College Football Rankings 2016: Bleacher Report's Week 3 Top 25
You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, so why expect a not-so-great-on-paper weekend of college football to actually lack drama?
While the Week 2 slate lacked the sexy matchups the opening week had, there was no shortage of crazy finishes, upsets (and close calls) and amazing individual performances. There was also a football game played before an NCAA-record crowd at a facility normally used for NASCAR events. And there was even a fair amount of movement in the Bleacher Report Top 25 despite only two teams ranked in last week's poll suffering a loss.
This week's Bleacher Report poll is voted on by 17 members of our college football staff: writers Ben Axelrod, Greg Couch, Tyler Donohue, David Kenyon, Sanjay Kirpalani, Adam Kramer, Brian Pedersen, David Regimbal, Barrett Sallee, Damon Sayles, Brad Shepard, Greg Wallace and Christopher Walsh, video staff Michael Felder and Sean McManus and editors Eric Bowman and Eric Yates.
First-place votes are worth 25 points, with each subsequent vote worth one fewer point all the way down to one for 25th place. The 25 teams with the most poll points make our list, with the rest falling into the "others receiving votes" category.
Check out where everyone stands after Week 2, then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
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UCLA began the season in our rankings but fell out after losing at Texas A&M in Week 1. Following a 42-21 home win over UNLV on Saturday, the Bruins crept close to getting back into the Top 25 but didn't get enough votes for that to happen. Maybe after next week, if it wins at BYU?
Here's everyone who earned votes following Week 2's action.
- UCLA (24)
- Boise State (23)
- San Diego State (19)
- Nebraska (14)
- Arizona State (6)
- North Carolina (6)
- TCU (6)
- Utah (6)
- South Florida (5)
- USC (5)
- Appalachian State (1)
- Colorado (1)
- East Carolina (1)
- Pittsburgh (1)
No. 25 Arkansas Razorbacks
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Poll points: 38
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 2 result: Won 41-38 (in 2 OT) at TCU
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Texas State
Arkansas (2-0) squandered a 13-point lead in the second half, but it still had enough tricks in its bag to pull out a wild road win in extra time.
The Razorbacks led 20-7 before allowing 21 straight points to trail by eight with 2:05 left before Austin Allen connected with Keon Hatcher for a 16-yard touchdown pass. They had to go for two, and after a double reverse, Hatcher threw it to Allen for the conversion.
TCU had a chance to win in regulation, but Arkansas blocked the 28-yard field goal. After each team scored TDs in the first OT, the Razorbacks held TCU to a field goal and then won it on Allen's five-yard TD run.
No. 24 Florida Gators
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Poll points: 59
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 2 result: Won 45-7 vs. Kentucky
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. North Texas
Florida (2-0, 1-0 SEC) continued its dominance of Kentucky, winning for the 30th consecutive time against its fellow East Division team thanks to 564 yards on offense and stifling work from its defense.
The Gators held Kentucky to 149 yards, allowing a lone touchdown late in the fourth quarter, while forcing four turnovers.
Luke Del Rio threw for 320 yards and four TDs, while Lamical Perine ran for 105 yards.
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No. 23 Oregon Ducks
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Poll points: 61
Last week's ranking: 25th
Week 2 result: Won 44-26 vs. Virginia
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Nebraska
Oregon (2-0) jumped out to a 30-6 lead and then put it on cruise control to post a second straight lopsided win to start the 2016 season.
Royce Freeman ran for 207 yards and two touchdowns, while Dakota Prukop threw for 331 yards and three scores, including a 77-yard TD pass to Olympic hurdler Devon Allen.
The Ducks gained 632 yards while holding Virginia to 388 and forcing two turnovers.
No. 22 LSU Tigers
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Poll points: 71
Last week's ranking: 23rd
Week 2 result: Won 34-13 vs. Jacksonville State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Mississippi State
LSU (1-1) played without star running back Leonard Fournette and quickly made a change at quarterback, but that switch to Danny Etling sparked the Tigers after a sluggish start.
Etling, a transfer from Purdue, was only 6-of-14 for 100 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but after being inserted for Brandon Harris, he led LSU to 27 second-quarter points after a scoreless opening period. Etling also ran for a score, while Derrius Guice had 155 yards and a TD with Fournette sitting out.
The Tigers' big second quarter was capped by Tre'Davious White's electrifying 60-yard punt return touchdown just before halftime, which saw him go 20 yards backwards before getting around Jacksonville State's tacklers and heading for six.
No. 21 Baylor Bears
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Poll points: 84
Last week's ranking: 22nd
Week 2 result: Won 40-13 vs. SMU
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 16 at Rice
Baylor (2-0) put up plenty of yards on offense, as per usual, yet it was the Bears defense that helped wake the offense up after a sluggish first half.
The Bears managed only two field goals before halftime, tying the game 6-6, before scoring five second-half touchdowns. One of those, a 19-yard Seth Russell run, came after Davion Hall picked off a pass at the goal line and returned it 62 yards. The ensuing possession saw Orion Stewart score on a 33-yard interception return.
Baylor forced four turnovers to overcome three of its own, two of which came on Russell interceptions. He also threw for 261 yards and two TDs, and the Bears ran for 275 yards.
No. 20 Miami (Florida) Hurricanes
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Poll points: 86
Last week's ranking: 24th
Week 2 result: Won 38-10 vs. Florida Atlantic
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Appalachian State
Miami (2-0) shook off a slow start to cruise to victory over a second straight in-state opponent, leaning on the run game with Brad Kaaya struggling through the air.
Kaaya threw for 191 yards with two interceptions on 17-of-31 passing, the first time he failed to throw a touchdown pass since last October's 58-0 home loss to Clemson (after which coach Al Golden was fired). In his place, the Hurricanes ran for 279 yards and five scores, with Mark Walton gaining 155 yards with four TDs and Joseph Yearby adding 121 yards with a score.
Miami held Florida Atlantic to 214 yards, gaining only 47 rushing yards on 34 attempts.
No. 19 Georgia Bulldogs
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Poll points: 154
Last week's ranking: 8th
Week 2 result: Won 26-24 vs. Nicholls State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Missouri
Georgia (2-0) thought it would get a walkover game in its home opener but instead trailed FCS Nicholls State in the third quarter and nearly blew a 12-point lead in the final period.
The Bulldogs were down 14-13 before scoring twice in a 53-second span, first on a short pass from Jacob Eason that Isaiah McKenzie turned into a 66-yard touchdown and then Lorenzo Carter's 24-yard fumble return score.
Nicholls, which is 3-42 all-time against FBS schools and lost by scores of 47-0 and 48-0 to upper-division teams last season, pulled within two with 3:42 left shortly after McKenzie fumbled a punt. Georgia was able to run out the clock, though, avoiding its first-ever loss to an FCS team.
Nick Chubb ran for 80 yards and a TD, the first time he's finished a game and failed to top 100 yards since October 2014.
No. 17 (tie) Oklahoma Sooners
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Poll points: 160
Last week's ranking: 17th
Week 2 result: Won 59-17 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Ohio State
Oklahoma (1-1) made quick work of Louisiana-Monroe in its home opener, leading 42-0 at halftime as it bounced back from the Week 1 loss to Houston.
The Sooners amassed 640 yards, with Baker Mayfield throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-20 passing and Austin Kendall tossing a pair of TDs in relief. Oklahoma ran for 288 yards, with 117 from Joe Mixon, while Samaje Perine had a pair of rushing scores.
Twelve different Oklahoma players caught at least one pass, with the TD throws going to five separate targets.
No. 17 (tie) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Poll points: 160
Last week's ranking: 18th (tie)
Week 2 result: Won 39-10 vs. Nevada
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Michigan State
Notre Dame (1-1) settled on a quarterback after trying two in its season opener, with DeShone Kizer looking as crisp as he did against Texas in a comfortable victory for the Fighting Irish.
Kizer threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns with an interception on 15-of-18 passing. He also added 35 rushing yards and a score. The Irish ran for 239 yards and three TDs, with Tarean Folston and Dexter Williams also finding the end zone on the ground.
After a scoreless first quarter, Notre Dame scored 25 points in the second period, which included a safety after Nevada's return man stepped out of the end zone and then went back in to take a knee.
No. 15 (tie) Texas A&M Aggies
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Poll points: 171
Last week's ranking: 18th (tie)
Week 2 result: Won 67-0 vs. Prairie View A&M
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Auburn
Texas A&M (2-0) racked up 672 yards in overwhelming its FCS opponent a week after needing overtime to hold off UCLA.
The Aggies got 422 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns from Trevor Knight, who was 21-of-37 for 344 yards with three TDs and an interception along with 78 rushing yards and a score. Keith Ford added two rushing TDs and 62 of A&M's 277 rushing yards.
A&M held Prairie View to 205 yards, including just 32 on the ground on 28 carries, while Nick Harvey scored on a 73-yard punt return.
No. 15 (tie) Ole Miss Rebels
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Poll points: 171
Last week's ranking: 14th
Week 2 result: Won 38-13 vs. Wofford
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Alabama
Ole Miss (1-1) rebounded from its Labor Day loss to Florida State with an easy win over an FCS school, leading 31-3 after three quarters.
The Rebels got 219 passing yards and three touchdowns from Chad Kelly, and backup Jason Pellerin threw a TD pass and ran for a score.
Ole Miss improved to 24-1-1 all-time against FCS schools, with its only loss coming in 2010 to Jacksonville State.
No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers
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Poll points: 195
Last week's ranking: 11th
Week 2 result: Won 45-24 vs. Virginia Tech (in Bristol, Tennessee)
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Ohio
Tennessee (2-0) let Virginia Tech jump out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter, then kicked it into high gear, racing past the Hokies in a game played on the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway.
A record 156,990 fans watched the Volunteers score 31 consecutive points after falling behind early, mixing Joshua Dobbs' running and passing to perfection while also forcing five turnovers. They only gained 330 yards but converted four of those takeaways into 24 points.
Tennessee got five total touchdowns from Dobbs, who was 10-of-19 for 91 yards with three TDs while rushing for 106 yards and two scores.
"Sometimes you need to be tested to know you're championship-worthy, and Tennessee is well on its way to deserving that moniker," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote.
No. 13 Iowa Hawkeyes
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Poll points: 197
Last week's ranking: 16th
Week 2 result: Won 42-3 vs. Iowa State
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. North Dakota State
Iowa (2-0) won its 14th consecutive regular-season game and beat its in-state rival for the second year in a row, with the margin of victory its largest in the series since 1997.
C.J. Beathard threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-28 passing and added a rushing TD, while LeShun Daniels ran for 112 yards and a score. The Hawkeyes ran for 198 yards and scored three times on the ground.
Iowa held the Cyclones to 291 yards and a lone field goal late in the first quarter, marking the fourth time it has limited Iowa State to single digits since 2008.
No. 12 Michigan State Spartans
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Poll points: 213
Last week's ranking: 13th
Week 2 result: Bye
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Notre Dame
Michigan State (1-0) didn't look particularly crisp during its opener against FCS Furman, winning 28-13 and managing only 361 yards. But the Spartans got the job done and debuted several new starters, including quarterback Tyler O'Connor, and got a week off to tweak and tinker before the big clash at Notre Dame.
Running back LJ Scott looked close to midseason form, rushing for 105 yards with a touchdown on 20 carries, while O'Connor was 13-of-18 for 190 yards with three TDs and an interception.
MSU's defense only had one sack but held its opponent to 2.6 yards per carry on the ground.
No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers
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Poll points: 241
Last week's ranking: 15th
Week 2 result: Won 54-10 vs. Akron
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Georgia State
Wisconsin (2-0) kept the momentum going from its season-opening win against LSU by breezing past Akron, scoring the game's first 23 points.
The Badgers outgained the Zips 586-224, with 294 yards coming on the ground. Corey Clement had 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Bart Houston threw for 231 yards and two scores on 15-of-22 passing.
Two of Wisconsin's three TD catches were made by Jazz Peavy during a 21-point second quarter for Wisconsin.
No. 10 Louisville Cardinals
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Poll points: 243
Last week's ranking: 12th
Week 2 result: Won 62-28 at Syracuse
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Florida State
Louisville (2-0, 1-0 ACC) is going to go as far as Lamar Jackson goes, which seems pretty far.
The sophomore quarterback has now accounted for 13 touchdowns in the Cardinals' first two games, with five of those coming at Syracuse, including three on their first five offensive snaps. That was part of his 610 yards of total offense, most ever by an ACC player.
Jackson threw for 411 yards and a TD on 20-of-39 passing and ran for 199 yards and four scores, just the second player in FBS history to throw for 400-plus and rush for more than 150 yards.
"Jackson has already clinched the 'September Heisman,'" Bleacher Report's Brian Leigh wrote. "If he keeps this up, the real Heisman might be next."
Louisville ran for 414 yards and gained 845 yards overall, averaging 10.4 yards per play.
No. 8 (tie) Washington Huskies
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Poll points: 252
Last week's ranking: 10th
Week 2 result: Won 59-14 vs. Idaho
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Portland State
Washington (2-0) blew out a second consecutive opponent at home to start the 2016 season, continuing its hot offensive play that dates back to last November.
The Huskies have outscored their opponents 248-75 during a five-game winning streak. Against Idaho, they gained 482 yards while jumping out to a 35-0 halftime lead. Quarterback Jake Browning had 294 yards and five touchdowns on 23-of-28 passing, with Dante Pettis and John Ross each catching a pair of TDs.
Myles Gaskin ran for 67 yards and a TD, and the Huskies forced three turnovers, including a 46-yard pick-six from Connor O'Brien.
No. 8 (tie) Texas Longhorns
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Poll points: 252
Last week's ranking: 9th
Week 2 result: Won 41-7 vs. UTEP
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at California
Texas (2-0) wasn't nearly as explosive as in its season-opening win over Notre Dame, but it didn't need to be against an outmatched UTEP team, which managed a mere 208 yards.
The Longhorns had 416 of their own, with 278 coming from quarterback Shane Buechele. He threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns on 22-of-27 passing and added 34 rushing yards, while Chris Warren gained 95 rushing yards with a TD.
Former quarterback Jerrod Heard had two of Buechele's TD catches.
No. 7 Stanford Cardinal
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Poll points: 312
Last week's ranking: 7th
Week 2 result: Bye
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. USC
Stanford (1-0) got the week off after a hard-fought 26-13 win over Kansas State in Week 1, during which Christian McCaffrey did a lot of his same stuff and quarterback Ryan Burns had a successful debut.
McCaffrey, who set the FBS single-season all-purpose yardage record in 2015, amassed 210 yards with 126 rushing, 40 receiving and 44 on returns. The last number would have been greater had a 96-yard punt return touchdown not been called back for a penalty.
Burns, making his first career start, was 14-of-18 for 156 yards and a TD.
No. 6 Houston Cougars
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Poll points: 346
Last week's ranking: 6th
Week 2 result: Won 42-0 vs. Lamar
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 15 at Cincinnati
Houston (2-0) played without its star quarterback, but it didn't need him to blow past Lamar in a game that was delayed several hours midway through because of severe weather.
Greg Ward Jr. sat out the game with a shoulder injury, with backup Kyle Postma filling in admirably. He threw for 125 yards and ran for 106 with two touchdowns, part of 381 rushing yards and six TDs for the Cougars. Three different Houston players topped 100 yards on the ground, with Postma joined by Kevrin Justice and Mulbah Car.
Houston held Lamar to 73 yards of total offense.
No. 5 Michigan Wolverines
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Poll points: 367
Last week's ranking: 5th
Week 2 result: Won 51-14 vs. UCF
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. Colorado
Michigan (2-0) jumped out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter and scored the game's first 31 points to cruise to another easy victory.
The Wolverines got 312 passing yards and four touchdowns from Wilton Speight, who was 25-of-37 on the day. Jake Butt and Amara Darboh each had two TD catches, and Khalid Hill scored on two short TD runs.
A week after beating Hawaii 63-3, the Wolverines held UCF to 56 passing yards and six completions on 22 attempts, though they did yield TD runs of 87 and 34 yards. Special teams also chipped in with three blocks, two on punts and one on a field-goal attempt.
No. 4 Clemson Tigers
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Poll points: 370
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Week 2 result: Won 30-24 vs. Troy
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 vs. South Carolina State
Clemson (2-0) got a much tougher test from Troy than it could have expected, needing 17 fourth-quarter points to hold off the pesky Trojans on a day when mistakes stood out more than exploits.
The Tigers turned it over three times, with two coming on Deshaun Watson interceptions and the other when Ray-Ray McCloud let go of the ball just short of the goal line after returning a punt 74 yards late in the first half. That score would have given Clemson a 20-10 halftime lead instead of being up only three.
"We had 414 yards of offense and I don't think we could have played worse," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said, per Zach Lentz of the Times and Democrat.
Watson had 347 yards of total offense, throwing for 292 yards with three touchdowns and adding 55 rushing yards, but Clemson had to settle for field goals three times in the red zone.
No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Poll points: 382
Last week's ranking: 4th
Week 2 result: Won 48-3 vs. Tulsa
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Oklahoma
Ohio State (2-0) had to sit through a lengthy weather delay midway through what was a sluggish performance early on before the Buckeyes defense provided a spark.
A 6-3 lead late in the first half quickly became a 17-point edge thanks to a pair of interception return touchdowns, first from Malik Hooker and then Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore had two of OSU's four picks of Tulsa quarterback Dane Evans, part of six Golden Hurricane turnovers.
J.T. Barrett threw for 149 yards and ran for 55 yards and two TDs, while Mike Weber and Dontre Wilson also ran in scores as part of OSU's 268 rushing yards.
Ohio State held Tulsa to 188 yards.
No. 2 Florida State Seminoles
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Poll points: 397
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Week 2 result: Won 52-8 vs. Charleston Southern
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Louisville
Florida State (2-0) showed no fatigue despite having played only five days earlier, scoring 28 points in the first quarter and never looking back.
The Seminoles got 262 passing yards and three touchdowns from Deondre Francois, while Dalvin Cook ran for 83 yards and two TDs on just 11 carries, part of 438 total yards for the team. Jesus Wilson added an 89-yard punt return TD, and FSU's defense forced three Charleston Southern turnovers.
The win might have been a costly one, though, as sophomore safety Derwin James suffered a knee injury during the third quarter.
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide
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Poll points: 425 (17 first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Week 2 result: Won 38-10 vs. Western Kentucky
Week 3 matchup: Sept. 17 at Ole Miss
Alabama (2-0) leaned heavily on its defense as well as the play of true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts to overwhelm a dangerous Western Kentucky team.
Hurts, making his first career start, threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-36 passing. The first TD came on the final play of the first quarter to give the Crimson Tide a 10-3 lead. His second came late in the third quarter, while in between Eddie Jackson scored on a 55-yard interception return.
Bo Scarbrough and B.J. Emmons added rushing TDs in the fourth quarter as Alabama outgained the Hilltoppers 475-239 a week after Western Kentucky put up 649 yards.
All slides written by Brian J. Pedersen. Follow the author on Twitter at @realBJP.
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