The latest Associated Press college football poll saw significant changes following an eventful week of games. Texas reclaimed the No. 1 spot after an upset by Vanderbilt over Alabama caused the Crimson Tide to fall to No. 7. This drop marked one of the biggest falls from the top spot since 2010 when Ohio State fell to No. 11 after a loss to Wisconsin.
Texas, despite not playing, received 52 out of 61 first-place votes to become the first team in two years to move in and out of the top spot within three polls. Ohio State secured nine first-place votes and rose to No. 2 after a decisive victory over Iowa. Oregon and Penn State also climbed three spots each, landing at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, while Georgia maintained its position at No. 5.
Miami’s stunning comeback from a 25-point deficit against California led to a two-spot rise to No. 6. The chaos extended beyond Alabama, with six ranked teams suffering losses to unranked opponents, the highest such occurrence since 2020.
In another surprising turn of events, Tennessee, Michigan, and Southern California all fell in the rankings after losses to unranked teams. Texas A&M’s convincing victory over Missouri propelled them to No. 15, while Missouri dropped to No. 21.
The Big Ten dominated the top five positions in the poll, with the SEC asserting its strength in the top 10. The SEC boasted teams such as Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi in the top rankings. Meanwhile, Clemson and Iowa State were among the biggest movers in the poll.
Among the teams entering and exiting the Top 25, SMU secured a spot after defeating Louisville on the road, while Pittsburgh made its first appearance in two years after starting 5-0. As for USC and UNLV, both teams fell out of the rankings after recent losses.
In terms of conference representation, the SEC led with nine teams in the Top 25, followed by the Big Ten with six teams. The ACC and Big 12 each had four teams in the rankings, while one team from the Mountain West and one independent team also made the cut.
Upcoming matchups to watch include Texas against Oklahoma, Ohio State facing Oregon, and Mississippi going up against LSU. These games are expected to have significant College Football Playoff implications, adding to the excitement of the season.
