Ohio State’s performance on the field is matched only by its dominance online.
“The University of South Carolina’s College Sports Social Pulse™, which tracks the passion of fans across social media, kept the Buckeyes at No. 1 for the second week in a row. Ohio State upset Texas and Arch Manning in Columbus.
The week’s biggest mover was Florida State, which leapt 24 spots from No. 31 to No. 7, fueled by its primetime win over Alabama.
The surprise of the week was Syracuse, vaulting from No. 59 to No. 10 despite a lopsided loss to Tennessee. Analysis suggests the Orange benefited from the gravitational pull of Tennessee’s massive fan base as well as some transfer chatter.
“Week One shows why the Pulse matters,” said Clay Owen, professor of practice at the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications. “Florida State and Syracuse tell two very different stories. One is fueled by on-field success, the other by transfer chatter and the cheers from Rocky Top. The Pulse reveals how fans actually shape the conversation, beyond the scoreboard.”
Top 10 Teams – Week One
- Ohio State
- Alabama
- Texas
- LSU
- Michigan
- Notre Dame
- Florida State
- Tennessee
- Oklahoma
- Syracuse
In the player rankings, Arch Madness continues. Texas quarterback Arch Manning remains No. 1 despite Texas’ loss to Ohio State and a roughly 17 percent decline in fan sentiment from Week Zero.
Ohio State dominated the player rankings with three athletes in the Top 10 — Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs and Julian Sayin. The breakout star of Week One was South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who climbed 22 spots to No. 5.
Top 10 Players – Week One
- Arch Manning – Texas
- John Mateer – Oklahoma
- Jeremiah Smith – Ohio State
- Bryce Underwood – Michigan
- LaNorris Sellers – South Carolina
- Caleb Downs – Ohio State
- Joey Aguilar – Tennessee
- Julian Sayin – Ohio State
- Malik Washington – Maryland
- Jayden Maiava – USC
Among coaches, Deion Sanders continues to dominate at No. 1, but the biggest storylines are in the state of Alabama. Auburn’s Hugh Freeze surged to No. 3 thanks to the Tigers’ strong start. Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer made a massive leap, climbing from No. 59 in Week Zero to No. 7 in Week One, despite the Tide’s loss to Florida State.
“The Pulse doesn’t just reward wins, it measures conversation,” Owen said. “Kalen DeBoer went from 59 to No. 7 in one week — proof that fan attention can put you in the spotlight even when the storyline is pressure and criticism, not celebration.”
Similarly, North Carolina’s Bill Belichick held steady at No. 4 despite a blowout loss to TCU.
Top 10 Coaches – Week One
- Deion Sanders – Colorado
- Marcus Freeman – Notre Dame
- Hugh Freeze – Auburn
- Bill Belichick – North Carolina
- Mike Norvell – Florida State
- Ryan Day – Ohio State
- Kalen DeBoer – Alabama
- Steve Sarkisian – Texas
- Josh Heupel – Tennessee
- Brent Venables – Oklahoma
Methodology
The College Sports Social Pulse Week Zero rankings are built from millions of social posts across X, Instagram, Reddit, and more. Using a formula that blends volume, sentiment, and engagement, the Pulse shows who’s winning the online conversation.
Week One measures online activity from Aug. 27 through Aug. 2. Every Pulse ranking reflects a single week of activity (Tuesday through Monday). This shift allows the Pulse to capture the volatility of college football in real time — the weekly rises, falls and breakout storylines that define the sport beyond the field.
About the Pulse
The College Sports Social Pulse™, developed by the University of South Carolina’s Social Media Insights Lab, analyzes millions of social media posts each week to track the shifting heartbeat of college football fandom. Using a proprietary blend of volume, sentiment and engagement, the Pulse reveals which teams, players and coaches are dominating the national conversation online — regardless of what the scoreboard says.