-back berths quite difficult.
The Ducks still can point to some success areas from the matchup against the Spartans. Quarterback Vernon Adams, a newcomer to the offense, still put up more than 300 yards of offense against one of the nation's toughest defenses while nursing an injured finger on his throwing hand.
Oregon's defense also improved from the 42 points it allowed to Eastern Washington in Week 1. As Ted Miller of ESPN.com notes, Michigan State running back Madre London averaged just 2.4 yards per carry after his big gain to open the Spartans' first drive. Like the offense, the defense lost its battle with Michigan State in pressure situations on third and fourth down.
Losing an extremely close road game to a powerhouse program doesn't mean Oregon isn't a playoff contender. It just means the Ducks are lower-ranked for now and will have to avoid letdowns the rest of the way. They proved Saturday night they are still a championship-caliber team.
Verdict: Contender
11. Clemson
15 of 25
Win vs. Wofford, 49-10
Win vs. Appalachian State, 41-10
If these Top 25 teams were placed into categories, Clemson would join Ole Miss and Georgia Tech as potential title contenders that have dominated in back-to-back home routs.
The only real negative for Clemson so far this season has been the neck injury to star wide receiver Mike Williams, who ran into the goalpost in the Week 1 win over Wofford. Quarterback Deshaun Watson was able to still pick apart the Appalachian State defense in Week 2, though, with Charone Peake stepping up with two receiving touchdowns in Williams' absence.
Clemson's defense, which replaced most of its talent from last year's No. 1 overall finish in total yards allowed per game, currently ranks No. 10 nationally in yards per play. The Tigers have allowed only seven points in the first half through the first two weeks.
These Tigers aren't as strong of contenders yet as those that have notched big wins against quality opponents this season, but they've done everything asked of them so far. Thursday night's game against a Louisville team desperate for a win will set the tone for back-to-back tests against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
Verdict: Contender
10. UCLA
16 of 25
Win vs. Virginia, 34-16
Win at UNLV, 37-3
Heading into the 2015 season, UCLA's biggest question was at the quarterback position. In just two games, true freshman Josh Rosen has eased a lot of those concerns for the Bruins.
Rosen commanded national attention for his extremely efficient debut against Virginia, when he completed 80 percent of his passes and had 351 yards. In his first road game, against struggling UNLV, he took a step back in terms of accuracy, but he still strung together some excellent passes in a row in a 37-3 cakewalk.
The veterans around Rosen have delivered, too. Running back Paul Perkins stole the show at UNLV with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and the defense has only allowed 4.24 yards per play in its first two matchups.
UCLA cruised to a win over a team that Notre Dame almost lost to in Week 2, and it was able to show its strong balance on both sides of the ball in a road rout over UNLV. These Bruins have checked all the boxes for a title contender so far.
Verdict: Contender
9. Florida State
17 of 25
Win vs. Texas State, 59-16
Win vs. USF, 34-14
While the final scores and the highlights make it look like Florida State has cruised through the first two games of the season without any problems, that's far from the truth.
It took a while for quarterback Everett Golson and the young Seminoles offense to get going against Texas State, and then they had an even slower start against USF—the two teams were tied heading into halftime. Dalvin Cook took over the USF game with 266 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries, but the Seminoles are still looking for improvement in the passing game.
Defensively, Florida State hasn't been tested too much in the first two games of the season. The Seminoles have held opponents to 4.25 yards per play so far, and that's including the long touchdown USF scored on this reloading unit last Saturday.
Thanks to its recruiting success in recent seasons, Florida State definitely has the potential to compete for a championship this year. Right now, these younger Seminoles haven't shown enough consistency in the first two games to be labeled a true contender. Things can change, though, in the ACC schedule.
Verdict: Pretender
8. Notre Dame
18 of 25
Win vs. Texas, 38-3
Win at Virginia, 34-27
The tune surrounding Notre Dame as a national championship contender changed quickly this past weekend—and not all of it was due to reasons the Irish could control.
Notre Dame smacked Texas in Week 1 and looked like the real deal on both sides of the ball, especially with new full-time starting quarterback Malik Zaire turning in a masterful performance. But a road trip to Virginia featured a season-ending injury for Zaire, struggles for the Notre Dame defense and a last-minute escape from a major upset by backup quarterback DeShone Kizer and wide receiver Will Fuller.
"Dominating Texas and sliding by against Virginia counts the same in the history books," Keith Arnold of NBC Sports wrote. "But after starting this season with great expectations, Kelly now needs to find a way to squeeze every ounce of goodness out of this team if the want to achieve their goals."
Notre Dame's offensive injuries and near-disaster at Virginia don't bode well for their chances this season. The Irish are still undefeated and still are in a great spot in the early playoff race, but now they have to turn things around from Virginia with a new quarterback in what will be a tough stretch of upcoming games.
Verdict: Pretender
7. Georgia
19 of 25
Win vs. UL-Monroe, 51-14
Win at Vanderbilt, 31-14
In its first two games of the season, Georgia looked like a championship-caliber team in every position except for one.
Unfortunately, that position is the most important one on the field—the quarterback. After a breezy day of work against UL-Monroe, Georgia quarterbacks Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey failed to impress against Vanderbilt, going just 13-of-25 passing for 141 yards.
The Bulldogs have an insane amount of weaponry in the backfield with Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Keith Marshall to go along with an attacking defense in its second year under Jeremy Pruitt. But a one-dimensional offense just won't cut it in the long run, as Vanderbilt showed Saturday by forcing Georgia into plenty of third-down situations.
Lambert recovered to have a stronger second half after a miserable start against Vanderbilt, and he needs that momentum to continue into some real improvement in these next few weeks. Right now, Georgia is just a good quarterback away from being a definite playoff contender.
Verdict: Pretender
6. USC
20 of 25
Win vs. Arkansas State, 55-6
Win vs. Idaho, 59-9
USC is firing on all cylinders to start the season, winning back-to-back home games in a fashion Trojan fans haven't seen in quite a while.
"USC cleaned and gutted two Sun Belt teams, Arkansas State and Idaho, by the total score of 164-15," Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times wrote. "It was the biggest pair of opening blowouts since Pete Carroll's 2005 team bounced Hawaii and Arkansas by the sum total of 133-34.... Arkansas State followed its 55-6 loss to USC by losing by only one touchdown, at home, to [No. 22] Missouri."
USC's defense gave up a fair amount of yards in its first two games of the season, but the Trojans held both opponents to single digits on the scoreboard. And while the offensive line was an issue in Week 1, USC didn't allow a single sack in its 737-yard offensive performance against Idaho.
Like several other teams in the Top 25, USC hasn't received a stiff challenge yet. But without a major problem area through the first two games, it's hard to put the Trojans anywhere but the contender zone.
Verdict: Contender
5. Baylor
21 of 25
Win at SMU, 56-21
Win vs. Lamar, 66-31
On paper, Baylor is sitting in a good spot right now with a Top Five ranking and a pair of high-scoring wins to start the season. In reality, though, the Bears have failed to impress.
The high-powered offense turned the ball over four times against FCS school Lamar, and special teams play has been ravaged by miscues early. Baylor's defense overcame a slow start against SMU to blank the Mustangs in the second half, but the problems got worse in Week 2.
"Baylor's tackling was horrendous. Throughout the game, Baylor's defense simply looked as though it had never diagnosed a play," Shehan Jeyarajah of the Dallas Morning News wrote. "The Bears seemed to miss on every read-option... Baylor's playmakers on defense will need to find a way to get to the ball more efficiently if they want to compete for a Big 12 title."
An experienced defensive unit struggling against a team that went 1-11 last season and an unspectacular FCS program doesn't bode well for the future. These Bears have a lot to correct in all three phases of the game before they can look like championship contenders again.
Verdict: Pretender
4. Michigan State
22 of 25
Win at Western Michigan, 37-24
Win vs. No. 12 Oregon, 31-28
Michigan State cemented its early playoff credentials in Week 2 against Oregon, holding the high-powered Ducks to just 28 points.
It was a true bounce-back game for the Spartans, who struggled at times with now 0-2 MAC team Western Michigan on the first Friday night of the season. Both sides of the ball improved for Michigan State, which created big plays against Oregon and limited some more on defense. Now the Spartans have the biggest win of the young season, and it's even got a couple of AP poll voters ranking them at No. 1.
"In my mind, this is a steppingstone game," Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio told ESPN's Brian Bennett on Saturday. "It pays dividends at the end of the season."
The win over Oregon is also paying dividends right now for the Spartans in terms of national respect. They have the look of a title contender who could seriously challenge Ohio State later this season.
Verdict: Contender
3. TCU
23 of 25
Win at Minnesota, 23-17
Win vs. Stephen F. Austin, 70-7
TCU got off to a somewhat shaky start to the season, depending on how you view Minnesota's strength. Still, the Horned Frogs got past a potential trap game away from home against a Power Five team.
And while other ranked teams struggled in Week 2 to impress, TCU held nothing back in its 70-7 destruction of FCS program Stephen F. Austin. Trevone Boykin threw for 285 yards and four touchdowns as the offense got its mojo back with 627 total yards against the Lumberjacks.
TCU still has several potential red flags, though, on the defensive side of the ball. While top defensive tackle Davion Pierson could return from injury this week against SMU, according to Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, TCU is without three other starters on a defense that only had five returning starters heading into the season.
That depth could be a major issue in Big 12 play. But through the first two weeks, TCU has a gritty road win against a bowl team and a huge blowout victory on its resume. That's a lot better than others in the Top 10.
Verdict: Contender
2. Alabama
24 of 25
Win vs. No. 24 Wisconsin, 35-17
Win vs. Middle Tennessee State, 37-10
Alabama climbed one spot in the AP poll after Week 1 with its 18-point victory over Wisconsin at AT&T Stadium, one of the few matchups between ranked opponents in the first two weeks of the season.
As Alabama continues to sort out the starter situation in a passing attack that has averaged 288 yards per game, running back Derrick Henry has gotten off to a strong start. In Week 2, Middle Tennessee State was able to move the ball in a bit of a letdown game for Alabama, but the Tide defense flexed its muscles in the red zone to limit them to just 10 points on the day.
"We played better as the game went on, on defense," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, per Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh. "They did a lot of things that we weren’t very well-prepared for, and we had to make a lot of adjustments during the game, but I thought the players did a really good job of that."
The Crimson Tide don't have the best two-week resume among title contenders, and they have several areas that need more improvement. But even with those questions, the early-season results have been great for Alabama.
Verdict: Contender
1. Ohio State
25 of 25
Win at Virginia Tech, 42-24
Win vs. Hawaii, 38-0
As Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com wrote Sunday, the Ohio State Buckeyes haven't played eight dominant quarters in their two wins over Virginia Tech in Hawaii. But the defending national champions have recorded a comeback road win against a Power Five team and blanked a Group of Five team that never threatened.
At less than full strength, Ohio State rallied in Blacksburg in Week 1 to put up 572 yards of total offense on what should be a strong VT defense. Against Hawaii, Ohio State overcame a slow start and some execution problems to win big on just a few days of rest.
Has Ohio State played to its full potential through the first two weeks of the season? Not exactly.
But the Buckeyes still have two impressive wins on the schedule and have avoided any major letdowns. The defending champions are still the No. 1 team in the land and one of the safest bets to reach the College Football Playoff.
Verdict: Contender
All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter: @JFergusonBR.
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