Auburn’s upset of No. 1 Georgia did more than flip a scoreboard on Saturday. It pushed the Tigers back into the national conversation, with Auburn picking up 55 votes in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll after its 27-24 win over the Bulldogs.
That total was the fourth-most votes earned by any team outside the top 25, a clear sign the win carried real weight with the coaches. Georgia, meanwhile, tumbled to No. 4 after starting the week at the top.
The biggest shakeup at the top belongs to Miami, Ohio State and BYU. Miami climbed into No. 1 after surviving Florida State in overtime, Ohio State moved to No. 2 after knocking off defending national champion Indiana on the road, and BYU rose to No. 3 after holding off Notre Dame following ESPN’s College GameDay visit.
The poll now features nine teams from this week’s top 25. Georgia sits at No. 4, Ole Miss joins the top 10 at No. 7, and Tennessee checks in at No. 11 after beating Alabama at home for its third straight win over the Crimson Tide in Neyland Stadium.
Kentucky made one of the bigger jumps, climbing five spots to No. 12 after beating Oklahoma. Alabama slipped from No. 7 to No. 13 after suffering its second straight loss.
Auburn’s next opponent, LSU, is back in the top 20 at No. 17 after shutting out Mississippi State. Texas, once the No. 1 team just two weeks ago, kept sliding and now sits at No. 18 after its loss to Florida.
Missouri rounds out the top 25 at No. 21, with Florida at No. 24. Mississippi State fell out of the rankings and now joins Auburn in the receiving-votes group.
Here is a look at the latest US LBM Coaches Poll
Published October 18, 2026
Schools Dropped Out
No. 19 Mississippi State; No. 20 Oklahoma State;
Others Receiving Votes
Arizona 141; Oklahoma State 87; James Madison 80; Auburn 55; Mississippi State 32; Nebraska 19; Oregon State 17; New Mexico 16; UTSA 13; Michigan 10; North Dakota State 8; Wisconsin 7; Duke 7; North Carolina 5; Pittsburgh 4; Air Force 3; North Texas 1;
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Had To Admit What Auburn Did To Georgia
Auburn did more than just survive Saturday's matchup with Georgia, it controlled enough of the game to walk out with a win after taking a halftime lead and protecting it the rest of the way. Kirby Smart had to give Auburn its due afterward, pointing to the Tigers' cleaner execution while Georgia spent too much of the afternoon dealing with uncharacteristic mistakes and penalties.
For Auburn, the result was a timely statement against one of the SEC's standard-bearers. For Georgia, it was a reminder that even a team still sitting atop the conference standings can look vulnerable on the wrong day, though the Bulldogs remain positioned to make the College Football Playoff. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Is Treating The Georgia Win Like A Message To Everyone
Alex Golesh wasted little time turning Auburns upset of No. 1 Georgia into a standard he wants his program to chase, not celebrate as an outlier. The Tigers erased a 14-0 hole and walked away with a 27-24 win, giving Golesh his first victory over a top-ranked team and Auburn its biggest comeback since 2019. In the moment, it was a signature win. In Goleshs telling, it was also proof that the Tigers can do more than just hang around with elite opponents.
The challenge now is making sure the result changes the way Auburn is viewed every week, not just for a night. Golesh has kept the message centered on one play at a time and on taking advantage when chances come, which matters with LSU and Ole Miss both still ahead on the schedule. For Auburn, the Georgia game offered a burst of belief. The next test is whether that belief can travel with the Tigers into another stretch against ranked competition. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Georgia Stunner Meant Even More For Alex Golesh And Byrum Brown
The win over No. 1 Georgia was already the kind of result that can change a seasons mood in an instant, but it carried an extra layer for Alex Golesh and Byrum Brown. Golesh came away impressed not just by the final outcome, but by the way Brown handled the moment, with the quarterback doing plenty of the heavy lifting in Auburns biggest victory of the year. Brown finished with 115 rushing yards, 150 passing yards and two touchdowns, a performance that fit the poise Golesh said he values most.
What stood out afterward was the mutual respect between the coach and quarterback, a reminder that this one was about more than a signature upset. Golesh pointed to Browns preparation and toughness, using the night as another example of why trust in the process and a collective approach still matter when the opponent is ranked No. 1. For Auburn, the victory will live on for what it meant in the standings, but for Golesh and Brown, it also served as a validation of the work that had been building behind the scenes. [Read more 🡒]