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) /

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CLEMSON, SC – SEPTEMBER 2: Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence #90 of the Clemson Tigers #90 celebrates a tackle against the Kent State Golden Flashes on September 2, 2017 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Todd Bennett/Getty Images) /

4. Clemson Tigers

Ranking coming into Week 1: No. 5

The defending champions of college football opened their season at home in a big, big way by hanging 56 on Kent State in the easiest of season openers.

Kelly Bryant began the post-Deshaun Watson era for the Tigers off on the right foot by completing 16 of his 22 pass attempts for 236 yards, seven rushes for 77 yards and two total touchdowns against the Golden Flashes. The Tigers racked up 665 total yards of offense, while most of Brent Venables’ defense up front returned and held Kent State to just 120 yards on Saturday afternoon.

Next week brings the first real challenge for the defending champs in the form of the Auburn Tigers.

Since Dabo Swinney took over as head coach of Clemson in 2008, no coach has more wins against the SEC than Swinney’s 11 victories, including a win over Auburn last season and the victory over Alabama in the title game this past January.

The hype may not be as strong this season as last season when Deshaun Watson returned to the program, but this team is every bit as good as they were last year. This team is loaded with young talent and the youngsters will get a good test against the other Tigers next Saturday night in primetime.

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