Saturday’s results didn’t blow up the AP Top 25, but they did leave a few clear fingerprints on the new Week 6 rankings. Missouri was the headline mover, Alabama nudged upward, and Florida took the hardest hit after a rough afternoon against the Tigers.
Missouri did the kind of damage that changes how voters see a team. The Tigers blasted Florida 45-17 and climbed 11 spots to No. 14, the biggest jump in the poll.
It wasn’t just a win on paper - Missouri controlled the game from the opening stretch, leaning on a physical defense and a strong passing attack to leave a real impression. A week ago, the Tigers were nowhere near the top 10 conversation.
Now they’re sitting at No. 14 with plenty of runway left if this level of play sticks.
Alabama also moved in the right direction, rising from No. 7 to No. 6 after beating Mississippi State.
Florida, though, was the week’s biggest faller. The Gators dropped eight places, sliding from No. 8 to No. 16 after the 45-17 loss to Missouri.
That’s a steep reversal for a team that had been one of the biggest risers in the previous poll. Coming into the weekend, Florida looked like a serious SEC contender.
Now it has a lot to answer for.
Iowa was another notable drop, falling six spots from No. 14 to No. 20 after Ohio State beat the Hawkeyes at home.
Here’s how the AP Top 25 looks heading into Week 6:
Texas (61)
Georgia (6)
Notre Dame
Miami (2)
Ohio State
Alabama
Indiana (1)
BYU
Ole Miss
LSU
Texas Tech
Utah
Oregon
Missouri
Tennessee
Florida
Mississippi State
Oklahoma State
USC
Iowa
UCLA
Houston
Boise State
SMU
Pittsburgh
In Other News...
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Before Alabama turns its attention to Georgia, there were a couple of encouraging signs worth noting from the latest game. Keelon Russell gave the offense a lift by throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground, and the run game got meaningful help from a deeper group of backs, including Traeshawn Brown and EJ Crowell.
Xavier Griffin also stood out on the other side of the ball, leading the team in tackles and helping make several key defensive plays. Just as important for a defense looking to steady itself, Alabamas run front was much firmer against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to 18 rushing yards and giving the Tide something concrete to carry into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods Struggles Leave Michigan With An Uncomfortable Week 5 Reality
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For Alabama, that kind of production matters not just in the standings but in the broader SEC picture, where quarterback play can change the feel of a season quickly. Around the country, other programs were dealing with their own storylines in Week 5, but Russells emergence has given Alabama a promising answer at the position and left the rest of the league watching what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Has A Real Shot To Climb After Saturdays Top 25 Chaos
Saturdays college football slate did Alabama a favor, even before the next AP Top 25 poll gets posted. USC barely survived an upset scare, Ohio State and Missouri both had results worth watching, and a few teams around the country did enough to create the kind of weekend that tends to shake up the middle and upper tiers of the rankings.
For Alabama, the bigger point is simple: the Crimson Tide have a real path to move up if the voters decide the chaos mattered as much as the resumes. The poll will be refreshed soon, and with conference play still unfolding, there is a decent chance the order gets jumbled in a way that opens the door for Alabama to climb if enough teams ahead of it wobble. [Read more 🡒]