Monday, September 7, 2015

Happy Labor Day: A look back at Week 1 and the new Top 30 for 2015

The 2015 College Football season has kicked off play.

Here's a look at the 2015 Top 30 as Labor Day arrives ...

Ohio State RB 15 Ezekiel Elliott was held to 8 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD in
last year's 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech, in Week 2, in Columbus.
  1. Ohio State (14-1 in '14) 1 - The Buckeyes open in Blacksburg tonight vs. #27 Virginia Tech (7-6 in '14) on ESPN tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN, as the Hokies seek to knock off #1 for the second straight football season (35-21, last year in Columbus). The Big Ten is only 7-6 in opening week games ...
  2. Alabama (1-0) 2 - The Crimson Tide rolled in Arlington in the season opener, defeated the then #20 Wisconsin Badgers (0-1) 35-17. The SEC opened 2015 with a 12-1 record. Next up: vs. Middle Tennessee (1-0), who buried Jackson State 70-13 in season opener, as the CUSA program heads to Tuscaloosa this week.
  3. TCU (1-0) 3 - The Horned Frogs opened 2015 with a 23-17 win at Minnesota (0-1), after defeating the Golden Gophers last season in Ft. Worth 30-7. The Big 12 opened Week 1 with a 8-2 record. Next up: vs. Stephen F. Austin (0-1), coming off 34-28 loss to Northern Arizona (1-0).
  4. Baylor (1-0) 4 - The Bears opened 2015 with a 56-21 win at SMU (0-1), after a 45-0 home win, in last year's season opener at home. While the Big 12 finished 8-2, the AAC finished 9-3 for the first week. Next up: vs. Lamar (1-0), who beat NAIA Bacone 66-3, as Cardinals head to Waco for the Bears home opener in Week 2.
    1. MSU senior QB 18 Connor Cook leads the Spartans ...
    GAME of Week 2: #5 Oregon (1-0) at #6 Michigan State (1-0)
  5. Oregon (1-0) 5 - The Ducks opened 2015 with fifth year, transfer senior Vernon Adams at QB, as Oregon defeated Adams' alma mater Eastern Washington (0-1) 61-42 in the season opener in Eugene. Last year, the Ducks defeated MSU 46-27 in Eugene. The Pac 12 opened 2015 with a combined 7-5 record, 0-1 vs. Big Ten.
  6. Michigan State (1-0) 6 - The Spartans opened at Western Michigan (0-1), with a 37-24 road win to kick off 2015. Last year, MSU opened in East Lansing, with a 26-13 win over the Broncos. Senior QB Connor Cook is back, as a third year starter for the Spartans offense.
  7. Auburn (1-0) 7 - The Tigers opened in Atlanta with a 31-24 win over Louisville (0-1) to kick off the 2015 season. Next up: vs. Jacksonville State (1-0), who defeated Chattanooga 23-20 on the road.
  8. Georgia (1-0) 8 - The Bulldogs opened the 2015 season with a 51-14 win over Louisiana-Monroe (0-1). Next up: @ Vanderbilt (0-1), after a 14-12 loss at home vs. Western Kentucky (0-1), as UGA and Vandy open SEC conference play in Week 2.
  9. USC (1-0) 9 - The Trojans opened the new season with a 55-6 win over Arkansas State (0-1) for their 16th straight home opener in Los Angeles. Next up: vs. Idaho (0-1), as Vandals fall at home in opener 45-28 to Frank Solich's Ohio U (1-0) Bobcats.
  10. Florida State (1-0) 10 - The Seminoles defeated the Texas State (0-1) Bobcats 59-16 in Tallahassee to kick off the 2015 season. The ACC is 10-3 thus far in Week 1. Next up: vs. South Florida (1-0), beat Florida A&M (0-1) 51-3 in their own home opener.
  11. Notre Dame (1-0) 11 - The Fighting Irish open 2015 with a sound 38-3 win over Texas (0-1) in South Bend. The half-ACC scheduled team is still an Independent, but hits the road for the first of six games against ACC opponents for the Irish. Next up: @ Virginia (0-1), who fell 34-16 @ #12 UCLA to open the 2015 season.
  12. UCLA (1-0) 12 - The Bruins open 2015 with a sound 34-16 win over Virginia in the Rose Bowl. Next up: @ UNLV (0-1), who lost 38-30 @ Northern Illinois to kick off the 2015 season.
  13. LSU (0-0) 13 - Opening the season at #13 wasn't good for the Tigers, since thunderstorms (lightning) cancelled the season opener on Saturday in Baton Rouge against McNeese State (0-0). Next up: @ Mississippi State (1-0), who took down Southern Mississippi (0-1) 34-16 in the non-conference road opener. Big SEC West opener now for the season for the Tigers ...
  14. Clemson (1-0) 14 - The Tigers opened 2015 with a 49-10 win over Wofford (0-1). Next up: vs. Appalachian State (1-0), as the Sun Belt program opened 2015 with a 49-0 win over Howard. The Sun Belt finished a disappointing 2-9 in Week 1, so Mountaineers carry the banner into Week 2.
  15. Ole Miss (1-0) 15 - The Rebels rolled up points in a 70-3 win over Tennessee-Martin (0-1) to kick off the 2015 season. Next up: vs. Fresno State (1-0) opened with a 34-13 win over Abilene Christian in the home opener.
  16. Georgia Tech (1-0) 17 - The Yellow Jackets crushed Alcorn State (0-1) 69-6 in the season opener in Atlanta. Next up: vs. Tulane (0-1), who lost 37-7 in home opener vs. Duke (1-0), against another ACC club.
  17. Texas A&M (1-0) 26 - The Aggies came to play in Houston with a solid 38-17 win over former #16 Arizona State (0-1) to kick off the 2015 season. Next up: vs. Ball State (1-0), the Cardinals opened with a 46-34 win over VMI at home, in Muncie, IN.
  18. Arkansas (1-0) 22 - The Razorbacks beat another Texas team with a 48-13 home opening win over UTEP (0-1) in Fayetteville, as Bret Bielema opens third season. Next up: vs. Toledo (0-0), as the Rockets were unable to open 2015, due to weather cancelling game against Stoney Brook (0-0).
  19. Boise State (1-0) 19 - The Broncos opened 2015 with a 16-13 home win over Washington (0-1), to spoil former coach Chris Petersen's homecoming. The MWC finished 10-2 in Week 1. Next up: @ BYU (1-0), who won 33-28 on a Hail Mary at Nebraska (0-1) to spoil Mike Riley's debut in Lincoln.
    Photo - <p>OU coach Bob Stoops pleads his case to an official during Saturday's 41-3 victory against Akron in Norman. [Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman]</p>
    OU coach Bob Stoops, like his old
    college coach, J. Hayden Fry, rids
    himself of headphones on sidelines.
    Game 2 of the Week 2: #20 Oklahoma (1-0) @ #21 Tennessee (1-0)
  20. Oklahoma (1-0) 21 - The Sooners opened 2015 with a 41-3 win over Akron (0-1) ahead of a Big 12 vs. SEC East showdown in Knoxville in Week 2. Bob Stoops' alma mater was roughed up by the Vols in the TaxSlayer Bowl 45-28, so can the Sooners provide their coach with a little payback at #21 Tennessee in Week 2? 
  21. Tennessee (1-0) 23 - The Vols won season opener 59-30 in Nashville over Bowling Green (0-1) in the third season under Butch Jones. Can they make it three games in a row, dating back to 45-28 bowl win over Iowa in 2014?
  22. Arizona (1-0) 24 - The Wildcats opened the 2015 season in Tucson with a 42-32 win over UTSA (1-0), after 26-23 in Week 2 at Roadrunners home in 2014. Next up: @ Nevada (1-0) in Reno, as the Wolf Pack opened the season with a 31-17 home win over UC Davis.
  23. Missouri (1-0) 25 - The Tigers opened the 2015 season at home with a 34-3 win over SE Missouri State (0-1). Next up: @ Arkansas State (0-1), as Red Wolves fell hard 55-6 @ #9 USC (1-0).
  24. Mississippi State (1-0) 28 - The Bulldogs opened @ Southern Mississippi (0-1) with a 34-16 win against the in-state Golden Eagles. Next up: vs. #13 LSU (0-0) as SEC West play begins in Week 2.
  25. Arizona State (0-1) 16 - The Sun Devils' trip to Houston ended in a loss to then #26 Texas A&M 38-17, as Todd Graham falls in his first season opener in four years at the helm. Next up: vs. Cal Poly (1-0), as the Mustangs won 20-19 @ Montana (1-1), who defeated four-time FCS champion North Dakota State (0-1) 38-35 in Division I football's Week 0 opener.
  26. Wisconsin (0-1) 20 - The Badgers open the Paul Chryst era with a 35-17 loss in Arlington to #2 Alabama (1-0). Is any team in the Big Ten West worthy of a Top 25 ranking at this point? The Badgers have been the most consistent team, but finished 8-6 in 2012, and the 9-4 and 11-3 seasons under Gary Anderson are in the books. Next up: vs. Miami-OH (1-0), as the RedHawks opened with a 26-7 over Presbyterian in the Oxford, OH home opener.
  27. Virginia Tech (0-0) 27 - The Hokies open tonight vs. #1 Ohio State (0-0) in rematch in Blacksburg on ESPN. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. tonight.
  28. Oklahoma State (1-0) 29 - The Cowboys won 24-13 in season opener on the road @ Central Michigan (0-1). Next up: vs. Central Arkansas (0-1), who lost 45-16 @ Samford in season opener.
  29. Marshall (1-0) 41t - The Thundering Herd took care of business on Sunday with a 41-31 win over Purdue (0-1) for the first win over a Big Ten opponent in program history. The CUSA finished Week 1 with a 8-4 record. Next up: @ Ohio U (1-0), who won 45-28 in road opener @ Idaho (0-1).
  30. Northern Illinois (1-0) 35 - The Huskies won season opener 38-30 over UNLV to kickoff the 2015 season. The Huskies have five straight 10+ win seasons, as they enter the third season under Rod Carey. The MAC finished Week 1 with a 5-6 record.  Next up: vs. Murray State (1-0), opened with a 52-12 win over Kentucky Wesleyan.  
Out of the Top 30 - Former #18 Stanford (0-1) fell 16-6 @ Northwestern (1-0), in an 11:00 am start in Evanston (9 am start Pacific time), as the Wildcats surprised the Cardinal in the 2015 opener. The Wildcats are coming off back to back 5-7 seasons in Pat Fitzgerald's 10th season, but the 5th season opener for David Shaw was a downer ...

FBS losers of the Week to FCS programs: 
  • Fordham 37, Army 35
  • South Dakota State 41, Kansas 38
  • Portland State 24, Washington State 17
  • North Dakota 24, Wyoming 13
Jake Rudock opened Week 1 as Michigan's number one QB in 24-17 loss @ Utah. Recap

Games to Watch in Week 2 - rivalry wars in-state:
  • Utah (1-0) @ Utah State (1-0) - Battle for the Beehive Boot (112th meeting in this series)
  • Iowa (1-0) @ Iowa State (1-0) - Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy (9 of last 16 to ISU)
"It will be the first road trip for this football team and then with a lot of new players, that is going to be a great challenge. It's a great environment to play in. Historically, the series has proven to be extremely competitive. It gets down to playing your best football.
UI football coach
looking ahead to game @ Iowa State ...


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