Oregon has secured the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press Top 25 poll for the sixth consecutive week and remains the last unbeaten team. Close behind are Ohio State, Texas, and Penn State, who maintained their positions following a tumultuous weekend across college football.
The rankings saw significant movement starting at No. 5, where Notre Dame re-entered the top 10 for the first time since Week 2 after triumphing over Army, marking their ninth consecutive victory. Georgia and Tennessee each climbed two places to No. 6 and No. 7 respectively, while Miami advanced three spots to No. 8. Notably, SMU made a remarkable jump of four positions to land at No. 9, achieving their first top-10 ranking since 1985. The Mustangs have already secured a place in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game and could face Miami, given the Hurricanes’ upcoming match against Syracuse, or No. 12 Clemson.
Indiana experienced a setback, plummeting from No. 5 to No. 10 after suffering their first defeat, a 38-15 loss to Ohio State. If Ohio State can overcome Michigan this Saturday, they will find themselves in a Big Ten championship clash against Oregon.
This weekend proved challenging for the Southeastern Conference (SEC), as their chances of securing four spots in the College Football Playoff suffered with two teams, Alabama and Mississippi, losing as double-digit favorites. With Alabama falling 24-3 to Oklahoma and Mississippi losing 24-17 to Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee are now the only SEC teams with fewer than three losses. Alabama and Mississippi each dropped six spots in the AP poll, landing at No. 13 and No. 15 respectively.
Additionally, Texas A&M was the third SEC team to lose, falling 43-41 to Auburn in a thrilling four-overtime game, resulting in a five-spot drop to No. 20. However, the Aggies could face Georgia in the SEC championship if they manage to defeat Texas this week.
In the Big 12, losses by BYU and Colorado led to a four-way tie for first place. No. 14 Arizona State, previously predicted to finish last in the conference, delivered BYU its second consecutive defeat and now stands as the highest-ranked team from the Big 12. No. 17 Iowa State also improved its position by five spots after emerging victorious against Utah. BYU is ranked No. 19, while Colorado occupies No. 23 following their loss to Kansas.
If all four teams—Arizona State, Iowa State, BYU, and Colorado—conclude the season at 7-2 within the conference, the Big 12 championship game will see Iowa State face Arizona State.
Boise State, sitting at No. 11, leads the four ranked teams from the Group of Five, moving up one spot despite a struggle to defeat a two-win Wyoming team. Tulane ranks No. 18, UNLV is at No. 21, and Army is back at No. 25.
Poll Insights
Oregon is recognized as the consensus No. 1 team for the fourth straight week and has a chance to finish the regular season unbeaten for the first time since 2010 if they defeat Washington at home this Saturday.
Boise State’s ranking is its highest since being No. 8 in the final poll of the 2011 season, while Arizona State’s current standing is its best since it reached No. 12 in the final poll of the 2014 season. The Indiana-Ohio State clash was the last top-five matchup of this regular season, contributing to the highest number of top-five matches since 1996.
In and Out
No. 24 Missouri, after securing a 39-20 victory at Mississippi State, has re-entered the Top 25 following a brief absence. Meanwhile, Washington State’s four-week stint in the rankings ended after their second consecutive loss, falling 41-38 to Oregon State.
Conference Breakdown
SEC — 8 (Nos. 3, 6, 7, 13, 15, 16, 20, 24).
Big Ten — 5 (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 10, 22).
Big 12 — 4 (Nos. 14, 17, 19, 23).
ACC — 3 (Nos. 8, 9, 12).
AAC — 2 (Nos. 18, 25).
Mountain West — 2 (Nos. 11, 21).
Independent — 1 (No. 5).
Ranked vs. Ranked
— No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: This matchup marks a return to the Top 25 for the first time since 2013. Clemson’s previous 16-7 win in Columbia last year was one of five straight to wrap up the Tigers’ season.
— No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M: The stakes are high in this long-standing rivalry, the first meeting since both teams were in the Big 12 in 2011. The winner secures a place in the SEC title game.
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