The landscape of college football is always shifting, and this week’s no exception. The Associated Press poll has seen some big changes, especially up at the top after a weekend full of upsets and wild finishes.
Teams are clawing for College Football Playoff (CFP) spots and conference championship berths. The stakes feel sky-high right now.
Let’s get into the latest AP Top 25 updates and what last weekend’s games might mean for the rest of the season.
Major Shifts in the Top Five
No. 4 Alabama’s eight-game winning streak ended with a tight 23-21 loss to No. 11 Oklahoma. That’s probably going to send the Crimson Tide tumbling in the rankings and puts their SEC championship and CFP hopes in real jeopardy.
No. 3 Texas A&M nearly suffered the same fate but pulled off a wild comeback to edge South Carolina 31-30. They’re still alive for the SEC title game, but it was closer than fans would’ve liked.
Georgia’s Climb
No. 5 Georgia made their case to move up with a convincing 35-10 win over No. 10 Texas. With Alabama stumbling, the Bulldogs should slide into that No. 4 spot.
Georgia looked dominant. If they keep this up, they might just be a real threat in the CFP picture.
Group of Five Shake-Up
The Group of Five (G5) scene got messy as No. 25 South Florida dropped a 41-38 heartbreaker to Navy. That loss cracks the door open for other American Conference teams like North Texas and Tulane, plus No. 24 James Madison from the Sun Belt, to chase the G5’s automatic CFP bid.
James Madison’s Rise
James Madison, who just broke into the rankings last week after a long absence, kept rolling with a 58-10 blowout of Appalachian State. They’re staying in the hunt for that G5 spot, and honestly, it’s hard not to root for them a little.
Top Teams Maintain Dominance
No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana both took care of business and held onto their spots atop the AP poll. Ohio State handled UCLA 48-10, while Indiana—now 11-0 for the first time ever—beat Wisconsin 31-7.
Ohio State’s Commanding Performance
Ohio State’s win over UCLA wasn’t even close. Their offense is humming, and right now, they look like the team to beat.
Indiana’s Historic Season
Indiana’s 31-7 victory over Wisconsin is just adding to their best start in school history. The Hoosiers keep surprising people and should hang onto their No. 2 ranking.
ACC’s Turbulent Landscape
The ACC is still a mess, with four teams sitting on just one conference loss. Two-loss Miami, though, might actually have the best CFP resume after smashing North Carolina State 41-7.
Meanwhile, Georgia Tech barely escaped a one-win Boston College squad, needing a last-second field goal to win 36-34. That’s not exactly inspiring confidence.
Miami’s Resurgence
Miami’s huge win over North Carolina State should push them ahead of Georgia Tech in the rankings. The CFP committee seems to agree, having recently put the Hurricanes above the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech’s Struggles
Georgia Tech’s recent games haven’t looked great, with a loss to N.C. State and that narrow escape against Boston College. This kind of inconsistency could drop them in the polls.
Other Notable Performances
Plenty of other teams made some noise over the weekend:
- No. 7 Oregon: The Ducks blew out Minnesota 42-13 and could snag the No. 6 spot back from Mississippi.
- No. 8 Texas Tech: The Red Raiders rolled UCF 48-9, making it three straight wins that have looked pretty darn good.
- No. 9 Notre Dame: The Irish handled Pittsburgh 37-15 on the road, keeping themselves firmly in the top ten.
- No. 12 BYU: BYU took down TCU 44-13, with Tanner Wall’s 68-yard pick-6 as the highlight of the day.
- No. 15 Utah: The Utes beat Baylor 55-28, staying alive in the Big 12 race, though they’ll need some help to make the title game.
- No. 20 Virginia: Virginia bounced back from a bad Wake Forest loss with a 34-17 win at Duke, thanks in part to quarterback Chandler Morris returning.
Teams on the Decline
Some teams are definitely sliding after rough weekends:
- No. 14 Georgia Tech: That close call against Boston College, combined with the N.C. State loss, could cost them in the rankings.
- No. 19 Louisville: Losing 20-19 to Clemson at home makes it two straight home defeats—probably enough to knock them out of the top 25.
- No. 23 Pittsburgh: A 22-point loss to Notre Dame isn’t a good look. They might fall out of the rankings, though there’s still a path to the ACC title game if things break right.
- No. 25 South Florida: That loss to Navy puts their G5 bid and ranking in real doubt.
Looking Ahead
The next few weeks? They’re going to be wild. Teams are scrambling for those last chances at conference titles and CFP spots.
Every single game suddenly matters a whole lot more. If you’re not already glued to the action, now’s the time.
Want to keep up with the latest rankings and some fresh analysis? Check out the AP Top 25 here.
And if you’re craving more college football news or just want to see what everyone’s buzzing about, swing by the AP News hub for updates.
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