Race for the CFP Week 2: SEC Goes Perfect on Opening Weekend

The SEC went 16-0 in Week 1 of the College Football season. It’s the first time since 1997 the conference went undefeated in the opening weekend. While there wasn’t a whole lot of games against tough competition, LSU made a statement with a 51-10 win over Clemson and Ole Miss defeated Louisville 41-38 in the only ranked matchup of the weekend.

As for Mizzou, they come in at No. 23 in the latest AP Top 25 poll looking to build a playoff resume.

Here’s the latest Race for the CFP entering Week 2 of the season:

SEC favorite: Georgia

The No. 3 ranked Bulldogs opened the season with a 63-3 win over Tennessee State. Kirby Smart’s team won’t be challenged until September 26th when they host No. 10 Oklahoma. The rest of the schedule sets up favorably for the Dawgs.

Big Ten favorite: Ohio State

Ohio State opened with a 56-3 win over Ball State. Julian Sayin went 21-25 with 320 yards and three touchdowns, while Jeremiah Smith contributed for eight receptions, 151 yards, and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes will look to prove their No. 1 ranking on Saturday night at No. 4 Texas.

Big 12 favorite: BYU

BYU’s starting quarterback Bear Bachmeier went 16-20 with 198 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-7 season-opening win over Utah Tech. The Cougars replace the Red Raiders for the time being as Big 12 favorites as they have the edge in quarterback play. No. 15 BYU opens conference play on Saturday — hosting Arizona.

ACC favorite: Miami (FL)

The Canes opened up ACC play with a convincing 45-6 road win over Stanford on Friday night. Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney look the part as Heisman contenders. Miami (FL) could very well be 8-0 going into a November 7th showdown at No. 3 Notre Dame.

Automatic Bid: Notre Dame

After a sluggish start against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sunday night, the Irish outscored the Badgers 28-3 in the second half for a 41-13 blowout win. CJ Carr went 19-29 with 239 yards and two touchdowns. Hannibal, MO native Aneyas Williams rushed for 90 yards in 20 attempts and two touchdowns. Notre Dame will likely be undefeated heading into a October 17th matchup at No. 15 BYU.

Group of Six Automatic Bid: Boise State

The Broncos look like a playoff team — nearly pulling off the upset in a 34-27 loss at Oregon. Maddux Madsen is the real deal at quarterback. Boise State hosts Memphis on Saturday in a Group of Six battle. Winner of that game moves into this slot.

At-Large Bid Selections:

LSU:

LSU made a statement in a 51-10 win over Clemson to start the Lane Kiffin era. Sam Leavitt at the quarterback position raises the Tigers’ ceiling on a loaded roster. LSU has back-to-back games against Top 10 opponents upcoming — at No. 9 Ole Miss on September 19th and vs No. 10 Texas A&M on September 26th.

Texas:

Arch Manning and the Longhorns opened with a 59-7 win over Texas State. Steve Sarkisian’s team comes in as a slight favorite against Ohio State on Saturday looking to make a statement.

Indiana:

The defending National Champions look like the part in a 52-16 win over North Texas. TCU transfer Josh Hoover went 13-16 with 231 yards and four TDs in his Hoosier debut. A good chance Indiana is still undefeated heading into October 17th vs No. 1 Ohio State.

Oregon:

A win is a win for the Ducks — who opened with a 34-27 victory over a pesky Boise State team. The talent is still there on a stacked Oregon roster. Dante Moore, Jeremiah McClellan, and Evan Stewart highlight a prolific offense.

Ole Miss:

In the only ranked matchup over Labor Day weekend, the Rebels 41-38 win over Louisville in Nashville was the most impactful win from the SEC. All eyes are on September 19th vs LSU in Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford.

USC:

The Trojans are off to a 2-0 start with wins over San Jose State and Fresno State. This looks to be Lincoln Riley’s best team on paper led by Jayden Maiava at quarterback.

Top Four Seeds:

1. Ohio State
2. Notre Dame
3. Georgia
4. Texas

Projected Bracket:

12) Boise State at 5) LSU

11) USC at 6) Ole Miss

10) Miami (FL) at 7) Indiana

9) BYU at 8) Oregon

Final Four Pick:

5) LSU vs 1) Ohio State

2) Notre Dame vs 3) Georgia

National Championship:

Ohio State over Notre Dame