College Football Rankings
Ohio State, Penn State, and LSU remained the top three teams in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll Sunday. Oregon is back in the top five, and South Florida is ranked for the first time in seven years. The rankings saw some movement inside the top 10, but the biggest changes came from Nos. 11 to 25.
Ohio State, whose 70-0 win over Grambling was among a bevy of weekend blowouts, received 57 of the 65 first-place votes from the media panel. Penn State got five first-place votes and LSU two. No. 4 Oregon, which thrashed Oklahoma State, received the other first-place vote and flip-flopped with Georgia. The Bulldogs’ uninspired win over FCS foe Austin Peay caused them to slip to No. 6 behind Miami.
Top 10 Rankings
Texas, Notre Dame, Illinois, and Florida State round out the top 10, with the latter two teams in the top 10 for the first time this season. Oklahoma earned a five-rung promotion to No. 13, its highest ranking in two years, after its win over Michigan. The Wolverines dropped to No. 23. Tennessee jumped seven spots to No. 15, and No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 17 each moved up three.
The biggest upward mover was No. 18 South Florida, which was eight spots out of the Top 25 last week. The Bulls pulled the upset of the day with their 18-16 win over then-No. 13 Florida. That followed their 34-7 home win over then-No. 25 Boise State.
In and Out of the Rankings
No. 24 Auburn and No. 25 Missouri cracked the rankings along with USF. Auburn followed a two-touchdown win at Baylor with an easy victory over Ball State and are in the Top 25 for the first time under third-year coach Hugh Freeze. Missouri, which appeared in all but two polls last season, is back in after a win over Border War rival Kansas.
Arizona State (12), Florida (13), and SMU (17) are out. The Sun Devils erased a 17-point deficit and led in the final minute before losing at Mississippi State. Florida’s loss put heat back on coach Billy Napier. SMU also blew a lead in the last minute and lost to Baylor in two overtimes.
Related
Ranked vs. Ranked Matchups
No. 18 South Florida at No. 5 Miami: Bulls will try to become the fifth team, and first since Miami in 1987, to open a season with three wins over ranked opponents. No. 6 Georgia at No. 15 Tennessee: First big test for Volunteers QB Joey Aguilar. Bulldogs go for ninth straight win in the series. No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 8 Notre Dame: Irish out to avoid second 0-2 start in four years. Jeremiyah Love scored late tie-breaking touchdown for Notre Dame in last year’s season-opening meeting in College Station.
AP Top 25 Rankings
1. Ohio State, 2-0 (57 first-place votes)
2. Penn State, 2-0 (5)
3. LSU, 2-0 (2)
4. Oregon, 2-0 (1)
5. Miami, 2-0
6. Georgia , 2-0
7. Texas, 1-1
8. Notre Dame, 0-1
9. Illinois, 2-0
10. Florida State, 2-0
11. South Carolina, 2-0
12. Clemson, 1-1
13. Oklahoma, 2-0
14. Iowa State, 3-0
15. Tennessee, 2-0
16. Texas A&M, 2-0
17. Ole Miss, 2-0
18. South Florida, 2-0
19. Alabama, 1-1
20. Utah, 2-0
21. Texas Tech, 2-0
22. Indiana, 2-0
23. Michigan, 1-1
24. Auburn, 2-0
25. Missouri, 2-0
Others receiving votes: Arizona St. 94, BYU 92, Georgia Tech 78, Florida 70, Southern Cal 64, TCU 58, Mississippi St. 52, Louisville 49, SMU 26, Nebraska 10, Tulane 9, Baylor 7, UNLV 5, Pittsburgh 3, Navy 2, Memphis 1, Vanderbilt 1.
Conclusion
The college football rankings saw significant changes after the latest round of games. Ohio State, Penn State, and LSU remain at the top, while Oregon and South Florida made significant moves up the rankings. The upcoming week features several ranked vs. ranked matchups, including No. 18 South Florida at No. 5 Miami and No. 6 Georgia at No. 15 Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who are the top three teams in the AP Top 25 college football poll?
A: The top three teams are Ohio State, Penn State, and LSU.
Q: Which team made the biggest move up the rankings?
A: South Florida made the biggest move, going from unranked to No. 18 after their win over Florida.
Q: What are some of the notable ranked vs. ranked matchups in the upcoming week?
A: Some notable matchups include No. 18 South Florida at No. 5 Miami, No. 6 Georgia at No. 15 Tennessee, and No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 8 Notre Dame.
Q: How can I stay up to date with the latest college football news and rankings?
A: You can find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
