2018 Couch Power 10, Week 2
Week 2 often is a step back after Week 1 in college football, and this year was no different. Teams like to schedule a more pedestrian affair after their heavyweight openers. It's the reason defending champions Alabama played Arkansas State a week after...Louisville. And why defending Orange Bowl champions Wisconsin had a more palatable opponent in New Mexico, after last week's knock-down, drag-out fight with....Western Kentucky.
My point is I WANT SOME MORE BIG GAMES. Saturday wasn't totally joyless, with a couple big wins for a couple teams, and with the primetime showdown living up to the billing, thanks to Clemson and Texas A&M duking it out to the very end. Still, the drama this season seems to be lacking thus far.
1. Alabama (LW: #1)
Arkansas State? Yawn.
2. LSU (LW: #3)
It's not that LSU did anything to move up, per se, it's more that Clemson actually gave me a reason to move them down (more on that in a moment). But still, Tiger fans-- the Louisiana version -- won't complain about seeing their team follow their massive season opening W with a 31-0 shutout.
3. Clemson (LW: #2)
In terms of the opponent, Clemson got a massive win on Saturday. On the road at Texas A&M will likely be the hardest game they play all year, at least in the regular season. So why am I moving them down?The way they won. Kelly Bryant and the offense came to play, but Tiger fans-- the South Carolina version -- can't be thrilled with how easily a neophyte QB carved up that vaunted Clemson defense.
4. Auburn (LW: #4)
Alabama State was never going to offer any sort of entertaining contest, but Tiger fans-- the Alabama edition -- got to watch their side roll to a 54-point victory a week after scoring the best win of the young season.
5. Georgia (LW: #9)
The Dawgs followed a snoozefest of an opener with...a snoozefest of a Top 25 win. Previously-ranked South Carolina had high hopes of starting their climb back into contention in the SEC East, but those dreams might have to be deferred a little, after watching Hurricane Georgia tear through Columbia. (Too soon?)
6. Oklahoma (LW: #7)
UCLA isn't the UCLA of Brett Hundley, or even Josh Rosen years, and Florida Atlantic may not be all that great. But still, those teams aren't bad, and the way Kyler Murray and the Sooners have played thus far should be serving notice not just to the Big XII, but to the nation.
7. Virginia Tech (LW: #5)
The Hokies continued their nice start to the season by blowing the doors off of William and Mary. Still, Tech's big season-opening win looks a little impressive after Florida State struggled to put away Samford.
8. Stanford (LW: NR)
The Cardinal are...back? Stanford got a big win over rivals USC Saturday, in one of the two ranked matchups on the day. It shows they're back as contenders for the Pac-12 crown, and that defense is going to be filthy. But the offense (or lack thereof) and the injury to Bryce Love is enough to calm the expectations of even the wildest Stanford fans.
9. Arizona State (LW: NR)
Here's one team I feel confident I've never had in the Power 10. Welcome to the Power 10, Sun Devils! Herm Edwards' much-publicized gig in Tempe has gotten off to a solid start, as Arizona State toppled Top 15 foes Michigan State in the desert Saturday night. Could this be the year ASU makes a play for the wide-open Pac-12 South?
10. Ohio State (LW: #8)
What I said about Oklahoma could probably apply to the Buckeyes as well, though with slightly worse opponents (Oregon State and Rutgers have to be the 2 worst Power 5 teams there are. Well besides, sniff, North Carolina). And with Dwayne Haskins instead of Kyler Murray. Ohio State looks scary good once again.
Just missed: West Virginia, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, UCF, Mississippi State, Heisman frontrunner Freeman Jones