1
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Ohio State
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We all knew what was going to happen against Grambling State and, well, it happened. The Buckeyes won 70-0. Julian Sayin completed his first 16 passes, the most to start a game in Buckeyes history.
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—
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2-0
|
2
|
Penn State
|
Penn State played with the food on its plate again but still shut out FIU 34-0. Kaytron Allen rushed for a career-best 144 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown. Allen and Nicholas Singleton both scored touchdowns in the same game for the 16th time.
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—
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2-0
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3
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Miami (Fla.)
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Miami moves up as a result of LSU’s lackluster 16-point win against Louisiana Tech and Clemson’s struggles against Troy. The Hurricanes can continue the musical chairs in the battle for supremacy in the state of Florida this week against USF.
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2
|
2-0
|
4
|
LSU
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Garrett Nussmeier moved to 7-1 in eight career starts at Tiger Stadium with a 23-7 win against Louisiana Tech. He threw for 237 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Next up is Florida, which still has the firepower to knock off the Tigers despite the disappointing home loss to USF.
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1
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2-0
|
5
|
Oregon
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Oregon showed the world that it pays to spend big bucks on talent while also reminding Oklahoma State it’s never a good look to whine about your circumstances. The Ducks handed the Cowboys their worst loss since November 1907, exactly one week before the United States of America formally recognized Oklahoma as a state. The 69-3 shellacking won’t go unnoticed among the bigwigs in Stillwater.
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1
|
2-0
|
6
|
Georgia
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Georgia slips slightly after a 28-6 win against Austin Peay in a game that was delayed almost two hours at halftime due to weather. The win was the smallest margin of victory against an FCS team in nine years, and the 28 points were the fewest in a home game in two seasons. Next up is a prove-it game on the road at Tennessee.
|
2
|
2-0
|
7
|
Illinois
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Illinois was impressive, controlling the lines of scrimmage in a 45-19 thrashing of Duke. The Illini pulled away in the second half with brute force and the emergence of Hank Beatty as the team’s go-to threat. He became the first Illinois player in 30 years with eight-plus receptions and 100-plus yards and one rushing touchdown in the win. Luke Altmyer has thrown six touchdowns without an interception this season.
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2
|
2-0
|
8
|
Florida State
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The Seminoles pulled off its largest win in program history in a 77-3 demolition of East Texas A&M. Tommy Castellanos needed only eight completions to record 237 yards and three touchdowns before he was pulled in the second quarter.
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5
|
2-0
|
9
|
Texas
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Arch Manning to back on track with five touchdown passes in a 38-7 win against San Jose State. He’ll get to feast on UTEP this week as the Longhorns ramp up to the SEC schedule.
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2
|
1-1
|
10
|
Oklahoma
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Oklahoma was the second-most impressive team in the country Saturday, defeating Michigan 24-13 in a game it never trailed. John Mateer was huge in big moments, accounting for 344 yards and three total touchdowns, and emerged as the betting favorite in the Heisman Trophy race.
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4
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2-0
|
11
|
South Florida
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How about those Bulls? USF shocked the country and may have put a fork in Billy Napier’s career coaching the Gators with an 18-16 victory in walk-off fashion.Quarterback Byrum Brown continues to dazzle, but big kudos to USF’s defense for holding DJ Lagway in check. USF is only the third unranked team in the AP poll since 1995 to defeat back-to-back ranked opponents. Next up is the toughest test of the season: a trip to Miami.
|
14
|
2-0
|
12
|
Utah
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Utah remains under the radar due to a combination of late-night kickoffs and last week’s non-marquee game against Cal Poly. The Utes won 63-9, and Devon Dampier was again impressive with 192 yards and three touchdowns. The Utes offense is a fun watch.
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1
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2-0
|
13
|
Notre Dame
|
Notre Dame licked its wounds from a loss at Miami during its bye week. The Irish host Texas A&M this week in a rematch of last season’s nailbiter in College Station. The difference this time is the change in quarterbacks. How the Irish defend dual-threat QB Marcel Reed will be fascinating.
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5
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0-1
|
14
|
Clemson
|
Firstly, credit to Clemson for rallying to beat Troy. Secondly, how dare you rally against Troy. The Tigers looked asleep in the first half, falling behind 16-0 at home to the Sun Belt team before reeling off 27 unanswered points to secure the win. Cade Klubnik was sloppy but completed 10 of his last 11 passes to finish with 196 yards and a pair of touchdowns. A trip to Georgia Tech this week could be trouble.
|
4
|
1-1
|
15
|
Auburn
|
Auburn’s passing game still seems forced, but the offensive line continues to pave the way for the running backs, including Jeremiah Cobb, who ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-3 win against Ball State. The Tigers’ defense held Ball State to only 68 yards. The season-opening win at Baylor helps Auburn rise in the rankings after the Bears’ overtime victory at nationally ranked SMU.
|
3
|
2-0
|
16
|
Ole Miss
|
Ole Miss fell behind early in its SEC opener at Kentucky, trailing by double digits for the first time since 2023. The Rebels rallied and secured a 30-23 victory. Quarterback Austin Simmons left the game in the fourth quarter with a lower-body injury but is apparently OK. The Rebels host Arkansas this week.
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NR
|
2-0
|
17
|
Tennessee
|
Tennessee scored an impressive 72 points against East Tennessee State, but the Vols’ resume took a hit after Syracuse’s dismal performance against UConn. Quarterback Joey Aguilar has been great, throwing five touchdowns this season, and two receivers (Chris Brazzell II and MIke Matthews) combined for 100-plus yards. Big opportunity this week hosting Georgia.
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1
|
2-0
|
18
|
Iowa State
|
The Cyhawk wasn’t pretty, which is to be expected whenever Iowa tries to win games in the mud, but the veteran Cyclones kicked a game-winning field goal in the final 2 minutes for the second straight season to keep the Cy-Hawk Trophy in Ames. Rocco Becht threw for 134 yards, the second-lowest total of his career as a starter.
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NR
|
3-0
|
19
|
Missouri
|
Phew, Saturday was a rollercoaster for Mizzou, but the defense stiffened up after falling behind 21-6 and the offense got rolling to secure a 42-31 win in the long-awaited renewal of the Border Showdown. Kansas mustered only 226 yards as Mizzou held the Jayhawks to 3 yards rushing, their lowest total since 2017.
|
NR
|
2-0
|
20
|
Texas Tech
|
The best roster Texas Tech money can buy is still rolling after a 62-14 demolition of Kent State. The Red Raiders have outscored opponents 95-0 in the first half through two games. Behren Morton was questionable throughout the week with a hyperextended knee, but started and had a solid performance with 258 yards and three touchdown passes.
|
1
|
2-0
|
21
|
Mississippi State
|
Those Cowbells are hell in Starkville. Mississippi State roared to a 17-0 lead against Arizona State, a playoff team from a year ago, but had to rally in the final 30 seconds to win on Blake Shapen’s 58-yard touchdown pass to Brenen Thompson. (Is Thompson the fastest player in the sport?) MSU snapped a 13-game losing streak against Power Four teams. The Bulldogs have already matched their win total from last season with a 2-0 start.
|
NR
|
2-0
|
22
|
South Carolina
|
South Carolina trailed South Carolina State after the first quarter, but Vicari Swain returned two punts for touchdowns in the second quarter and the Gamecocks won 38-10. Swain already has three punt-return TDs and is only two shy from the NCAA record. Shane Beamer’s crew had less offensive yardage than South Carolina State and still won by four touchdowns. Plenty to clean up for the Gamecocks.
|
2
|
2-0
|
23
|
Tulane
|
Tulane survived a scare against South Alabama in the Battle of I-10, rallying from a 14-0 deficit and holding on for a 33-31 win thanks to an interception of a 2-point conversion with 59 seconds remaining. The Green Wave led 33-17 late in the fourth quarter.
|
1
|
2-0
|
24
|
Alabama
|
This might not be the Alabama of old, but it’s also not the Tide of 2007. Alabama drilled Louisiana Monroe 73-0 in a bounce-back win after the shocking loss at Florida State. Any storylines of ULM knocking off Alabama in Nick Saban’s first year (2007) were erased quickly as Ty Simpson finished 17-of-17 passing for 197 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. He broke the SEC record for most completions without an incompletion.
|
3
|
1-1
|
25
|
Michigan
|
Michigan will be better later this season than it showed Saturday in a 24-13 loss at Oklahoma. Bryce Underwood was 9-of-24 passing for 142 yards, but his numbers didn’t tell the whole story. The true freshman actually performed well in his first road start, and never seemed flustered despite being under pressure from OU’s defensive line.
|
10
|
1-1
|
