College Football Rankings 2017: Projected Top 25 after Week 1
![ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Bo Scarbrough #9, head coach Nick Saban, and Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate with the Chick-fil-A Kick-Off Game trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 24-7 in their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Bo Scarbrough #9, head coach Nick Saban, and Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate with the Chick-fil-A Kick-Off Game trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 24-7 in their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/206fa0eb514011601460659deef92b94662e55f24d1b2a8432c4d36ba4ab7303.jpg)
6. Oklahoma Sooners
Ranking coming into Week 1: No. 7
The Lincoln Riley era in Norman got off to a fast start this past week with a 56-7 blowout of UTEP at home to open the season for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Senior quarterback Baker Mayfield had more touchdown passes (3) than incompletions (1) in the first half and didn’t even play in the second half with the Sooners up 35-7 at the break.
Mark Andrews stepped into the Dede Westbrook role with seven catches for 134 yards and touchdown in the 49-point victory for the Sooners, who now travel to Columbus to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in primetime on Saturday night.
Oklahoma made a New Year’s Six bowl game with their Sugar Bowl victory over Auburn in January, but it was their embarrassing defeat at the hands of Ohio State that contributed in keeping the Sooners out of the playoff after making the playoff the year prior.
The Sooners and Buckeyes is probably the premier game of the Week 2 schedule for college football and there will be plenty of NFL-affiliated eyeballs on that rematch in Columbus on Saturday night.
If OU is going to get to the playoff for the second time in three seasons in head coach Lincoln Riley’s first season at the helm, this rematch is one of those can’t-lose games prior to conference play starting.