AP Top 25: After Week 9

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 31: New Mexico Lobos players make their way do to the field during the college football game between the San Jose State Spartans and the New Mexico Lobos on October 31, 2026, at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Samuel Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon S

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What is the story about?

With the first College Football Playoff rankings set to be unveiled Tuesday night, this week’s AP Top 25 only gets about two days of relevance before it’s completely cast aside by media and fans. Still, it’s fun to see how things changed with a handful of upsets on Saturday. Let’s dive in.

AP Top 25

Miami (FL) (62 first place votes)
Georgia (7)
Utah (1)
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
Florida

Where is UNC?

A near upset of top-ranked Miami wasn’t enough to get the Tar Heels any votes. Maybe if they had been able to finish the job…

Biggest Winners

Missouri had the biggest jump within the poll, rising four spots to #19 after a 34-10

win at Arkansas. Utah jumped three spots to #3 after a 49-25 win at Cincinnati – matching its highest ranking since 2015 – and UCLA moved up two spots to #5 after a 27-0 win over Nevada. It’s the Bruins’ highest ranking since 2001.

New Mexico entered the rankings for the first time in its 135-year history at #22 after improving to 7-1 with a 21-16 win at San Jose State. Immediately behind the Lobos, South Carolina entered the rankings for the first time this season at #23. The Gamecocks improved to 5-3 with a 42-25 win at Oklahoma.

USC and Iowa returned to the top 25 at #18 and #21 respectively. The Trojans beat then-#2 Ohio State (which was missing starting quarterback Julian Sayin) 30-18, while the Hawkeyes rolled then-#25 Wisconsin 30-0.

Biggest Losers

The loss at USC sent Ohio State tumbling nine spots to #11, the biggest drop within the poll. It’s the first time the Buckeyes have been ranked outside the top 10 since September 2021. Florida also had a major slide, dropping eight spots to #25 after a 27-8 loss to then-#3 Georgia in Atlanta.

In addition to Wisconsin, SMU (previously #19), Northwestern (previously #20), and Oklahoma State (previously #24) dropped out of the poll after losing to unranked opponents. The Mustangs lost 30-27 at Syracuse on a last-minute touchdown, the Wildcats lost 34-26 at Oregon after leading 20-6 at one point, and the Cowboys lost 51-49 at Iowa State on a walk-off field goal. Northwestern is now the unofficial #26, SMU the unofficial #29, Oklahoma State received just three voting points, and Wisconsin did not appear on any ballots.