Do you believe? Deion Sanders was asking that question about Colorado after the Buffaloes' Week 1 win over TCU. But now Steve Sarkisian could be holding a similar press conference after the Texas Longhorns upset the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night to make a massive statement -- and vault up the college football rankings.
It was a strange day outside of Tuscaloosa with Texas dominating Alabama, particularly on the back end of the AP Top 25 with those teams. Ole Miss toppled a Michael Pratt-less Tulane, the Oregon Ducks nearly got clipped in Lubbock by a Texas Tech team that was upset by Wyoming last week, North Carolina nearly fell to App State for the second straight year, Tennessee struggled with FCS Austin Peay for far too long, and the list goes on.
So what will the AP Top 25 college football rankings for Week 3 look like now? We're still figuring out many teams around the country through two (or three) weeks of action. But here's what the AP Top 25 should look like when its released on Sunday based on our projections.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 25-21
25. Clemson Tigers
With Cade Klubnik struggling in the first half against Charleston Southern after the Clemson offense was highly lackluster in last week's loss to Duke, everyone was ready to bury the Tigers. They put it together in the second half, though, eventually boat-racing their FCS opponent in a 66-17 rout. Clemson still has plenty to work out, but showing signs of life was something positive to take away.
24. Iowa Hawkeyes
Look, I don't want to rank Iowa as much as the next guy. But the Hawkeyes captured the Cy-Hawk on Saturday – though Brian Ferentz fell further behind the 25 ppg pace in the 20-13 win – and they continue to look the part of a Top 25 team. It's never pretty and the offense is still an eyesore. Phil Parker's defense, however, remains suffocating and will carry Iowa to another strong finish this season.
23. UCLA Bruins
There's been a longstanding narrative around Chip Kelly that he simply doesn't care about the non-conference schedule. So with UCLA heading south to take on a fiery San Diego State team, some expected to see a stumble from the Bruins. Instead, it was a breakout performance for true freshman Dante Moore and, perhaps more impressively, the defense. UCLA forced three interceptions and dominated on the road, more than earning a spot firmly inside the Top 25.
22. Miami Hurricanes
With Miami and Texas A&M meeting on Saturday afternoon, it felt like the "who's for real" bowl. The Canes came out on top by hanging 48 on the Aggies. Tyler Van Dyke threw it back to 2021 with a monster five-touchdown game and the defense made timely plays. I'm still cautious when it comes to this team for the entire season, but it feels like they could threaten double-digit wins if they build off of this performance and don't shell up moving forward.
21. Colorado Buffaloes
You can't stop the Deion Sanders hype train and you might not be able to contain it either. Shedeur Sanders and Colorado admittedly looked a tad shaky early but pulled himself up, especially after halftime, to dominate Nebraska in the home opener for the Coach Prime era. Look, the Huskers aren't special – but the Buffs have a ton of playmakers and dominated in a way that was hard to see after how close the TCU win was a week ago.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 20-16
20. Duke Blue Devils
After knocking off Clemson on Monday, Duke had a respite on the short week against Lafayette. Riley Leonard was good for the Blue Devils but truly wasn't asked to do much. Mike Elko's defense handled business against an inferior opponent and the run game ultimately led the way in the 42-7 win. With games against Northwestern and UConn on deck, Duke should be 4-0 as they host Notre Dame in what could be a sneaky great matchup in Week 5.
19. North Carolina Tar Heels
Mack Brown absolutely refuses to play a normal game against Appalachian State. Last year, it was the 63-61 thriller in favor of UNC. This year, it was a double-overtime game, but the result was the same with the Tar Heels winning. Perhaps North Carolina's dominance in Week 1 was more about South Carolina than the "real" Carolina, but UNC moved to 2-0 by any means necessary, which is sometimes all you can ask for, especially in a strange week.
18. Oklahoma Sooners
Everyone looking at the SMU-Oklahoma matchup had to be thinking shootout. Instead, we got one of the strangest games of the day. However, the Sooners, even after scoring just 28 points, have to feel good that Brent Venables' defense came up with a monster performance to hold the Mustangs to just one touchdown in the 28-11 win for OU. This performance combined with drubbing Arkansas State by 70+ has to make you think Oklahoma could be dangerous.
17. Ole Miss Rebels
Full disclosure, I picked against Ole Miss against Tulane before the Michael Pratt injury came to light. Having said that, a full tip of the cap to Lane Kiffin's team. Jaxson Dart played one of the best games we've seen in college, which was crucial given that Quinshon Judkins and the run game were actually mediocre. The defense also took advantage of the opposing quarterback situation in a tough road environment, which gives me substantially more faith in this team than prior to this week.
16. Oregon State Beavers
DJ Uiagalelei looks like a whole new man with the Beavs. Oregon State wasn't exactly fighting hard against UC Davis but Jonathan Smith's team continued what we saw last season as a group that's going to just dominate in certain areas. But DJU seems to have added more juice to the offense that wasn't there last season. If that continues as the competition ramps up, this team could be dangerous against any of the Pac-12 contenders – and may well be one itself.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 15-11
15. Kansas State Wildcats
Troy won the Sun Belt last year on the back of its defense and Kansas State ran through the Trojans like feral hogs in rural Arkansas. Will Howard was phenomenal as he accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) and the Wildcats cruised to a 42-13 victory in Manhattan. We'll still wait and see in conference play, but it's looking more and more like K-State is again primed to spoil the party in the Big 12 this season.
14. LSU Tigers
Do you think Brian Kelly, Jayden Daniels and the LSU Tigers might've wanted to prove a point in Week 2 after the loss to Florida State a week ago? Daniels was on fire in the first half against Grambling – yes, as he should be – throwing for five touchdowns in the opening 30 minutes before he got to rest. LSU was never expected to be in trouble against Grambling, but it's a confidence-builder to see a performance like that after a disheartening loss.
13. Oregon Ducks
Credit where it's due, Oregon's defense came up with the biggest play of the game to pick off former Ducks QB and now Texas Tech starter Tyler Shough for a game-clinching pick-six in a tight contest in Lubbock. Having said that, the Ducks defense indeed looks like a problem. More importantly, Bo Nix was a bit inconsistent in this one, even if he made plenty of plays to help put Oregon in position to win. With the way the defense looked, though, Week 4 against Colorado is looking more and more dangerous for the Ducks.
12. Tennessee Volunteers
Not to sound like a hot take artist, but at what point does Josh Heupel start to consider moving to Nico Iamaleava at quarterback over Joe Milton? The sixth-year signal-caller who is looking to fill the shoes of Hendon Hooker had an awful first half and, while he did tighten up and end with 228 yards and three total touchdowns, he put Tennessee in a position where FCS Austin Peay was testing the Vols. That's damning in itself, and is why they drop in the rankings from No. 9.
11. Utah Utes
What Utah did in Waco on Saturday afternoon was anything but pretty, especially when you consider that Baylor came into this game having just lost to Texas State last week. With Cam Rising still out after missing Week 1 for the Utes as well, though, it's clear that this Utah offense is extremely limited as to what they can accomplish. That being said, it's a testament to Kyle Whittingham's defense and this team that they were able to persevere and still escape with a 20-13 win and move to 2-0.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 10-9
10. Alabama Crimson Tide
If you were concerned about Alabama because of the quarterback situation, you were vindicated on Saturday night in primetime. Jalen Milroe made too many poor decisions as a passer, including two back-breaking interceptions, helping to lead to Texas' upset win in Tuscaloosa.
What actually has me more concerned about Bama coming out of the loss, however, is the lines of scrimmage. Texas bullied the Crimson Tide offensive line throughout the game and forced Milroe to make those decisions. Moreover, the Longhorns did a great job largely keeping the Alabama defense at bay.
Some people believed that Saban would be able to figure it out, even with an inexperienced and perhaps limited quarterback. Against elite competition, however, that may not be the case with the group that he currently has. They're not dead by any stretch, but it may be time to recalibrate expectations.
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
It might be time that we truly start believing in the Sam Hartman era – even if it will be undoubtedly brief – at Notre Dame.
Granted, NC State is definitely not a world-beater right now as the reunion of Brennan Armstrong and Robert Anae at a new school has not worked out as the Wolfpack had hoped. However, even with a near-two-hour weather delay and obviously sloppy conditions as a result, Hartman and the Irish looked largely unfazed in a dominant 45-24 win on the road in Raleigh.
The Wake Forest transfer quarterback tossed another four touchdown passes, giving him 10 on the season already. Audric Estime continued to be an unsung hero with a 134-yard, two-touchdown day. And the defense forced Armstrong into three interceptions, making the way for the Irish to keep climbing the rankings.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 8-7
8. Washington Huskies
Michael Penix Jr. and the Washington offense weren't quite as explosive against Tulsa as they were in the Week 1 blowout over Boise State, but the Huskies still left zero doubt about the better team on Saturday afternoon.
Penix led the way, though he did throw a pick, with 409 yards on 28-of-38 passing along with three scores. The end result as the defense limited the Golden Hurricane to only 150 yards passing on the day was a 43-10 victory for Washington.
It was actually a bit of a sloppy game for a highly potent Huskies team as they did let Tulsa find some success on the ground, committed 93 yards worth of penalties, and turned the ball over twice. But it speaks to how explosive Kalen DeBoer's team is that they had that type of performance and still secured a 33-point win.
7. Penn State Nittany Lions
Playing against FCS Delaware in Happy Valley, you would've expected Penn State to pour it on with ease. The Nittany Lions did exactly that. Drew Allar was efficient and as good as he needed to be in his second start, throwing for 204 yards and a score on 22-of-26 passing. But it was the Penn State run game that really controlled the offensive side of the ball.
Kaytron Allen tallied 103 yards and a touchdown on the day, Trey Potts added 59 yards on just seven carries, and Nicholas Singleton – though he only averaged 3.9 yards per carry – notched three touchdowns on the day. Meanwhile, the defense was suffocating outside of a 66-yard touchdown run, giving up just 16 rushing yards outside of that and forcing the Blue Hens quarterbacks into a 6-of-17 for 58 yards with an interception performance.
There's not a ton to glean from this type of game for Penn State, but they rolled in the manner a Top 10 team should.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 6-5
6. USC Trojans (Playing Stanford in 10:30 p.m. ET game)
USC was set to open Pac-12 play on Saturday night at home against a Stanford team that hung 37 points on Hawaii last week. The game began about like you'd expect for the Trojans, though, as Caleb Williams diced up the Cardinal for 42 yards through the air and then a 21-yard touchdown run on the first drive.
These college football rankings projections are being updated live and the Trojans are still on the field. The big test for USC will be seeing how the defense holds up against a conference opponent, especially after Stanford showed some life in that regard with the Week 1 win.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
If you want to look at the bright side for Ohio State, Kyle McCord and the offense showed substantially more in Week 2 than they did in the first game of the season against Indiana. Notably, that included Marvin Harrison Jr. making a massive impact on the day, catching two of McCord's three touchdown passes on the day while going for seven catches and 160 yards.
The bad news: It was all against FCS Youngstown State.
Buckeyes fans were heated early in this one as the Penguins answered a long early touchdown from Ohio State with a scoring drive of their own to make it 7-7 early. That was all they could muster in The Shoe, however, and OSU went on to secure the 35-7 victory.
McCord established that he should be QB1 as Devin Brown was largely unimpressive overall in limited work. Even still, there still seems to be real wrinkles that Ryan Day needs this offense to iron out for the Buckeyes to live up to their preseason expectations.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 4-3
4. Texas Longhorns
Can we call them back now?
Texas should've beaten Alabama a year ago in Austin. But the "Texas will never be back" detractors looked at this team and said they couldn't do it in Bryant-Denny Stadium against the Crimson Tide. Jokes on them, because Texas dominated this game on Saturday night to make a statement.
Quinn Ewers was a bit shaky early but, in the second half particularly, he dimed up the vaunted Alabama secondary with his elite weapons. More impressively, though, Texas controlled both lines of scrimmage in this game, forcing the inexperienced Jalen Milroe into numerous bad decisions. The result was an emphatic victory that should vault Texas into the early Top 4 and have everyone believing that this time, at long last, they are back with this special group.
3. Florida State Seminoles
Coming on the heels of the monster win over LSU last week, it felt like somewhat of a letdown was inevitable for Florida State, even if they weren't going to be in reeal danger of getting upset by Southern Miss. Though the scoreboard may not have reflected it, that's indeed what we saw.
The Seminoles were, frankly, a bit all over the place in Week 2. The offense was anything but crisp as Jordan Travis was erratic throwing it around. But it speaks to the overwhelming talent of FSU on both sides of the ball that it didn't completely matter. They jumped out to a 31-3 lead in the first half thanks to some big plays and didn't look back.
Again, this isn't a game to read too much into given the position on the schedule, but I'd expect Florida State will look much sharper next week against Boston College before visiting Clemson on Sept. 23.
Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 2: No. 2-1
2. Michigan Wolverines
The plan while Jim Harbaugh is suspended for the first three games of Michigan's season appears to be lay the wood emphatically out of the gate and then turn on the cruise control. After deploying that strategy last week against East Carolina, the Wolverines put more of the same on display in Week 2 against UNLV.
J.J. McCarthy was near perfect on the day, going 22-of-25 for 278 yards and a pair of scores while Blake Corum added 80 rushing yards and three touchdowns. That allowed Michigan to jump out to a 21-0 lead at halftime and then add two more touchdowns for a 35-0 lead after three frames. The Runnin' Rebels added a late touchdown but the game was well out of hand.
We all knew that Michigan would unlikely be tested in its early schedule and it hasn't. But the Wolverines have also barely broken a sweat to this point and have been dominant, even without the head coach manning the sidelines.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Kirby Smart had to have laid into the Georgia Bulldogs defense after they let UT Martin score a touchdown last week. The Dawgs defense wasn't about to let that happen again against Ball State on Saturday afternoon between the hedges.
The Cardinals completed fewer than 50% of their passes and averaged a meager 2.8 yards per carry on the ground while throwing three total interceptions in the game. That all but allowed Carson Beck and this Georgia offense to coast to a decisive victory in Athens, ultimately winning by a score of 45-3. Beck was good but unspectacular again, going 23-of-30 for 283 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and the run game was still middling.
Put simply, Georgia hasn't put it all together yet in the post-Stetson era for the Bulldogs – but that also hasn't remotely needed to. And given what South Carolina, their Week 3 opponent, has looked like thus far, it's hard to imagine next week will be too much of a test for Kirby's team either.
