We are two (almost three) weeks deep into the 2022 season, and we have enough teams who have played FBS teams to create my first Top 25 rankings. It will still be somewhat volatile, as teams like Oregon have only one FBS game in their results, and they lost to a stronger team. Remember, teams cannot be included in my Top 25 if they have a losing record against FBS opponents.
Top 25
1. GEORGIA BULLDOGS (2-0) : Crushing Oregon gave them this position, and they haven't done anything to lose it
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) : Only Alabama does a better job of making halftime adjustments, so this team is dangerous in the second half
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) : Nearly losing to Texas was not good, but that could be due to a strong Texas team
4. Texas Longhorns (1-1) : In fact, that performance puts Texas here. If they can't sustain it, they will slide, but right now they are one of the most impressive teams in the country.
5. Michigan Wolverines (2-0) : A strong mix of offense and defense, and it seems like the QB controversy is over
6. Oklahoma Sooners (2-0)
7. Michigan State Spartans (2-0)
8. Tennessee Volunteers (2-0) : The Vols often start off strongly and then fade as the season progresses, but they've earned this spot for now
9. USC Trojans (2-0) : The most impressive Pac-12 team
10. Syracuse Orange (2-0) : Wow! Does this team look good! With some QB issues at Clemson, could they win the ACC?
11. Clemson Tigers (2-0)
12. Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) : Impressive win over Florida! This team seems loaded for bear
13. Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-0)
14. BYU Cougars (2-0)
15. Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-0) This is a strong team. With slips by Wisconsin and Northwestern and a collapse of Iowa, this might be the favorite to win the West division
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-0)
17. UCLA Bruins (2-0)
18. TCU Horned Frogs (2-0)
19. Washington Huskies (2-0)
20. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-0)
21. Kansas State Wildcats (2-0)
22. Maryland Terrapins (2-0)
23. Miami Hurricanes (2-0)
24. Marshall Thundering Herd (2-0) : Irish who?
25. Toledo Rockets (2-0)
Upsets and Surprises
The biggest upset was probably Marshall's defeat of Notre Dame (because, let's face it, Texas A&M really wasn't as good as hyped. I even marked that one as a likely upset). Equally surprising was the domination of Texas over Alabama.
The Sun Belt had a tremendous day. As well as Marshall's upset of Notre Dame and Appalachian State beating the Aggies, Georgia Southern beat Nebraska and South Alabama beat Central Michigan. The FCS grabbed a couple more upsets, as Incarnate Word beat Nevada and Weber State beat Utah State. Kansas, a frequent Big XII bottom-feeder, outplayed West Virginia.
Big Ten Report
Not a good day for the West division. Northwestern, Nebraska, and Wisconsin were upset. Iowa lost, but I figured on that one. The most impressive teams in the division were Minnesota and Illinois, which could make conference play interesting. Illinois still had WAAAAYYY too many turnovers. Their defense prevented Virginia from capitalizing on ANY of them, but a stronger offense could.
Other than some struggles by Indiana, the West division performed very well. Michigan and Penn State were a bit more dominant than expected, but there were no surprises. That division will be highly competitive, and fun to watch.
MAC Attack
After this week, it seems Toledo is clearly the top team in the league. Central Michigan, after an exceptional first week, collapsed. Western Michigan won the first conference face-off, but strggled against a weak Ball State team.
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