Oregon has earned the top spot in The Associated Press college football poll for the third consecutive week, showcasing a strong case for the College Football Playoff selection committee’s upcoming rankings. This is the Ducks’ first time being the unanimous No. 1, driven by their impressive 21-point victory on the road against Michigan.
Georgia, which received one first-place vote last week, remains in the second position after rallying late to secure a win over Florida, despite Carson Beck throwing three interceptions during the game. Ohio State climbs to No. 3 following a decisive win at Penn State, marking their eighth consecutive victory in the series. No. 4 Miami kept its momentum going with a victory over Duke, while No. 5 Texas, which had a bye week, also moved up a spot. Meanwhile, Penn State fell from the top five to No. 6.
This season’s expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams makes it less certain that losses to other highly-ranked teams will deduct a team from the national championship race. The committee’s first rankings will be made public on Tuesday and will be updated weekly until the final bracket announcement on December 8.
Tennessee retained its No. 7 ranking despite a struggle against three-win Kentucky, eventually winning 28-18. In a significant rise, Indiana vaulted five places to No. 8, marking their highest ranking since being No. 7 in 2020, which is notably their best in a non-pandemic season since reaching No. 4 during their 1967 Rose Bowl year. The Hoosiers dominated Michigan State 47-10 on the road, achieving a historic 9-0 record, with every win this season by a margin of at least ten points.
No. 9 BYU and No. 10 Notre Dame both had a week off. Notably, SMU’s commanding 48-25 victory over Pittsburgh allowed the Mustangs to ascend from No. 20 to No. 13, marking the most significant upward shift this week. This is their highest ranking since reaching No. 3 in October 1985, prior to NCAA sanctions that halted the program in 1987 following serious rule infractions. The university also opted out of fielding a team in 1988.
Poll Highlights
The biggest falls were recorded by Clemson and Iowa State, both of which were tied for No. 11 last week. Clemson dropped eight spots to No. 19 after a 33-21 deficit against Louisville, while Iowa State fell six positions to No. 17 following a close 23-22 loss to Texas Tech. Additionally, Texas A&M, Kansas State, and Pittsburgh each slipped five spots this week.
Army achieved its highest rank at No. 18 since being No. 10 midseason in 1960, and Boise State is at No. 12 for the first time since ending 2011 ranked No. 8. Notably, Indiana has surpassed Notre Dame in the rankings for the first time since 1979, a season when the Hoosiers were No. 19, while the Irish were unranked, despite the schools being only 200 miles apart in Indiana.
In-and-Out
Vanderbilt’s 17-7 win at Auburn reinstated them in the rankings at No. 24 after a week off. Louisville, which was ranked last month, returned at No. 25 due to its unexpected victory over Clemson. Meanwhile, Illinois dropped out of the rankings following a 25-17 defeat to Minnesota at home, ending their seven-week presence in the Top 25. Missouri, which had consistently ranked until recently, fell out after an open week, despite holding No. 25 last week through a 34-0 loss to Alabama.
Conference Overview
SEC leads with 8 teams (Nos. 2, 5, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 24). The ACC follows with 5 teams (Nos. 4, 13, 19, 23, 25). The Big Ten has 4 teams (Nos. 1, 3, 6, 8), while the Big 12 contributes 4 (Nos. 9, 17, 21, 22). The AAC and Mountain West each have 1 (Nos. 18 and 12, respectively), alongside the Pac-12 (No. 20) and an Independent team (No. 10).
Ranked Matches Ahead
This week features compelling matchups, including No. 2 Georgia facing No. 16 Mississippi. The Bulldogs have not visited Oxford since their 45-14 defeat there in 2016, although they previously handled Ole Miss 52-17 at home last year. Also on the docket is No. 11 Alabama meeting up with No. 14 LSU, where a thrilling overtime win saw LSU celebrating a field-storm a couple of years back when Alabama last played in Death Valley. Both teams enter after a bye week.
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