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...
USC Suddenly Holds A Surprising Amount Of Big Ten Power
USCs trip to Indiana next Saturday has turned into a game with far more reach than just the Trojans own season. A matchup that might have looked routine on the schedule now carries real weight in the Big Ten Championship race, with several teams already sitting on multiple losses and watching closely to see whether USC can help clear the path.
UCLA, meanwhile, has a very different reason to root against the Trojans. The Bruins currently sit atop the standings, and their rivalry with USC adds another layer to a weekend that could reshape the conference picture in a hurry. For one game, USC suddenly finds itself holding a surprising amount of Big Ten power. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A Real Opening After Wild AP Poll Chaos
USCs place in the national picture got a little more interesting this week when the Trojans landed at No. 20 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, even though they were slotted higher in the AP Top 25. It was a reminder of how differently the two polls can view a team, especially in a season where the margins are thin and the committee is weighing more than just wins and losses.
The chaos around the country only adds to the intrigue, with multiple top-10 teams falling over the weekend, including Ohio State and Kentucky. The AP Poll is expected to react accordingly, and USC should benefit from the shakeup, even if only slightly, as the broader rankings settle into a new order. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Elijah Paige Is Forcing A Bigger NFL Draft Conversation
Elijah Paige is starting to draw the kind of NFL attention that can change the way a college season is viewed, and it is happening fast. Rob Rang recently projected the USC offensive tackle as a potential top-10 pick in the upcoming draft, a level of buzz that puts Paige in rare company and underscores how highly evaluators are beginning to think of his game. Rang even drew a comparison to Ronnie Stanley, a sign that Paiges blend of size, movement and pass-protection upside is resonating beyond the usual preseason chatter.
For USC, the bigger takeaway is what Paige means to the Trojans right now as much as what he might become later. His presence has helped anchor an offense that needs stability up front, and the draft conversation is only going to grow if he keeps building on that foundation. Rang pointed to the Houston Texans as a possible landing spot because of their need at left tackle, which only adds another layer to the intrigue surrounding a player whose stock appears to be rising quickly. [Read more 🡒]