USC didn’t play in week 10, but the Trojans still have a real shot to climb when the AP Top 25 comes out Sunday.
That’s the kind of weekend it was across college football. Ranked teams kept falling, and the chaos opened the door for movement all over the poll.
USC entered the first College Football Playoff rankings at No. 20 even though it sat higher in the AP Top 25, and now the Trojans should benefit from the shakeup after a bye ahead of their ranked matchup with No. 6 Indiana.
The biggest hit to the top of the rankings came when No. 1 Miami lost to No.
4 Notre Dame on the road. The SEC also took several swings, with then-No.
8 Kentucky getting rolled by then-No. 16 Tennessee, 34-6, No.
2 Georgia beating No. 12 Ole Miss, 42-7, and No.
9 Alabama handling No. 15 LSU, 31-13.
There was more turbulence elsewhere, too. After USC beat Ohio State at home, the unranked Oregon Ducks went into Columbus and knocked off the Buckeyes, 41-28, giving Ryan Day’s team a third loss. With Ohio State and Ole Miss both taking heavy damage, the AP voters will have plenty to sort through.
The Big Ten picture is crowded as well. Oregon, No.
12 Ohio State, No. 21 Iowa, Wisconsin, USC, and Illinois are all sitting with two conference losses.
At the top, No. 5 UCLA is alone in first place in the conference, and the Bruins are one of two unbeaten teams left in the FBS.
No. 3 Utah is the other after its win over No.
7 BYU.
The new CFP rankings could also influence how the AP board looks at a few teams. Alabama is the clearest example, since the Crimson Tide opened at No. 5 in the CFP rankings while sitting No. 9 in the AP poll. Tennessee also got a better CFP spot than it had in the previous AP ranking, which could help the Volunteers rise after the Kentucky win.
Oregon, meanwhile, appears ready to crash into the AP Top 25 after showing up in the CFP rankings while still unranked in the AP poll. Texas should move up a bit as well after its win over No. 19 Missouri.
A projected AP Top 25 from the source had Georgia at No. 1, followed by Utah, Notre Dame, UCLA, Indiana, Alabama, Miami, Texas, Tennessee, Texas Tech, BYU, Wake Forest, Kentucky, Houston, USC, Iowa, Ole Miss, Boise State, South Carolina, Oregon, Ohio State, New Mexico, Missouri, LSU, and Arizona.
Another projection had Miami back at No. 1, with Georgia, Utah, Notre Dame, UCLA, Indiana, BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, LSU, Tennessee, Houston, USC, Missouri, Boise State, Iowa, New Mexico, South Carolina, Arizona, and Florida rounding out the list.
For USC, the expectation is simpler: a modest rise, not a massive leap. The Trojans should move up a little after the weekend’s carnage, even if they don’t end up among the biggest winners.
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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 🡒]
BYU Still Has A Real Top 10 Case After Rivalry Loss
Saturdays chaos reshaped the AP Top 25 again, with eight ranked teams taking losses and the No. 1 team falling as well. It was the kind of weekend that ripples far beyond one scoreboard, creating another shakeup at the top of the poll and opening the door for teams that survived to make their case as the season keeps tightening up.
For USC fans keeping an eye on the national picture, the bigger takeaway is how fragile the pecking order remains. Several teams moved in and out of the rankings after the latest results, and the next round of games will matter just as much as the last one in deciding who stays in the top 10 conversation and who gets pushed out of it. [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 🡒]