1. Oregon (0-0, 2-0) ◄►

Dan Lanning might be the best coach in college football.

His Ducks humiliated Oklahoma State on the national stage, and they did it in style. The 69-3 beatdown sent a message to the rest of the country.

Oregon is for real. Dante Moore runs Will Stein’s offense efficiently, and the defense is elite.

There’s a lot to like about what’s going on in Eugene this year.

2. Utah (0-0, 2-0) ◄►

The Utes crushed Cal Poly the way elite teams handle FCS opponents.

The margin of victory is what the rest of the country needed to see. Because, bluntly, nobody tuned in to ESPN+ to watch the blowout.

In the bigger picture, UCLA losing to UNLV takes away some of the shine from the win in Week One.

But crushing Wyoming this week would further bolster Utah’s image as it heads into a critical matchup with Texas Tech in Week Four.

3. USC (0-0, 2-0) ▲1

The jury is still out on USC. Beating up on Group of Five opponents doesn’t do much to change perceptions.

Matt Leinart can try to hype up Jayden Maiava all he wants. The rest of us aren’t convinced. At least not yet.

How the team looks against Purdue will be more indicative of this year’s ceiling.

The Trojans should crush the Boilermakers and any hint of struggle would create doubt.

4. BYU (0-0, 2-0) ▲1

BYU passed its first test of the season.

Holding an ACC opponent to just three points and covering the spread is what we needed to see.

Bear Bachmeier’s numbers weren’t exactly great. And Stanford is not a good football team. But the win was a positive result that provides something to build on.

The Cougars’ defense has yet to allow a touchdown and is the clear strength of the team.

5. Washington (0-0, 2-0) ▲1

Jonah Coleman scored five touchdowns in a convincing win over FCS UC Davis.

The 70 points scored were the most Washington had put up in a game since dropping 70 on Oregon in 2016. That’s a great sign for the rest of the season.

Coleman is one of the top running backs in the country and Demond Williams Jr’s threat to run is a game-changer.

Watch out for UW this year.

6. UNLV (0-0, 3-0) ▲2

The Rebels are 3-0 after securing a critical win over UCLA.

The victory over the Big Ten school provides the necessary clout to compete for a spot in the Playoff.

With all the talent lost from last year’s team and the overhaul in the coaching staff, it was fair to question UNLV heading into the year. Those questions have been answered.

But it can all be thrown away if the Rebels stumble against Miami of Ohio after this week’s bye.

7. California (0-0, 2-0) ◄►

It was a good weekend for the Bears. The team crushed Texas Southern, and Stanford got beat up by BYU.

That’s a win/win for everyone wearing blue and gold.

This week’s matchup against Minnesota is a big moment. A victory over the Gophers in Berkeley would be noted around the country.

It’s time to show out, Cal fans.

8. Arizona State (0-0, 1-1) ▼5

Nobody is really surprised that Arizona State lost on the road to Mississippi State.

The team was so reliant on Cam Skattebo last year. Without him around, the Sun Devils look average at best.

Kenny Dillingham still needs to prove himself as a coach, and the fanbase needs to come back down to reality.

That’s just how it goes when you lose a generational talent.

9. Boise State (0-0, 1-1) ◄►

It’s never ideal to have your fate tied to the performance of another school. But South Florida’s victory over Florida changes the perception of the loss in the opener.

The margin of defeat will always be difficult to overcome.

Yet, the sticker shock of the loss is gone. It’s a long season, and the Playoff is still within reach.

Beating up on every opponent from here on out will help boost the resume.

10. Fresno State (0-0, 2-1) ▲NR

Going into Corvallis and leaving with a win changes the trajectory of the season. That is not an easy stadium to win at and the victory garners respect regionally.

Fresno State has a strong, multi-faceted run game. Quarterback E.J. Warner keeps defenses honest and the duo of Bryson Donelson and Rayshon Luke is a powerful one-two punch.

The Mountain West is wide open this year.

Why not Fresno State?

Dropped Out: Arizona