If it feels like Michigan can’t do much of anything without inviting controversy, you’ve just been paying attention for the past two years.
Add to that list the seemingly phantom single second of time Big Ten officials found on their clock but not the game clock — the one all of us can see — that allowed the Wolverines to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. All official parties accept the result. College football fans are a different story.
But now the Wolverines get Oklahoma — a program which has more talent, a better defense and a better quarterback coming to the Big House than the one Kyle Whittingham’s team showed up with in Week 1. And this is as, dare I say it, the rest of college football is blowing wind into the Sooners’ sails to avenge what most have come to view as a wrong. Michigan should’ve lost last Saturday night. The Sooners have a chance to turn the conditional part of the aforementioned sentence into a declarative one.
Before we move onto Week 2, here are my top-25 rankings from Week 1.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 15
JJ Buchanan catches Bryce Underwood’s game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass with no time left against Western Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 13-12 win vs. Western Michigan
Michigan won a game it should’ve lost to a Broncos team that isn’t even in its weight class. Quarterback Bryce Underwood looked shook. He was responsible for two of the Wolverines’ three turnovers, and the Hail Mary touchdown he threw to win the game can mostly be attributed to luck. Luck won’t save the Wolverines on Saturday when they face Oklahoma.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 25
North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek on the Bison sideline. (Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 38-0 win vs. Fordham
I’m struggling to find a team on the Bison schedule that is capable of defeating them. After two games, the only program in FBS to never lose an FBS game — cheeky, I know — looks every bit like running the table.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 24
Josh Heupel talks with Faizon Brandon after his touchdown against Furman in Week 1. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 56-9 win vs. Furman
Quarterback Faizon Brandon finished with 13 of 17 completions, 294 total yards and five total touchdowns after becoming the first true freshman to start at quarterback for the Vols since 2004. Keep your eye on him.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 23
Quarterback Byrd Ficklin breaks a tackle against Idaho in Week 1. (Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 66-14 win vs. Idaho
In the season opener, Utah put up 633 yards, including 364 on the ground, while allowing just 225 total yards by Idaho. This could be a powerful offensive force this season.
Record: 0-0
Previous ranking: 22
Week 1 game: SMU vs. Florida State | Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
SMU and Florida State play Monday night, so I’ll update my Week 1 rankings accordingly after.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 21
Week 1 game: 24-10 win vs. Washington State
Look, Demond Williams Jr. did that Kyler Murray thing I’ve been telling you about for the better part of a year. But this game was 17-10 until there were about two minutes left to play because the Huskies are about as disciplined as a newborn puppy: 12 penalties for 130 yards will get you beat in Big Ten play.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 20
Jadan Baugh celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown against Florida Atlantic in Week 1. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 66-21 win vs. Florida Atlantic
Jon Sumrall’s Gators put up a gaudy 624 yards against the Owls, and running back Jadan Baugh showed why he’s one of the five best tailbacks in the country with 160 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 14 rushes — 11.4 yards per rush.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 19
Conner Weigman scores a touchdown in Week 1 against Oregon State. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 33-20 win vs. Oregon State
Conner Weigman looked the part of a Big 12 championship-contending quarterback for Houston after completing 20 of 30 pass attempts for 305 pass yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 18
Austin Simmons rolls out to throw against Arkansas Pine Bluff in Week 1. (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 54-14 win vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons was special in his debut. He completed 17 of 19 passes for 252 passing yards with four passing touchdowns.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 17
Zion Tracy and John Klosterman celebrate in Week 1 after a play against Marshall Thundering. (Photo by Brien Aho/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 45-0 win vs. Marshall
Despite a new head coach and 60 new players — or because of, if you prefer — Matt Campbell’s Nittany Lions will enter Week 2 tied for the No. 1 scoring defense in the country.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 16
Journee Tonga runs against Utah Tech in Week 1. (Photo by Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 63-7 win vs. Utah Tech
The strength of the Cougars team was on display in their opener when they rushed for 308 yards.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 14
Coach Joey McGuire talks with Will Hammond after their Week 1 victory against Abilene Christian. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 33-10 win vs. Abilene Christian
Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond looked the part of man leading the defending Big 12 champions with a stellar performance: 26 of 33 completed passes for 298 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 13
Keelon Russell celebrates a Week 1 touchdown against East Carolina. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 48-10 win vs. East Carolina
In his first-ever start, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell put up 256 passing yards and 86 rushing yards with a rushing touchdown in what was an outstanding debut for a Tide team looking to win its first SEC championship since 2023.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 12
Trinidad Chambliss celebrates a touchdown against Louisville in Week 1 at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 41-38 vs. Louisville
When quarterback Trinidad Chambliss finally found his form, Louisville didn’t just crumble. It disintegrated behind eight penalties — including four in six minutes of the fourth quarter — that contributed to Ole Miss cruising to its season-opening win. Leave it to Chambliss to put up a Heisman-level stat line too, with more than 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 11
Running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. falls out of bounds short of the end zone against UTEP in Week 1. Oklahoma won 51-0. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 51-0 win vs. UTEP
The Sooners shut out the Miners with true freshman Noah Best starting at center and a ground game that might be worth bragging about come SEC play with 170 yards.
Record: 2-0
Previous ranking: 10
Jide Abasiri and Alex Vansumeren celebrate after a Week 1 play against Fresno State. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 39-0 win vs. Fresno State
Does it matter that fewer folks have seen the Trojans play at the Coliseum through two games (104, 158) than people saw Penn State play against Marshall (108,489) on Saturday? Yes, but only for us who love college football more than anything else that might be going on in Los Angeles on a day ending in Y. Angelinos just don’t.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 9
Carsyn Baker scores a rushing touchdown against Missouri State in Week 1. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 50-0 win vs. Missouri State
Ampersand U enjoyed its first season-opening shutout since 1993 (LSU, 24-0).
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 8
Sam Leavitt celebrates with his teammates after a touchdown run against Clemson in Week 1. (Photo by Derick Hingle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 51-10 win vs. Clemson
.vresize.200.200.medium.1.png)
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 7
Malachi Toney catches the ball before running in his third touchdown against Stanford in Week 1. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 45-6 win vs. Stanford
Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney became the first player since LSU’s Malik Nabers to record at least 180 yards, 10 catches and two receiving touchdowns in one half in Miami’s win. He finished with 11 catches for 229 yards, three touchdowns and an early lead in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 6
CJ Carr drops back to pass against Wisconsin during Notre Dame’s Week 1 win at Lambeau Field. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 41-13 vs. Wisconsin
After a slow start, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr found the weakness in Wisconsin’s defense — the middle of the field. And he and the Fighting Irish pelted it until the Badgers came unglued under the weight of trying to keep up with a Notre Dame program that was clearly punching down in weight class, even for Wisconsin.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 5
Arch Manning ahead of Texas’ Week 1 game against Texas State. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 59-7 win vs. Texas State
Texas is talented. Texas is capable. But is Texas mentally tough enough to defeat the AP’s No. 1 team in the country? Fortunately for us, the answer to that question is just a few days away.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 4
Evan Stewart runs after a catch against Boise State in Week 1. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 34-27 win vs. Boise State
Oregon survived. So they get to stay here — for now. Is a Boise State team with one loss to this Oregon team a more deserving CFP invitee than an undefeated North Dakota State? Just tossing out something to think about. Now, aside from that, the Ducks owe the Broncos $1.4 million for this threat to their College Football Playoff hopes.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 3
Jeremy Bell celebrates with Terrell Foster and Marcus Harrison during their Week 1 game against Tennessee State. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 63-3 win vs. Tennessee State
No, this ain’t John Merritt’s Tennessee State, but I am impressed with any defense that can hold a college football team to 10 friggin’ rushing yards over the course of 60 minutes. That’s exactly what Kirby Smart’s Dawgs did in their opener.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 2
Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith celebrate after connecting on a three-yard touchdown against Ball State in Week 1. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 56-3 win vs. Ball State
Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith wasted no time reminding folks why he’s the best player in the sport with eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns — in just one half of football.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 1
Charlie Becker makes a wild touchdown catch against North Texas in Week 1. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Week 1 game: 52-16 win vs. North Texas
These Hoosiers gave up more points to a rebuilding North Texas — at home! — than they did against No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten title game last season. I don’t love that, and I’m certain neither does Curt Cignetti.
‘Fear Arch Manning’ 👀 USC a CFP sleeper, can Indiana repeat as National Champions, Notre Dame | FTF
