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The Labor Day weekend is over, and so is Week 1 of college football with its five-day showcase that was filled with action and surprises. That means it's time for one thing: college football power rankings. Let's jump right in.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (previous week – 1)
Until proven otherwise, this will be a mainstay for this year's Georgia football team. Though the Bulldogs got off to a slow start—leading just 6-0 going into the half—they came alive in the second half, scoring 28 points to beat Clemson 34-3. Even if this wasn't one of the Clemson teams of old, it's still a talented team, ranked No. 14 in the country at the time, that could very well still make the College Football Playoff.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (3)
The Buckeyes also had a slow start, leading only 17-3 at the half against Akron, but finished strong with a 52-6 rout. We won't truly see what this year's Ohio State team is made of until they face tougher competition, with games against Western Michigan and Marshall coming up before Big Ten play begins with Michigan State. Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was the standout, recording six catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
3. Texas Longhorns (4)
The Longhorns certainly looked sharp in their first game against Colorado State, beating the Rams 52-0. Much to the delight of Texas fans, they got to see the best of Quinn Ewers and a glimpse of Arch Manning, who came in for relief and went 5-for-6 with a touchdown pass and another rushing. The matchup gets tougher next weekend when Texas football heads to Ann Arbor to face Michigan.
4. Ole Miss Rebels (5)
Yes, it was Furman, but shutting out a team 76-0 is still noteworthy. Ole Miss scored 20 points or more in each of the first three quarters. That should at least signal to the world that this year's Ole Miss team has some serious talent. Jaxson Dart alone had 418 yards passing with five touchdowns. The Rebels get a boost in the college football power rankings.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide (6)
A 63-0 win over Western Kentucky was probably what many expected for Kalen DeBoer's Alabama debut. Anything less would have raised some eyebrows. Fans got to see Jalen Milroe, who was nearly flawless, completing seven of nine passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Backup Ty Simpson also got in on the action, scoring a rushing touchdown. The standout was freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams with two receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
6. Oregon Ducks (2)
While we're not selling our stock in Oregon football yet, the Ducks didn't look very powerful in Week 1. With under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Idaho, an FCS team, came within three points of tying the Ducks. In his Oregon debut, transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel missed only eight passes, going 41-for-49 for 380 yards and two touchdowns, but lost a fumble.
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8)
Marcus Freeman's third year in South Bend is off to a good start. Needing possibly every win to get a nod from the playoff committee to be included in the new 12-team field, the Fighting Irish walked out of Kyle Field with a big win over a ranked Texas A&M team. The defense looked strong, and with a couple more games under him, transfer quarterback Riley Leonard could make the Irish offense dangerous.
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (7)
The Nittany Lions opened Week 1 with a solid performance that showcased their revamped offense and typically stingy defense. Perhaps the biggest threat to Penn State on Saturday was the weather, which put the game on hiatus for hours. Even though they dropped one spot in our college football power rankings, this team is still one of the best in the Big Ten.
9. Miami Hurricanes (10)
The talk of college football after Week 1 may be the Miami Hurricanes. Fans have long been waiting to see when, or if, “The U” would ever be back. It's still too early to say if that's the case, but this year's Miami (FL) football team, led by quarterback Cam Ward, resembles the Hurricanes teams of old. They outright drained “The Swamp,” completely dismantling the Florida Gators.
10. Michigan Wolverines (9)
The Wolverines hang on to stay in the top 10, but there are still some kinks to work out for last year's national champions. With just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Fresno State pulled within six points, but a Will Johnson interception returned for a touchdown later proved to be the nail in the coffin. Up next: Texas.
College football power rankings post-Week 1 teams 11-25
In the remaining 11-25 teams, there’s definitely some shakeup after teams like LSU, Clemson, and Texas A&M lost in Week 1. Keep in mind USC's huge win over the Tigers in Las Vegas gives the Trojans a huge boost. And after both of their Week Zero and Week 1 losses, Florida State, after being a preseason top 10 ranked team, were bound drop out of the top 25. But a fellow ACC team now takes their place.
