Weekly college football top 25 rankings are a big part of every season, and Athlon Sports will update its top 25 following the games each weekend.
The second weekend of the 2024 season was headlined by Texas' dominant victory at Michigan, Iowa State's upset of Iowa, Notre Dame's stunning loss to Northern Illinois, Nebraska's win over Colorado, and Tennessee's blowout win versus NC State in Charlotte.
The Bulldogs take the No. 1 spot in the post-Week 2 top 25 rankings, followed by Texas, Ohio State and Ole Miss. Here are Athlon Sports' top 25 college football teams after Week 2:
College Football Top 25 Rankings (After Week 2)
1. Georgia (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Clemson
As expected, the Bulldogs handled Tennessee Tech with ease in a 48-3 victory. Quarterback Carson Beck tossed five touchdowns, and Georgia's defense suffocated the Golden Eagles (134 yards allowed). Up next: A key SEC showdown at Kentucky.
2. Texas (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Michigan
Total domination is the best way to sum up Texas' 31-12 win at Michigan. The Longhorns won the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball, as the offensive front provided quality protection for quarterback Quinn Ewers and helped the running backs rush for 143 yards. And on defense, Texas limited the Wolverines to just 80 on the ground and 284 total yards.
3. Ohio State (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Western Michigan
Ohio State turned in a complete team effort in a 56-0 blowout of Western Michigan. The defense limited the Broncos to 99 total yards, while the offense recorded 683 over 72 plays. Quarterback Will Howard was steady (292 yards), and the one-two punch of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson ran for 174 yards over 19 carries.
4. Ole Miss (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Middle Tennessee
Lane Kiffin's team turned in its second dominant performance in a row to start the '24 season. The Rebels scored 17 points in the first quarter and led 31-3 at halftime before beating Middle Tennessee 52-3. Running back Henry Parrish chipped in four rushing scores, and quarterback Jaxson Dart misfired on just two passes. Kiffin's defense has allowed only three points through the first two games of the year.
5. Alabama (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated South Florida
Alabama beat South Florida 42-16 on Saturday night, but the final score wasn't indicative of how close the game actually was. The Crimson Tide struggled with turnovers (three), penalties (13), and couldn't protect quarterback Jalen Milroe (sacked three times). With a trip to Wisconsin on tap, first-year coach Kalen DeBoer has several issues to clean up this week.
6. Oregon (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Boise State
Boise State gave Oregon all it could handle in Autzen Stadium on Saturday night. The Ducks escaped with a 37-34 victory thanks to a field goal as time expired, but it certainly wasn't an easy victory. Coach Dan Lanning's team lost two turnovers, struggled along the line of scrimmage, and committed nine penalties. Although the Ducks found a way to win, this team needs to make significant improvement (and in a hurry) to challenge Ohio State atop the Big Ten.
7. Penn State (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Bowling Green
A week after an impressive road win at West Virginia, Penn State turned in a sluggish effort versus Bowling Green in a 34-27 win. The defense struggled mightily in the first half by allowing 7.9 yards a snap, but this unit played better in the final two quarters and allowed just three points to the Falcons. Running backs Nicholas Singleton (119 yards) and Kaytron Allen (101 yards) powered a ground game that ran for 234 yards.
8. Miami (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Florida A&M
Several ranked teams struggled in Week 2, but Miami took care of business in a 56-9 win over Florida A&M. Quarterback Cameron Ward was sharp again (304 yards), and the 'Canes limited the Rattlers to 194 total yards over 53 snaps.
9. Tennessee (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated NC State
An anticipated showdown in Charlotte between Tennessee and NC State turned into a one-sided affair. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 211 yards and accounted for three overall scores, but the real story on Saturday night was the play of coach Josh Heupel's defense. This unit limited the Wolfpack to just 143 yards and generated 13 tackles for a loss.
10. Missouri (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Buffalo
The Tigers handled Buffalo for an easy 38-0 win on Saturday. Coach Eli Drinkwitz's team has posted back-to-back shutouts for first time since 1935. Receiver Luther Burden III left Saturday night's game due to illness but is not expected to miss any extended action this season.
11. Utah (2-0)
Week 2 Result : Defeated Baylor
Utah jumped out to a 23-0 lead in the first half and held on for a 23-12 win over Baylor. Quarterback Cam Rising's finger injury hindered the offense over the final two quarters, but the Utes standout defense (just 3.7 yards per play allowed) prevented the Bears from getting too close on the scoreboard. According to coach Kyle Whittingham, Rising's injury isn't serious and he could return for Week 3.
12. USC (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Utah State
USC's defense continued its solid play under new coordinator D'Anton Lynn by pitching a shutout in a 48-0 win over Utah State. The Trojans limited the Aggies to 190 yards and recorded three sacks in the strong effort on Saturday night. Quarterback Miller Moss was solid (229 passing yards), while the ground game churned out 249 yards and five scores.
13. Kansas State (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Tulane
The Wildcats escaped New Orleans and upset-minded Tulane with a 34-27 win. After trailing 20-10 at halftime, coach Chris Klieman's team scored 24 points over the final two quarters and made a late goal-line stand to seal the win. Quarterback Avery Johnson needs to be sharper through the air, and K-State's defense must improve after allowing 7.6 yards a snap. However, finding a way to win against a good opponent in Week 2 is a positive for Klieman's squad.
14. Oklahoma State (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Arkansas
Despite being outgained 648 to 385 in yardage, Oklahoma State somehow found a way to beat Arkansas 39-31 in overtime. The Cowboys had plenty of help from the Razorbacks in the win, as Arkansas had two turnovers, missed a field goal, and gave up 6.4 yards per snap in the second half. Running back Ollie Gordon II was relatively quiet (49 yards), but quarterback Alan Bowman (326 yards) came up in the clutch.
15. Notre Dame (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Lost to Northern Illinois
A week after picking up one of the biggest victories of Week 1 at Texas A&M, Notre Dame suffered a massive setback with a shocking 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois. Coach Marcus Freeman's standout defense shares blame for the loss, but the biggest issue was an offense that managed only 286 yards. Quarterback Riley Leonard struggled (two picks) and no completion went beyond 19 yards.
16. Michigan (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Lost to Texas
The Wolverines were simply outclassed and outmanned in a 31-12 loss to Texas. First-year coach Sherrone Moore has a lot of work to do to get a rebuilt offense on track, as Michigan struggled to run the ball on the Longhorns (80 yards) and converted only three of 12 third-down attempts. Also, the passing game (both quarterbacks and receivers) remains a major concern going into Big Ten play.
17. LSU (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Nicholls
The Bayou Bengals rebounded from their Week 1 loss to USC by beating Nicholls 44-21. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier tossed six touchdowns, but the ground game (64 yards) and defense (21 points allowed) struggled at times. A showdown at South Carolina awaits coach Brian Kelly's team next Saturday.
18. Oklahoma (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Houston
The Sooners didn't inspire much confidence with a 16-12 victory over Houston. For the second week in a row, Oklahoma's offense was sluggish (249 total yards) and the line struggled to clear rushing lanes or protect quarterback Jackson Arnold. With Tulane and Tennessee up next, the Sooners have a lot to fix if they want to remain a top-25 squad for the remainder of the '24 season.
19. Clemson (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Appalachian State
A week after Clemson's offense managed only 188 yards and three points against Georgia, this unit took out some frustration on Appalachian State. Coach Dabo Swinney's attack recorded 712 yards (9.8 yards a snap) and posted 66 points in a 66-20 victory. This game also produced a needed rebound effort from quarterback Cade Klubnik (378 yards and five touchdowns).
20. Iowa State (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Iowa
The Cyclones rallied from a 19-7 deficit in the third quarter to upset rival Iowa 20-19. Kicker Kyle Konrardy nailed a 54-yard field goal with one second left to lift coach Matt Campbell's team to its second consecutive win over the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.
21. Arizona (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Northern Arizona
A 22-10 victory against Northern Arizona wasn't pretty, but first-year coach Brent Brennan moved to 2-0 with a huge showdown looming against Kansas State in Week 3.
22. Nebraska (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Colorado
The Cornhuskers put away Colorado in the first half with a strong performance on both sides of the ball, leading to a 28-10 victory on Saturday night. Although coach Matt Rhule's team needed to be better in the second half, the defense (just 260 yards allowed), and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola (185 passing yards) impressed once again.
23. Louisville (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Jacksonville State
After handling Austin Peay 62-0 in the opener, Louisville didn't have to sweat much in Week 2 with a 49-14 victory against Jacksonville State. Behind quarterback Tyler Shough (349 yards and two scores), the Cardinals recorded 610 total yards (8.6 a snap) and scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives.
24. Syracuse (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Georgia Tech
Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord was sharp for the second week in a row, completing 32 of 46 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns in Syracuse's 31-28 upset of Georgia Tech.
25. Memphis (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Defeated Troy
The Tigers used 211 rushing yards and a steady effort from quarterback Seth Henigan (161 passing yards) to beat Troy 38-17. Next week's game at Florida State looms large for Memphis and its hopes of building a strong resume to earn a CFB Playoff spot this December.
Related: Predicting the AP Top 25 College Football Poll After Week 2
Related: College Football Top 134 Team Rankings for 2024
Related: Texas State Is No Longer a College Football Secret
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