Week 2 CFB Power Rankings: FSU, Colorado, Duke Take Huge Leaps

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

Week 1 of the 2023 College Football regular season may have concluded on Labor Day, but there were no shortage of surprising results from the four-day weekend slate of games. To start, the new look Colorado Buffaloes, under first year head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, a team that went 1-11 in the Pac-12 last season and will be moving back to the Big 12 effective next season, went into Fort Worth, TX and upset the National Championship runner-up TCU Horned Frogs, 45-42, in a high-flying scoring shoot-out. The Buffaloes were heavy underdogs coming into this game, and all eyes were on Coach Prime and what his team could bring to the table. Sheddur Sanders, the coach's son, and Travis Hunter, both transfers from Jackson State, BALLED out in the shocking victory. If Coach Prime was going to bring the glory days back to Boulder, Colorado and that program, he certainly started it off with a bang.

Elsewhere, in a highly anticipated matchup of two top-10 Power 5 conference football programs, and both teams with National Championship title aspirations, the 8th seeded Florida State Seminoles trounced the 5th ranked LSU Tigers 45-24 in a neutral site game. LSU looked very much overpowered and sloppy. Very disappointing result, but props to Florida State for picking up a signature win to bolster its College Football Playoff resume.

And last, but certainly not least, in a battle of two ACC rivals, it was unranked Duke who got the last laugh, crushing ninth-ranked Clemson at home, 28-7, with the home crowd storming the field after the game. It was the Blue Devils' first win over the Tigers since 2004, and it was their first time beating a AP Top 25 team since... they beat Clemson back in 1989, 21-17. Clemson overlooked their opponent, and it proved costly when it counted the most.

Week 1 provided so many shocking upsets and unpredictable outcomes, which is what makes college football so great to watch and to follow. Four schools were paid a lot of money to play on the road against superior competition, and those four schools(Fresno State, Texas State, Northern Illinois, and Wyoming) all ended up doing the unthinkable and knocking off their host opponent. In college football, anything can happen.

With week 1 in the rear view mirror, here are my Top 25 CFB power rankings:

1. Georgia Bulldogs

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

3. Michigan Wolverines

4. USC Trojans

5. Florida State Seminoles

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

7. Washington Huskies

8. Penn State Nittany Lions

9. Ohio State Buckeyes

10. Tennessee Volunteers

11. Oregon Ducks

12. Texas Longhorns

13. Utah Utes

14. Colorado Buffaloes

15. Oklahoma Sooners

16. Wisconsin Badgers

17. North Carolina Tar Heels

18. Oregon State Beavers

19. Kansas State Wildcats

20. Ole Miss Running Rebels

21. Duke Blue Devils

22. Texas A&M Aggies

23. Tulane Green Wave

24. LSU Tigers

25. Clemson Tigers

Comments

Moose is Loose 2021 NHL Season Predictions: Golden Knights over Islanders in 7

Photo Credit: ESPN The 2021-22 NHL season has officially dropped the puck and taken the ice. This will be a season that will be like no other, thanks in large part to the new TV deal made by ESPN and Turner Sports. Hockey fans will get to see their favorite teams get more exposure and publicity. More coverage, more attention, more ratings, and hopefully more excitement. Another major headline heading into this season was the debut of the NHL's new expansion franchise, the Seattle Kraken. Seattle, like the Vegas Golden Knights of 2018, look to start off with a bang and make a deep run at the Stanley Cup. Who will be hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup this Summer? Will Tampa Bay three-peat? Or will a new team rise to the occasion? Here's a look at my picks for the 2021 NHL season: Division Winners: Lightning, Islanders, Avalanche, Golden Knights Wild Cards: Bruins, Hurricanes, Oilers, Blues Stanley Cup: Golden Knights over Islanders in 7 Trophy Winners: ...

Read Full Story Here >>

The Moose is Loose 2021-22 NBA Season Predictions

Photo Credit: Yahoo! Finally! After a year in which the Milwaukee Bucks defied expectations and a year in which we did not see superstars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, or Kawhi Leonard reach the NBA Finals, the 2021-22 NBA season tips-off tonight, with a very appealing, must-see doubleheader on TNT. After tough losses early on in the playoffs last season, the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets look to bounce back stronger than ever and make runs to an NBA title. KD, along with James Harden, will have to step up more and more and stay even more focused with everything going on with teammate Kyrie Irving. Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, King James, along with a Lakers roster featuring new star Russell Westbrook, look to shake off a very disappointing first-round playoff exit to the Phoenix Suns. While Brooklyn and L.A. are the prohibited favorites to meet in June, don't sleep on the Philadelphia 76ers or the Los Angeles Clippers. Yes, both ...

Read Full Story Here >>

The Moose is Loose's Week 4 College Football Power Rankings

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated Week 3 of the 2021 college football season is in the books, and once again, did not disappoint. Two of college football's perennial powers, Alabama and Clemson, struggled against conference rivals but found ways to hold on and win. Virginia Tech, gaining momentum from their upset win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill, proceeded to go on the road and lose to unranked West Virginia. UCLA, feeling strong about their chances to make it into the CFP, badly disappointed themselves and their fans at home, losing to Mountain West opponent Fresno State 40-37.The Top 25 rankings got a major wake up call this week. Michigan State played their way into the poll rankings with their win over 24th-ranked Miami. And let's not forget about non-Group of 5 conference football program Liberty. They have proven a very tough, confident FBS team. Here are my Top 25 power rankings following last Saturday's outcomes. Who am I leaving off that you feel deserve...

Read Full Story Here >>

The Moose is Loose Week 4 NFL Power Rankings

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated Week 3 of the NFL season proved to be even more unpredictable than the first two weeks. The Ravens, thanks to an uncalled delay of game penalty and a historically insane 66-yard field goal from Justin Tucker, survived an upset scare from the Lions. Justin Herbert outplayed Patrick Mahomes in a battle between two AFC West rivals, with the L.A. Chargers stunning the heavily favored Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, 30-24. Kansas City finds themselves in unfamiliar territory: last place in the division. The Steelers, another playoff team from last season, found themselves on the wrong end of an AFC North dominating effort, shockingly falling at home to Joe Burrow and the surprising Cincinnati Bengals. The LA Rams, led by star QB Matt Stafford and superstar defensive lineman Aaron Donald, knocked of Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Bucs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, 34-24. Expect both teams to see each o...

Read Full Story Here >>

The Moose is Loose

Search This Blog