Oregon has made a significant impact in its inaugural season in the Big Ten, while Indiana has experienced an impressive revival. These developments have resulted in four teams from the conference achieving top-five rankings in the AP college football poll for the first time ever.
Historically, the Big Ten has had three teams in the top five on 16 different occasions throughout the 88 years of the poll’s existence. This season alone, the conference has seen this occur four times.
Currently, Oregon and Ohio State hold the first and second spots in the rankings, followed by Penn State and Indiana at the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Texas from the Southeastern Conference is situated at No. 3.
It is noteworthy that there are no additional ranked teams from the Big Ten outside of the top five. Indiana has achieved a program milestone by going 10-0 for the first time after narrowly defeating Michigan 20-15, marking their first single-digit victory of the season.
First-year head coach Curt Cignetti commented on the win, noting the lack of “style points,” emphasizing that there might not be significant support for Indiana’s higher ranking in the College Football Playoff (CFP) standings.
The second rankings of the CFP will be unveiled on Tuesday evening, leaving observers curious to see if the selection committee will align with the AP poll’s sentiments toward the Big Ten. In the initial CFP rankings, Oregon and Ohio State were placed first and second, while Penn State and Indiana were ranked sixth and eighth, respectively.
Indiana has marked its highest position in the AP rankings since the end of the 1967 season when they also finished at No. 4. With an impending bye week, the Hoosiers will prepare for their significant matchup against Ohio State on November 23, followed by a final regular-season game against Purdue on their home field.
Following a victory over Maryland, Oregon also boasts a 10-0 record. Ohio State remains in contention at 8-1, having recently shut out Purdue with a score of 45-0, with their sole loss to Oregon. Penn State shares a record of 8-1 as they triumphed over Washington with a score of 35-6.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is the only other conference that has seen four teams ranked within the top five. This scenario first occurred in 2014, and the SEC has achieved similar placements across four polls this season.
Highlighting five teams from the Top 25:
**No. 1 Oregon** Coach Dan Lanning acknowledged that the Ducks did not perform to their potential against Maryland, supported by their tally of 12 penalties for 95 yards. As they prepare for their matchup against Wisconsin, they will aim for a more refined approach. A standout moment for Oregon was Dillon Gabriel’s three touchdown passes during the game, which brought his career total to a record 180 touchdowns responsible for in the FBS.
**No. 6 Tennessee** Volunteers’ fans experienced a moment of anxiety when quarterback Nico Iamaleava sustained a fierce hit late in the first half against Mississippi State, resulting in his absence for the second half. Coach Josh Heupel announced post-game that Iamaleava is anticipated to return for the upcoming game against Georgia. Dylan Sampson achieved a personal best of 149 rushing yards, surpassing the 1,000 mark for the season in the Volunteers’ victorious outing of 33-14.
**No. 7 BYU** The unbeaten Cougars secured their highest ranking since 2009 after clinching a victory over rival Utah in Salt Lake City, marking their first win there since 2006. The Cougars triumphed in the “Holy War” 22-21, completing the feat of scoring the winning points on their final drive—a significant moment considering they began at their own nine-yard line, aided by a defensive holding penalty before Will Ferrin successfully kicked a 44-yard field goal with just three seconds remaining.
**No. 16 Army** The Black Knights emphasized their defensive strength in a 14-3 victory over North Texas, enjoying a bye week before facing No. 8 Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium. Army stands as one of four unbeaten teams in the FBS, boasting a 13-game win streak—the longest in the nation and their most extended since the 1949-50 seasons. Quarterback Bryson Daily made a comeback, rushing for 153 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense has maintained a two-game streak without allowing a touchdown.
**No. 25 Tulane** The Green Wave has entered the rankings for the first time this season, having made appearances in the poll at least once over the past three seasons. A commanding 52-6 victory over Temple extended their winning streak in the American Athletic Conference to 16 games. They will end the regular season with games against Navy and at home against Memphis.
**Extra Points:**
Miami’s defeat to Georgia Tech marked the fourth instance this season where a top-five team lost to an unranked opponent, the highest number since 2021.
South Carolina has entered the rankings at No. 23 for the first time this season after consecutively defeating two Top 25 teams, marking their first appearance since being ranked 23rd in the last poll of 2022.
Iowa State, which was previously ranked No. 9 on October 13, has encountered two consecutive losses after starting 7-0, experiencing a decline in rankings over four weeks, culminating in dropping out of the rankings following a loss to Kansas.