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...
Kentucky Just Gave Tennessee Fans Another Reason To Bring It Saturday
The Rock at the University of Tennessee did not stay blue for long after Kentucky fans left their mark with messages backing the Wildcats ahead of Saturdays football game. Tennessee quickly painted it back, but the brief takeover was enough to add another layer of edge to a rivalry that already had plenty of it, especially with Kentucky carrying a top-10 ranking into the matchup.
For Tennessee fans, it is the kind of pregame fuel that tends to travel well from campus to Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers are favored, but the backdrop now includes a little extra motivation and a reminder that this one is about more than just the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Fans Just Turned Tennessees Campus Into Rivalry Fuel
A familiar piece of campus real estate became the latest flashpoint in the Tennessee-Kentucky rivalry when Kentucky fans painted The Rock blue with white lettering before the football game. The landmark on the University of Tennessee campus has long been a canvas for student expression, but this time it became a very public target in the lead-up to a matchup that already carries plenty of edge.
Tennessee fans quickly moved to remove the paint, and the scene at the site briefly turned tense before settling down. It was the kind of small, petty, very on-brand rivalry stunt that reminds everyone how much this series still means, with kickoff set for later in the day and both sides already treating the campus prank as part of the buildup. [Read more 🡒]
College GameDay Just Handed Kentucky Fans A Tennessee Debate
College GameDay spent the run-up to Week 10 doing what it always does best, turning a Saturday slate into a conversation piece, and Tennessee was right in the middle of it. Among the analysts and the guest picker weighing in, the Volunteers were one of the favored teams on the board, a nod that fits the way this matchup has been framed all week around defense, home-field edge and the kind of small details that tend to decide late-season games.
For Tennessee fans, the interesting part is not just the pick itself but the company it keeps. The panel leaned toward several heavyweights across the country, from Ohio State and Georgia to LSU, Utah and Notre Dame, while also pointing to a few spots where absences or venue could tilt the outcome one way or the other. Kentucky fans may not love hearing Tennessee singled out in that mix, but it does add another layer to an already familiar SEC debate heading into Saturday. [Read more 🡒]