Ohio State, Penn State, and LSU continue to lead the rankings in Week 4 of the AP Top 25 poll. Miami ascended to the No. 4 spot following a decisive victory over USF, while Georgia climbed to No. 5, despite requiring overtime to overcome Tennessee.
Texas A&M surged into the top 10 after a thrilling win at Notre Dame, making the Irish the first team since 1988 to remain in the Top 25 with an 0-2 record.
Oregon slipped two spots to No. 6 despite a 20-point road win against Northwestern and was followed by Florida State, Texas, Illinois and the Aggies.
Here’s the latest:
Georgia Tech breaks into the Top 25
The Georgia Tech Yellowjackets made a breakthrough into the Top 25 with their 24-21 surprise victory over Clemson, a position they had been approaching for some time.
During Saturday’s game, Georgia Tech delivered a commanding performance against Clemson, maintaining their edge throughout. The Tigers managed to level the score at 21-21 with 3:26 remaining in the game.
Quarterback Haynes King led a 10-play, 38-yard drive, setting up kicker Aidan Birr for a game-winning 55-yard field goal.
Ohio State, Penn State, LSU retain top three spots
No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Penn State and No. 3 LSU sit comfortably at one, two and three for another week.
Ohio State’s sluggish start against Ohio didn’t sway voters, as the Buckeyes gained momentum in the second half to secure a 37-9 win. Meanwhile, Penn State triumphed over Villanova 52-6, and LSU defeated their SEC rival Florida 20-10.
AP Top 25 college football poll rankings
1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. LSU
4. Miami
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Florida State
8. Texas
9. Illinois
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma
12. Iowa State
13. Ole Miss
14. Alabama
15. Tennessee
16. Utah
17. Texas Tech
18. Georgia Tech
19. Indiana
20. Vanderbilt
21. Michigan
22. Auburn
23. Missouri
24. Notre Dame
25. USC
Are we ready to start showing Miami some respect?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
Who is we?
In the preseason, I ranked Miami at No. 9, but this week they have risen to No. 4 on my ballot. I’ve held a favorable view of the Hurricanes for the past two years, and I witnessed Mario Cristobal’s dedication to reviving his alma mater during the Notre Dame victory.
Which teams are contenders to win it all?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
I’ll give you two stats that can help you determine the champ.
The preseason No. 1-ranked AP team has failed to win the national title in 19 of the last 21 years. So eliminate Texas.
Also, in 17 of the last 19 years, the national champ was ranked in the top 7 of the preseason poll. So that bodes well for Penn State, Ohio State, Georgia and Oregon. Clemson and Notre Dame were also in top seven, but they’re not looking so great right now.
What metrics do you use to compare blowout wins and tight matches?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
I try to look at the “inside-the-box score,” if you will.
I just don’t look at final scores, because those can be very deceiving. An example, Illinois beat Duke 45-19 last week. Blowout right? Not really. Duke actually outgained Illinois, but lost five turnovers.
So for that game, I’ll give Illinois credit for the win, but it wasn’t a 26-point margin. It was closer to a toss-up.
I’ll also try to compare common opponents. Everyone does it differently, but just keep in mind, it’s a beauty pageant. It’s just someone’s opinion.
They could be right. Or wrong.
How far down will Clemson tumble, and how far up will Georgia Tech reach?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
If you’re a Tom Petty fan, you know the song: Free Falling.
I don’t know how far Clemson will drop, but I believe it will be significant. Yes, they have a couple of close losses, but Clemson barely survived at home against Troy.
And Georgia Tech absolutely needs to be ranked among the top 20 teams.
USF’s hot streak ends in Miami
South Florida’s first two games couldn’t have gone better, overthrowing preseason No. 25 Boise State in Week 1 and delivering an 18-16 upset over Florida the following week.
The Bulls’ hot streak ended on Saturday, when they lost 49-12 to Miami. South Florida’s immediate future in the Top 25 appears bleak, while Miami looked every bit a top 5 team.
The Hurricanes’ Florida tour continues over the next two weeks as they host the Gators on Saturday night and travel to Florida State on Oct. 4.
Hear from a voter: Is Miami’s win more impressive than Georgia’s?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
I valued Georgia’s win at Tennessee better than Miami’s home win against Notre Dame.
Tennessee may or may not be better than Notre Dame (we’ll find out eventually), but winning in that atmosphere for Georgia was more impressive to me.
Hear from a voter: Biggest surprises and disappointments so far?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
Biggest surprise: Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt.
QB Diego Pavia talked a lot … before the season, but the Commodores are backing it up. Florida State has also been impressive. That Alabama win will look better and better as the season continues. Can’t wait for Miami-FSU in three weeks.
Biggest disappointment: Clemson was a trendy national title pick by a lot of folks (not me), and now the Tigers will have to somehow win the ACC to get into the playoff.
Can you say Pop-Tarts Bowl?
Hear from a voter: Which teams did you move around this week?
By BRETT MCMURPHY
Among changes on my AP ballot this week — besides ranking Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech — were dropping Penn State and Texas slightly.
Penn State has played arguably the weakest opening schedule. The Nittany Lions have won comfortably, but I’ve been more impressed by the wins from Ohio State, Georgia and LSU. Texas has looked average the last two weeks so, for now, the Longhorns are barely hanging in my Top 10.
Clemson, South Carolina, Notre Dame stumble
Clemson, South Carolina and Notre Dame each suffered upsets on Saturday, putting each at risk of losing Top 25 status.
An unranked Georgia Tech team outplayed No. 12 Clemson and solidified the upset victory with a buzzer-beating 55-yard field goal.
Georgia Tech likely swayed voters with its compelling performance and the Tigers’ loss is sure to impact votes as well.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s home opener didn’t go as planned. The Irish took a gamble with a two-point attempt and fell short. Texas A&M answered with a charge downfield in the final minutes of the game, scoring the go-ahead touchdown to win 41-40.
South Carolina didn’t come close against Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks were outplayed in all aspects, especially after losing quarterback LaNorris Sellers in the second quarter with a concussion. The 31-7 loss puts South Carolina in serious danger of falling out of the Top 25.
Heisman race takes a turn
Most preseason Heisman conversations focused on three quarterbacks: Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) and Cade Klubnik (Clemson).
Three weeks into the season, those conversations sound quite different.
Preseason No. 4 Clemson is at serious risk of stumbling out of the Top 25 after losing to Georgia Tech on Saturday. Preseason No. 1 Texas underwhelmed in a 27-10 win over UTEP with an inconsistent passing game, while Nussmeier remains a favorite after leading LSU to a 3-0 start.
But John Mateer (Oklahoma) and Carson Beck (Miami) have replaced Klubnik and Manning in the top tier.
Who votes in the poll, and how does it work?
No organization has been ranking teams and naming a major college football national champion longer than The Associated Press, since 1936.
AP employees don’t vote themselves, but they do choose the voters. AP Top 25 voters comprise around 60 writers and broadcasters who cover college football for AP members and other select outlets. The goal is to have every state with a Football Bowl Subdivision school represented by at least one voter.
There is a 1-25 point system, with a team voted No. 1 receiving 25 points down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote. After that, it’s simple: The poll lists the teams with the most points from 1 to 25, and others receiving votes are also noted.
Voting is done online, and the tabulation is automated.
