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Rejoice, football fans! Week 1 of the 2021 College Football season is in the books, and plenty of programs have made some major moves in their quest for bowl glory. Coming out on a Tuesday this week due to some late Labor Day Weekend games, here is my Top 25 post-Week 1.
Basel's NCAAF Top 25-September 7th
Alabama: No surprises here. Alabama's quarterback factory continues to pump out top tier talent, with sophomore Bryce Young throwing four touchdowns as the Tide routed Miami 44-13.
Georgia: Their offense may still need some work, but holding Clemson to 3 points with 7 sacks is enough to bring the Dawgs up to the 2 slot in my rankings this week.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes looked just as good as they did last year in their opener against Minnesota, and since it's highly likely they'll play more than six games this year, there's a lot less room for naysayers. Even if they fall short of the National Championship, CJ Stroud's 4 touchdown passes set the standard high for his freshman campaign.
Texas A&M: To impress as a top 10 team in Week 1, you need a blowout. That's exactly what the Aggies were able to create against Kent State this week on both sides of the ball. A&M's elite defensive backfield put themselves on display, highlighted by Leon O'Neal Jr.'s 85-yard pick six.
Cincinnati: It was all Bearcats in their season opener against Miami(OH). Coming off of a nearly undefeated season, and with the Big 12 in their near future, 2021 will be a make-or-break year for Cincy's football program. Luckily, Desmond Ridder's 295 yards and four touchdowns proved that the Bearcats are up to the challenge.
Oklahoma: Nearly blowing a 23-point lead to Tulane does not bode well for a team embedded in the playoff hunt, but hey, a win is a win. Chalk it up to some Week 1 jitters and keep moving forward.
Clemson: Speaking of Week 1 jitters, Clemson's offense against Georgia looked completely out of sync, as QB DJ Uiagalelei finished 19 for 37 with 178 yards and one interception. They're about to hit a favorable pocket of their schedule for the next month or so, so expect Dabo to work out some kinks in his first team post Trevor Lawrence.
Oregon: The Ducks pulled off a solid win against Fresno State on Saturday, and while the bookmakers made this one look like it should have been a blowout, expect the Ducks to be a top contender for the PAC-12 this year.
Notre Dame: I'll put Notre Dame in my Top 10 with a large helping of skepticism. Jack Coan put on a Heisman-worthy performance against an excellent Florida State team, but they'll need to really run the score up on Toledo if they want to stay this high up in the rankings.
Iowa State: My thoughts on Notre Dame can also be applied to Iowa State. I don't want to sleep on one of the best Cyclone teams we've seen in recent years, but this weekend's Cy-Hawk Trophy matchup will be crucial for ISU to stay on top.
Penn State: A solid, defensive road win against Wisconsin will have Penn State knocking on the door of the Top 10 this week. The Nittany Lions' defense created a nearly impenetrable wall in the red zone, holding the Badgers scoreless four times in the red zone
Florida: The Gators did exactly what they needed to against FAU to keep themselves right in the middle of the table, but will Florida's two-QB situation stay successful all season? Only time will tell.
Iowa: Holding Indiana to just 3 points allows the Hawkeyes to hop into the top 15, and this weekend's Cy-Hawk game could let them crack the Top 10 with a win.
Texas: Texas is back! Right guys? Right? Please? Maybe not, but a win against the Cajuns will let them take a quick early bump.
UCLA: In probably the biggest upset this week, Chip Kelly's Bruins outrushed LSU 210-49 while holding the lead for the entire second half. After three tough seasons, it's refreshing to see this program finally coming into it's own in the Kelly era.
USC: USC got the job done against San Jose State, but they're going to need some major improvements in the receiving department if they want to stay afloat in the PAC-12. An opponent that can lock down Drake London for an entire game will be devastating for the Trojans.
Wisconsin: A blowout win against Eastern Michigan this week should be just enough to keep the Badgers nationally ranked following their close loss to Penn State.
Coastal Carolina: Coming off a nearly undefeated 2020, this Chanticleers team showed that they can only get better as Grayson McCall threw for 262 yards against the Citadel.
Utah: Transfers always have a lot to prove in their first game, and QB Charlie Brewer passed with flying colors against Weber State. The graduate transfer from Baylor played smart, fast football on his way to two passing TDs on Thursday.
ASU: The Sun Devils put on a solid ground game clinic on Thursday, but will need to draw a lot fewer flags if they want to stay alive in the PAC-12.
Ole Miss: Even without head coach Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss held off Louisville to sneak their way into the Top 25. With the preseason goals for this team relatively low, Ole Miss should cause trouble for some of the SEC powerhouses this season.
Virginia Tech: How 'bout them Hokies? Seemingly stopping Sam Howell's Heisman campaign before it could even get started, Tech stunned Mack Brown's Tar Heels. Tech won this one with a calculated offense, giving UNC little time to execute their desired gameplan.
LSU: A loss to UCLA won't send the Tigers into poll oblivion, but this opening loss will only push doubts about this program's immediate future further into the limelight.
Miami: It's hard to knock the Hurricanes for getting blown out by Nick Saban's Alabama, but their Top 25 status is in some serious danger. App State is a pretty solid group of five school, so a win this weekend should keep the 'Canes afloat.
North Carolina: The rest of September should treat the Tar Heels kindly, as they hit an easy pocket of their schedule to rack up some much needed wins.
See you Sunday!
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