Georgia has climbed to the No. 2 spot in the latest AP Top 25 poll, coming in just behind Oregon, who secured the top rank. Despite their losses in the conference championship games, both Texas and Penn State remain within the top five. Notably, Arizona State has reentered the top 10 for the first time in ten years.

Oregon, having maintained an unbeaten record, will enter the College Football Playoff as the top seed for the eighth consecutive week and retains its status as the unanimous choice for the sixth straight time after their victory against Penn State in the Big Ten championship. The announcement coincided closely with the release of the College Football Playoff rankings.

Meanwhile, Alabama and SMU are eyeing the last available at-large playoff spot, sitting at No. 11 and No. 12 respectively in the Top 25. Georgia’s thrilling overtime victory over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship allowed them to leap three positions, mirroring Oregon’s achievement of a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Idle this past Saturday, Notre Dame slid up one position to claim the No. 3 ranking, marking its highest position since the end of the 2020 season. Texas and Penn State each fell by two spots but remain poised to earn at-large bids in the playoff. Rounding out the top ten were Ohio State, Tennessee, Boise State, Indiana, and Arizona State, all of whom are set to compete in the playoff.

Alabama has held onto its No. 11 ranking, while SMU dropped three spots following a narrow 34-31 defeat to Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. As a result, Clemson now claims the ACC’s automatic playoff bid and ranks No. 13, just behind SMU.

Arizona State’s victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship not only marked their first 11-win season since 1996 but also their return to the top 10 for the first time since they were ranked No. 7 after an 8-1 start in 2014.