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Conventional wisdom suggests that you don't learn much from the opening weeks of college football season. Heck, we've probably said as much ourselves in this very space.
And at cocktail parties. (Don't worry. We always leave early.)
However, the truth is you can gauge a lot by how the top teams perform against their--usually--lesser opponents to start the season. In fact, we have a pretty good idea just how are top 10 will look going forward. With that in mind, here are our top teams after Week One of the season (with won-loss records in parentheses), as of September 4, 2018:
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
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NCAA College Football (CFB) Rankings
1. Alabama, (1-0)
Nick Saban doesn't want to to talk about his quarterbacks! Got that, Maria Taylor?! Well, if he doesn't, we will: the young man with the apparently too-hard-to-pronounce-and/or-spell name for ESPN, Tua Tagovailoa, looked like the "chosen one" for us against overmatched Louisville, completing 12 of 16 passes for 227 yards and 2 TDs, while rushing for 26 yards (and a TD) on five carries.
2. Clemson, (1-0)
The Tigers' QB situation also remains in flux, with freshman Trevor Lawrence (9/15, 137 yards, 3 TDs) and incumbent Kelly Bryant (10/16, 127 yards, 1 TD) both showing well against FCS foe Furman. Both will play again against Texas A&M, which will tell us more about what Dabo Swinney has at the most important position on the field.
3. Georgia, (1-0)
UGA had some running backs to replace, and against FCS opponent Austin Peay, coach Kirby Smart seemed to favor a "committee" approach. We still see D'Andre Swift (8 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD) as the man, and he'll need to be if the Bulldogs hope to make noise in the SEC.
4. Oklahoma, (1-0)
Our friend and fellow college football nerd said, "Kyler Murray for Heisman!" Well, that may be a bit premature, but Baker Mayfield's successor as Sooners QB certainly looked like a winner, throwing for 209 yards against FAU--mostly in the first quarter. Will he stand up to tougher tests in the Big 12?
5. Wisconsin, (1-0)
RB Jonathan Taylor picked up where he left off in 2017, scampering for 145 yards on 18 carries against Western Kentucky. Notably, though, QB Alex Hornibrook also looked smooth (17/29, 257 yards, 2 TDs). If the Badgers can maintain balance on offense, while playing stout D...
6. Auburn, (1-0)
Opening against our No. 8, Washington, the Tigers arguably had the toughest test of anyone in our top 10 in Week One. They passed--but not with flying colors. QB Jarrett Stidham (26/36, 273 yards, 1 TD) was efficient, though not spectacular.
7. Ohio State, (1-0)
Ugh. We don't like it either, but 77 points without the head coach on the sidelines is too hard to ignore. The Buckeyes will likely have another easy time of it in Week Two against Rutgers--especially if RB Mike Weber rushes for another 186 yard and 3 TDs and new signal-caller Dwayne Haskins throws for another 313 yards and 5 TDs.
8. Penn State, (1-0)
We know. Appalachian State has a history of knocking off Big Ten opponents, and they have long had a dynamic offense. But that Penn State D... 38 points at home. Ouch. Still, Nittany Lions QB Trace McSorley did his usual end-of-game-hero thing and RB Mike Sanders (19 carries, 91 yards, 2 TDs) allowed the Happy Valley faithful to forget about backs of the past--for a week anyway.
9. Notre Dame, (1-0)
Remember what we said about Miami backing up that swagger on the field? Us neither. The Hurricanes are gone, for now, and replaced in our rankings by their "Catholics vs. Convicts" foils. But did the Irish win at South Bend in Week One, or did Michigan lose?
10. Washington, (0-1)
We won't punish the Huskies for losing to Auburn in Atlanta in Week One. But QB Jake Browning better improve on 18/32, 296 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, or he'll be re-thinking his decision to stay on in Seattle.
More NCAA Football Analysis
