Ohio State won’t budge from No. 1 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll, though there could be some movement just behind the Buckeyes after Oregon struggled to put away Boise State.
That doesn’t seem too likely. Unlike most ranked teams in Week 1, the Ducks started things off with a strong opponent in Boise State, which was in position to score a mammoth upset in the fourth quarter.
At this point, there aren’t enough data points to bump another team ahead of Oregon. Georgia, Texas and Indiana faced Championship Subdivision or Group of Six teams.
While Notre Dame looked great in the second half against Wisconsin, that would be a three-spot leap for the Fighting Irish after a neutral-site win against a team predicted to finish in the bottom half of
the Big Ten.
In other words, don’t look for much if any movement at the top of this week’s poll, which will be released later on Tuesday. Here’s how our prediction for how the top 10 of the new Coaches Poll will look:
1. Ohio State (1-0)
Jeremiah Smith and the Buckeyes’ starters did their damage in the first half against Ball State before giving way to what looked like a second-team offense and defense that could probably win seven or more games in the Big Ten. Nothing from Saturday impacts the belief that Ohio State is the best team in the country.
2. Oregon (1-0)
A close shave against Boise should pay off down the line, both in terms of key close-game experience and the likelihood the College Football Playoff selection committee gives the Ducks credit for beating a potential Top 25 opponent.
3. Georgia (1-0)
Georgia sailed past Tennessee State thanks to a nearly perfect day from quarterback Gunner Stockton, who completed 15 of 16 attempts for 202 yards and three touchdowns. The Bulldogs did his game to take a step forward in order to win the SEC and national championship.
4. Texas (1-0)
The Longhorns’ new additions on offense more than looked the part against Texas State. Former North Carolina State running back Hollywood Smothers had nearly 100 yards of total offense. Former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman scored twice on three grabs, giving Arch Manning another NFL-level option next to Ryan Wingo.
5. Notre Dame (1-0)
After a sluggish first two quarters at Lambeau Field, Marcus Freeman and the Irish adjusted to Wisconsin’s game plan and owned the second half, outscoring the Badgers 28-3 thanks to complete games from CJ Carr, Aneyas Williams (90 rushing yards) and Jordan Faison (81 yards receiving).
6. Indiana (1-0)
Well, the transfer quarterback looks good. Again. While the Hoosiers didn’t necessarily blow the doors off North Texas, TCU transfer Josh Hoover tossed a 15-yard score to fellow transfer Nick Marsh on his first pass attempt and went 13 of 16 for 231 yards and four touchdowns overall.
7. Miami (1-0)
The way Miami overwhelmed Stanford in Friday’s 45-6 win showed the huge gap the Hurricanes have built between themselves and a big chunk of the ACC. Also of note: Darian Mensah was superb in his debut, going 27 of 30 for 401 yards and five scores, while Malachi Toney had a record-setting day with 12 catches for a school-best 234 yards and three touchdowns.
8. Texas A&M (1-0)
A&M gained 505 yards, allowed 67 yards, posted 35 first downs, went a combined 9 of 16 on third and fourth downs, held the ball for over 43 minutes and forced three turnovers in a 50-0 win against Missouri State. While not very revealing of the Aggies’ chances in the SEC, this is what good teams do in non-conference paycheck games.
9. Oklahoma (1-0)
The Sooners who dropped 21 points in the first quarter of a 51-0 win against Texas-El Paso. John Mateer averaged 13.2 yards per pass attempt but the running game wasn’t great, going for 170 yards on 39 carries with 45 yards coming on two plays.
10. Mississippi (1-0)
The fallout for Pete Golding would’ve been absolutely brutal had the Rebels not found a way to get past Louisville with a 41-38 win. The credit has to go to Trinidad Chambliss, who conducted three scoring drives in the fourth quarter culminating in a 48-yard field goal as time expired.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football Top 25 rankings prediction for US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 1
