College Football Week 2 Rankings: Top 25 and Schedule (2026)
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Week 1 gave us more movement than the schedule initially suggested it would.
Some national contenders handled business without much drama. Others immediately created questions that will follow them into Week 2. LSU made perhaps the loudest statement of the opening weekend, Oregon had to fight off Boise State, and Michigan barely escaped Western Michigan.
That makes the college football rankings for Week 2 considerably more interesting than simply moving every winner up and every loser down.
Ohio State remains our No. 1 team entering Week 2, but LSU makes a massive jump after dismantling Clemson. Notre Dame, Indiana and Georgia round out the top five, while Oregon slides after a much less convincing opener.
These are our sports betting research app's Week 2 college football rankings and predictions based on what we've seen so far, while still accounting for preseason expectations and the quality of each team's opening opponent.
College Football Rankings Week 2: Top 25
25. Michigan Wolverines
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 13
Week 1: Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12
Up Next: Oklahoma
Michigan drops 12 spots despite starting the season 1-0.
Escaping Western Michigan 13-12 is difficult to ignore when evaluating the Wolverines against the rest of the Top 25. Michigan survived, but it hardly looked like the No. 13 team we had entering the season.
The good news is that Michigan gets an immediate opportunity to change the conversation. A strong performance against Oklahoma would make the Week 1 scare much easier to dismiss.
24. Louisville Cardinals
Record: 0-1
Last Week Rank: 18
Week 1: Ole Miss 41, Louisville 38
Up Next: Villanova
Louisville lost, but there was enough in the performance to keep the Cardinals inside our Top 25.
Scoring 38 against Ole Miss showed what the offense can become with Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback. The concern is the other side of the ball. Louisville couldn't get the stops it needed late.
A loss isn't automatically disqualifying in our college football Week 2 rankings, particularly when a team remains competitive against another ranked opponent.
23. Florida Gators
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 26
Week 1: Florida 66, Florida Atlantic 21
Up Next: Campbell
That's how you start a new era.
Florida exploded for 66 points and more than 600 yards against Florida Atlantic in Jon Sumrall's debut. There will be much tougher tests ahead, but the Gators showed enough offensive explosiveness to move into the Top 25.
22. Utah Utes
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 25
Week 1: Utah 66, Idaho 14
Up Next: Arkansas
Utah couldn't have asked for much more from its first game under Morgan Scalley.
The Utes piled up 364 rushing yards while throwing five touchdown passes in a 66-14 win. Idaho wasn't the opponent that will define Utah's season, but the balance and efficiency were encouraging.
Arkansas should tell us significantly more.
21. Ole Miss Rebels
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 24
Week 1: Ole Miss 41, Louisville 38
Up Next: Charlotte
Ole Miss moves up after surviving Louisville, although Week 1 exposed an obvious concern.
The Rebels scored 41 and got the offensive production they needed. The secondary, however, allowed Louisville to stay in the game until the end.
The offense looks capable of winning shootouts. The question is whether Ole Miss can tighten things defensively before the schedule gets more difficult.
20. Kansas State Wildcats
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 23
Week 1: Kansas State 71, Nicholls 3
Up Next: Washington State
Kansas State did exactly what a ranked team is supposed to do against an overmatched opponent: remove any possibility of drama.
A 71-3 final doesn't tell us everything about the Wildcats, but it was an emphatic start to the Collin Klein era.
Washington State should provide a better measuring stick in Week 2.
19. Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 22
Week 1: Penn State 45, Marshall 0
Up Next: at Temple
Penn State's first game under Matt Campbell was about as clean as it could have been.
The Nittany Lions shut out Marshall while putting 45 points on the board, and quarterback Rocco Becht gave the offense an encouraging start.
Penn State still has plenty to prove, but Week 1 was a strong first data point.
18. South Carolina Gamecocks
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 21
Week 1: South Carolina 57, Kent State 0
Up Next: Towson
South Carolina needed a positive opening statement and delivered one.
The Gamecocks overwhelmed Kent State 57-0 and immediately established a different tone entering 2026. The competition ramps up eventually, but there wasn't much more South Carolina could have done in its opener.
17. Iowa Hawkeyes
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 20
Week 1: Iowa 40, Northern Illinois 0
Up Next: Iowa State
Forty points and some legitimate downfield passing? Iowa fans will take it.
Northern Illinois isn't strong enough to draw major conclusions from one result, but the Hawkeyes showed offensive elements that haven't always been present in recent seasons.
Now comes a much more informative matchup against Iowa State.
16. Washington Huskies
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 19
Week 1: Washington 24, Washington State 10
Up Next: Utah State
Washington wasn't perfect in the Apple Cup, but the Huskies did enough to move up three spots.
The explosiveness was evident even if the entire operation wasn't consistently sharp. That's understandable in an opener.
Washington remains a projection-heavy ranking for now, with the expectation that the offense becomes cleaner as the season develops.
15. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 12
Week 1: Texas Tech 33, Abilene Christian 10
Up Next: at Oregon State
Texas Tech won comfortably, but 33-10 against an FCS opponent wasn't enough to keep the Red Raiders at No. 12.
This isn't a major downgrade of Texas Tech's season outlook. It's more about other teams producing stronger opening statements.
A road trip to Oregon State gives the Red Raiders an opportunity to move right back up.
14. Tennessee Volunteers
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 16
Week 1: Tennessee 56, Furman 9
Up Next: at Georgia Tech
Tennessee's opener went according to plan.
The most encouraging development was Faizon Brandon completing 13 of 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Furman wasn't going to provide an SEC-caliber test, but Tennessee got the quarterback play it wanted to see.
Georgia Tech should provide more resistance.
13. BYU Cougars
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 17
Week 1: BYU 63, Utah Tech 7
Up Next: Arizona
BYU moves four spots after dismantling Utah Tech.
The Cougars essentially had the game put away early enough to use much of the second half as preparation for what's ahead. That's exactly what a highly ranked team should do against this level of opponent.
Arizona should give us our first meaningful read on BYU.
12. Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 14
Week 1: Alabama 48, East Carolina 10
Up Next: at Kentucky
Alabama's 48-10 win deserves more attention than a routine opening-week blowout.
East Carolina should be competitive in the American, yet Alabama had 38 points by halftime. There were still imperfections, but the speed and offensive ceiling were evident immediately.
The first SEC road test comes next at Kentucky.
11. Texas A&M Aggies
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 9
Week 1: Texas A&M 50, Missouri State 0
Up Next: Arizona State
Dropping Texas A&M two spots isn't a punishment for its opener.
The Aggies handled Missouri State 50-0 and did everything expected of them. This is primarily a reshuffling caused by what happened elsewhere in the Top 25.
Arizona State should reveal much more about whether Texas A&M belongs back in the top 10.
College Football Week 2 Rankings: Top 10
10. Miami Hurricanes
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 10
Week 1: Miami 45, Stanford 6
Up Next: Florida A&M
Miami stays at No. 10 after dominating Stanford on the road.
The Hurricanes deserve credit for making a long trip and eliminating any possibility of an upset, although Stanford is rebuilding and wasn't at full strength up front.
Miami looked like a top-10 team. We simply didn't see enough to move it higher yet.
9. USC Trojans
Record: 2-0
Last Week Rank: 11
Week 1: USC 39, Fresno State 0
Up Next: Louisiana
USC has now played twice and has looked increasingly convincing.
After opening its season in Week 0, the Trojans followed with a 39-0 shutout of Fresno State. Jayden Maiava looks comfortable running the offense, and USC has avoided the early-season instability that has hurt it in previous years.
The Trojans climb into the top 10 as a result.
8. Oregon Ducks
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 3
Week 1: Oregon 34, Boise State 27
Up Next: at Oklahoma State
Oregon's five-spot drop is one of the biggest changes in our college football rankings for Week 2, but it isn't time to panic.
The Ducks survived Boise State 34-27 and simply didn't look like the No. 3 team in the country during the opener.
Oregon may ultimately prove to be one of the nation's two or three best teams. For now, we're ranking what we've seen while leaving room for a rapid rebound.
A dominant performance at Oklahoma State would help.
7. Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 7
Week 1: Oklahoma 51, UTEP 0
Up Next: at Michigan
Oklahoma stays put after crushing UTEP 51-0.
John Mateer and the Sooners offense looked far more polished than you normally expect in an opener. The performance got somewhat buried beneath the bigger national storylines, but Oklahoma quietly delivered one of Week 1's cleanest games.
Now the Sooners head to Michigan for one of Week 2's most revealing matchups.
6. Texas Longhorns
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 6
Week 1: Texas 59, Texas State 7
Up Next: Ohio State
Texas handled a respectable Texas State team 59-7 and looked every bit like a national contender.
Arch Manning had plenty of help from a dangerous receiving corps, and the Longhorns generated the explosiveness expected from this offense.
None of that changes the ranking yet because the real test is coming immediately: No. 1 Ohio State.
5. Georgia Bulldogs
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 5
Week 1: Georgia 63, Tennessee State 3
Up Next: Western Kentucky
Georgia didn't provide any reason to move the Bulldogs down.
A 63-3 win over Tennessee State was as comfortable as expected. Georgia controlled the game, distributed opportunities throughout the offense and never allowed the opener to become anything more than a tune-up.
Western Kentucky is next before the schedule eventually provides much tougher tests.
4. Indiana Hoosiers
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 4
Week 1: Indiana 52, North Texas 16
Up Next: Howard
Indiana's position in the top five remains intact.
The Hoosiers weren't flawless against North Texas, but they were focused, explosive and clearly the superior team in a 52-16 victory.
There's also reason to believe this roster has an even higher ceiling as the season progresses.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 2
Week 1: Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13
Up Next: Rice
Notre Dame drops one spot despite an impressive 41-13 victory over Wisconsin.
The Irish took some time to settle in before taking complete control. Once they did, the offensive line became the story, and Notre Dame's defense prevented Wisconsin from generating enough offense to make things interesting.
This is still a legitimate national-title contender. LSU simply did more to earn the No. 2 spot this week.
2. LSU Tigers
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 8
Week 1: LSU 51, Clemson 10
Up Next: Louisiana Tech
No team improved its standing more dramatically than LSU.
Beating Clemson would have been enough to move the Tigers up. Beating Clemson 51-10 changes the conversation entirely.
LSU looked faster, deeper and more explosive than a Clemson team that entered the season with legitimate expectations of competing near the top of the ACC. The Tigers didn't merely survive their first major test—they overwhelmed it.
One game doesn't determine a season, but LSU's Week 1 performance gave us enough evidence to move the Tigers from No. 8 all the way to No. 2.
The question now is whether this becomes the standard rather than the exception.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 1-0
Last Week Rank: 1
Week 1: Ohio State 52, Ball State 16
Up Next: at Texas
Ohio State remains No. 1 in our Week 2 college football rankings.
The Buckeyes scored 52 against Ball State without needing to stay aggressive for four quarters. The offensive line has areas to clean up, and the defense wasn't completely airtight, but neither issue was significant enough to knock Ohio State off the top spot.
More importantly, we're about to get a legitimate answer.
Ohio State travels to No. 6 Texas in Week 2. A road win in Austin would give the Buckeyes an early résumé piece that nobody else near the top of these rankings could easily match.
Week 2 College Football Rankings Predictions
The biggest question surrounding the college football rankings in Week 2 isn't necessarily Ohio State at No. 1. It's how much weight one weekend should carry.
Our approach is to avoid treating Week 1 as definitive while also refusing to ignore what happened on the field.
That's why LSU jumps from No. 8 to No. 2 after a 41-point win over Clemson, while Oregon falls from No. 3 to No. 8after narrowly escaping Boise State. Michigan takes an even steeper fall after its one-point win over Western Michigan.
Those teams can move quickly again.
The upcoming Ohio State-Texas and Oklahoma-Michigan games should create another significant shakeup, while Oregon has an opportunity to prove its opener was nothing more than an early stumble.
Biggest Risers and Fallers in the College Football Week 2 Rankings
LSU is the biggest winner. Moving six positions is aggressive this early, but beating Clemson 51-10 is the strongest statement made by anyone in our Top 25.
Michigan takes the biggest hit. The Wolverines technically did their job by winning, but a 13-12 escape against Western Michigan creates too many questions to justify keeping them near their preseason position.
Oregon remains a contender despite dropping five spots. No. 8 isn't a prediction that Oregon will finish eighth. It's a reflection of an opener that didn't match the expectations attached to the preseason No. 3 team.
USC, meanwhile, deserves recognition for being 2-0 after starting its season in Week 0. The Trojans have done enough across two games to earn their move into our top 10.
College Football Rankings Week 2 FAQ
What are the college football rankings for Week 2?
Our top five teams in the 2026 college football Week 2 rankings are No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 4 Indiana and No. 5 Georgia.
Who is No. 1 in the Week 2 college football rankings?
Ohio State remains No. 1 after beating Ball State 52-16. The Buckeyes now face No. 6 Texas in one of the biggest games of Week 2.
Which team made the biggest jump in the college football rankings after Week 1?
LSU makes the biggest move in our rankings, jumping from No. 8 to No. 2 after beating Clemson 51-10.
Why did Oregon fall in the Week 2 rankings?
Oregon drops from No. 3 to No. 8 after a 34-27 win over Boise State. The Ducks remain a national contender, but the opening performance wasn't as convincing as those of several teams now ranked ahead of them.
Where is Michigan ranked after Week 1?
Michigan is No. 25 after narrowly beating Western Michigan 13-12. The Wolverines entered the previous rankings at No. 13 and face Oklahoma next.
2026 College Football Week 2 Top 25
The full college football rankings for Week 2 are:
- Ohio State
- LSU
- Notre Dame
- Indiana
- Georgia
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- USC
- Miami
- Texas A&M
- Alabama
- BYU
- Tennessee
- Texas Tech
- Washington
- Iowa
- South Carolina
- Penn State
- Kansas State
- Ole Miss
- Utah
- Florida
- Louisville
- Michigan
Week 1 college football rankings created the first meaningful evidence of the 2026 season, but the rankings are nowhere close to settled. Ohio State holds the top spot, LSU is the week's biggest riser, and teams such as Oregon and Michigan now have immediate opportunities to answer questions created by their openers.
With major Week 2 games capable of reshaping the top of the board again, these college football Week 2 rankings predictions should look considerably different once the next round of results is in.