Week 8 brought a shakeup to the AP Top 25, and the biggest jolt landed on USC. The Trojans went into Saturday ranked No. 16, but their trip to Wisconsin ended in a 24-7 loss that turned into one of the weekend’s loudest surprises. The defeat knocked USC out of the poll entirely, ending its run of appearances in every AP ranking this season.
Wisconsin was the beneficiary of that result. After taking down a team that had spent the year in the mix, the Badgers moved into the rankings at No. 25.
At the top, Miami (FL) stays in the No. 1 spot, with Ohio State right behind at No. 2. Georgia is third, followed by Indiana and Notre Dame to round out the top five.
The rest of the new poll shows plenty of movement and a few teams hanging onto valuable ground as the season tightens. Utah sits at No. 6, with UCLA, BYU, Kentucky and Alabama filling out the top 10. Texas checks in at No. 11, then Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Wake Forest and LSU.
Tennessee is No. 16, followed by Florida, Houston, SMU and Boise State. Northwestern comes in at No. 21, with Arizona, Missouri and Oklahoma State ahead of Wisconsin at No. 25.
Week 8 AP Top 25 Poll:
- Miami (FL)
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Notre Dame
- Utah
- UCLA
- BYU
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- Texas
- Ole Miss
- Texas Tech
- Wake Forest
- LSU
- Tennessee
- Florida
- Houston
- SMU
- Boise State
- Northwestern
- Arizona
- Missouri
- Oklahoma State
- Wisconsin
In Other News...
USC's Wisconsin Loss Brought Back Familiar Problems Fans Feared
USC came out of its bye week with a chance to reset, but the trip to Madison only revived the same worries that have followed the Trojans at different points this season. The defense gave them a real foothold early, stacking up sacks and tackles for loss, and for a while it looked like USC had settled in well enough to make Wisconsin work for everything.
The offense never matched that effort. Turnovers undercut drives, the running game never found a rhythm, and Wisconsin gradually took over with its ground attack and ball control in the second half. By the time the Badgers were done wearing the Trojans down, the loss felt less like one bad afternoon and more like a familiar pattern USC still has to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Finally Got The Wisconsin Win Fans Needed
At Camp Randall, Wisconsin delivered the kind of result Luke Fickell and Badgers fans had been waiting for, knocking off No. 16 USC and never letting the Trojans back into the game after building a second-quarter lead. The win carried the feel of something bigger than a midseason upset, with Wisconsin controlling the tone and keeping USC off the board the rest of the way.
For Fickell, the significance went beyond the scoreboard. He pointed to the teams toughness and the way it performed under the moment, and it was the sort of showing that can matter as much in the locker room as it does in the standings. Wisconsin is now 5-2, and with this one in hand, theres at least some evidence the Badgers are starting to look like a team capable of turning a good night into a bigger run. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Just Landed The Kind Of Recruiting Win Fans Needed
Luke Fickells Wisconsin program picked up a meaningful recruiting boost when linebacker Blake Betton flipped his commitment from Penn State after a visit to campus during a recruiting weekend. A highly regarded linebacker from Minnesota, Betton gives the Badgers a notable addition in the 2027 cycle and adds another important piece to a class that has been building momentum.
Bettons decision also landed at a time when Penn State was dealing with multiple recruiting losses, making Wisconsins win feel even bigger in the bigger-picture battle for talent. For a program trying to strengthen its standing with top prospects in the region, landing a player of Bettons caliber is the kind of move that can resonate well beyond one commitment announcement. [Read more 🡒]