USC’s first loss of the season is set to shake up the AP Top 25, and the Trojans are the team most likely to feel the sting.
No. 12 USC fell 41-27 to No.
20 Oregon on Saturday, and with a pile of upsets elsewhere across college football, Sunday’s new rankings should look a lot different. Lincoln Riley’s team didn’t just lose a game - it lost ground at a time when the poll is about to get messy.
The Trojans had chances to steal the win even after starting quarterback Dante Moore was knocked out, but Oregon held on and extended its winning streak in the series to five straight over USC. That result alone is enough to push the Ducks upward, while USC has to brace for a drop after opening the week at No. 12.
How far USC falls is the real question. The Trojans could slide outside the top 20, though one loss doesn’t end their season or their College Football Playoff hopes.
Their path only gets tougher from here, but they still have games left against No. 5 Indiana and No.
7 Ohio State, which gives them a chance to climb back.
Saturday’s other results will only add to the churn. No.
4 Ole Miss lost to Florida, No. 13 Penn State fell to an unranked Wisconsin team at home, No.
18 Michigan lost a last-second heartbreaker to No. 17 Iowa, and No.
19 Missouri also went down. No.
5 Indiana had its own struggles in a Friday night win over Northwestern, while Oregon’s status could be influenced by Moore’s injury and where the Ducks land after beating USC.
A projected top 25 has already been circulating, with one version placing Texas at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Indiana, Miami, Ohio State, Alabama, BYU and LSU in the top 10. In that projection, USC checks in at No. 12, ahead of Penn State, Tennessee, Utah, Louisville, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Florida, SMU, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Houston.
Another projected ranking had Texas first, Georgia second, Notre Dame third, Miami fourth and Indiana fifth, with USC at No. 17 after Florida, while Oregon landed at No. 13. The exact order will come into focus when the AP Top 25 is released on Sunday.
The Trojans’ loss doesn’t erase the season, but it does make the road more demanding for Riley and USC from here.
In Other News...
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Iowas week four win over Michigan had the familiar grind-it-out feel that tends to travel well in September, especially against a defense that made the Hawkeyes earn every inch. The breakthrough came late through the passing game, turning a tight road test into a victory that carried more weight than a single mark in the standings. For a program built on patience and toughness, it also stood out as Iowas first road win over a ranked Big Ten opponent since 2015.
DJ Vonnahme saw enough of that finish to connect it with a memory Hawkeye fans still recognize, comparing the moment to Iowas notable 2009 win over Michigan State. It was the kind of reference that says as much about the mood around the program as the box score does, because when Iowa finds a way in that setting, it tends to stick with the team and its supporters for a while. [Read more 🡒]
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Kyle Whittingham acknowledged the penalty issues that have followed the team and offered some context for the defensive approach on Iowas final snap, a sequence that will keep drawing scrutiny as the season goes on. For Michigan, the frustration is not just the result in the standings, but the sense that the same problems keep showing up when the game is hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe This Team Is Different
Iowas win over Michigan offered a familiar script in one sense, with the defense carrying a heavy load, but the feel of the night was different. Even without much help on the ground, the Hawkeyes found enough timely plays to stay in control of the games most important moments, and that mattered against a program with Michigans roster talent and recruiting edge.
The broader takeaway is what will keep Iowa fans talking. The matchup still exposed some unevenness, from special teams issues to the passing games stretches of inconsistency, but it also showed a team that could absorb pressure and keep answering. Hank Browns performance and the defensive standouts gave the Hawkeyes evidence that this group may have more staying power than past versions, even if there are still parts of the operation that need cleaning up. [Read more 🡒]