The Associated Press Top 25 delivered another round of surprises this week as Oregon climbed to No. 2, overtaking idle Miami, which slipped to third despite not playing. Ohio State held onto the No. 1 spot for the fifth straight week, but the Buckeyes’ lead is slimmer than ever — Oregon picked up 16 first-place votes, the closest the poll has been this season.
Behind the top three, the Southeastern Conference provided some of the biggest headlines. Mississippi rocketed nine spots, from No. 13 to No. 4, after knocking off LSU. It’s the Rebels’ highest ranking since 2015 and a statement win that reshuffled the SEC West picture. Oklahoma rounded out the top five, edging past Texas A&M and Penn State.
Alabama climbs, Georgia and LSU stumble
The SEC remains well represented, but it was a mixed week. Alabama continued its climb, jumping from No. 17 to No. 10 after rebounding from an early-season stumble. Meanwhile, Georgia, the two-time defending national champions, slid outside the top 10 for the first time in over two years. The Bulldogs dropped from No. 5 to No. 12 following their uneven 3-1 start.
For LSU, the drop was even steeper. The Tigers fell from No. 4 to No. 13 after Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss, their first of the season. Head coach Brian Kelly’s squad still has plenty of firepower, but the setback underscored the volatility of the SEC race.
Other SEC risers
Tennessee held firm at No. 15, while Vanderbilt continued its surprising unbeaten run, climbing to No. 16. Missouri also moved up a spot to No. 19, giving the SEC seven ranked teams in total.
SEC scoreboard
- No. 4 Mississippi (up from 13)
- No. 10 Alabama (up from 17)
- No. 12 Georgia (down from 5)
- No. 13 LSU (down from 4)
- No. 15 Tennessee (same)
- No. 16 Vanderbilt (up from 18)
- No. 19 Missouri (up from 20)
As the season turns deeper into conference play, the SEC continues to show both its depth and unpredictability. With seven ranked teams — more than any other league — the path to the College Football Playoff is likely to keep running through the South.
AP Top 25 college football poll rankings
1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Miami (Fla.)
4. Ole Miss
5. Oklahoma
6. Texas A&M
7. Penn State
8. Indiana
9. Texas
10. Alabama
11. Texas Tech
12. Georgia
13. LSU
14. Iowa State
15. Tennessee
16. Vanderbilt
17. Georgia Tech
18. Florida State
19. Missouri
20. Michigan
21. Notre Dame
22. Illinois
23. BYU
24. Virginia
25. Arizona State
