Projecting the new AP Poll Top 25 Rankings after Week 2: Texas surges into the Top 5, Colorado moves up and Miami enters the field

Whew. That was a doozy. 

Week 2 delivered on its promise as a special weekend of college football, as fans of the Miami Hurricanes and Texas Longhorns can argue over which has more staying power: ‘The Return of the U’ or ‘Texas is Back.’

Alabama goes down. The SEC continues to struggle as a whole in non-conference games, and Deion Sanders and Colorado delivered more fireworks and fun by doubling their 2022 win total in the first two weeks of the season. 

After having to wait until Tuesday for the latest AP Top 25 poll to be released, we’re back to our normal schedule with a fresh poll on Sunday morning. 

With four ranked teams losing this week, there was lots of shakeup in the Top 25, including the Longhorns’ surge into the Top 5.  Here’s how I think the new AP Top 25 will look come Sunday:

1. Georgia (Last week: 1)

For the second straight week, Georgia slept through the first quarter only to go on to house an inferior opponent. The Bulldogs’ defense (two INTs) and special teams (69-yard punt return from Mekhi Mews) sparked a 31-zip second quarter against Ball State en route to a 45-3 win. 

Carson Beck finished the day with 283 yards and two scores, completing passes to 11 different receivers. The Bulldogs still weren’t efficient running the ball though, finishing with just over 100 yards on 28 carries. 

2. Michigan (Last week: 2)

It took a couple of series for the Wolverines’ gears to get going, but Michigan eventually overmatched UNLV for a 35-7 win. 

In the second straight game without suspended head coach Jim Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy was a crisp 22-of-25 for 278 yards and two scores, while senior tailback Blake Corum added three touchdowns on the ground. Michigan’s defense forced six punts and had eight different players record a sack or TFL. 

3. Florida State (Last week: 4)

A week after the most impressive win of the Mike Norvell era, the Seminoles scored the most points they’ve ever had under their fourth-year head coach, splattering Southern Miss 66-13.  Trey Benson was mostly quiet in Week 1, but FSU’s tailback scored three touchdowns on nine carries (8.9 yards per rush), while star transfer wideout Keon Coleman had another highlight-reel touchdown. 

Jordan Travis wasn’t overly sharp (15 of 29) but the ‘Noles rushed for over 300 yards and held the Golden Eagles to less than 4.0 yards per play before garbage time. 

4. Texas (Last week: 11)

Chris Fowler wouldn’t say it, but I will: Texas is back and has the look of a College Football Playoff team in 2023. The Longhorns physically and skillfully dominated Alabama in Tuscaloosa, delivering an emphatic statement with a 34-24 win. 

Steve Sarkisian was aggressive the entire game, and the team responded to every punch from the Tide with a haymaker of their own. Quinn Ewers finished what he started against Alabama in 2022, throwing for 343 yards and three touchdowns. Texas scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, with its OL and DLs dominating Alabama up front. 

5. Ohio State (Last week: 5)

Behind big games from Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. (seven catches for 160 yards and two scores), the Buckeyes cruised past Youngstown State 35-7. 

McCord took the majority of reps with the 1s before the game became a laugher, ending any potential QB battle discussions with Devin Brown. TreVeyon Henderson looked like the TreVeyon Henderson of 2021, averaging 11.2 yards per carry with strong touchdown runs. 

6. USC (Last week: 6)

Caleb Williams and the Trojans boat-raced rival Stanford in their last matchup for the foreseeable future, jumping out to a 49-3 lead on the way to a 49-10 win. Williams carved up the Cardinal for 281 passing yards (on 19 of 22!!!) for 281 yards and three scores. He also scooted for a 21-yard touchdown run, continuing to cement his run for a second-straight Heisman Trophy.

USC’s much-maligned defense was able to stymie Stanford’s tempo, holding the Trees to just three points before a late score in the fourth. Alex Grinch’s unit has put together back-to-back strong performances, finishing Saturday with a couple sacks, 10 stops on 3rd/4th down (4 of 14) and encouraging signs heading into an uptick in competition.

7. Penn State (Last week: 7)

The Nittany Lions turned Saturday’s showdown with FCS Delaware into a laugher immediately, scoring touchdowns on three of their first four possessions in a 63-7 win. 

Drew Allar was an efficient 22 of 26 for 204 yards. After a quiet Week 1, Penn State tailbacks Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton combined for 150 yards and four touchdowns. Penn State’s defense remains as advertised with four sacks, seven TFLs and a pick-six. 

8. Washington (Last week: 8)

For the second-straight week, Michael Penix Jr. continued his Heisman Trophy campaign with another 400-yard, three-touchdown performance in a blowout over a G5 team. 

In a 43-10 win over Tulsa, Washington had a trio of receivers go over 100 yards from scrimmage — Jalen McMillan with eight catches for 120 yards and a score; Rome Odunze with seven catches for 107 yards and two total touchdowns; Ja’Lynn Polk with 108 total yards and two scores.

9. Notre Dame (Last week: 10

After a nearly two-hour weather delay, Notre Dame ran away from NC State to move to 3-0 with a 45-24 win. A couple of fourth-quarter interceptions turned a seesaw affair into a rout, but the Irish were in control for most of the afternoon thanks to a balanced offensive attack. 

Sam Hartman tossed four touchdowns on 286 yards, and the Irish had 170 yards on the ground — 80 coming from an Audric Estime touchdown sprint right out of the lightning delay. Notre Dame’s defense held NC State to just 84 yards and picked off Brennan Armstrong three times. 

10. Tennessee (Last week: 9)

Perhaps eying a big road trip to Florida next weekend, the Vols sleepwalked their way past Austin Peay 30-13. Josh Heupel’s Tennessee was sloppy (10 penalties for 88 yards), awful on third down (3 of 12) and had to settle for a trio of field goals. Joe Milton was plagued by a few drops, but he averaged just 6.9 yards per attempt and had his usual accuracy issues at times. 

The Vols’ defense was challenged at times by the Peay’s aggressiveness (a trio of 4th down conversions) and unique gameplan (lots of crazy formations, pre-snap motion), but they finished with two takeaways, 14 TFLs and four sacks.

The rest of the projected AP Top 25:

11. Alabama (Last week: 4)

The Tide lost their first regular-season non-conference game since Nick Saban’s first season in Tuscaloosa in 2007. They were thoroughly outplayed by Texas, with Jalen Milroe throwing a pair of back-breaking interceptions and their secondary unable to slow Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns’ prolific passing attack.  Alabama’s offensive line couldn’t block Texas, rushing just 3.1 yards per carry with Milroe getting harassed all night (five sacks, five hurries). 

12. Utah (Last week: 12)

Still without star quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brent Kuthie, the Utes rallied to win at Baylor with a pair of touchdowns in the final two minutes. Kyle Whittingham turned to Nate Johnson, Utah’s fourth-stringer, in the fourth quarter, who capped a 15-play, 88-yard drive with a seven-yard run to tie the game. Standout safety Cole Bishop then picked off Sawyer Robinson to set up the game-winning score. The Utes and the Colorado Buffs are the only two teams in the Top 25 with a pair of wins over Power 5 programs. 

 13. Oregon (Last week: 13)

The Ducks did just enough to escape Lubbock with a win, holding on to beat Texas Tech with a field goal inside the final two minutes and a pick-six to seal the deal. Bo Nix had over 400 total yards and two scores, but it was Oregon’s defense that helped the Ducks rally from a nine-point deficit in the second half. In some Duck-on former-Duck crime, ex-Oregon QB Tyler Shough was intercepted three times and also had a fumble. 

14. LSU (Last week: 14)

The Tigers exorcised their Week 1 frustration romp at the hand of Florida State by housing Grambling 72-10. Jayden Daniels threw for five touchdowns. Former Notre Dame transfer Logan Diggs made his debut at LSU with 115 yards rushing and a score, and Maason Smith returned to action for the first time since the opener against the Seminoles in 2022 to record a TFL. Notably, Harold Perkins Jr. had just one tackle and one QB hurry. 

15. Kansas State (Last week: 15)

The Wildcats roughed up a solid Troy team in a 42-13 win, ending the Trojans’ 12-game winning streak — the second-longest in FBS. Kansas State continues to be a high-havoc defense, with another four-sack, 10-TFL and five-PBU performance. Quarterback Will Howard wasn’t overly accurate (21 of 32 , but he finished the win with five total touchdowns. A tricky game at Missouri next week is on deck. 

16. Oregon State (Last week: 16)

DJ Uiagalelei and the Beavers breezed past FSC UC Davis 55-7, as Jonathan Smith was able to empty the bench early in Corvallis with his 2s and 3s. Uiagalelei tossed two touchdowns before ceding way to intriguing freshman Aidan Chiles, who had his first-career TD in the blowout win. The Beavers ran for 269 at 7.3 per clip and they held UC Davis to less than 170 total yards. 

17. North Carolina (Last week: 17)

After impressively dominating South Carolina in Week 1, the Tar Heels survived to beat Appalachian State 40-34 in double-overtime. Drake Maye didn’t light up the scoreboard with his arm, but the sophomore quarterback scampered for a 13-yard keeper for the game-winning score. UNC then forced a completion on 4th-and-5 on the ensuing possession to win. The Tar Heels rode Maye’s brilliance in last season’s 63-61 thriller over the Mountaineers but it was sophomore tailback Omarion Hampton who stole the show with 234 yards and three scores.

18. Oklahoma (Last week: 18)

The Sooners found themselves in a dogfight with eventual ACC newcomer SMU, grinding out a 28-11 win over the Mustangs behind four Dillion Gabriel touchdowns. Five-star freshman Peyton Bowen blocked a punt to set up an early score, but the Sooners’ high-powered couldn’t get cranking against a feisty SMU defense. Oklahoma relied on walk-on tailback Tawee Walker (117 yards) to move the chains, and do-everything linebacker Danny Stutsman (17 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1 sack) spearheaded another encouraging defensive performance.

19. Colorado (Last week: 22)

Deion Sanders continues to be the talk of college football as ‘We coming,’ is now ‘We’re here’ for Colorado with the Buffs playing their B- game and still breezing past Nebraska 36-14. Shedeur Sanders was shaky early only to finish with 393 yards and three scores. Colorado’s defense gave up some yards on the ground (222) but had four takeaways and held Nebraska to just 4 of 13 on third down.

20. Ole Miss(Last week: 20)

The Rebels pulled away from a Michael Pratt-less Tulane with a 20-3 run in the fourth quarter, cementing a 37-20 win with a sack-fumble touchdown return. Lane Kiffin was rewarded for a pair of gutsy 4th down decisions — opting to keep the ball in quarterback Jaxson Dart’s hands that resulted in a 21-yard TD strike and trusting kicker Caden Davis to nail a 56-yard field goal. Quinshon Judkins had little room to run against the Green Wave, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry on 18 attempts. 

21. Duke (Last week: 21)

The Blue Devils dispatched Lafayette 42-7, as quarterback Riley Leonard went 12 of 12 for 136 yards and a score before giving way to the backups. Duke had over 500 yards of offense and forced a pair of turnovers, showing no letdown after a short week and a historic win over Clemson last Monday. 

22. Miami (Last week: Unranked)

The Hurricanes overcame some self-inflicted adversity (muffed punt, blocked punt) to make a statement in an emphatic 48-33 upset win over No. 23 Texas A&M. Tyler Van Dyke threw a career-high five touchdowns, torching the Aggies’ secondary for seven plays over 20 yards (including scores than went for 52 and 64). The Hurricanes also had a 98-yard KO return touchdown. Mario Cristobal spent the offseason retooling Miami’s staff (great game plan from new OC Shannon Dawson) and OL (while run blocking was suspect) — and both showed well to spur the upset. 

23. Washington State (Last week: Unranked)

The Cougars upset Wisconsin for the second-straight season, delivering head coach Jake Dickert his biggest win in Pullman. Wazzu jumped out to a 24-6 lead before handing to beat the Badgers 31-22. Quarterback Cam Ward was erratically entertaining (300 total yards, two touchdowns), while WSU’s defense harassed Tanner Mordecai and forced three fumbles — one that went for a scoop-and-score and another that set up a short touchdown. 

24. Clemson (Last week: 25)

The Tigers trailed Charleston Southern 14-7 after a Cade Klubnik pick-six in the first quarter, but Clemson rallied to rout the Bucs 66-17 with a 42-0 blitz in the second half. 

After the offense’s dismal showing in the Week 1 loss to Duke, Clemson had 680 yards of offense, including 405 through the air. Klubnik threw four touchdowns and averaged 8.5 yards per attempt. 

25. Iowa(Last week: Unranked)

The Hawkeyes reclaimed the CyHawk Trophy to give Kirk Ferentz his 200th win as a D-1 coach with a 20-13 victory over rival Iowa State. Still, Iowa could do next to nothing offensively, failing to crack 300 yards or 25 points for the second straight game. Quarterback Cade McNamara did not look healthy. It got seven points off a pick-six, and yet Brian Ferentz’s Drive for 325 is on early life support in the 2023 season. 

Projected to drop out: 19. Wisconsin, No. 22 Texas A&M, 24. Tulane