College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 for Week 2

Where things stand in ESPN's new top 25 college football rankings as we look ahead to Week 2 action following a big opening weekend.

ESPN debuts the updated top 25 college football rankings as we move into the Week 2 games, with some notable changes. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Statements were made across the opening weekend of the 2024 college football season. Some good, some not so good. But with some notable results across the country, there was predictably change around the ESPN top 25 rankings coming out of Saturday's games.

One team on the way down is Clemson, whose impotent offense once again failed to generate any momentum in a 31-point loss to No. 1 ranked Georgia, throwing even more chaos into the early ACC pecking order.

On the way up? Right now, that's Miami, who debuted transfer quarterback Cam Ward to critical acclaim after he passed for 385 yards and three touchdowns in a statement win against Florida on the road, a game that should help the Hurricanes take advantage of the confusion in the ACC.

Notre Dame picked up a key road victory against a ranked Texas A&M squad playing its first game for head coach Mike Elko, as the Fighting Irish scored 10 unanswered points late to secure an important win looking ahead to an expanded playoff race without the benefit of a conference title to win.

Where does that leave things in the latest ESPN top 25 college football rankings? Here's the latest poll to come out of the College Football Power Index computer prediction models for Week 2.

College football rankings: ESPN reveals top 25 poll for Week 2

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Ohio State
5. Penn State
6. Notre Dame
7. Tennessee
8. Ole Miss
9. Oklahoma
10. Oregon
11. Miami
12. Missouri
13. Louisville
14. Michigan
15. USC
16. Auburn
17. LSU
18. Texas A&M
19. Kansas
20. UCF
21. Kansas State
22. Clemson
23. Arizona
24. Utah
25. Washington

Top 25 biggest movers

Florida State (Down 19). So long, Seminoles playoff chances after a stunning 0-2 start coming off an ugly home loss to unranked Boston College.

Alabama (Up 3). A nice jump for the Tide, who rolled the Hilltoppers in a 63-0 decision on the back of Jalen Milroe's 5 total TDs and Bama is back in double digits on the FPI's win projection.

Oregon (Down 8). The Ducks played things remarkably close against Idaho at home despite Dillon Gabriel putting up fabulous numbers, scoring late to pull away from the Vandals.

Louisville (Up 8). Tyler Shough threw 4 TD passes as the Cardinals stepped on Austin Peay in a 62-0 drubbing and suddenly this is the ACC's second-best team on the index.

Clemson (Down 8). Just three points from Garrett Riley's offense in the face of Georgia's pass rush and once again the critics are loud and legion against Dabo Swinney's approach.

Miami (Up 12). Cam Ward looks as good as advertised, picking apart the Gator defenses with his arm while the Canes' backs added 2 scores.

Michigan (Down 3). The champs played a little too close against Fresno State in the opener, but Will Johnson's pick-six sealed it, as Texas awaits in Week 2.

UCF (Up 11). The Knights stacked up 454 rushing yards in a beatdown over New Hampshire to start out.

Auburn (Up 3). Four of Payton Thorne's 12 completions were touchdowns as the Tigers' new-look receiving corps lit up Alabama A&M in a 73-3 rout.

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