Updated Coaches Poll Top 25 released following exciting Week 1

by:Steve Samra•09/06/22•

SamraSource

A brand-new USA TODAY Coaches Poll Top 25 has been released following a fascinating Week 1 that gave college football fans a taste of what’s to come in the upcoming weeks. Some new faces appeared while others dropped out following the action.

The action all began last Thursday, when the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Purdue by a score of 35-31. Also, the return of the Backyard Brawl between West Virginia more than lived up to the hype, as the Panthers won a thriller over the Mountaineer.

The first college football Saturday of the season featured a full slate of games delivered and then some. The early window was highlighted by a bonkers game between North Carolina and Appalachian State. North Carolina’s defense struggled mightily late, allowing 40 points in the fourth quarter alone before squeaking out a 63-61 victory.

CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE to the On3 YouTube channel

Then, first-year Oregon head coach Dan Lanning had a tough introduction to head coaching against his former team when Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs defended last season’s national championship with a dominating 49-3 victory in Atlanta.

The marquee matchup of Notre Dame vs Ohio State was part of the final slate of games on Saturday and while the Fighting Irish gave the Buckeyes all they could have, Marcus Freeman came up short in his return to Columbus with Notre Dame, leaving with a 21-10 loss. But one of the more exciting games of the day came in Gainesville when Florida defeated Utah to not only start the season strong behind quarterback Anthony Richardson, but jump into the coaches poll this well.

Two more games followed the jam-packed Saturday action, headlined by the thrilling matchup between unranked foes LSU and Florida State. The Tigers scored on a 99-yard final drive before the Seminoles blocked the game-tying extra point — and came away with the 24-23 victory to improve to 2-0. Then, on Monday, Clemson cruised to a win over Georgia Tech 41-10 after a scoreless first quarter.

Following the results of those games and more, here’s what the USA TODAY Coaches Poll Top 25 looks like.

Coaches Poll Top 25 following Week 1:

Others receiving votes: Tennessee (143), Penn State (138), Houston (137), Cincinnati (61), Iowa (44)