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Well, it only took one week for Deion Sanders to get Colorado into the AP Top 25 college football poll. Fresh off a stunning win over then-No. 17 TCU, the Buffaloes enter the rankings at No. 22.

Florida State convincingly won the week’s only top-10 matchup, routing then-No. 5 LSU 45-24. Meanwhile, the preseason top four of Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama all won comfortably.

So what does it mean for the new rankings? Here is the full Top 25, along with what’s next and a key stat to know for each team.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information.


All times Eastern

Previous ranking: 1

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated UT Martin 48-7

Stat to know: With the victory, Georgia set a record for most consecutive wins in school history with 18.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Ball State, noon, SEC Network


Previous ranking: 2

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated East Carolina 30-3

Stat to know: Blake Corum‘s rushing touchdown — the 32nd of his career — tied him with Oregon‘s Bo Nix for the most among active FBS players.

What’s next: Saturday vs. UNLV, 3:30 p.m., CBS


Previous ranking: 4

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Middle Tennessee 56-7

Stat to know: Jalen Milroe became the first Alabama quarterback to ever throw three touchdowns and rush for two more.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN


Previous ranking: 8

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated LSU 45-24

Stat to know: Wide receiver Keon Coleman, a Michigan State transfer, had two contested TD catches (three scores overall), and he now has an FBS-best nine contested-catch touchdowns since the start of last season.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Southern Miss, 8:30 p.m., ACC Network


Previous ranking: 3

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Indiana 23-3

Stat to know: Ohio State has now defeated Indiana 29 times in a row, the longest active streak by one current FBS team over another.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Youngstown State, noon, Big Ten Network


Previous ranking: 6

2023 record: 2-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Nevada 66-14

Stat to know: Caleb Williams became only the third USC quarterback to have three career games of 300 yards passing, five touchdowns and zero interceptions.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Stanford, 10:30 p.m., Fox


Previous ranking: 7

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated West Virginia 38-15

Stat to know: QB Drew Allar finished with 325 yards and three touchdown passes in his first career start.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Delaware, noon, Peacock


Previous ranking: 10

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Boise State 56-19

Stat to know: Michael Penix Jr. became the first Washington QB to throw for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns in a game.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Tulsa, 5 p.m., Pac-12 Network


Previous ranking: 12

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Virginia 49-13

Stat to know: Tennessee has scored 45 points or more 12 times since the start of the 2021 season, when coach Josh Heupel took over. That’s second behind only Ohio State in that span.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Austin Peay, 5 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 13

2023 record: 2-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Tennessee State 56-3

Stat to know: QB Sam Hartman has now thrown a touchdown pass in 32 consecutive games, the longest such streak in FBS.

What’s next: Saturday at NC State, noon, ABC


Previous ranking: 11

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Rice 37-10

Stat to know: This was the first game Texas forced three or more turnovers since Oct. 2, 2021. That snapped the fourth-longest streak in FBS.

What’s next: Saturday at Alabama, 7 p.m., ESPN


Previous ranking: 14

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Florida 24-11

Stat to know: Utah held the Gators to just 13 rushing yards, the fewest Florida has registered in a game since 2017. Florida’s 11 points were its fewest in an opener since 1987.

What’s next: Saturday at Baylor, noon, ESPN


Previous ranking: 15

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Portland State 81-7

Stat to know: Oregon’s 81 points were the most in a Pac-12 opener since Cal scored 86 in 1991. It was the most the Ducks had scored in a season opener since 1916.

What’s next: Saturday at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., Fox


Previous ranking: 5

2023 record: 0-1

Week 1 result: Lost to Florida State 45-24

Stat to know: With the loss, coach Brian Kelly fell to 3-10 in AP top-10 matchups, giving him the fourth-worst such mark (minimum 10 games) of any coach in the AP poll era.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Grambling, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 16

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Southeast Missouri State 45-0

Stat to know: Will Howard became just the third Big 12 quarterback with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in a single half.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Troy, noon, FS1


Previous ranking: 18

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated San Jose State 42-17

Stat to know: With Oregon State’s win Sunday, the Pac-12 improved to 13-0 on the season, with each team winning its opener for the first time since 1932.

What’s next: Saturday vs. UC Davis, 9 p.m., Pac-12 Network.


Previous ranking: 21

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated South Carolina 31-17

Stat to know: Mack Brown became the first coach to win 100 games at two different FBS schools.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Appalachian State, 5:15 p.m., ACC Network


Previous ranking: 20

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Arkansas State 73-0

Stat to know: Oklahoma’s win was the program’s fourth-largest season-opening win and the second-largest win in Big 12 history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. SMU, 6 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 19

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Buffalo 38-17

Stat to know: Wisconsin’s 501 yards of offense were the Badgers most in a season opener since 2013.

What’s next: Saturday at Washington State, 7:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 22

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Mercer 73-7

Stat to know: The Rebels’ 66-point victory was their sixth-largest margin of victory in school history.

What’s next: Saturday at Tulane, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2


Previous ranking: NR

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Clemson 28-7

Stat to know: The Blue Devils’ win over then-No. 9 Clemson was Duke’s first win over a top-10 team since 1989, also against the Tigers.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Lafayette, 9 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: NR

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated No. 17 TCU 45-42

Stat to know: QB Shedeur Sanders had a Colorado-record 510 passing yards, while Travis Hunter became the first FBS player in the past 20 years with more than 100 receiving yards and an interception in a single game.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Nebraska, noon, Fox


Previous ranking: 23

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated New Mexico 52-10

Stat to know: QB Conner Weigman is the first Texas A&M player with five touchdown passes in a season opener.

What’s next: Saturday at Miami, 3:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 24

2023 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated South Alabama 37-17

Stat to know: QB Michael Pratt went 14-for-15 passing with four touchdowns, tying Patrick Ramsey’s school mark of 72 career touchdown passes.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2


Previous ranking: 9

2023 record: 0-1

Week 1 result: Lost to Duke 28-7

Stat to know: Clemson’s seven points were its fewest against an unranked team in the Dabo Swinney era.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Charleston Southern, 2:15 p.m., ACC Network

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Buffs coach: Stars ‘should be going 1-2’ in draft

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Buffs coach: Stars 'should be going 1-2' in draft

BOULDER, Colo. — For the horde of NFL talent evaluators and some bleachers full of fans, Colorado coach Deion Sanders said Friday that they all got to see the top two players available in this year’s NFL draft.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter were among the 16 Colorado players who took part in the school’s showcase event for scouts, coaches and personnel executives from every NFL team. And Deion Sanders said the two marquee players confirmed what he has known for a long time.

“It’s tremendous,” Sanders said. “… They should be going 1-2 [in the draft], that’s the way I feel about it. They are the two best players in this draft. … The surest bets in this draft are those two young men, and I didn’t stutter or stammer when I said that.”

Neither Shedeur Sanders nor Hunter took part in most of the position drills or physical testing, but Sanders had a throwing session for just under an hour and Hunter was one of the wide receivers who participated. Neither player worked out at the scouting combine earlier this year, so it was the first time Sanders had thrown in such a setting since the end of the season. He showed some full seven-step drops and play-action from the shotgun and under center.

“I think I did pretty good, to my expectations,” said Sanders, who set the career FBS accuracy mark in his two years at Colorado (71.8%) to go with his 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns last season. “I know I did the best in college football right now, for sure.”

Asked after the throwing session whether he believed he was the best quarterback in the draft, Sanders said: “I feel like I’m the No. 1 quarterback, and that’s what I know. But at the end of the day, I’m not stuck on that because it’s about the situation, so whatever situation, whatever franchise believes in me, I’m excited to go. … I’m comfortable in any situation.”

Players Hunter, who did not speak to the media after the workout, and Sanders met with the Cleveland Browns contingent, including team co-owner Jimmy Haslam, on Thursday night in Boulder.

“They got me really full,” Sanders said. “I definitely needed to go to the sauna after that. … It was a good vibe.”

Said Deion Sanders said: “[I] spoke to the owner, truly delightful. He was engaging. … I think one of those guys is going to be there [at No. 2].”

Hunter, the No. 1 player on Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board, did not do any defensive drills Friday, but he ran a full assortment of routes.

Colorado safety Shilo Sanders, Shedeur’s brother, offered plenty of encouragement, shouting commentary and clapping after each throw, including “not a lot of quarterbacks can make that throw” after one deep completion.

The highly attended event — by NFL representatives as well as fans packing small bleachers — had a festive atmosphere. Deion Sanders named it the “We Ain’t Hard 2 Find Showcase,” complete with a large lighted “The Showcase” sign next to the drills.

Hunter, who has said he wants to play offense and defense in the NFL, won the Chuck Bednarik (top defensive player) and Fred Biletnikoff (top receiver) awards in addition to the Heisman. He said whether he will primarily be a wide receiver or a cornerback in the NFL depends “on the team that picks me.”

On Friday, Deion Sanders said “ain’t nobody like Travis.”

Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver last season to go with 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups and 4 interceptions at cornerback. In the Buffaloes’ regular-season finale against Oklahoma State, he became the only FBS player in the past 25 years with three scrimmage touchdowns on offense and an interception in the same game, according to ESPN Research.

He played 1,380 total snaps in Colorado’s 12 regular-season games: 670 on offense, 686 on defense and 24 on special teams. He played 1,007 total snaps in 2023.

Shilo Sanders, who hoped to show teams more speed than expected, ran a 4.52 40-yard dash after he measured in at 5-foot-11⅞, 196 pounds. He did not participate in the jumps or bench press that opened the workout, citing a right shoulder injury.

With all NFL eyes on the Colorado campus to see Shedeur Sanders throw, one player who made the most of it was wide receiver Will Sheppard. Sheppard, who measured 6-2¼, 196 pounds, ran the 40 in 4.56 and 4.54 to go with a 40½-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-11 broad jump.

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O’s Henderson off IL; will make ’25 debut vs. KC

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O's Henderson off IL; will make '25 debut vs. KC

Baltimore Orioles All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson was activated from the 10-day injured list and will make his season debut Friday night against the Kansas City Royals.

Henderson has been sidelined with a right intercostal strain and missed the first seven games of the big league campaign.

The 23-year-old Henderson will lead off and play shortstop against the host Royals.

Henderson was injured during a spring training game Feb. 27. He was fourth in American League MVP voting last season when he batted .281 and racked up career bests of 37 homers and 92 RBIs.

Henderson completed a five-game rehab stint at Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. He batted .263 (5-for-19) with two homers and four RBIs and played four games at shortstop and one as the designated hitter. He did commit three errors.

“I think everybody’s looking forward to having Gunnar back on the team,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday. “The rehab went really, really well. I talked to him a couple days ago, he feels great swinging the bat. The timing came, especially the last few days. He just had to get out there and get some reps defensively and get some games in, and it all went well.”

Baltimore optioned outfielder Dylan Carlson to Triple-A Norfolk to open up a roster spot. The 26-year-old was 0-for-4 with a run and RBI in two games this season.

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Life after OMG: Can 2025 Mets replicate their 2024 vibes?

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Life after OMG: Can 2025 Mets replicate their 2024 vibes?

When New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns attempted to assemble the best possible roster for the 2025 season this winter, the top priority was signing outfielder Juan Soto. Next was the need to replenish the starting rotation and bolster the bullpen. Then, days before pitchers and catchers reported for spring training, the lineup received one final significant reinforcement when first baseman Pete Alonso re-signed.

Acquiring a player with a singing career on the side didn’t make the cut.

“No, that is not on the list,” Stearns said with a smile.

Stearns’ decision not to re-sign Jose Iglesias, the infielder behind the mic for the viral 2024 Mets anthem “OMG,” was attributed to creating more roster flexibility. But it also hammered home a reality: The scrappy 2024 Mets, authors of a magical summer in Queens, are a thing of the past. The 2025 Mets, who will report to Citi Field for their home opener Friday, have much of the same core but also some prominent new faces — and the new, outsized expectations that come with falling two wins short of the World Series, then signing Soto to the richest contract in professional sports history.

But there’s a question surrounding this year’s team that you can’t put a price tag on: Can these Mets rekindle the magic — the vibes, the memes, the feel-good underdog story — that seemed to come out of nowhere to help carry them to Game 6 of the National League Championship Series last season?

“Last year the culture was created,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “It’s a matter of continuing it.”

For all the success Stearns has engineered — his small-market Milwaukee Brewers teams reached the postseason five times in eight seasons after he became the youngest general manager in history in 2015 — the 40-year-old Harvard grad, like the rest of his front office peers knows there’s no precise recipe for clubhouse chemistry. There is no culture projection system. No Vibes Above Replacement.

“Culture is very important,” Stearns said last weekend in the visiting dugout at Daikin Park before his club completed an opening-weekend series against the Houston Astros. “Culture is also very difficult to predict.”

Still, it seems the Mets’ 2024 season will be all but impossible to recreate.

There was Grimace, the purple McDonald’s blob who spontaneously became the franchise’s unofficial mascot after throwing out a first pitch in June. “OMG,” performed under Iglesias’ stage name, Candelita, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Latin Digital Songs chart, before a remix featuring Pitbull was released in October. Citi Field became a karaoke bar whenever Lindor stepped into the batter’s box with The Temptations’ “My Girl” as his walk-up song. Alonso unveiled a lucky pumpkin in October. They were gimmicks that might have felt forced if they hadn’t felt so right.

“I don’t know if what we did last year could be replicated because it was such a chaos-filled group,” Mets reliever Ryne Stanek said. “I don’t know if that’s replicable because there’s just too many things going on. I don’t know if that’s a sustainable model. But I think the expectation of winning is really important. I think establishing what we did last year and coming into this year where people are like, ‘Oh, no, that’s what we’re expecting to do,’ makes it different. It’s always a different vibe whenever you feel like you’re the hunter versus being the hunted.”

For the first two months last season, the Mets were terrible hunters. Lindor was relentlessly booed at Citi Field during another slow start. The bullpen got crushed. The losses piled up. The Mets began the season 0-5 and sunk to rock bottom on May 29 when reliever Jorge Lopez threw his glove into the stands during a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers that dropped the team to 22-33.

That night, the Mets held a players-only meeting. From there, perhaps coincidentally, everything changed. The Mets won the next day, and 67 of their final 107 games.

This year, to avoid an early malaise and to better incorporate new faces like Soto and Opening Day starter Clay Holmes, players made it a point to hold meetings during spring training to lay a strong foundation.

“At the end of the day, we know who we are and that’s the beauty of our club,” Alonso said. “Not just who we are talent-wise, but who each individual is as a man and a personality. For us, our major, major strength is our collective identity as a unit.”

Organizationally, the Mets are attempting a dual-track makeover: Becoming perennial World Series contenders while not taking themselves too seriously.

The commemorative purple Grimace seat installed at Citi Field in September — Section 302, Row 6, Seat 12 in right field — remains there as part of a two-year contract. Last week, the franchise announced it will feature a New York-city themed “Five Borough” race at every home game — with a different mascot competing to represent each borough. For a third straight season, USA Today readers voted Citi Field — home of the rainbow cookie egg roll, among many other innovative treats — as having the best ballpark food in baseball.

In the clubhouse, their identity is evolving.

“I’m very much in the camp that you can’t force things,” Mets starter Sean Manaea said. “I mean, you can, but you don’t really end up with good results. And if you wait for things to happen organically, then sometimes it can take too long. So, there’s like a nudging of sorts. It’s like, ‘Let’s kind of come up with something, but not force it.’ So there’s a fine balance there and you just got to wait and see what happens.”

Stearns believes it starts with what the Mets can control: bringing positive energy every day and fostering a family atmosphere. It’s hard to quantify, but vibes undoubtedly helped fuel the Mets’ 2024 success. It’ll be a tough act to follow.

“It’s fluid,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I like where guys are at as far as the team chemistry goes and things like that and the connections and the relationships. But it’ll continue to take some time. And winning helps, clearly.”

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