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AP Top 5
1.Georgia 2-0 (0-0) SEC This week: @ Kentucky (1-1) (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET, ABC)
2.Texas 2-0 (0-0) SEC This week: UTSA (1-1) (Saturday, 7 PM ET, ESPN)
3.Ohio State 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten This week: Off
4.Alabama 2-0 (0-0) SEC This week: @ Wisconsin (2-0) (Saturday, 12 PM ET, FOX)
5.Ole Miss 2-0 (0-0) SEC This week: @ Wake Forest (1-1) (Saturday, 6:30 PM ET, The CW)
Biggest risers and fallers in the AP Top 25 this week:
Risers
2.Texas 2-0 (0-0) SEC Week 2: #3 (Defeated 10.Michigan, 31-12)
5.Ole Miss 2-0 (0-0) SEC Week 2: #6 (Defeated Middle Tennessee 52-3)
6.Missouri 2-0 (0-0) SEC Week 2: #9 (Defeated Buffalo 38-0)
7.Tennessee 2-0 (0-0) SEC Week 2: #14 (Defeated 24.NC State 51-10)
13.Oklahoma State 2-0 (0-0) Big 12 Week 2: #16 (Defeated Arkansas 39-31)
14.Kansas State 2-0 (0-0) Big 12 Week 2: #17 (Defeated Tulane 34-27)
16.LSU 1-1 (0-0) SEC Week 2: #18 (Defeated Nicholls 44-21)
19.Louisville 2-0 (0-0) ACC Week 2: #22 (Defeated Jacksonville State 49-14)
22.Clemson 2-0 (0-0) SEC Week 2: #25 (Defeated Appalachian State 66-20)
Fallers
3.Ohio State 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten Week 2: #2 (Defeated Western Michigan 56-0)
9.Oregon 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten Week 2: #7 (Defeated Boise State 37-34)
Michigan
17.Michigan 1-1 (0-0) Big Ten Week 2: #10 (Lost to 3.Texas 31-12)
18.Notre Dame 1-1 Independents Week 2: #5 (Lost to Northern Illinois 16-14)
Dropped Out
Kansas 1-1 (0-0) Big 12 Week 2: #19 (Lost to Illinois 23-17)
Iowa 1-1 (0-0) Big Ten Week 2: #21 (Lost to Iowa State 20-19)
Georgia Tech 2-1 (1-1) ACC Week 2: #23 (Lost to Syracuse 31-28)
NC State 1-1 (0-0) ACC Week 2: #24 (Lost to 14.Tennessee 51-10)
New
21.Iowa State 2-0 (0-0) Big 12 Week 2: NR (Defeated Iowa 20-19)
23.Nebraska 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten Week 2: NR (Defeated Colorado 28-10)
24.Boston College 2-0 (1-0) ACC Week 2: NR (Defeated Duquesne 56-0)
25.Northern Illinois 2-0 (0-0) MAC Week 2: NR (Defeated 5.Notre Dame 16-14)
Key games this weekend (Rankings based off of AP Poll)
Friday, September 13
20.Arizona (2-0) @ 14.Kansas State (2-0)
8 PM ET, FOX
Arizona and Kansas State battle in the first Friday night Big 12 action of the season but as nonconference foes. The two schools scheduled the home and home series when Arizona was still a member Pac-12 and they both could not find replacement opponents. The Wildcats head on the road for their first game to face another team with the nickname of the Wildcats. Arizona opened the season by scoring an incredible 61 points in a high scoring win over New Mexico before the offense disappointed in a 22-10 victory over Northern Arizona. Their offense will be tested in a huge way when they play in Manhattan this weekend. Noah Fifita (595 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INT) is a great quarterback but he will need to be much better than he was a week ago and get the ball down the field to one of the best receivers in the country, Tetairoa McMillan (12 catches, 315 yards, 4 TDs) at an even more consistent rate. The defense turned in a much better performance in week 2 (gave up 10 points) than they did in week 1 (39 points) but playing Kansas State’s Avery Johnson (334 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT) will be their biggest test of the season up to this point. Kansas State was challenged in a road trip Tulane that they won 34-27. Another challenge will arrive on Friday night when they face Arizona. Tailback DJ Giddens (238 yards) and receiver Jayce Brown (6 catches and 88 yards) must step up big to support their quarterback and get a victory for their team. It would be impossible not to mention linebacker Austin Romaine, safeties Jordan Riley and VJ Payne who all lead KSU with 11 tackles through a few games this season. They will look to get to Noah Fifita and stop the Arizona offense. In what should be a close game until the end, give me Kansas State to protect their home field.. Projected Score: Kansas State 35, Arizona 31
Saturday, September 14
16.LSU (1-1) @ South Carolina (2-0)
12 PM ET, ABC
ESPN’s College GameDay heads to Columbia for a match up I don’t think many saw them going to before the season started. The Gamecocks struggled to beat Old Dominion 23-19 to open the season before smacking Kentucky 31-6 on the road in Lexington. Signal-caller Lanorris Sellers went 11-15 for 159 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception while his tailback Rocket Sanders carried the ball 13 times for 54 yards and one score. Sellers and Sanders will need to use their legs more for a victory over LSU on Saturday afternoon. Defensively, the Gamecocks will have to deal with the improving passing attack of Garrett Nussmeier (610 yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT on the season) and receiver Kyren Lacy (12 catches, 159 yards, 4 TDs). The Tigers are without running back John Emery, who is out for the season with an injury. They have struggled to run the ball even with one of the better offensive lines in the country. Back up Josh Williams will look to get the ground game better than it has been the first two weeks of the season. Linebacker Greg Penn III and safety Major Burns, both with 12 tackles on the year, will look to lead their unit against a South Carolina offense that improved in week 2. In what should be in an interesting matchup between head coach’s (South Carolina’s) Shane Beamer and (LSU’s) Brian Kelly battle as both look to avoid any hot seat talk early in the season. Projected Score: South Carolina 24, LSU 21
4.Alabama (2-0) @ Wisconsin (2-0)
12 PM ET, FOX
Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell will face Alabama for the first time since his Cincinnati team faced the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff during the 2021 postseason. Fickell’s quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who transferred over from Miami in the off-season, will have to make big time plays down the field to get the ball down the field against Alabama. Tailback Chez Mellusi (134 yards and 3 TDs) and receiver Will Pauling (10 catches and 108 yards) will look to make big plays for Fickell and Van Dyke. Fickell always has quality defensive play and they will be relying on safety Hunter Wohler (15 tackles, 2 passes defended) and linebacker Jaheim Thomas (12 tackles) to stop a brand new offense under Kalen DeBoer led by quarterback Jalen Milroe (394 yards and 5 TDs) and true freshman receiver Ryan Williams (6 catches, 207 yards, 2 TDs). For the Crimson Tide to avoid a slow start like they had in week 2 against a competitive South Florida team, running back Jam Miller, who has rushed for 194 yards and 2 TDs, will have to be consistent against the Badgers’ quality defense. Alabama’s defense had some problems stopping South Florida’s offense last Saturday so it will need linebackers Jihaad Campbell (20 tackles, 1 pass defended, 0.5 sacks) and Deontae Lawson (14 tackles and 1 pass defended) to stop the Wisconsin offense. Like it did a week ago, it will take a half or three quarters but Alabama should get going and they should beat Wisconsin to improve to 3-0. Projected Score: Alabama 34, Wisconsin 24
24.Boston College (2-0) @ 6.Missouri (2-0)
12:45 PM ET, SECN
Who would’ve thought that Missouri would host a ranked Boston College team in week 3 of the college football season? The second of two ranked versus ranked match ups will take place in Columbia between the Eagles and the Tigers. Boston College beat a Florida State team (who is now 0-2) that was ranked in the top ten of the AP poll before blanking Duquesne this past Saturday. So, the Eagles have not been challenged a ton this season but they definitely will against a Missouri team that won eleven games and a Cotton Bowl last December. Boston College’s defense has been fantastic this season with many players stepping up this season for them. Defensive back Carter Davis (12 tackles and 1 pass defended), linebacker Daveon Crouch (7 tackles and 1 pass defended), and defensive end Net Okpala (6 tackles and 1 sack) will have to deal with a Missouri offense that is phenomenal but has not been up to its standard from last season, being led by quarterback Brady Cook (456 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT) and receivers Theo Wease (16 catches and 179 yards) and Luther Burden (7 catches, 64 yards, and 1 TD). Thomas Castellanos has led a successful offensive attack while passing for 340 yards and 6 TDs. Behind him, running back Treshaun Ward (132 yards and 1 TD) has been successful with receiver Lewis Bond (6 catches, 105 yards, and 1 TD) has done the same. Tiger linebacker Corey Flagg (11 tackles) and defensive tackle Chris McClellan (7 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 pass defended) will look to stop the Boston College offense. Missouri has not played another Power 4 team up to this point so they will need to show up against Boston College this Saturday and I think they will. Projected Score: Missouri 38, Boston College 20
9.Oregon (2-0) @ Oregon State (2-0)
3:30 PM ET, FOX
The ninth ranked Oregon Ducks head to Corvallis to continue their rivalry with Oregon State, for the first time as non conference foes. The Ducks are undefeated but have not played as well as they have needed to against Idaho and Boise State. Former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel has thrown 623 yards and 4 TDs and he has gotten the ball down the field to former Texas A&M receiver Evan Stewart, who has eight catches, 127 yards, and 1 TD. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher (14 tackles and 1 pass defended) and defensive end Jordan Burch (11 tackles, 3 passes defended, and 1.5 sacks) will look to get in the backfield to sack Beavers signal-caller Gevani McCoy (295 yards and 2 TDs). To avoid getting hit in the backfield, McCoy will need to trust his running back Jam Griffin (249 yards and 3 TDs) to get down the field and leading receiver Trent Walker (12 catches and 124 yards) to make plays down the field. Is the game Oregon will finally step up and win a game in dominant fashion? Big Ten play opens for the Ducks in two weeks against UCLA so they must play better against an Oregon State team that is under new leadership with head coach Trent Bray. I believe Oregon will finally play a quality game all the way through ahead of their bye week. Projected Score: Oregon 38, Oregon State 20
Texas A&M (1-1) @ Florida (1-1)
3:30 PM ET, ABC
A huge match up looms in the SEC as Texas A&M looks to continue to bounce back from their season opening loss against Notre Dame. Florida is doing the same after losing to Miami, who has now vaulted into the top ten of the AP poll. The Aggies are led by quarterback Connor Weigman (225 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs), who has had an up and down career with injuries. The lack of playmakers with tailback Rueben Owens out with injury and losing many receivers to the NFL Draft and to the transfer portal has been tough for the A&M offense this season. They will need new guys on the outside such as Cyrus Allen (7 catches and 100 yards) and Noah Thomas (4 catches, 38 yards, and 1 TD) to continue to step up to keep their offense on pace to score touchdowns. The best unit on the field in Gainesville this Saturday afternoon is the Aggie defensive front. Linebacker Taurean York (13 tackles) and and defensive lineman Shemar Turner (9 tackles) need to continue to prove that is true when they face Graham Mertz (91 yards and 1 INT), who is expected to start ahead of freshman DJ Lagway (487 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT), after being out with an injury against Samford last weekend. However, Gators head coach Billy Napier has stated that both quarterbacks will play so Mike Elko’s defense will have to prepare for both guys. Tailback Montrell Johnson, who has rushed for 173 yards and 3 TDs, has paced Florida on the ground while Eugene Wilson (191 yards and 1 TD) has done the same catching the football. The Florida defense has to be better than they were in the loss to Miami if they want to defeat Texas A&M. A loss for Napier and Florida could mean that he is out the door in Gainesville but a win could be huge this season for the Gators. Projected Score: Texas A&M 24, Florida 21
1.Georgia (2-0) @ Kentucky (1-1)
7:30 PM ET, ABC
Kentucky has to play AP 1.Georgia and 5.Ole Miss after getting throttled by a South Carolina team they probably thought they were going to beat pretty handily last Saturday. Head coach Mark Stoops’ quarterback is Brock Vandagriff (199 yards, 3 TDs, and 2 INTs), who backed up Georgia’s Carson Beck (520 yards and 7 TDs) last season in Athens. Stoops’ team is known for its ground and pound style and if they want to even keep things close against the top ranked Bulldogs, they must establish their ground game against the Bulldogs’ vaunted defense with tailback Demi Sumo-Karngbaye leading the way (129 yards and 1 TD). If that does not happen, Georgia’s linebacking trio of CJ Allen (9 tackles), Jalon Walker (9 tackles and 1.5 sacks), and Smael Mondon Jr. (7 tackles) will be able to take advantage of another Kentucky offense that has to rely on tremendous receivers Dane Key (5 catches and 96 yards), Ja’Mori Maclin (3 catches and 68 yards), and Barion Brown (4 catches, 28 yards, and 2 TDs). For Beck, the complimentary offense of his passes down the field to Arian Smith (9 catches, 129 yards, and 1 TD) and the running of former Florida tailback Trevor Etienne (78 yards) and freshman back Nate Frazier (111 yards and 1 TD). This may be a game in the first half but Georgia will dominate in the second half en route to their first SEC victory of 2024. Projected Score: Georgia 35, Kentucky 10
