Key takeaways from latest CFB AP rankings after wild Week 1

The first week of the 2025 college football season has come and gone with multiple marquee matchups as part of the schedule.

Quarterback play, especially from several highly regarded signal-callers who could be first-round prospects, didn’t quite live up to the hype in a few of the marquee matchups between top teams.

On Tuesday, AP Poll rankings were released following the first week of college football action.

Here are key takeaways from the newly updated rankings based on results and performances from this past weekend.

Ohio State claims top spot after shutting down Texas

The most anticipated game of the opening week slate was Texas vs. Ohio State. Arch Manning made his debut as the Longhorns starter on the road against the defending national champions. 

Although Texas entered the game as the No. 1 team in the nation, the Buckeyes were favored.

Many have praised Manning as one of the best college quarterbacks and a potential future NFL star. But inaccuracy, misreads and bad footwork led to errant throws and an underthrown interception.

On the other side, Julian Sayin made his debut, and although there was nothing flashy or elite, the sophomore quarterback was steady and decisive.

Ohio State’s defense was stout in this contest, and the Buckeyes are rightfully placed at the top entering Week 2.

Alabama plummets down the top 25

The most embarrassing result of the past week was Alabama’s 31-17 loss to Florida State. As 14-point favorites, the Crimson Tide were expected to dominate the Seminoles, who are one-dimensional with a below-average quarterback in Tommy Castellanos.

Despite that, Florida State physically dominated Alabama up front, rushing for 230 yards and four touchdowns on 49 attempts.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer is already facing pressure after Alabama failed to qualify for the College Football Playoff last season. Another season missing the playoff could result in DeBoer looking for a new job in 2026.

It’s too soon to make any proclamations, but this should be a wake-up call for Alabama, which fell from No. 8 all the way to No. 21 in the latest rankings.

LSU‘s win over Clemson vindicates being ranked in the top five

This was another game that many were looking forward to watching.

However, it was yet another game that was massively disappointing, with both teams struggling offensively. Nonetheless, the Tigers stifled Cade Klubnik, holding Clemson to 10 points.

Garrett Nussmeier was efficient, completing 28 of 38 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown. Meanwhile, Klubnik completed 19 of 38 attempts for 230 yards and one interception.

LSU winning on the road against the preseason No. 4 team is something the Tigers can build off in hopes of competing for a national title.