The Week 2 AP college football poll is in, and the Oregon Ducks have leapfrogged the Alabama Crimson Tide to take over the No. 2 spot behind Florida State. The Ducks jumping to second in the nation isn’t surprising after their 46-27 win over Michigan State, but it was certainly in question at halftime.
During the first half of the Oregon Ducks – Michigan State game Saturday, the storyline looked all too familiar. Oregon’s slashy offense had done well against the Spartans defense, but the Ducks’ defense struggled during the second quarter. Michigan took a lead into the half.
Oregon looked to be on its heels to start the second half, when quarterback Marcus Mariota made an quick-thinking pitch lay that turned the tide of the game. The Ducks scored 28 unanswered points, their defense buckled down, and Oregon walked away with the victory in Autzen Stadium.
Florida State remains the No. 1 team in the AP Poll, followed by Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma and Auburn.
The top 10 are rounded out by Georgia, Texas A&M, Baylor, USC and LSU.
Oregon received 16 first-place votes from the media panel after their Michigan State win. Florida State received 38 after its 37-12 victory over the Citadel Bulldogs.
Had you left the game at halftime, “Oregon Ducks pass Alabama” would be about the farthest thing from fans’ minds. But that’s just what happened.
Mariota’s tide-turning pass cemented him as a Heisman Trophy favorite. It also turned the Tide into a third-ranked team.
The Crimson Tide received 1 first-place vote, along with Georgia. Oklahoma received 2 first-place votes, as did Texas A&M.