Ohio State Holds No. 1 as LSU Jumps From No. 12 After Week 1

Q: Can Arch Manning’s explosive four-touchdown debut translate into an upset victory against the nation's top-ranked defense?

Yes — but only if Texas gets more than a repeat of last week’s box score from Arch Manning. Manning’s four-touchdown, 305-yard opener against Texas State showed clear progress from his rough debut against Ohio State a year ago, when he managed just 38 passing yards through three quarters before a late rally. He looked more poised in the pocket, completed 74% of his passes and spread the ball effectively to Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman. Texas is also better equipped around him now, with upgraded skill talent and a deeper run game under Steve Sarkisian. But translating that into an upset over Ohio State is a much higher bar. The Buckeyes just crushed Ball State 56-3 and remain No. 1 in power ratings because of how complete they look, especially defensively. Even outside projections that differ on the winner agree on one thing: this is likely to be tight and low-scoring, with totals around the high 40s. That means explosive plays will be harder to find, and Manning’s decision-making will matter more than raw touchdown totals. His interception against Texas State is the kind of mistake Ohio State is built to punish. Texas does have real upset potential, especially at home, and oddsmakers treating the Longhorns as a slight favorite reflects that. But Manning alone probably won’t win it. For Texas to pull it off, he must pair his downfield aggression with efficiency, avoid giveaways, and get enough support from the run game and defense to keep Ohio State from dictating the game.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 8

Ohio State stayed atop Tom Fornelli’s post-Week 1 power ratings after a clean 56-3 win over Ball State, with the gap to No. 2 still described as narrow across the top eight.
LSU made the biggest move, rising from No. 12 to No. 8 after a statement win over Clemson that Fornelli said looked more like a national-title case than merely a playoff push.
Oregon remained No. 2 despite a close game with Boise State because it still outgained the Broncos 497-274, though short-yardage failures were flagged as an early concern.
Texas climbed to No. 4 behind an impressive opener, while Notre Dame held No. 3 after pulling away from Wisconsin and showing a stronger second-half run game.
The rankings emphasize forward-looking performance over raw results, with bigger tests ahead including Texas vs. Ohio State and Oklahoma’s road trip to Michigan.