A chaotic Week 1 of the college football season delivered on its promise of the unexpected, with lawsuits, clock operator issues, and even power outages defining the start. But the biggest bombshell? Western Michigan and SMU just crashed the College Football Playoff bracket projection, making moves that nobody saw coming after a wild opening slate of games.
Chaos Reigns: Who’s Rising and Falling Early
Seriously, Week 1 was nuts. We only got one Top 25 game, between Ole Miss and Louisville, but boy did it deliver. With limited data to go off, you’d think big changes wouldn’t happen, right? Wrong! Miami and LSU are already impressing folks, while Texas Tech totally disappointed. The biggest shake-ups though, are Western Michigan, as a new Group of Six rep, and SMU both making the projection list, while Ohio State, our preseason darling, has already slipped down the bracket. That slip raises the stakes for their Saturday game against Texas. Talk about pressure!
Top Teams Take the Field: Early Look at the Contenders
Let’s dive into who’s actually in this early CFP projection.
- Notre Dame (1-0): They had a bumpy first half against Wisconsin but still rolled to a 41-13 win. Their defense made huge plays, including a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown, buying the offense time to figure it out. Their schedule looks like a breeze until October 17 when they face No. 15 BYU. They’re still holding that number one spot!
- Georgia (1-0, SEC champion): My preseason pick for the SEC title, and nothing I saw in Week 1 makes me wanna change that. Playing five quarterbacks in a 63-3 win over Tennessee State? That’s either amazing or a disaster, and for Kirby Smart, it was definitely amazing. Gunner Stockton looked practically perfect, going 15 for 16 for 202 yards and three touchdowns in limited action. They’re locked in at number two.
- Miami (1-0, ACC champion): Wow. The Darian Mensah to Malachi Toney connection against Stanford was pure fire, racking up 234 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-6 victory. Mensah, one of the top three highest-paid players in college football, absolutely earned his cash with a five-touchdown debut. It would be a huge surprise if Miami doesn’t take the ACC this season. They jumped up to number three!
- Ohio State (1-0, Big Ten champion): Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith picked up right where they left off, teaming up for 151 yards and two touchdowns in a dominant 56-3 win over Ball State. Sayin, my preseason Heisman pick, has a much tougher test coming in Week 2 against Texas. The offense looks way better under first-year offensive coordinator and former Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith, even with the team slipping a spot to number four.
- Texas (1-0): They start at number five after a season ago saw Arch Manning struggle in a tough loss to Ohio State. This Week 2 rematch is gonna be massive for them and for Ohio State!
So, yeah, Week 1 was a wild ride, and we’re just getting started. The stakes are already through the roof for Ohio State’s showdown against Texas this Saturday. Can Sayin live up to the Heisman hype against a hungry Texas squad? Can Western Michigan keep this crazy dream alive? You better believe we’ll be watching every single play to see how this absolutely bonkers season unfolds!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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