dailynewsnblog
Chaos hasn’t quite stormed the field this season, but at least we’re seeing changes at the top of the sport with some competitive games.
Michigan picked up a huge win against playoff contender Oklahoma. It’s been overshadowed by Texas’ incredible win against Ohio State — and the shadow of the Wolverines’ controversial last-second victory against Western Michigan in Week 1 — but the Wolverines proved worthy of top-20 consideration and are in position to reach the CFP despite the slow-developing offense. The defense is elite, and should quarterback Bryce Underwood continue to progress in coordinator Jason Beck’s scheme, Michigan could become a Big Ten dark horse.
Texas’ miraculous, fourth-quarter comeback against Ohio State was memorable and inexplicable, but not shocking. Covering the matchup live in Austin was an unforgettable experience. Although Ohio State controlled the game for most of the night, Texas displayed its elite talent when it mattered most. Guided by the late-game heroics of Arch Manning, the Longhorns’ offense wore down the Buckeyes, while the defense stepped up with key adjustments in the second half.
Honestly, I’m not sure Texas’ 24-23 win did anything to reshape my opinion. Both are top-five teams with difficult schedules and landmines awaiting on the horizon. Their performances Saturday night reinforced both as national title contenders.
Meanwhile, Oregon is teetering on becoming this season’s version of last year’s Penn State. The 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State has sounded alarms in Eugene, but it’s clear the Ducks are simply not hitting the right buttons with an incredibly talented roster. There’s plenty of time to turn things around.
The data model driving our CBS Sports Power Rankings this season reveals an intriguing early pattern: It remains extremely high on Georgia. The Bulldogs actually surged to No. 1 overall in multiple iterations of the simulation. Given how early we are in the campaign and the limited sample size of game data, those results should be taken with a grain of salt, but it is certainly a trend to track as more data comes in. As a reminder, I will continue to apply subjective adjustments whenever the model appears to severely overvalue or undervalue a team in these opening weeks.
Without further ado, let’s jump straight into this week’s power rankings.
Biggest Movers
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 
| It wasn’t a complete performance, but the fourth-quarter comeback against last week’s No. 1 team is the most impressive win of the season so far. The Longhorns’ jump is deserved after the historic win – the largest comeback agianst a No. 1 team since 1988. | 4 | 2-0 |
2 | 
| The model doesn’t reward programs for dominating FCS opponents, but the Hurricanes remained potent on offense in the 70-point win against Florida A&M. The Hurricanes recorded an ACC-record 856 yards. | — | 2-0 |
3 | 
| In a not-so-parallel universe, Ohio State is undefeated and easily the No. 1 team in the country. FInal scores matter, however. The Buckeyes wore down in the fourth quarter at Texas, possessing the ball for only about 4 minutes in the decisive final frame. | 2 | 1-1 |
4 | 
| Sam Leavitt threw three interceptions in the first half and LSU led Louisiana Tech 10-7 at halftime, but the Tigers bounced back nicely in the second half for a 45-14 victory. There’s no way of knowing how much Lane Kiffin held back schematically a week before the Kiffin Bowl against Ole Miss. | 1 | 2-0 |
5 | 
| Another big win, but this time against an FBS opponent. The Bulldogs beat Western Kentucky 70-20, the most points scored by the program since 1994. Gunner Stockton tied the school record with five passing TDs. | 1 | 2-0 |
6 | 
| Indiana has scored 50-plus in the first two games of the season for the first time since 1916. The Hoosiers have won 18 straight games and next host WKU, the program Georgia demolished last week. A third striaght 50-point performance is likely. | 2 | 2-0 |
7 | 
| The Irish blanked Rice, 52-0, to extend their streak of double-digit wins to 12 games dating back to last season. That hasn’t happened in the FBS since 2019, when Ohio State won 13 straight. | — | 2-0 |
8 | 
| The Rebels won their 13th straight game at home ahead of the showdown with LSU and Lane Kiffin. Trinidad Chambliss threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns with only three incompletions in a 41-9 win over Charlotte. | 2 | 2-0 |
9 | 
| So much for Gary Patterson’s defense continuing its hot streak. The Trojans allowed 30 points in their 19-point win against Louisiana. Jayden Maiava threw a career-high five touchdowns. He leads the FBS with 10 passing TDs. | — | 3-0 |
10 | 
| Kalen DeBoer’s crew was impressive in the second half at Kentucky, outscoring the Wildcats 32-0 in the 45-17 road win. The victory was Alabama’s first under DeBoer when trailing at halftime (1-7). | 2 | 2-0 |
11 | 
| The Aggies ran away from Arizona State in the second half to pick up a 48-20 win. ASU looks like it could cause problems for the Big 12’s top programs. Marcel Reed threw three touchowns, but only had 163 yards. | 3 | 2-0 |
12 | 
| The Vols leaned on DeSean Bishop, who ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns, in a 45-24 road win at Georgia Tech. Quarterback Faizon Brandon wasn’t impressive (10-21, 148 yards, 2 TDs), but the freshman did not commit a turnover, and that’s rule No. 1 for a young player on the road. | 4 | 2-0 |
13 | 
| Tech was on my upset watch last week, and the Red Raiders just about fulfilled that prophecy before rallying to beat Oregon State. J’Koby Williams stepped up with 120 yards on 20 carries in the 35-24 win. | — | 2-0 |
14 | 
| Austin Simmons has asserted himself well in two games as Mizzou’s quarterback. He threw for 292 yards and three TDs in a 38-21 victory against rival Kansas on the road. He’s the first Mizzou QB in eight years without an interception in the first two games. | 4 | 2-0 |
15 | 
| Rocco Becht has thrown seven touchdowns through two games, the most by a Penn State QB in the last 30 years. The Nittany Lions defeated Temple 27-9. | — | 2-0 |
16 | 
| The Wolverines could be higher if not for the stagnant offense, but there is growth happening under OC Jason Beck and QB Bryce Underwood. The defense is nasty and the primary reason they upset Oklahoma last week. They’re only the third team since 2000 to start 2-0 despite averaging less than 17 points. | NR | 2-0 |
17 | 
| All the offseason talk of an improved offense might be all for naught. John Mateer’s mechanics are still a mess, though he continues to be a gamer willing to duck his head and run when required. Brent Venables’ defense continues to be the strength. Is it enough to reach the CFP for a second straight year? | 6 | 1-1 |
18 | 
| Rivalry games can lead to wild results, but the 16-13 victory against a depleted Iowa State squad didn’t set well with the model. The Hawkeyes trailed 10-0 in the second quarter. | 1 | 2-0 |
19 | 
| Oregon’s talent index is doing a lot of work here in the model. The Ducks’ offense is inconsistent despite the presence of Dante Moore, a first-round NFL talent at the controls, and the defense continues to give up big plays. This team should be so much better than it has shown. | 11 | 1-1 |
20 | 
| BYU continues to show why it might be the favorite to win the Big 12 with a 28-17 win against Arizona. QB Bear Bachmeier accounted for four total touchdowns to move to 8-0 at home. He’s 14-2 as BYU’s starter. | — | 2-0 |
21 | 
| Kevin Jennings threw for 337 yards and five touchdowns in the first half of a 56-10 win against UC Davis. He also now owns the SMU record for total yards in school history with 9,073. An ACC Game of the Year contender is up next this week at Louisville. | — | 2-0 |
22 | 
| Lincoln Kienholz has elevated Louisville’s offense. He was up to the challenge in the showdown with Trinidad Chambliss a week ago, and then rebounded with 332 yards and four total TDs in a 59-14 win against Villanova. | — | 1-1 |
23 | 
| What’s with the Big Ten schools on the West Coast struggling? The Huskies defeated Utah State, a team that was beaten by Idaho State in Week 1, and was held to 16 points in a two-point win. | 4 | 2-0 |
24 | 
| Florida has something with competent quarterback play complementing RB Jadan Baugh’s consistent production. Aaron Philo threw for 242 yards and scored three total touchdowns. Baugh rushed for 136 yards and two scores in a 52-3 win against Campbell. | 1 | 2-0 |
25 | 
| Devon Dampier scored four total touchdowns in a 43-10 laugher against Arkansas. The 33-point win is Utah’s largest against an SEC team in school history, surpassing its memorable 31-17 win against Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. | 1 | 2-0 |
