Oregon has held onto its top position in the college football landscape, as it retained the unanimous No. 1 spot in the latest Top 25 poll. This comes following a narrow victory over Wisconsin, while Notre Dame and Alabama improved their rankings by two places. Additionally, Georgia has re-entered the top 10 for the first time this season, while LSU has fallen out of the rankings after two years of consistent presence.
The undefeated Ducks topped the AP Top 25 for the fifth consecutive week, surpassing Texas to claim the most weeks at No. 1 this season. Oregon received all 62 first-place votes for the third week in a row, despite managing their lowest offensive output in 37 games with a 16-13 triumph over Wisconsin. As it stands, the Ducks also lead the College Football Playoff rankings and are poised to achieve their first flawless regular season since 2010 with their upcoming matchup against Washington in two weeks.
Following the Ducks in the AP poll are Ohio State at No. 2, Texas at No. 3, Penn State at No. 4, and Indiana at No. 5, marking a consistent top five for two straight weeks. The rankings may see significant changes this week, as Indiana is set to face off against Ohio State in what is expected to be an exciting encounter.
Completing the top 10 are Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, with Georgia climbing three spots to No. 8 after its victory over Tennessee, winning by a score of 31-17. Mississippi, which did not compete this past weekend, moved up one position, while Tennessee fell four spots but remained within the top 10.
The Big Ten continues to dominate, holding four of the top five positions, while the Southeastern Conference (SEC) contributes five teams to the top 10. In a surprising turn, BYU’s recent 17-13 loss at home to Kansas dropped them from No. 7 to No. 14, resulting in a tie for first place in the Big 12 alongside Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes, currently ranked No. 16.
This week has seen a record four teams from the Group of Five conferences featured in the Top 25. Boise State holds the highest ranking at No. 12 among these squads and is the leading contender for a guaranteed playoff spot. Meanwhile, No. 23 UNLV joins Boise State as a ranked team from the Mountain West; in addition, the American Athletic Conference boasts two ranked teams with Army at No. 18 and Tulane at No. 20.
LSU, having suffered its third consecutive loss at Florida, is now unranked for the first time since October 16, 2022, ending a streak of 36 consecutive polls where they held a position.
In highlights from the recent poll, Oregon’s win over Wisconsin marked its third victory of the season by a margin of three points or fewer. Tulane’s impressive 35-0 rout of Navy propelled them from No. 25 to No. 20, not only signifying their first shutout against a conference foe since 1960 but also setting the stage for a clash against No. 18 Army in the upcoming AAC championship game.
No. 16 Colorado reached its highest ranking since December 4, 2016, and No. 19 South Carolina saw its highest ranking since September 21, 2014.
On the comeback front, Arizona State broke into the Top 25 for the first time since October 10, 2021, following an encouraging performance against Kansas State. Iowa State also rejoined the rankings at No. 22 after a victory over Cincinnati, ending a brief absence from the polls. UNLV, ranked at No. 23, has capitalized on recent success after starting the season at 4-0. Illinois made its eighth appearance in the Top 25 this season, the most for the program since 2001. Teams like Missouri, Kansas State, and Louisville dropped out of the rankings alongside LSU due to their recent losses.
In terms of conference representation, the SEC boasts seven teams in the top spots, while the Big Ten claims five. The Big 12 has four, the ACC three, the AAC two, the Mountain West also two, and the Pac-12 represents one, alongside an independent school ranked as well.
Several intriguing matchups are on the horizon, such as No. 5 Indiana against No. 2 Ohio State, as the significance of this showdown increases with Indiana’s impressive run through ten consecutive unranked opponents. The compelling question remains: just how strong are the Hoosiers?
Additionally, a clash between No. 14 BYU and No. 21 Arizona State will determine necessary playoff runs, especially as the Sun Devils look to secure their spot in the Big 12, while Army faces No. 6 Notre Dame in what’s being billed as a historic match, with both teams ranked for the first time in decades.