The AP Top 25 is in for another shakeup, and Sunday’s release could feature some movement near the top after a weekend full of narrow escapes and a few notable upsets.
USC is one of the teams worth watching. The No.
18 Trojans got through a key test against Washington, and with the noise around coach Lincoln Riley continuing to build, they could move up when the new poll drops. The Trojans also sit in a Big Ten race that has already started to get scrambled, with No.
14 Iowa losing to No. 5 Ohio State while the conference continues to sort out its pecking order behind the Buckeyes, No.
6 Indiana and No. 15 Oregon.
Minnesota’s win over Michigan added another wrinkle, and USC now has upcoming games against Penn State and Wisconsin. Wisconsin, in particular, is a team that could enter the AP Top 25 sooner rather than later.
The SEC produced its biggest shock Saturday when No. 25 Missouri knocked off No.
8 Florida. That result sends Florida tumbling and should push Missouri up the rankings.
No. 7 Alabama also made a statement by pulling away from No.
16 Mississippi State, a result that likely sends the Bulldogs sliding.
Elsewhere, several teams survived but did not exactly impress. No.
10 BYU beat TCU by one possession. No.
12 Texas Tech had a tougher-than-it-looked day against Colorado, even if the final score made it seem more comfortable. No.
21 SMU also had to work to put away Boston College at home, which could hurt its case for a climb.
Ohio State’s road win over a top-15 opponent is another result that could move the needle. That raises the question of whether the Buckeyes will jump ahead of a less-tested team like No.
3 Notre Dame. Early-season rankings tend to shift the most, and with conference play now rolling, voters are getting a clearer picture of which teams are truly separating themselves.
Alabama’s case is also strong after its road dismantling of Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide are ranked behind Indiana right now, but that could change when the new poll is unveiled.
A projected AP Top 25 had Texas at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Ohio State. Indiana, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss and BYU rounded out the top 10 in one version, while another placed Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Miami at the top, with Alabama moving to No. 7 and Florida down to No. 8.
The full projected field also included LSU, Texas Tech, Utah, Iowa, Oregon, Mississippi State, Tennessee, USC, Oklahoma State, Houston, SMU, Boise State, UCLA, Kentucky and Missouri.
The AP Poll is scheduled to be released at approximately 11 a.m. PT.
In Other News...
USC Fans Have Plenty To Debate After That Gritty Washington Win
The heat was no joke, and neither was USCs defense in a 25-21 win over Washington that gave the Trojans plenty to feel good about and even more to debate. Against the kind of grind-it-out test that can expose a team in September, USCs pass rush came through with four sacks, multiple tackles for loss and a sack-fumble recovery that turned into a touchdown, the sort of sequence that can swing a close game and change the feel of a night.
For a team ranked No. 18, the result mattered just as much as the details, and there were enough of both to keep fans talking well after the final whistle. The game offered a useful look at individual performances and how USCs defensive plan held up in tough conditions, but it also left room for questions about which players are emerging, which adjustments are working and how sustainable this kind of gritty win might be as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Maiava's Rough Start Put USC's Offense Under A Harsh Spotlight
Jayden Maiavas afternoon against Washington put USCs offense under a harsh spotlight, as the Trojans spent much of the first half searching for any kind of rhythm. The quarterbacks decision-making and mechanics were both under scrutiny, and a series of poor throws, long holds in the pocket and drive-killing penalties left the offense looking flat when it needed to be sharp.
Maiava finished the half 12 of 19 for 143 yards, but the numbers only told part of the story as USC went to the locker room trailing 14-10. The Trojans still had time to settle in, but the opening half raised real questions about whether the offense could clean itself up quickly enough to change the tone of the game. [Read more 🡒]
USC Defense Escaped Washington After One Brutal Breakdown
USCs defense came out of Washington with a win, but not without a few uneasy moments that will linger in the film room. In a 25-21 victory over the Huskies, the Trojans had the kind of mixed outing that can leave a staff thankful for the result and still frustrated by the details, from a costly missed-tackle sequence that opened the door for a long touchdown to the kind of timely response that kept the game from slipping away.
Jahkeem Stewarts fumble return for a score gave USC a huge lift, and Kameryn Crawford made key defensive plays late to help secure the finish. Even so, Washington had chances behind Demond Williams Jr. and Chris Lawson, and the combination of injuries and breakdowns made this one feel closer than the Trojans would have preferred, with one brutal lapse standing out in a game they still managed to escape. [Read more 🡒]