Thoughts on the AP Poll: Week 1

Top Teams Roll

For the most part, the top 25 teams asserted their dominance over lesser foes during the first week of the college football season. No. 1 Alabama pancaked Virginia Tech 35-10, No. 6 South Carolina took out North Carolina 27-10, and the rest of the top 15 teams handled business against lesser opponents.

ACC and SEC Clash

Although both the Tar Heels and Hokies fell handily to SEC teams, No. 4 Clemson knocked off former No. 5 Georgia in Death Valley in week one's premier matchup. Tiger fans stormed the field after beating the Bulldogs 38-35 thanks to Tahj Boyd's huge performance. With the win Clemson puts itself firmly in the hunt for a national championship, even after just a week of games. The Tigers add a marquee win to their resume, while at the same time making Georgia's road to the BCS Championship immensely more difficult—the Bulldogs will have to run the table in a stacked SEC to play for a national title.

A Pair of Upsets

Washington thumped former No. 18 Boise State 38-6, knocking the Broncos out of the top 25 and eliminating the Mountain West's only representative in the AP polls. With the upset the Huskies earned themselves the No. 20 spot in week two's rankings. The weekend's second upset featured a high-scoring thriller that came down to the final minute of the game, with Eastern Washington defeating then-No. 25 Oregon State 49-46.

Bigger Picture

Oregon's 66-point performance against Nicholls State allowed the Ducks to jump Ohio State and claim the No. 2 spot in the polls. The Buckeyes fell to No. 3, with Clemson nipping at their heels in the No. 4 position. Next week's matchups for the top four teams should all be easy wins that result in no shakeup at the top of the pile. The most important game to watch will be No. 11 Georgia versus South Carolina. For the Gamecocks, a win would solidify their position at the top of the SEC East and as a serious contender for the BCS championship. For the Bulldogs a loss would almost certainly knock them out of contention for any BCS bowl.