AP Week 2 poll reaction: What’s next for each Top 25 team
The latest AP poll is out. After a dramatic first week of action, not much changed at the top of the rankings with most teams pulling out wins, but there was still quite a bit of movement throughout.
And we did see some upsets and impressive wins with four ranked teams (the Arizona State Sun Devils, Florida Gators, Michigan Wolverines and SMU Mustangs) all losing — Florida, SMU and ASU are no longer ranked as a result.
The top seven schools in the rankings, on the other hand, outscored their opponents by a combined 307-26. In all, four AP-ranked teams scored 70 or more points, the second time that has happened in the AP poll era (since 1936).
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Grambling 70-0
Stat to know: Julian Sayin completed his first 16 passes to start the game. It’s the longest streak to begin a game in school history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Ohio, 7 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated FIU 34-0
Stat to know: This was Penn State’s 13th shutout since 2014, the second most in that span behind Alabama’s 15.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Villanova, 3:30 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Louisiana Tech 23-7
Stat to know: LSU has not lost a home game to an in-state opponent since 1982.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Oklahoma State 69-3
Stat to know: The 66-point win is Oregon’s largest win against an FBS opponent since 2019 against Nevada (won by 71 points).
What’s next: Saturday at Northwestern, noon, Fox
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Bethune-Cookman 45-3
Stat to know: Carson Beck completed his first 15 passes in Week 2. He passed Vinny Testaverde (1986, against Oklahoma) for the most consecutive completions within a game in Miami history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Florida, 4:30 p.m., CW Network
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Austin Peay 28-6
Stat to know: The 22-point win is the narrowest margin of victory by a top-five SEC team against a non-FBS opponent since 2012.
What’s next: Saturday at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 7
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Defeated San Jose State 38-7
Stat to know: Arch Manning joined Vince Young, Colt McCoy and David Ash by throwing multiple touchdown passes of more than 20 yards and having a TD run over 20 yards in multiple games.
What’s next: Saturday vs. UTEP, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 9
2025 record: 0-1
Week 2 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Duke 45-19
Stat to know: After scoring 52 points against Western Illinois last week, the Illini have scored 45 points in consecutive games for the first time in the past 20 seasons.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Western Michigan, 7 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated East Texas A&M 77-3
Stat to know: FSU had 729 total yards, the most by the Seminoles since Nov. 4, 2000.
What’s next: Sept. 20 vs. Kent State
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated South Carolina State 38-10
Stat to know: Vicari Swain recorded two punt returns for touchdowns against South Carolina State, making that three for the season (and he has done it in just six quarters).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Defeated Troy 27-16
Stat to know: Clemson trailed 16-0 before scoring the final 27 points of the game. That is the largest comeback win for Clemson since 2020 against Boston College.
What’s next: Saturday at Georgia Tech, noon, ESPN
Previous ranking: 18
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Michigan 24-13
Stat to know: OU has not allowed a point in the first half of consecutive games for the first time since 2009.
What’s next: Saturday at Temple, noon, ESPN2
Previous ranking: 16
2025 record: 3-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Iowa 16-13
Stat to know: Iowa State won at home in this series for the first time since 2011.
What’s next: Saturday at Arkansas State, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 22
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated East Tennessee State 72-17
Stat to know: The 72 points are the Volunteers’ most points scored in a game in the AP poll era (1936).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Utah State 44-22
Stat to know: Marcel Reed has thrown three touchdown passes in three consecutive games. It’s the second-longest streak at A&M since 2004.
What’s next: Saturday at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 20
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kentucky 30-23
Stat to know: This was Ole Miss’ fourth win when trailing by 10 or more points in the Lane Kiffin era.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Florida 18-16
Stat to know: USF is the fourth team in the AP poll era (since 1936) to win its first two games of a season against AP-ranked opponents while being unranked in each win, joining 2012 Oregon State, 2008 East Carolina and 1976 North Carolina.
What’s next: Saturday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., CW
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Defeated UL Monroe 73-0
Stat to know: Ty Simpson finished 17-of-17, the most completions without an incompletion in a game in SEC history. It is also the most consecutive completions within a game in Alabama history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Wisconsin, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 25
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Cal Poly 63-9
Stat to know: After Jackson Bennee returned an interception 46 yards for a score, it extended Utah’s streak of returning at least one interception for a touchdown to 22 straight seasons.
What’s next: Saturday at Wyoming, 8 p.m., CBSSN
Previous ranking: 24
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kent State 62-14
Stat to know: Texas Tech has outscored its opponents by 108 points this season, its second most through the first two games of a season in the AP poll era (since 1936).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Oregon State, 3:30 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: 23
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kennesaw State 56-9
Stat to know: Indiana improves to 11-0 against Conference USA teams all-time, the fourth-most wins without a loss against the conference.
What’s next: Friday vs. Indiana State, 6:30 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Lost to Oklahoma 24-13
Stat to know: Justice Haynes‘ four rushing scores this season are the most by a Michigan player in his first two games with the school in the past 30 seasons.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Central Michigan, noon, BTN
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Ball State 42-3
Stat to know: Auburn’s six sacks are its most in a game since sacking Alabama (all Bryce Young) seven times in November 2021.
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Alabama, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kansas 42-31
Stat to know: Missouri trailed by 15 points. This is its largest comeback win since 2016 vs. Arkansas.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Louisiana, 4 p.m. on SECN+
Wisconsin will start true freshman quarterback Carter Smith at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, replacing Danny O’Neil after the sophomore was carted off the field with a right leg injury last week.
O’Neil was injured on a 21-yard keeper during the first quarter of last Saturday’s 13-10 win over then-No. 23 Washington. He had a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room.
Smith made his season debut following O’Neil’s injury, completing 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards while rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Also available to the Badgers at quarterback is senior Hunter Simmons, who is 48-for-95 for 485 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
For Indiana, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is doubtful to play, sources said. Sarratt, who is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 touchdown receptions, injured his hamstring against Maryland on Nov. 1 and missed the Penn State game last week.
With Indiana having a bye next week, Sarratt is on track to return against Purdue on Nov. 28.
Quarterback issues have hindered Wisconsin all season and throughout coach Luke Fickell’s three-year tenure.
Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s first-team quarterback at the start of the season, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ opener and has played only one full series since.
Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand in 2023. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in the third game of the 2024 season.
Wisconsin’s intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of the 34 games the Badgers have played since the beginning of the 2023 season. The last time Fickell had his season-opening starting quarterback healthy for a full game was in a 27-13 victory over South Dakota on Sept. 7, 2024.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava will not play Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State because of a concussion, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Iamaleava was injured during last week’s loss to Nebraska. He began experiencing concussion symptoms after the game, according to On3, which first reported that Iamaleava would not play.
With Iamaleava out, redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan will make his first career start. Duncan has not attempted a pass in college as he tries to take down the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Tennessee.
He led UCLA to three straight wins in October, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, but the Bruins (3-6) have lost two straight and need to win out to become bowl eligible.
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