Ohio State fell nine spots to No. 11 in the new AP Top 25, the loudest proof yet that nobody in college football is safe. Miami stays on top, UCLA cracks the top five for the first time in 25 years, and New Mexico just made program history.
This is the most chaotic poll of the season, and it is only getting wilder.
Miami holds No. 1 in the AP Top 25
The Hurricanes squeaked past North Carolina 38-35 on Saturday and still pulled 62 of 70 first-place votes, according to Associated Press coverage of the poll. That’s a third straight week at No. 1 for Miami (8-0). Georgia (7-1) sits at No. 2 after beating Florida 27-8, while Utah (8-0) is third.
A 3-point win usually doesn’t earn that much trust. It does when everyone behind you keeps stumbling.
Ohio State’s nine-spot nosedive in the college football rankings
The Buckeyes lost 30-18 at USC, which the AP called the biggest upset of the week. As a result, Ohio State dropped nine spots to No. 11. For a closer look at the damage, see our breakdown of what the loss means for the playoff race.
It’s also the first time the Buckeyes have been outside the AP top 10 in more than five years, Eleven Warriors reports.
The mood in Columbus matches the ranking. “After a loss, the locker room is never going to be the way that you want it to be,” tight end Mason Williams said, per On3.
Meanwhile, USC (7-2) climbed 13 spots to No. 18.
Why voters panicked, and what it means for the playoff
So why such a steep drop? Voters rarely forgive a double-digit loss to a team that entered the week unranked. Ohio State also lacks the unbeaten record that cushions other contenders, so the Buckeyes now need help to climb back.
For fans, the practical takeaway is simple. A team outside the top 10 with a loss faces a much narrower path to the playoff, and the AP poll shapes how everyone, from voters to committee members, frames that race. One more slip could end the Buckeyes’ title hopes.
UCLA and New Mexico make history
UCLA hasn’t been this high in 25 years. The Bruins are 8-0 for the first time since 2005 under first-year coach Bob Chesney, and they landed at No. 5, according to the Tampa Bay Times. That’s their best ranking since No. 4 after a 6-0 start in 2001.
Then there’s New Mexico. The Lobos (7-1) debuted at No. 22 after a 21-16 win at San Jose State, their first appearance in the AP poll in program history. They’ve been playing football since 1892.
Who came in, who fell out of the AP poll
Four teams entered the latest AP college football poll: USC, Iowa, South Carolina and New Mexico. Northwestern, SMU, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin dropped out after Week 9 losses, and Georgia’s win knocked Florida out too.
Only five Big Ten teams made the cut: UCLA, Indiana, Ohio State, USC and Iowa. Even so, the chaos reaches well beyond one conference, as our look at the three unbeaten teams left shows.
The USA Today Coaches Poll tells the same story with small twists. For example, Indiana is third there, and Ohio State fell eight spots to No. 10.
Here’s the thing: next week could reshape the college football rankings
Whatever team you root for, clear your calendar for Saturday, Nov. 7. No. 1 Miami visits No. 4 Notre Dame in a top-five showdown. No. 10 Texas faces No. 19 Missouri in what the AP calls a probable playoff knockout game.
Ohio State hosts unranked Oregon, which sounds easy until you remember how this season has gone.
