The college football rankings are always shifting well before the official AP Top 25 is released each week. The long Labor Day weekend means Week 1 will extend until Monday night, so fans will have to wait even longer for the new rankings to drop. That's where we come in.
We're keeping track of all the games and adjusting the rankings in real time. This week doesn't have very many rankings-shattering matchups, but there could be significant shifts as games play out.
Live scores for college football in Week 1
Projected college football rankings for Week 1
TEAM | RESULT | RECORD |
|---|---|---|
1. Ohio State | W, 56-3 vs. Ball State | 1-0 |
2. Georgia (up from 3) | W, 63-3 vs. Tennessee St. | 1-0 |
3. Oregon (down from 2) | W, 34-27 vs. Boise State | 1-0 |
4. Notre Dame | vs. Wisconsin | |
5. Texas | W, 59-7 vs. Texas State | 1-0 |
6. Indiana | W, 52-16 vs. North Texas | 1-0 |
7. Miami | W, 45-6 at Stanford | 1-0 |
8. Texas A&M | W, 50-0 vs. Missouri State | 1-0 |
9. Ole Miss | vs. (24) Louisville | |
10. Oklahoma | W, 51-0 vs. UTEP | 1-0 |
11. LSU | vs. Clemson | |
12. Texas Tech | W, 33-10 vs. Abilene Christian | 1-0 |
13. Alabama | W, 48-10 vs. East Carolina | 1-0 |
14. USC | W, 39-0 vs. Fresno State | 2-0 |
15. BYU | W, 63-7 vs. Utah Tech | 1-0 |
16. Washington | vs. Washington St. | |
17. Penn State | W, 45-0 vs. Marshall | 1-0 |
18. SMU | at Florida State | |
19. Tennessee | W, 56-9 vs. Furman | 1-0 |
20. Boise State (up from NR) | L, 34-27 at Oregon | 0-1 |
21. Utah | W, 66-14 vs. Idaho | 1-0 |
22. Iowa | W, 40-0 vs. Northern Illinois | 1-0 |
23. Louisville | at (9) Ole Miss | |
24. Missouri | W, 54-14 vs. AR Pine-Bluff | 1-0 |
25. Houston (down from 230 | W, 33-20 vs. Oregon State | 1-0 |
- Michigan drops out from No. 16
Evening slate rankings changes:
Oh, Michigan. Apparently, it can get worse than Sherrone Moore. Kyle Whittingham's debut ended in euphoria, but once that wears off voters and Michigan fans will have to reckon with what happened on Saturday night.
It's a steep drop to move Michigan out of the rankings entirely, but whatever optimism around Kyle Whittingham there may have been, it's on hold now. An absolutely egregious decision to put a second back on the clock and a miracle Hail Mary don't change how uninspiring the performance was. As far as I'm concerned, that was a loss and Michigan's place in the polls should reflect that.
If Michigan can't run the ball or pass against Western Michigan, how will they make it through the Big Ten slate without suffering some carnage? They didn't look like a top 25 team.
Having said that, Western Michigan went 10-4 and won the MAC last year. They're a legitimate G6 team that proved their mettle and more in the Big House.
Houston gets a reprieve because of Michigan's stumble.
Vanderbilt had a handful of votes in the preseason poll. They won't carry them into Week 2 after a less-than-stellar win over Austin Peay.
Afternoon slate rankings changes:
Boise State and Oregon were locked in a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. In the end, Oregon got the fourth down stop they needed with under two minutes to play to put the game to bed, 34-27. Regardless of the final score, the rankings will reflect this outcome. Even with the loss, Boise State should rise into the rankings. They were already among those receiving votes, and performance like this in Autzen proves they are one of the best 25 teams in college football. Houston drops out because of it.
As for Oregon, they could drop for this performance. But should they? I suspect they will lose all their first-place votes, but remember, Boise State is a favorite to come out of the G6 as a playoff team. Is a tight game against a G6 contender a death sentence? For now I'm taking them down one spot behind Georgia, pending what Notre Dame does against Wisconsin. I wouldn't be surprised if the voters punish them further. Personally, I don't think Texas or Indiana should be rewarded that much for blowing out significantly weaker G6 opposition.
Early slate rankings changes: As quiet as a library
The early slate on Saturday featured a bunch of blowouts by ranked teams in action, so we don't have much movement at all. Ohio State, Indiana and Alabama took care of business as heavy favorites. So did Georgia, who started a bit later in the day but got a similar result.
The only slight rankings drama we might have gotten was Houston finding it slightly uncomfortable vs. Oregon State. The No. 23-ranked Cougars were 21-point favorites over the Pac-12 holdovers. In the fourth quarter, the Beavers pulled within a score at 26-20. Is that enough to drop Houston? They've certainly left the door open depending on what vote getters just on the outside do. They'll certainly fall out if Clemson and Boise State pull off upsets over LSU and Oregon. But big enough wins for Florida or Arizona could also move the needle.
As for those other vote getters, Georgia Tech is sure to lose their handful of votes after losing to Colorado. I don't think Illinois will be gaining more traction after a so-so showing against UAB.
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