College Football

College football rankings: Colorado moves up after big win; Georgia remains No. 1

Updated Sep. 5, 2023 12:10 a.m. ET

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RJ Young

FOX Sports National College Football Analyst

Many will tell you they always believed Coach Prime could be great at Colorado. But show me one who had them ranked in their preseason poll. I daresay you can't.

I daresay not everyone paid attention to just how Prime was building his roster and his staff since December last year — the same month when I made Shedeur Sanders my No. 1 contender for the Heisman.

Not everyone had interviewed him — as I had on FOX Sports’ "Number One College Football Show" — when he was in the midst of a 27-6 run at HBCU Jackson State. And not everyone rang the bell when Travis Hunter spurned Florida State to become the first five-star player to sign with an FCS program. I did.

So they're here now for a second week — among the 25 best teams in the country — and, if AP voters have integrity, they'll also be ranked there for the first time since December 2020.

For now, consider me validated and consider this column informed and credible, even though there are many who would tell you otherwise. And when they do? Ask them if they picked Colorado to beat Texas Christian.

[Related: Compare to RJ Young's Preseason Top 25]

I went 6-0 picking college football games this week — undefeated, just like Prime.

Ask them: Do you believe?

1. Georgia (1-0)

Defeated UT-Martin, 48-7 

UGA quarterback Carson Beck completed 21 of 31 passes for 294 yards with a TD in his 2023 debut. The Dawg defense didn’t surrender a point to their FCS opponent until there was 6:57 left to play in the game.

2. Michigan (1-0)

Defeated East Carolina, 30-3

Without coach Jim Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, the Wolverines made relatively light work of their American Athletic Conference foe. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 26 of 30 passes with three TDs in the win.

3. Ohio State (1-0)

Defeated Indiana, 23-3 

The Buckeye defense held Indiana scoreless in the second half and didn’t allow a TD. While the offense looked rough against the Hoosiers, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense looking sharp is a reason for the Buckeye faithful to be positive.

Breaking down big wins for Michigan, Ohio State

4. USC (2-0)

Defeated Nevada, 66-14

Caleb Williams continues to play at a Heisman level. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 319 yards with five TD passes to move the Trojans past the Wolfpack.

5. Penn State (1-0)

Defeated West Virginia, 38-15

After heading into the locker room up just 14-7 at halftime, the Nittany Lions scored 24 points in the second half behind the accuracy of quarterback Drew Allar. Allar completed 21 of 29 passes for 325 yards with three passing TDs in the win.

6. Alabama (1-0)

Defeated Middle Tennessee, 56-7

Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe validated coach Nick Saban’s decision to start him by leading Alabama in both passing (194 yards) and rushing (48 yards) with five total TDs as the Tide roll toward a top-25 showdown with Texas in Week 2.

7. Tennessee (1-0)

Defeated Virginia, 49-13

Quarterback Joe Milton completed 70% of his passes for 201 yards. Running back Jaylen Wright added 115 yards on just 12 rushes.

8. Florida State (1-0)

Defeated LSU, 45-24

Keon Coleman did more for basketball players who think they can play football than any man living. He's gonna get some power forwards knocked unconscious because they saw Coleman outchea Jim Jones ballin'.

9. Utah (1-0)

Defeated Florida, 24-11

Without star quarterback Cam Rising in the lineup, the Utes played complementary football to avenge last year’s loss to the Gators and comfortably pick up a coveted win against an SEC foe. Money Parks caught the only TD passes of the game for the Utes — a 70-yard toss from quarterback Bryson Barnes, who finished 12 of 18 for 159 with that TD and an INT. 

10. Washington (1-0)

Defeated Boise State, 56-19

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. continues to be one of the most prolific passers in the sport. He completed 29 of 40 passes for 450 yards with five passing TDs in the win against BSU.

11. Texas (1-0)

Defeated Rice, 37-10

The Texas defense allowed just 176 total yards against a Rice team that went bowling last year. The Longhorns will feel confident about their chances to defeat Alabama this weekend after holding Rice to just 27 rush yards and forcing three turnovers in the win.

Highlights: Check out the biggest plays from Texas' win over Rice

12. Oregon (1-0)

Defeated Portland State, 81-7

Eight Ducks scored at least one TD and five scored at least two in a game that saw the most points produced by one team all weekend.

13. LSU (0-1)

Lost to Florida State, 45-24

Jayden Daniels and the LSU front seven are the strength of the defending SEC West champs. But without significant help in the secondary and at least one more playmaker in the backfield, LSU might have a tough time getting back to the SEC title game.

14. Notre Dame (2-0)

Defeated Tennessee State, 56-3

The Fighting Irish have allowed just five points through two games and are averaging 49 a game with their first matchup against a Power 5 foe (North Carolina State) on Saturday.

15. UCLA (1-0)

Defeated Coastal Carolina, 27-13

True freshman quarterback Dante Moore came off the bench to complete seven of 12 passes for 143 yards and two TDs to lead the Bruins past the Chants.

16. Kansas State (1-0)

Defeated Southeast Missouri State, 45-0

The Wildcats unleashed quarterback Will Howard, who completed 18 of 25 passes for 297 yards with a TD and an INT. But K-State will feel better about being one of just two ranked programs to pitch shutouts in Week 1.

17. Wisconsin (1-0)

Defeated Buffalo, 38-17

The debut of the "Dairy Raid" led to more of the same at Wisconsin. Running backs Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen combined for 298 rush yards on 30 rushes with four TDs.

18. Colorado (1-0)

Defeated TCU, 45-42

The Buffaloes won their first true road opener since 1995 behind a school record 510-yard passing performance from Shedeur Sanders and the first 100-yard receiving-INT performance this century from Travis Hunter.

The Buffaloes became the first program to beat a ranked foe in 2023.

Deion Sanders, Colorado make a huge statement!

19. Oklahoma (1-0)

Defeated Arkansas State, 73-0

The Sooners gave up an average of 30 points per game last season. To hold a proud program like the Red Wolves to zero could be a harbinger of the kind of shutdown defense associated with coach Brent Venables in the past.

20. North Carolina (1-0)

Defeated South Carolina, 31-17

Quarterback Drake Maye completed 24 of 32 passes for 269 yards with two TDs and two INTs to help coach Mack Brown become the first coach in the history of the sport to win 100 games at two different schools.

21. Oregon State (1-0)

Defeated San Jose State, 42-17

The arrival of DJ Uiagalelei was just what Beaver fans hoped it would be. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 239 yards and accounted for five TDs.

22. Duke (1-0)

Defeated Clemson, 28-7

Riley Leonard passed for 175 yards and rushed for 98 more, including a 44-yard scoring dash. But it was the Blue Devils defense, which forced three turnovers, that stole the show.

23. TCU (0-1)

Lost to Colorado, 45-42 

Quarterback Chandler Morris completed 24 of 42 passes for 279 yards with two TDs and two INTs, while running back Emani Bailey rushed for 164 yards on just 14 rushes in the loss.

What Buffaloes' win means for both Colorado and TCU

24. Clemson (0-1)

Lost to Duke, 28-7

The Tigers didn't score on drives of … 11 plays, 49 yards; eight plays, 71 yards; seven plays, 62 yards; 11 plays, 48 yards.

They did score on a five-play, 18-yard drive — their only points of the game.

Cade Klubnik played his worst game as a college player so far.

25. Iowa (1-0)

Defeated Utah State, 24-14

The Hawkeyes scored a TD on their first offensive possession of the season — the first time that's happened since 1991. Quarterback Cade McNamara completed 17 of 30 passes for 191 yards with two TDs.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.

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