Week 1 college football dropped an absolute bomb on us, especially down in the SEC. Those teams went a perfect 16-0, averaging a ridiculous 37.6-point margin of victory, which is the first time the conference has ended Week 1 undefeated since way back in 1997! Talk about making a statement right out of the gate, man.
The SEC’s Early Season Domination and Rising Stars
While most of the elite teams were busy running up the score in blowouts, we still got one absolute slugfest that truly delivered on Sunday night. Ole Miss and Louisville went toe-to-toe, trading punches in the second half, with both quarterbacks absolutely slinging it. It was a classic veteran-versus-rising-star battle. But when the dust settled, Ole Miss walked off with the win as time expired, 41-38. That game was pure chaos, a perfect segue into Labor Day after everyone else just flexed their muscles. And looking at the CBS Sports Power Rankings model, we’re already seeing some crazy shifts. Miami and LSU are among the teams making massive jumps after their offenses just dismantled Power Four opponents. LSU climbed all the way to third after they absolutely crushed Clemson. Meanwhile, Michigan and Clemson, who were in the top 25 preseason, are now completely out. Wild, right?
Ohio State’s Offensive Explosion Sets Up a HUGE Week 2 Showdown
But let’s talk about the big dogs. Ohio State is starting the season at No. 1 in the power rankings, and they are not messing around. They could absolutely cement that top spot this week with a road win against No. 5 Texas. In their opener against Ball State, Ohio State went OFF, racking up a ridiculous 671 yards of offense on their way to a dominant 56-3 victory. We’re talking pure, unadulterated offensive firepower. Jeremiah Smith was an absolute monster, hauling in eight passes for 151 yards and punching in two touchdowns. Even freshman Legend Bey, despite a questionable kickoff return decision, still managed to light it up with 74 yards of offense and a score through the air. These Buckeyes mean business, starting 1-0 and looking unstoppable. Over in Miami, it’s starting to feel like the early 2000s again. Their offense was just incredible in the season opener at Stanford, putting up 549 yards, the most in a Miami opener against an FBS school since 2001. Quarterback Darian Mensah was just lights out, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns.
This Week 1 action sets up what’s sure to be an insane Week 2, especially with Ohio State heading to Texas. The rankings are going to be super volatile for these first three weeks as the model gets fresh data. So buckle up, because things are just getting started and the next game between the Buckeyes and Longhorns is going to be epic.
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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