Chaos hit college football again in Week 10, and the AP Top 25 is about to look a whole lot different because of it.
Eight ranked teams lost on Saturday, including No. 1, which opens the door for yet another shake-up at the top. That makes it five different No. 1 teams in the late-season stretch, with the pollsters now forced to sort through a fresh round of chaos after the first November slate.
Missouri and Florida are the teams dropping out this week, clearing the way for a new batch of movers and shakers across the board.
Georgia is set to reclaim the top spot after a brutal 42-7 dismantling of ranked Ole Miss, paired with the loss by the team sitting at No. 1.
That’s enough to push the reigning SEC champs back to No. 1.
Utah should also surge near the top after beating ranked BYU at home and taking control of the Big 12 race. Notre Dame, meanwhile, has a case for the top spot after knocking off the top-ranked Hurricanes, though the rest of its resume still trails what Utah and Georgia have put together.
Miami’s loss on the road in a close game to a ranked opponent is not expected to bury the Hurricanes. AP voters have been willing to be forgiving when a No. 1 team falls away from home in that kind of spot.
UCLA stays right in the mix after putting up 300 passing yards in an explosive win at Minnesota to remain unbeaten through nine games.
Alabama keeps its place among the elite two-loss teams after handling ranked LSU on the road. Texas also stays firmly in the conversation after a road win at ranked Missouri, with the Longhorns continuing to look like one of the 12 best teams in the country.
Indiana was idle, but the Hoosiers get a week to rest up before facing USC next, while the Trojans also had the weekend off and return at Indiana.
Texas Tech’s shootout win over West Virginia should help the Red Raiders climb, especially with several higher-ranked teams falling around them. They now sit more securely in second place in the Big 12.
Tennessee is headed for a strong rise after blowing past Kentucky 34-6. The Vols are 7-2 and have wins over two teams that were ranked in the top ten at the time, which gives them plenty of support from pollsters.
Wake Forest also gets a bump after crushing Merrimack 77-0 and sitting second in the ACC. Houston’s win over Cincinnati should help too, as the Cougars move to 7-2 with their only losses coming against Utah and Texas Tech.
Boise State put up 64 points on Colorado State despite not having its starting quarterback, and that kind of offensive explosion should keep the Broncos climbing. New Mexico, too, strengthened its grip on the Mountain West lead while also ranking No. 1 nationally in scoring defense.
Iowa’s road win at Northwestern should steady the Hawkeyes at 7-2, while Arizona’s narrow escape against TCU keeps the Wildcats in the poll, even if it took some late luck to get there.
South Carolina has quietly turned things around, going from 0-3 in SEC play to a four-game winning streak that includes wins over ranked Florida and Tennessee, plus a tight win over Texas A&M. Ole Miss, by contrast, is in line for one of the biggest drops after getting blown out at home by Georgia.
Ohio State’s second straight loss, this time at home to Oregon, puts Ryan Day’s team in a tough spot. The Buckeyes still have wins over Indiana and Iowa, but the playoff picture is looking bleak after the latest setback.
LSU’s slide continues after a 31-13 loss to Alabama, and the Tigers still don’t have a win over a CFP-ranked team. Kentucky’s four-touchdown loss at Tennessee will knock some shine off the Wildcats, though their wins over LSU and South Carolina still carry weight.
SMU should finally crack the rankings after sitting just outside the AP poll a week ago with 27 total votes. The Mustangs backed that up by rolling past Virginia Tech 51-28 and now have Wake Forest next.
Here’s how the projected AP Top 25 should shake out after Week 10:
- Georgia
- Utah
- Notre Dame
- UCLA
- Miami
- Alabama
- Indiana
- Texas
- Texas Tech
- BYU
- Wake Forest
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- Oregon
- Houston
- USC
- Boise State
- Ohio State
- Iowa
- New Mexico
- Ole Miss
- South Carolina
- LSU
- Arizona
- SMU
In Other News...
BYUs Utah Loss Exposed A Brutal Offense Defense Divide
BYUs 28-20 loss to Utah left plenty of room for second-guessing, and Brandon Gurneys postgame grading laid out just how uneven the night was for the Cougars. The quarterback room, led by Bear Bachmeier, came out on the wrong end of the evaluation after a turnover-heavy performance, while the rest of the offense was left to pick through a game that never found much rhythm.
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line stood out as one of the brighter spots, earning one of the better marks for its work up front. The group generated sacks and helped keep Utah from consistently leaning on the run, a contrast that made the divide between BYUs offense and defense even more stark as the final grades came into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Is Forcing A No. 1 Debate Fans Wont Ignore
Week 10 left the top of the national picture looking a little less settled, and the latest personal Top 25 ballot reflects that tension. UCLA and Utah are still unbeaten, which keeps both firmly in the conversation near the top, while the rest of the ranking is shaped by recent results and the kind of week-to-week judgment that makes college football polls so combustible.
For BYU fans, the interesting part is not just where the Cougars land, but how their season is being weighed alongside programs like Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama, Indiana, Miami, Texas and Wake Forest. The ballot is subjective by design, but it captures the larger debate now building around the unbeaten teams and whether the Utes have done enough to force a serious No. 1 discussion. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Big 12 Path Just Got A Lot Tougher After Utah Loss
Utahs 28-20 win over BYU did more than settle bragging rights in the rivalry game. It tightened the Utes grip on the Big 12 race, pushed them to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play, and left BYU trying to regroup after a loss that carried real league consequences.
For the Cougars, the margin for error is suddenly much smaller. BYU dropped to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while ESPNs projections now give Utah a 93% chance to reach the Big 12 Championship Game and a 90% chance to make the College Football Playoff, a reminder of how quickly the path can narrow in a crowded race. [Read more 🡒]