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...
Oregons Huge Win Came With One Serious Concern For Duck Fans
Oregons 41-28 road win over Ohio State was the kind of statement victory that can reshape a season, especially with the Ducks ripping off 38 straight points to take control. It was a performance that gave Oregon plenty to celebrate away from home, with the offense and defense both delivering in a game that carried real national weight.
Teitum Tuiotis late injury, though, quickly became the part of the night Duck fans could not ignore. The edge rusher was taken to the locker room with his left knee heavily wrapped, and Dan Lanning did not have a definitive update afterward, only saying he hoped for good news. After a win this big, Oregon will still be waiting on the one development that matters most now. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Admits Oregon Delivered A Statement Ohio State Never Saw Coming
Oregons trip to Columbus did more than hand Ohio State a home loss. It turned into a jarring statement, with the Ducks ripping off 38 straight points in a game that quickly slipped beyond what the Buckeyes were prepared to handle. For a program that usually expects to control the tone in its own stadium, the sudden swing served as a reminder of how fast a matchup can unravel when the other side starts dictating the terms.
Ryan Day admitted the result caught his team off guard and said the Buckeyes have to take a hard look at what went wrong, from a pivotal fake punt to the defensive breakdowns that followed. He also pointed to freshman quarterback Luke Faheys difficult outing and said Ohio State has to do a better job supporting him moving forward, a sign the loss may force some uncomfortable self-scouting before the Buckeyes can move on. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A Real Opening After Wild AP Poll Chaos
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season have already stirred up the kind of chaos that tends to ripple through the AP Top 25, and Oregon is sitting in the middle of the conversation. USC landed at No. 20 in the CFP release even though it had been ranked higher in the AP poll, a reminder that the two rankings can diverge quickly when the selection committee starts weighing results, schedule strength and overall body of work.
For the Ducks, the bigger takeaway is the opening created by a weekend that went sideways for several teams near the top. Miami, Kentucky and Ohio State all lost, and those results are expected to trigger movement when the AP poll updates. With USC, Tennessee, Oregon and Texas all in the mix for position changes, the Ducks suddenly have a clearer path to climb if the reshuffling breaks their way. [Read more 🡒]