Another week, another jolt near the top of the US LBM Coaches Poll.
Week 9 didn’t blow up the rankings, but it did enough damage to force a few voters to rethink the pecking order. Ohio State’s loss at USC was the biggest swing, and close calls by Miami and Indiana helped keep the top of the poll from settling in too comfortably.
Miami stays No. 1 after escaping an upset attempt at North Carolina, while Georgia moves back up to No. 2 after handling Florida in Atlanta. Indiana remains right there at No. 3, and Utah holds at No.
- UCLA is still in the top five at No.
The Buckeyes took the hardest hit of the week, dropping from No. 2 to No. 10 after the loss at USC. That opened the door for a reshuffle just behind the top spot, with Georgia climbing and several teams nudging upward around them.
The rest of the top 10 includes Notre Dame at No. 6, Kentucky at No.
7, BYU at No. 8 and Alabama at No. 9.
Texas sits at No. 11, followed by Ole Miss at No. 12.
Big Ten representation remains strong in the poll. Along with Indiana, UCLA and Ohio State, the conference also has USC at No.
17, Iowa at No. 20 and Northwestern at No. 23.
USC was the week’s biggest riser among the Big Ten teams, jumping from No. 25 to No. 17.
Iowa also climbed, moving up four spots, while Northwestern slipped from No. 18 to No. 23.
SMU fell eight places to No. 24, and New Mexico entered the poll at No. 25.
Florida dropped out after being No. 20 last week.
The updated US LBM Coaches Poll as of Nov. 1, 2026, has Miami on top with 68 first-place votes and 1818 points, followed by Georgia with 1719 points and four first-place votes. Indiana, Utah and UCLA round out the top five.
The full top 25 also includes Wake Forest at No. 14, LSU at No.
15, Tennessee at No. 16, Houston at No.
18, Missouri at No. 19, Boise State at No. 21 and Arizona at No.
The start of November also brings a new layer to the national picture, with the College Football Playoff rankings set to begin this week. Those rankings will be released every week from scratch and will help determine the 12-team playoff field at the end of the season.
The first set is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Penn State also has a trip ahead, heading to Washington for a Big Ten road game on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 P.T.) on FS1.
Penn State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 31-17 win over Purdue, while Washington rallied late to beat Nebraska in Lincoln. Washington needs one more win to become bowl-eligible, and Penn State is 4-0 all-time against the Huskies dating back to 1921.
In Other News...
Penn State Faces A Levi Haines Decision That Could Change Everything
Levi Haines is back in the Penn State wrestling conversation at exactly the right time, with the recent World Champion at 79 KG now waiting on eligibility approval under the new five-for-five rule. Cael Sanderson said Haines is attending classes and preparing to wrestle if he is cleared, which gives the Nittany Lions a potentially major boost as they get ready for the season.
Penn State opens against Bloomsburg at Rec Hall, and Haines status is one of the biggest early storylines around the program. A decision on whether he can compete this season would shape both the lineup and the ceiling for a team that already expects to be in the national title mix. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Showed A Different Response When This Big Ten Game Got Ugly
Penn States trip to Purdue had the feel of a game that could have slipped away early, especially after miscues and missed chances kept the pressure on. Rocco Becht helped steady things with a touchdown, and Carson Hansen added a rushing score as the offense found enough rhythm to keep the Nittany Lions moving in a Big Ten matchup that had its rough patches.
Purdue briefly grabbed momentum with a blocked punt that turned into a touchdown, but Penn States defense answered by tightening up and allowing only three points the rest of the way. Matt Campbell pointed to the penalties and the way his team responded, and the bigger takeaway for Penn State was simple: when the game got ugly, it found a way to settle in and finish. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Next Home Test Just Put More Focus On This Season
Penn States next home date now has a little more clarity, with the Nov. 7 matchup against Washington set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. It is another afternoon slot in a season that has already bounced around the TV schedule, and it gives the Nittany Lions a familiar stage as they try to steady a year that has not gone the way they wanted.
The timing also adds a bit more weight to a game that already carries some intrigue. Penn State enters at 4-4, Washington comes in at 5-3, and both teams are still looking to put a cleaner finish on uneven seasons. With kickoff now locked in, the focus shifts fully to what this one means on the field, and how much each side can still salvage in November. [Read more 🡒]