Oregon has maintained its position as the top team in the college football landscape for the fourth consecutive week, according to the latest Top 25 poll released on Sunday. Meanwhile, Penn State and Indiana have made notable strides, entering the top five, while teams like Georgia and Miami have fallen out of the top 10. The shakeup comes as several ranked teams faced defeats, adding intrigue as the regular season approaches its conclusion.
This season, Oregon is the only team to hold the No. 1 spot for an extended period, achieving a decisive victory against Maryland to reach 10-0. The Ducks are the unanimous favorite for the second week in a row, showing their dominance on the field. Ohio State climbed to the No. 2 position, and Texas made a leap to No. 3, with Penn State closely behind at No. 4. Indiana now ranks fifth, just a single point ahead of Tennessee, which is at No. 6.
After a convincing victory over Washington, Penn State improved from last week’s No. 6 ranking back into the top five. Indiana’s win over Michigan marked a significant achievement, as it secured their tenth overall victory and their first win by less than 14 points, culminating in their highest ranking since they were at No. 4 in the final 1967 standings.
The top 10 is rounded out by Tennessee, BYU, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Mississippi, with the Southeastern Conference showcasing four teams in the top 10 and an impressive total of nine in the Top 25. The Big Ten also boasts four teams, all ranked within the top five.
Conversely, Georgia and Miami faced significant setbacks. The Bulldogs suffered a 28-10 defeat against Mississippi, dropping from No. 2 to No. 11 and marking the first time they have fallen out of the top 10 since late 2020. Miami lost 28-23 at Georgia Tech, causing them to drop from No. 4 to No. 12.
The impact of these losses on their potential spots in the College Football Playoff will be revealed when the selection committee reveals its updated rankings on Tuesday night. As of now, Georgia stands as the fifth-highest ranked team from the SEC, while Miami leads the Atlantic Coast Conference.
In the latest poll movements, Mississippi made a significant jump from No. 16 to No. 10, thanks to an impressive defensive display against Georgia. LSU, however, saw its playoff aspirations dashed with a heavy 42-13 defeat to Alabama, causing them to fall from No. 14 to No. 21.
Colorado is in a strong position for a playoff bid, currently occupying second place in the Big 12, just behind undefeated BYU. Their paths do not cross in the regular season, but if both remain successful, they would meet in the conference championship.
Boise State fell one spot toNo. 13, holding the title as the highest-ranked Group of Five team after their recent victory over Nevada.
In terms of team changes within the rankings, No. 23 South Carolina earned a spot in the Top 25 for the first time since 2022, following victories over ranked teams Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. Missouri returned to the rankings at No. 24 after defeating Oklahoma, while Tulane made its debut at No. 25 after a seven-game winning streak under new head coach Jon Sumrall.
On the flip side, Iowa State, Pittsburgh, and Vanderbilt fell out of the rankings. Iowa State experienced its second consecutive loss against a struggling Kansas team. Pittsburgh lost at home to Virginia after a previous defeat against SMU, and Vanderbilt has struggled with two losses in their last three games.
Regarding conference distribution, the SEC leads with nine teams in the rankings, while the ACC follows with four, and the Big Ten matches that number. The Big 12 has three teams represented, with two from the AAC, one from the Mountain West, and one from the Pac-12.
Looking ahead, key matchups will include No. 6 Tennessee facing No. 11 Georgia, where Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava is expected to return after missing the second half of a previous game. Tennessee has struggled historically against Georgia, failing to score more than 21 points during a seven-game losing streak. Another important game is the clash between No. 24 Missouri and No. 23 South Carolina, with the Tigers looking to continue their winning streak against the Gamecocks, who strive for a third consecutive victory over ranked opponents.