College football Week 2 power ratings: Buckeyes claim top spot after taking down Texas in Week 1

With so many high-profile games on the schedule for Week 1, we knew the college football landscape would look different heading into Week 2. But the biggest shakeups were Florida State knocking off then-No. 8 Alabama in a rather lopsided affair while preseason No. 1 Texas had no answers on offense for Ohio State's defense in the biggest game of the day. The Longhorns were No. 1 in SportsLine college football expert Thomas Casale's power ratings, but where do they sit after starting the year 0-1 and looking lost on offense against the Buckeyes? 

Each week, Casale ranks the top 20 teams from a betting perspective, assigning each team into various tiers. He then shares a hypothetical line should a team from a lower tier in a matchup against a Tier 1 squad on a neutral field in order to assess and break down the gap between the two teams. Find Casale in the SportsLine college football Discord channel or on X at @TheTomCasale to let him know if you agree or disagree with the rankings.

College football Week 2 power ratings 

Tier 1

1. Ohio State Buckeyes
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
3. Georgia Bulldogs
4. Texas Longhorns

After defeating preseason No. 1 Texas, it's not a surprise that Ohio State checks in at No. 1 this week, especially as the Buckeyes are the defending champs. Ohio State was hardly perfect on Saturday, but the Buckeyes were stellar defensively, shutting down the Longhorns while making just enough plays while avoiding mistakes and costly penalties on offense in order to leave with a Week 1 win.

I noted all summer that I took Texas +3 in this game because if you were going to beat Ohio State, it needed to be early. The Buckeyes will be even better in November, and now, they will be favored in every game for the rest of the season, including a massive Nov. 1 matchup with Penn State, which is in Columbus. 

The Nittany Lions won't really be tested until they host Oregon on Sept. 27. I have Penn State and Georgia rated close to even. The Bulldogs won their scrimmage over Marshall but I like what I saw out of the offense. Gunner Stockton's ability to run gives the offense an added dimension, while USC transfer Zachariah Branch provides a big-play threat at receiver the Bulldogs lacked last season. 

Texas lost a close game on the road to Ohio State partially because of a bad penalty and a failed fourth down from the one. I'd still make the Longhorns a favorite on a neutral field over almost every team in the country.

Tier 2 (+3 from Tier 1)

5. LSU Tigers 

LSU moves up to No. 5 after an impressive win at Clemson. I highlighted the Tigers this offseason as a team I felt had value on the futures market at +700 to win the SEC and +1700 to win the National Championship. Those odds have shrunk to +600 and +1200, respectively, after beating Clemson. 

LSU still has a tough schedule ahead though with games against Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Tier 3 (+5 from Tier 1)

6. Clemson Tigers
7. Oregon Ducks 
8. Alabama Crimson Tide

I'm not going to punish Clemson too much for losing a tough game to LSU. The Tigers are still the favorites to win the ACC and will be favored in every game the rest of the way until possibly the season finale at South Carolina. I would also make Clemson -3 over ACC counterpart Miami on a neutral field right now

Oregon rolled over Montana State and will very likely thump three more overmatched opponents, starting this week with Oklahoma State, before going to Penn State later this month. The Ducks aren't likely to move up or down much in the rankings before then. 

Like I mentioned above, these are betting power rankings, so I can't ding Alabama for one loss. The Crimson Tide would still be favored over most teams in the country on a neutral field. I will say they are the team I am most concerned about moving forward though. Alabama got dominated on both sides of the ball coming off a 9-4 season. The Crimson Tide are just 5-5 since beating Georgia last September. Kalen DeBoer needs to figure things out in a hurry.

Tier 4 (+7 from Tier 1)

9. Miami Hurricanes 
10. Texas A&M Aggies
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

I was high on Miami heading into the season and the Canes looked like a legitimate title contender in their win over Notre Dame. The good news is Miami doesn't face Clemson until a potential ACC title game matchup. The bad news is the Canes still host Florida and travel to Florida State and SMU. They saw their National Championship odds move from +6000 to +2700 after the Notre Dame win. 

I said last week if Notre Dame lost to Miami I would look to hit the Irish in the futures market. The Irish are now +1600 to win the National Championship and face Texas A&M in two weeks. If they beat the Aggies at home and I think they will, the Irish will be favored to run the table and make the College Football Playoff. 

Don't read too much into the Miami loss. The Canes are a good team and CJ Carr was making his first career start for Notre Dame. Similar to Ohio State, I expect the Irish to be much better later in the season. Now is the time to buy Notre Dame.

Tier 5 (+9 from Tier 1)

12. Ole Miss Rebels 
13. Florida Gators
14. Michigan Wolverines
15. Auburn Tigers
16. South Carolina Gamecocks 
17. Oklahoma Sooners 

These are the most interesting teams in the rankings for me, as I can see one or two of them making a big jump if a couple of things fall their way. Of course, two of them meet this week with Oklahoma hosting Michigan. 

The Sooners are -5.5 at home in that matchup. Normally, I would jump on Michigan but I haven't yet because true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood is making his first start on the road. That's a variable I have to consider beyond just the number. Underwood was impressive in his debut at home against New Mexico, throwing for 251 yards and a score. But Oklahoma isn't New Mexico. If I can get Michigan +6, I might bite.

Tier 6 (+13 from Tier 1)

18. Utah Utes
19. Florida State Seminoles
20. SMU Mustangs

I bet Utah to win the Big 12 this season and I was impressed how good the offense looked early in the year with new quarterback Devon Dampier. It's clear he is a major upgrade at the position and combined with the Utes' defense, I agree with the oddsmakers that they are the clear favorites in the Big 12. I actually think there is still some value on Utah at +470 odds to win the Big 12. The Utes were one of the most impressive teams I saw in Week 1. 

Florida State debuts at No. 19 after its upset over Alabama. The Seminoles were the biggest surprise for me not just because they beat Alabama, but how they won. Florida State dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. I don't want to overreact to one game, although it's obvious the Seminoles are miles better than last year's two-win team. 

We will find out more about SMU on Saturday. I still believe the Ponies are a major threat in the ACC, so I'm interested to see how they handle a good Baylor squad at home. I lean SMU -3 in that matchup. 

Next four: Tennessee Volunteers, USC Trojans, Iowa State Cyclones, Illinois Fighting Illini