The first real shake-up of the season should land right near the top, and Ole Miss is the team driving it. After beating LSU 32-24, the Rebels have a win that demands a serious jump in the AP Top 25 picture, while Miami’s 33-20 road win at Wake Forest probably won’t be enough to keep the Hurricanes from slipping a little.
At the very top, the order looks steady despite some uneven performances. Texas should stay No. 1 after its 30-6 win over UTSA, followed by Georgia at No. 2 after a 45-17 win over Arkansas and Notre Dame at No. 3 after a 27-10 win over Michigan State.
Ole Miss belongs at No. 4 after the LSU win, and that means Miami likely falls behind the Rebels and lands at No. 7. Ohio State, coming off a 59-3 win over Kent State, would stay ahead of the Hurricanes at No. 6, while Indiana moves into the No. 5 spot after its 38-0 win over Western Kentucky.
The middle of the poll should see some movement too, and Texas Tech looks like the biggest beneficiary. The Red Raiders beat Houston 28-26, and that result should be enough to push them into the top 10 at No. 10, ahead of USC, which beat Rutgers 42-35.
That leaves Alabama at No. 8 after a 50-36 win over FSU and BYU at No. 9 after a 41-23 win over Colorado State. LSU, meanwhile, takes a hit after the loss to Ole Miss and should fall to No. 12, with Tennessee, Penn State and Utah rounding out the next group after their wins over Kennesaw State, Buffalo and Utah State.
Louisville is another team set for a significant climb. The Cardinals’ 41-31 win over SMU should move them to No. 16, and there’s even a case for them to be pushed into the top 15 since their only loss is by a field goal to an Ole Miss team that should be in the top five.
Florida also looks ready to keep rising after its 44-39 road win over Auburn, which should put the Gators at No. 20. Michigan, Iowa and Oregon all stay in the mix just ahead of them after big wins over UTEP, Northern Iowa and Portland State.
The rest of the projected top 25 would include Texas A&M at No. 21 after a 31-21 loss to Kentucky, SMU at No. 22 after losing to Louisville, Oklahoma at No. 23 after beating New Mexico 14-6, Missouri at No. 24 after a 27-17 win over Troy, and Houston hanging on at No. 25 despite the narrow loss to Texas Tech.
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The concern for Miami is less about the opponent than about health. The Hurricanes are working through multiple injuries to key players, including quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney, and those issues can change the feel of a game that otherwise looks straightforward. Even in a favorable spot, Miami still has to prove it can get through September without those absences becoming the week-to-week storyline. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Need Cooper Barkate Sooner Than Fans Expected
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Cooper Barkate, the Duke transfer, may be the player who gets the first real chance to absorb some of that responsibility. Miami is already looking at ways to adjust the offense to keep Toney protected without losing too much production, which makes Barkates role worth watching even if the plan is still forming. For a receiver room that has been waiting for a clearer opening, this could arrive faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]