ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan is counted among the top national championship contenders in college football this season, but after Week 1, that group might have gotten a bit bigger.
Clemson was the only top team to suffer a major upset, while a few teams from the middle of the pack look better than expected.
At this point, with one full week in the books, I think there are 11 primary threats to Michigan’s national title hopes.
1. Georgia
- This weekend: Beat UT Martin 48-7.
This doesn’t require much of an explanation. Georgia has won each of the past two championships, and until further notice, this is the team to beat.
Carson Beck threw for nearly 300 yards in his first game as the starter, and the Bulldogs racked up 559 yards of total offense. They look as dangerous as ever.
2. Ohio State
- This weekend: Beat Indiana 23-3.
People will overreact to Ohio State’s underwhelming Week 1 performance at Indiana, but I’m not falling for it.
Kyle McCord wasn’t great in his first start, but he got the job done to the tune of 239 passing yards and a 61% completion rate. Ohio State has a trio of running backs, a top-tier tight end, and the best receiver in the country to make his job easier.
3. Florida State
- This weekend: Beat No. 5 LSU 45-24.
Florida State had the most impressive performance of the week, beating No. 5 LSU by three touchdowns on a neutral field.
Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman looks like an elite playmaker after catching a trio of touchdown passes from Heisman hopeful Jordan Travis.
Between Clemson and Florida State, it sure feels like the ACC is heading back to the playoff this season.
4. Alabama
- This weekend: Beat Middle Tennessee 56-7.
Even though Alabama has the most talented roster in the sport, people were down on this team because of the uncertainty at quarterback.
Well, Jalen Milroe is off to a pretty strong start. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday while rushing for 48 more yards and two scores.
5. Penn State
- This weekend: Beat West Virginia 38-15.
All the hype surrounding Penn State coming into the season was real, because it looks like Drew Allar is ready to live up to his five-star status.
Penn State bullied West Virginia on Saturday behind Allar’s 325-yard, three-touchdown performance. The duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 121 yards and more than 5 yards per carry.
That November trip to Penn State is looking even tougher for Michigan.
6. USC
- This weekend: Beat Nevada 66-14.
Nobody trusts the defense yet, but Caleb Williams is still the best player in the country. He threw five more touchdown passes Saturday after racking up four in USC’s opener.
The Trojans were one win away from the playoff last season, and although they’ve got a gauntlet of a schedule, the offense is good enough to actually make it this time around.
7. Notre Dame
- This weekend: Beat Tennessee State 56-3 (beat Navy 42-3 last weekend).
Navy and Tennessee State aren’t juggernauts, but Notre Dame added proven veteran quarterback Sam Hartman to a team that won nine games and upset Clemson a year ago. That’s a good start.
Nine of Notre Dame’s 12 games should be easy wins -- can it find a way to pull off two of the other three and get back to the playoff?
8. Washington
- This weekend: Beat Boise State 56-19.
What more can we say about Michael Penix Jr.? He threw for 450 yards and five touchdowns on Saturday, shredding a Boise State team that will probably finish near the top of the Mountain West.
Washington has a brutal November schedule, but it could get to that point undefeated with a home win over Oregon.
9. Texas
- This weekend: Beat Rice 37-10.
Texas looked a bit like Michigan in Week 1 -- comfortable but not overpowering.
Quinn Ewers and Xavier Worthy are one of the most dangerous duos in the nation, and the defense held Rice under 200 total yards.
If Texas can somehow find a way to upset Alabama next week, the Big 12 schedule sets up nicely for a potential 11-1 regular season.
10. Oregon
- This weekend: Beat Portland State 81-7.
I know it was against Portland State, but 81 points? Bo Nix came back for another season and Oregon’s offense looks deadly. The Ducks racked up over 300 yards both on the ground and through the air while allowing only 200 yards total on defense.
October will be the month of reckoning for Oregon, with road games at Washington and Utah.
11. Oklahoma
- This weekend: Beat Arkansas State 73-0.
It feels like we all forgot about Oklahoma after last year’s 6-7 finish, but has been one of the most talented and consistent programs in the sport throughout the playoff era.
On Saturday, the Sooners embarrassed a pretty good Group of Five program behind Dillon Gabriel’s 14 yards per attempt and three total touchdowns.
Brent Venables might have needed a year to get his footing, but Oklahoma looks ready to bounce back.
