College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 2

Your look at the updated top 25 college football rankings according to the ESPN power index heading into the Week 2 schedule
College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 2
College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 2 /

Week 2 of the college football season is about to kick off after an active opening weekend that saw a pair of top 10 teams lose, including LSU against Florida State and a stunner in the ACC as Clemson stumbled badly against up-and-comer Duke. Now, as we move into next week's games, it's time to get a look at the new top 25 rankings.

  • The Football Power Index (FPI) college football rankings and computer prediction model are a measure of team strength that predicts a team's future performance
  • Rankings and predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team's season, using a combination of analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, and a team's schedule

College football rankings: ESPN reveals Week 2 top 25 poll


25. Kansas State

Week 1 result: def. SE Missouri State
Rankings change: Up 1
Kansas State projections: 8.1 wins, 4.1 losses, 90.7% to become bowl eligible, 5.3% to win Big 12 title, 1.9% to make College Football Playoff

24. Oregon State

Week 1 result: def. San Jose State
Rankings change: Up 6
Oregon State projections: 8.4 wins, 3.8 losses, 94.8% to become bowl eligible, 6.5% to win Pac-12 title, 2.8% to make College Football Playoff

23. Wisconsin

Week 1 result: def. Buffalo
Rankings change: Down 5
Wisconsin projections: 8.6 wins, 3.9 losses, 45.8% to win Big Ten West, 8.2% to win Big Ten title, 2.4% to make College Football Playoff

22. Auburn

Week 1 result: def. UMass
Rankings change: Up 10
Auburn projections: 6.8 wins, 5.2 losses, 77.8% to become bowl eligible, 2.4% to win SEC West, 0.8% to win SEC title, 1.2% to make College Football Playoff

21. North Carolina

Week 1 result: def. South Carolina
Rankings change: Up 1
North Carolina projections: 8.8 wins, 3.5 losses, 11.1% to win ACC title, 3.9% to make College Football Playoff

20. Miami

Week 1 result: def. Miami (OH)
Rankings change: Up 1
Miami projections: 8.7 wins, 3.6 losses, 11.8% to win ACC title, 3.8% to make College Football Playoff

19. UCF

Week 1 result: def. Kent State
Rankings change: Up 16
UCF projections: 8.5 wins, 3.7 losses, 6.1% to win Big 12 title, 3.1% to make College Football Playoff

18. Clemson

Week 1 result: Lost at Duke
Rankings change: Down 11
Clemson projections: 7.3 wins, 4.8 losses, 6.5% to win ACC title, 1.1% to make College Football Playoff

17. Texas A&M

Week 1 result: def. New Mexico
Rankings change: None
Texas A&M projections: 7.5 wins, 4.5 losses, 5.4% to win SEC West, 2.0% to win SEC title, 3.0% to make College Football Playoff

16. Washington

Week 1 result: def. Boise State
Rankings change: Up 7
Washington projections: 8.4 wins, 3.9 losses, 10.9% to win Pac-12 title, 5.4% to make College Football Playoff, 1.8% to make national championship game

15. Utah

Week 1 result: def. Florida
Rankings change: Down 3
Utah projections: 8.8 wins, 3.5 losses, 13.2% to win Pac-12 title, 7.5% to make College Football Playoff

14. LSU

Week 1 result: Lost to Florida State
Rankings change: Down 10
LSU projections: 7.5 wins, 4.6 losses, 7.3% to win SEC West, 2.7% to win SEC title, 1.9% to make College Football Playoff

13. Ole Miss

Week 1 result: def. Mercer
Rankings change: Up 3
Ole Miss projections: 8.3 wins, 3.8 losses, 8.4% to win SEC West, 4.0% to win SEC title, 6.6% to make College Football Playoff

12. Tennessee

Week 1 result: def. Virginia
Rankings change: Up 3
Tennessee projections: 8.9 wins, 3.3 losses, 19.6% to win SEC East, 6.4% to win SEC title, 8.9% to make College Football Playoff

11. Oregon

Week 1 result: def. Portland State
Rankings change: Up 2
Oregon projections: 9.5 wins, 2.9 losses, 24.9% to win Pac-12 title, 14.8% to make College Football Playoff

10. Penn State

Week 1 result: def. West Virginia
Rankings change: Down 1
Penn State projections: 9.7 wins, 2.4 losses, 14.8% to win Big Ten East, 11.7% to win Big Ten title, 16.2% to win College Football Playoff

9. Texas

Week 1 result: def. Rice
Rankings change: Down 4
Texas projections: 9.5 wins, 3.1 losses, 29.6% to win Big 12 title, 17.4% to make College Football Playoff

8. Florida State

Week 1 result: def. LSU
Rankings change: Up 6
Florida State projections: 10.4 wins, 2.2 losses, 44.8% to win ACC title, 25.2% to make College Football Playoff, 4.4% to win national title

7. Michigan

Week 1 result: def. ECU
Rankings change: Down 1
Michigan projections: 9.9 wins, 2.3 losses, 18.4% to win Big Ten East, 14.7% to win Big Ten title, 18.9% to make College Football Playoff, 3.5% to win national title

6. Notre Dame

Week 1 result: def. TSU
Rankings change: Up 4
Notre Dame projections: 9.5 wins, 2.5 losses, 17.5% to make College Football Playoff, 4.4% to win national title

5. USC

Week 1 result: def. Nevada
Rankings change: Up 3
USC projections: 10.0 wins, 2.6 losses, 39.6% to win Pac-12 title, 24.6% to make College Football Playoff, 4.4% to win national title

4. Oklahoma

Week 1 result: def. Arkansas State
Rankings change: Up 7
Oklahoma projections: 10.9 wins, 1.8 losses, 49.1% to win Big 12 title, 35.9% to make College Football Playoff, 8.7% to win national title

3. Georgia

Week 1 result: def. UT Martin
Rankings change: None
Georgia projections: 10.8 wins, 1.9 losses, 68.2% to win SEC East, 29.9% to win SEC title, 37.1% to make College Football Playoff, 10.2% to win national title

2. Ohio State

Week 1 result: def. Indiana
Rankings change: Down 1
Ohio State projections: 11.3 wins, 1.3 losses, 65.3% to win Big Ten East, 59.3% to win Big Ten title, 62.2% to make College Football Playoff, 23.2% to win national title

1. Alabama

Week 1 result: def. MTSU
Rankings change: Up 1
Alabama projections: 11.2 wins, 1.5 losses, 73.9% to win SEC West, 51.6% to win SEC title, 63.2% to make College Football Playoff, 26.6% to win national title


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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.