After a wild Week 5, the AP Top 25 is set up for another shakeup, with Missouri’s rout of Florida and Alabama’s road win at Mississippi State standing out as the results most likely to move the board.
The biggest jolt came from No. 25 Missouri, which dominated No.
8 Florida as the SEC hierarchy kept shifting. Alabama also strengthened its case by handling No.
16 Mississippi State on the road, pouring in 56 points in a game that should leave a mark on Sunday’s rankings.
Oregon, meanwhile, had the weekend off, but the Ducks could still inch upward when the new poll drops. Their case is helped by the results around them: No.
18 USC beat Washington and No. 22 Boise State got past Utah State, keeping Oregon’s ranked wins in good shape.
There are still plenty of questions near the top. No.
14 Iowa lost at home to No. 5 Ohio State and is expected to slide after taking its first defeat.
BYU also survived a scare, beating TCU by a touchdown, and the Cougars now face the same question Oregon did earlier this season after its one-score win over Boise State: do AP voters reward the escape, or punish the lack of margin?
North Carolina pushed No. 3 Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish are still likely to stay inside the top five. Kentucky also held on in overtime against South Carolina, improving to 4-1 and giving former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein a chance to move one win away from matching the Wildcats’ total number of victories in 2025.
There may not be many new faces entering the poll. Minnesota upset Minnesota, but the Golden Gophers are unlikely to break in just yet. Nebraska remains unbeaten at 5-0 and is still unranked, while Wisconsin was the team receiving the 26th-most votes in the latest AP Poll release.
The more likely movement could be at the bottom, where Mississippi State and Florida are both in danger of dropping out.
A projected AP Top 25 looked like this:
- Texas
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Ohio State
- Miami
- Alabama
- Indiana
- Ole Miss
- LSU
- BYU
- Texas Tech
- Utah
- Florida
- Florida
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- USC
- Oklahoma State
- Iowa
- Houston
- SMU
- Boise State
- Mississippi State
- UCLA
- Kentucky
A second projection had this order:
- Texas
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Miami
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Alabama
- Florida
- Ole Miss
- BYU
- LSU
- Texas Tech
- Utah
- Iowa
- Oregon
- Mississippi State
- Tennessee
- USC
- Oklahoma State
- Houston
- SMU
- Boise State
- UCLA
- Kentucky
- Missouri
The AP Poll is expected to be released at approximately 11 a.m. PT.
In Other News...
Iowa Got One Encouraging Development After A Brutal Night At Ohio State
Iowa left Columbus with the kind of loss that can linger, falling 31-14 to Ohio State after a rough night on both sides of the ball. The Hawkeyes had to navigate more than just the scoreboard, too, as three starters went down during the game, adding another layer of concern to an already difficult trip.
Kirk Ferentz offered at least a bit of relief afterward, saying the injuries to Hank Brown, Deshaun Lee and Zach Lutmer are not expected to be serious. Iowa also got a small lift from backup quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski, who came in and guided the teams only touchdown drive, a modest bright spot on a night that otherwise belonged to the Buckeyes. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Got A Frustrating Reality Check Before Washington
Iowas trip to Ohio State turned into a sobering reminder of how thin the margin can be against the sports elite. The No. 14 Hawkeyes came away with a loss after struggling to get much going on offense, with quarterback Hank Brown throwing an interception before leaving the game with a mild sprain, while the defense had a hard time slowing down a Buckeyes attack that kept finding answers.
Jeremiah Smith was at the center of it, piling up 206 receiving yards and two touchdowns while also moving into Ohio States all-time lead in receptions and tying the program career touchdown record. For Iowa, the more immediate concern is what the performance and the injuries mean heading into Washington, where the Hawkeyes will need to regroup quickly if they want to avoid carrying this frustration into another big matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Let Ohio State Hang Around Until One Problem Took Over
Iowa had Ohio State in a game for long stretches at Kinnick Stadium, even as the Buckeyes left with a 31-14 win. The Hawkeyes did a respectable job slowing the ground game, holding Ohio State to 3.4 yards per carry on 47 rushing attempts, and for stretches the defense gave the home crowd reason to think the upset was within reach.
Jeremiah Smith changed the feel of the night. The Ohio State receiver repeatedly found space downfield, finishing with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns, and Iowa never found a clean answer once the Buckeyes decided to lean on him. The Hawkeyes also had chances to tighten things up, but penalties and mistakes kept them from turning those openings into real pressure on the No. 1 team. [Read more 🡒]