Week 8 didn’t hit college football with the same full-blown chaos as the weekend before, but it still left a mark on the AP Top 25. The latest poll brought another shakeup at the top, a fresh climb for Texas, and a brutal fall for BYU after the Cougars stumbled against UCF.
Miami (FL) sits at No. 1 with 59 first-place votes, followed by Ohio State with 10. Georgia remains at No. 3, then Indiana, Notre Dame, Utah, UCLA, BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas round out the upper half of the rankings. Ole Miss checks in at No. 12, with Texas Tech, Wake Forest, LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Houston, SMU, Boise State, Northwestern, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin filling out the rest of the poll.
Texas was one of the week’s clearest risers. After taking down Ole Miss, the Longhorns climbed eight spots to No. 11 and snapped a two-game losing streak in the process.
BYU took the biggest hit. Fresh off a win over Notre Dame that had pushed the Cougars all the way up to No. 2, they were knocked back eight places after falling to UCF. Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and Tennessee also dropped eight spots in the new poll.
North Carolina, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found after getting close to ranked status thanks to wins over Pitt and Duke. The Tar Heels lost to Syracuse and slipped out of receiving votes entirely.
The conference breakdown shows the SEC leading the way with nine teams in the rankings, followed by the Big 12 with six, the Big Ten with five, the ACC with three, and one team each from the Independent and Pac-12.
This week’s biggest games include No. 22 Arizona at No.
13 Texas Tech on Saturday at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN, No. 17 Florida against No.
3 Georgia in Atlanta at 3:30 PM ET on ABC, and No. 2 Ohio State at USC at 7:30 PM ET on NBC.
There are also a few games that could get tricky. No.
25 Wisconsin visits Iowa at 12:00 PM ET on FOX, and even though Iowa is technically the betting favorite, the Hawkeyes don’t have a number next to their name. No.
6 Utah heads to Cincinnati at 3:45 PM ET on ESPN, and No. 1 Miami (FL) travels to North Carolina at 7:30 PM ET on ABC.
The Coaches Poll looks a little different at the top but carries a similar feel. Miami (FL) is first there as well, with 67 first-place votes, followed by Ohio State, Georgia, Indiana, Utah, Notre Dame, UCLA with one first-place vote, Kentucky, BYU, Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss, LSU, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, SMU, Tennessee, Northwestern, Houston, Florida, Arizona, Boise State, Missouri, Iowa, and USC.
In Other News...
Belichick Calls Out ACC After Costly UNC Replay Controversy
The finish to North Carolinas overtime loss at Syracuse has turned into more than just a tough result on the schedule. Bill Belichick took aim at the ACCs replay setup, arguing that the league does not have enough camera angles to properly sort out the kind of goal-line and sideline plays that can decide a game in a matter of seconds.
His point was rooted in the review of Syracuses game-winning two-point conversion, where the available official footage left too much room for doubt from the booth and the ACC Replay Center. Belichick said clips circulating on social media offered better views than what the league had at its disposal, and he pushed for dedicated cameras on the critical lines the way other conferences use them to handle the most important calls. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Has A Fascinating Frontcourt Question With Alex Samodurov
Alex Samodurov has already given North Carolina a fresh look in the frontcourt, and the early impressions are enough to make his arrival worth watching. The 6-foot-11 forward from Greece comes to Chapel Hill after playing professionally for Panathinaikos, bringing a level of international seasoning that is not common for a new college big man. He also arrives with real pedigree, having helped Greece earn a bronze medal at the 2025 senior EuroBasket, and he flashed some of the reasons UNC is intrigued when he chipped in rebounds and a three-pointer in an exhibition against USC.
What comes next is the part the Tar Heels still need to sort out. UNC's staff is trying to figure out how fast Samodurov can adjust to the college game and where he fits in a frontcourt rotation that will have to account for his size, skill and experience. For a team looking for answers up front, he is an unusual addition: polished enough to raise expectations, but still new enough to leave the biggest questions unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Is Reaching A QB Crossroads Billy Edwards Can't Ignore
Billy Edwards Jr. is expected to take the first snap against Miami, a game that may also serve as his final collegiate start, and that gives North Carolina a natural moment to look ahead even while trying to finish on a steadier note. Edwards has provided the Tar Heels with a veteran presence this season, completing 60.2 percent of his passes for 1,531 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, but the offense has still battled inconsistency enough to leave bigger questions hanging over the position.
Travis Burgess is the name those questions keep circling back to. The freshman arrived as a highly regarded recruit, and the Tar Heels would be wise to find him some playing time after the Miami game so they can get a clearer read on whether he can be the quarterback of the future. For a program looking to stabilize itself, the next stretch could matter as much for evaluation as it does for the present. [Read more 🡒]