AP Top 25: Week One

If the Preseason Top 25 is about expectations, Week One’s top 25 is about overreaction. Every team still has 11 games left in the regular season, yet how they played in the first week is exactly how they’ll be the rest of the season according to pollsters. Look flat? Well, if you’re Clemson you drop 20 spots to barely hang on, or if you’re TCU you just...leave. Look great? Hey, look at both Duke and Colorado!

It’s going to take a few weeks for everything to even out, as there are still some big matchups happening in the non-conference season. Still, it’s always fun to see the swings. As for the Tar Heels? Well, thanks to Clemson and TCU above them just out-and-out falling flat, they were able to climb up a few spots. The small rise should keep them from getting too full of themselves with two tough home games coming up.

Let’s look at where the AP decided teams were ranked this week:

1. Georgia (58)
2. Michigan (2)
3. Alabama
4. Florida State (3)
5. Ohio State
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. Washington
9. Tennessee
10. Notre Dame
11. Texas
12. Utah
13. Oregon
14. LSU
15. Kansas State
16. Oregon State
17. North Carolina
18. Oklahoma
19. Wisconsin
20. Ole Miss
21. Duke
22. Colorado
23. Texas A&M
24. Tulane
25. Clemson

Where is UNC?

The Tar Heels occupy TCU’s old slot at #17. The Horned Frogs loss to Colorado, as well as Clemon’s absolute pasting at the hands of Duke on Monday, allowed for some room to move Carolina up a few slots. A quick look at the Week Two slate reveals a relative lack of opportunities for a wild swing. Almost all of the teams ahead of Carolina have matchups that they should win—but then again, it’s called an upset for a reason. The biggest thing for UNC is to take care of business and the rankings will respond.

UNC’s Next Game: vs Appalachian State, Chapel Hill, 5:15 on ACC Network.

Conference Breakdown

• SEC: 6
• Pac-12: 6
• Big Ten: 4
• ACC: 4
• Big 12: 3
• AAC: 1
• Independent: 1

Marquee Games This Week

• Nebraska at #22 Colorado - Saturday at Noon, Fox
• #20 Ole Miss at #24 Tulane - Saturday at 3:30, ESPN2
• #11 Texas at # 3 Alabama - Saturday at 7 PM, ESPN
• Stanford at #6 USC - Saturday at 10:30 PM, Fox

Coaches’ Poll

1. Georgia (63)
2. Michigan (1)
3. Alabama (2)
4. Ohio State
5. Florida State
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. Washington
9. Tennessee
10. Texas
11. Notre Dame
12. Utah
13. Oregon
14. LSU
15. Kansas State
16. North Carolina
17. Oklahoma
18. Oregon State
19. Wisconsin
20. Ole Miss
21. Clemson
22. Tulane
23. Texas A&M
24. Duke
25. Colorado