RJ Young’s Top 25 rankings vs. AP Top 25 Poll: Georgia on top, Oregon too high?

College Football

Updated Sep. 3, 2024 7:50 p.m. ET

FOX Sports National College Football Analyst

Florida State‘s unforeseen loss to Boston College on Monday night put a bow on an opening week of college football that was stacked with upsets – shut-out Vanderbilt (more on that later) – surprises (Iowa outscores … Oregon) and dominance (hello, Georgia).

I released my Week 1 college football rankings, and it turns out Associated Press poll voters agree with me about who should be the top-six teams in the country. Following Georgia (1), Ohio State (2) and Texas (3), I had Ole Miss at 4, Alabama at 5 and Notre Dame at 6. The AP poll went with the Crimson Tide at 4, the Fighting Irish and 5 and Lake Kiffin’s Rebels at 6.

But after the AP Top 25 Poll dropped on Tuesday, there were three things that stood out to me above everything else:

1. Florida State is a mess

Boston College’s victory over Florida State marked the Eagles’ first win against a top-10 team since 2014, when BC upset No. 9 USC. Boston College held the ball for 14 minutes in the first quarter, outgaining FSU in total yardage, 102-4. And that was indicative of how the game played out in BC’s 28-13 win.

Florida State wasn’t in my latest 25, and they ain’t in the AP Top 25 Poll either. In fact, not only do the Seminoles not appear in both polls, but the AP actually awarded Vanderbilt more points than FSU.

Go on that retreat. Talk to the Pastor. Remember Isaiah 40:31. I hope to see you at Wednesday night service.

2. It’s Georgia’s national title until someone beats them

Georgia held a top 25 team to three points. Ohio State trailed a MAC team late in the first quarter.

At this stage, at this level, style matters. When the third-best SEC team in the country can name the number against Furman, Ohio State can’t afford slow starts.

The standard for Ohio State is the one Georgia set. And the Buckeyes have not met it.

Georgia has won 40 consecutive regular-season games and 43 of its last 45 games. After a statement win against a top 25 program that has won as many national titles in the CFP era as the Dawgs have, UGA has earned the right to be the No. 1-ranked team in the country. Georgia is giving me what I asked for.

3. Is Oregon good?

Associated Press voters agreed with me and dropped Oregon from the upper echelon of the rankings. The AP dropped the Ducks to No. 7, while I dropped them to No. 9 following their narrow win over FCS Idaho.

They were more disappointing than Sony’s launch of Concord.

Now, Idaho did beat an FBS opponent last year and finished 9-4. But that opponent was Nevada. Not one of the two programs picked to play in the Big Ten title game later this year.

Nike Inc. has gone from feeling like the second-best team in the conference to the fifth, and there is no room in the playoff for the fifth-best team in the Big Ten.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.

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