[h=1]Ohio State atop Week 1 Vegas Ranks[/h]Evan Abrams, ESPN INSIDER
Welcome to Week 1 of the College Football Vegas Rankings.
Following the initial set of games, the No. 1 team in college football, according to our panel of handicappers, is Ohio State by a margin of 1.5 points over Alabama. The top 10 teams comprise two Big Ten teams, two Big 12 teams, three SEC teams and three Pac-12 teams.
After Ohio State, Alabama and TCU, the margin of points is very minimal, as the difference between No. 4 Baylor and No. 13 LSU is just three points.
The CFB Vegas Rankings are the composite power ratings of a panel of professional handicappers and college football statisticians, including fellow Insider Phil Steele, Brian Edwards and Bruce Marshall of The Gold Sheet. The ratings are intended to weigh the relative strength of the teams if they met on a neutral field and to be compared to the point spread on a given game.
For example, if Alabama and UCLA were to play on a neutral field this week, the Crimson Tide would be considered a 4.5-point favorite by our ratings.
Here's a look at the 25 best teams in college football right now, according to our panel.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (50)
Ohio State finished 9-5 ATS last season with a 3-0 SU record as an underdog against Michigan State, Wisconsin and Alabama. It would be difficult to find a game, at least in the regular season, in 2015 the Buckeyes would ever be considered an underdog.
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2. Alabama Crimson Tide (48.5)
Alabama went just 5-9 ATS last year, and after beating Wisconsin in its opener by 18 points, the Crimson Tide start the regular season 1-0 ATS for the eighth time in the last nine seasons (back to 2007).
3. TCU Horned Frogs (48)
TCU was about a 17-point favorite against Minnesota in Week 1 and barely survived, winning 23-17 and failing to cover the point spread. You do not have to search back far to find the last time TCU started 0-2 ATS -- in 2013, they started 0-3 ATS and finished 4-8 ATS.
4. Baylor Bears (46)
Baylor beat SMU 56-21, and depending where you picked up the line, you may or may not have covered the point spread with the Bears. Baylor beat SMU 45-0 last year to cover, and it gets a chance to cover with authority against Lamar in Week 2.
5. Georgia Bulldogs (45.5)
Georgia took care of business in Week 1, beating UL Monroe 51-14. The CFB Vegas Rankings has Georgia as the second-best team in the SEC, behind Alabama, and the Bulldogs get their chance at the Crimson Tide at home on Oct. 3.
6. USC Trojans (45)
USC extends its streak: The Trojans have not lost an opening-season game since 1997, when they lost 14-7 to Florida State. USC plays Idaho in Week 2 before starting up Pac-12 play against Stanford.
T-7. Oregon Ducks (44.5)
The story in Week 1 was Vernon Adams facing his former team in Eastern Washington. The story in Week 2 is a showdown at Michigan State, where the Ducks are listed as an early-week underdog, which would be their first time as an underdog in 46 games, the second-longest active streak in FBS.
T-7. Michigan State Spartans (44.5)
Speaking of ending Oregon's streak, Michigan State stayed in control Week 1 and beat Western Michigan on the road 37-24. Michigan State played Oregon last year in Eugene and lost 46-27, failing to cover the two-touchdown point spread.
9. UCLA Bruins (44)
UCLA beat Virginia comfortably in Week 1 and now the Bruins face UNLV out in Las Vegas. UCLA is installed as an early four-touchdown favorite on the road and after finishing 5-8 ATS last season; UCLA looks to stay above .500 where it counts this year.
T-10. Ole Miss Rebels (43.5)
Ole Miss demolished Tennessee-Martin in Week 1 to cover and start the season on the right foot. Ole Miss is a 28-point favorite in Week 2 against Fresno State. Mississippi started as a cover machine last year, starting 7-0, but finished 8-5.
T-10. Auburn Tigers (43.5)
Auburn had mighty expectations heading into Week 1 against Louisville, and even though the Tigers won, they did not impress. Auburn doesn't get another test until Sept. 19 in Death Valley against LSU.
T-10. Arkansas Razorbacks (43.5)
Arkansas took care of business, beating UTEP and covering the point spread in Week 1. The Razorbacks were fantastic against the point spread last year, finishing 10-3 ATS and now face Toledo in Week 2 as about a three-touchdown favorite.
13. LSU Tigers (43)
LSU's Week 1 game against McNeese State was postponed, so we have not really had the chance to see the Tigers in 2015. LSU travels to "StarkVegas" in Week 2 to face Mississippi State, where LSU is over a field goal road favorite.
14. Florida State Seminoles (42)
Florida State cruised in Week 1 behind 300 passing yards and four TD passes from Everett Golson against Texas State. In Week 2, Florida State faces South Florida, where the Seminoles are about a four-touchdown favorite.
15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (41.5)
Maybe one of the more impressive teams in Week 1, Georgia Tech -- behind QB Justin Thomas and the Yellow Jackets' fantastic running game -- beat Alcorn State 69-6 and now face Tulane at home, where they are a 28-point favorite. Georgia Tech finished 10-4 ATS last season and is on a bit of a run, covering eight straight.
16. Texas A&M Aggies (41)
A big win for the Aggies in Week 1 over Arizona State on a neutral field, but as a four-point favorite, expectations are beginning to rise for A&M. In Week 2, the Aggies face Ball State and really have their next test in Week 4 at Arkansas.
T-17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (40.5)
In the battle of two of the three winningest programs in FBS history, Notre Dame came up on top of Texas 38-3, covering the 10-point spread. The Fighting Irish now face Virginia in Week 2 and look to continue the streak for QB Malik Zaire.
T-17. Oklahoma Sooners (40.5)
After beating up on Akron in Week 1, Oklahoma gets a stiffer test in Week 2 against Tennessee. The Volunteers are ranked 20th in the CFB Vegas Rankings, and Oklahoma is about a pick'em against Tennessee in Week 2.
19. Clemson Tigers (40)
Clemson opened up the season against Wofford before facing Appalachian State this upcoming weekend. Then the schedule gets tough: at Louisville, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. By Oct. 10, we should know a lot more about the Tigers.
20. Tennessee Volunteers (39)
What an opportunity. Tennessee hosts Oklahoma in Week 2, and with a win could start the season 3-0 heading into the swamp to face Florida. Tennessee and Oklahoma is an early week pick'em, and the Sooners have not been an underdog since the Sugar Bowl against Alabama.
21. Wisconsin Badgers (37)
Wisconsin lost to Alabama 35-17 in Week 1 and should bounce back with a convincing win against Miami (Ohio) at home in Week 2. Wisconsin was just 3-4 ATS at home last season.
22. Stanford Cardinal (36.5)
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</article>In one of the shocking upsets in Week 1, Stanford lost to Northwestern 16-6 as a 10-point favorite. Northwestern has been especially upset-happy lately, winning four games as a touchdown or greater underdog the last two seasons, but no excuse from Stanford, which should bounce back against Central Florida.
23. Missouri Tigers (36)
Another case of taking care of business but not covering the point spread. Missouri beat SE Missouri State 34-3 and did not cover. In Week 2, Missouri hits the road against Arkansas State.
24. Boise State Broncos (35.5)
Boise State barely squeaked by in Week 1, beating Washington 16-13 as a 12-point favorite. In Week 2, Boise State is a small road favorite against BYU after a tough test against Washington.
25. Utah Utes (35)
Utah faces in-state rival Utah State in Week 2 after beating Jim Harbaugh and Michigan in its season opener. Utah is about a two-touchdown favorite against Utah State and looks to open the season 2-0 ATS after finishing 9-4 ATS last year.
Welcome to Week 1 of the College Football Vegas Rankings.
Following the initial set of games, the No. 1 team in college football, according to our panel of handicappers, is Ohio State by a margin of 1.5 points over Alabama. The top 10 teams comprise two Big Ten teams, two Big 12 teams, three SEC teams and three Pac-12 teams.
After Ohio State, Alabama and TCU, the margin of points is very minimal, as the difference between No. 4 Baylor and No. 13 LSU is just three points.
The CFB Vegas Rankings are the composite power ratings of a panel of professional handicappers and college football statisticians, including fellow Insider Phil Steele, Brian Edwards and Bruce Marshall of The Gold Sheet. The ratings are intended to weigh the relative strength of the teams if they met on a neutral field and to be compared to the point spread on a given game.
For example, if Alabama and UCLA were to play on a neutral field this week, the Crimson Tide would be considered a 4.5-point favorite by our ratings.
Here's a look at the 25 best teams in college football right now, according to our panel.
Ohio State finished 9-5 ATS last season with a 3-0 SU record as an underdog against Michigan State, Wisconsin and Alabama. It would be difficult to find a game, at least in the regular season, in 2015 the Buckeyes would ever be considered an underdog.
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Alabama went just 5-9 ATS last year, and after beating Wisconsin in its opener by 18 points, the Crimson Tide start the regular season 1-0 ATS for the eighth time in the last nine seasons (back to 2007).
TCU was about a 17-point favorite against Minnesota in Week 1 and barely survived, winning 23-17 and failing to cover the point spread. You do not have to search back far to find the last time TCU started 0-2 ATS -- in 2013, they started 0-3 ATS and finished 4-8 ATS.
Baylor beat SMU 56-21, and depending where you picked up the line, you may or may not have covered the point spread with the Bears. Baylor beat SMU 45-0 last year to cover, and it gets a chance to cover with authority against Lamar in Week 2.
Georgia took care of business in Week 1, beating UL Monroe 51-14. The CFB Vegas Rankings has Georgia as the second-best team in the SEC, behind Alabama, and the Bulldogs get their chance at the Crimson Tide at home on Oct. 3.
USC extends its streak: The Trojans have not lost an opening-season game since 1997, when they lost 14-7 to Florida State. USC plays Idaho in Week 2 before starting up Pac-12 play against Stanford.
The story in Week 1 was Vernon Adams facing his former team in Eastern Washington. The story in Week 2 is a showdown at Michigan State, where the Ducks are listed as an early-week underdog, which would be their first time as an underdog in 46 games, the second-longest active streak in FBS.
Speaking of ending Oregon's streak, Michigan State stayed in control Week 1 and beat Western Michigan on the road 37-24. Michigan State played Oregon last year in Eugene and lost 46-27, failing to cover the two-touchdown point spread.
UCLA beat Virginia comfortably in Week 1 and now the Bruins face UNLV out in Las Vegas. UCLA is installed as an early four-touchdown favorite on the road and after finishing 5-8 ATS last season; UCLA looks to stay above .500 where it counts this year.
Ole Miss demolished Tennessee-Martin in Week 1 to cover and start the season on the right foot. Ole Miss is a 28-point favorite in Week 2 against Fresno State. Mississippi started as a cover machine last year, starting 7-0, but finished 8-5.
Auburn had mighty expectations heading into Week 1 against Louisville, and even though the Tigers won, they did not impress. Auburn doesn't get another test until Sept. 19 in Death Valley against LSU.
Arkansas took care of business, beating UTEP and covering the point spread in Week 1. The Razorbacks were fantastic against the point spread last year, finishing 10-3 ATS and now face Toledo in Week 2 as about a three-touchdown favorite.
LSU's Week 1 game against McNeese State was postponed, so we have not really had the chance to see the Tigers in 2015. LSU travels to "StarkVegas" in Week 2 to face Mississippi State, where LSU is over a field goal road favorite.
Florida State cruised in Week 1 behind 300 passing yards and four TD passes from Everett Golson against Texas State. In Week 2, Florida State faces South Florida, where the Seminoles are about a four-touchdown favorite.
Maybe one of the more impressive teams in Week 1, Georgia Tech -- behind QB Justin Thomas and the Yellow Jackets' fantastic running game -- beat Alcorn State 69-6 and now face Tulane at home, where they are a 28-point favorite. Georgia Tech finished 10-4 ATS last season and is on a bit of a run, covering eight straight.
A big win for the Aggies in Week 1 over Arizona State on a neutral field, but as a four-point favorite, expectations are beginning to rise for A&M. In Week 2, the Aggies face Ball State and really have their next test in Week 4 at Arkansas.
In the battle of two of the three winningest programs in FBS history, Notre Dame came up on top of Texas 38-3, covering the 10-point spread. The Fighting Irish now face Virginia in Week 2 and look to continue the streak for QB Malik Zaire.
After beating up on Akron in Week 1, Oklahoma gets a stiffer test in Week 2 against Tennessee. The Volunteers are ranked 20th in the CFB Vegas Rankings, and Oklahoma is about a pick'em against Tennessee in Week 2.
Clemson opened up the season against Wofford before facing Appalachian State this upcoming weekend. Then the schedule gets tough: at Louisville, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. By Oct. 10, we should know a lot more about the Tigers.
What an opportunity. Tennessee hosts Oklahoma in Week 2, and with a win could start the season 3-0 heading into the swamp to face Florida. Tennessee and Oklahoma is an early week pick'em, and the Sooners have not been an underdog since the Sugar Bowl against Alabama.
Wisconsin lost to Alabama 35-17 in Week 1 and should bounce back with a convincing win against Miami (Ohio) at home in Week 2. Wisconsin was just 3-4 ATS at home last season.
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</article>In one of the shocking upsets in Week 1, Stanford lost to Northwestern 16-6 as a 10-point favorite. Northwestern has been especially upset-happy lately, winning four games as a touchdown or greater underdog the last two seasons, but no excuse from Stanford, which should bounce back against Central Florida.
Another case of taking care of business but not covering the point spread. Missouri beat SE Missouri State 34-3 and did not cover. In Week 2, Missouri hits the road against Arkansas State.
Boise State barely squeaked by in Week 1, beating Washington 16-13 as a 12-point favorite. In Week 2, Boise State is a small road favorite against BYU after a tough test against Washington.
Utah faces in-state rival Utah State in Week 2 after beating Jim Harbaugh and Michigan in its season opener. Utah is about a two-touchdown favorite against Utah State and looks to open the season 2-0 ATS after finishing 9-4 ATS last year.
