The latest AP Top 25 college football rankings are almost here. Look for major shakeups in the top five.
Week 5 of college football packed an extra punch for AP Top 25 teams. Six ranked teams lost over the weekend and four of them were in the top 10.
The No. 3 ranked Penn State could not escape a defeat against No. 6 Oregon, even with double overtime on Saturday. Additionally, Virginia shocked No. 8 Florida State on Friday night. The surprises continued as No. 4 LSU fell to No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 5 Georgia was defeated by No. 17 Alabama, amplifying the weekend’s upheaval.
Expect Oregon, Ole Miss and Bama to climb.
Here’s the latest:
Three big losses in the top five
As a result, No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 LSU, and No. 5 Georgia are expected to drop in rankings, paving the way for victorious teams like Oregon and Ole Miss. With No. 8 Florida State also likely to descend, there’s an opportunity for No. 9 Texas A&M to advance amid the chaos.
Who to watch to rise and fall this week
1. No. 17 Alabama will likely skyrocket in the rankings after a 24-21 win at No. 5 Georgia on Saturday night.
2. No. 13 Ole Miss is set to crack the top 10 after a 24-19 win against No. 4 LSU.
3. No. 6 Oregon could see its highest ranking this season after knocking off No. 3 Penn State in double overtime.
Georgia and LSU, having suffered defeats within their conferences, are anticipated to fall out of the top five. Georgia’s lowest regular-season position has been No. 6, while LSU has remained a top-five contender since defeating Clemson in their season opener.
5. Penn State is at risk of dropping out of the top five for the first time this season after a loss to Oregon in double overtime.
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.
Although the employees at AP do not partake in the voting, they select the panel of voters. The AP Top 25 panel comprises nearly 60 writers and broadcasters, representing various AP affiliates and partners, with the aim of ensuring coverage from every state housing a Football Bowl Subdivision team.
The voting system assigns teams 1 to 25 points, where a No. 1 vote delivers 25 points and a No. 25 vote gives 1 point. Subsequently, the ranking lists teams from 1 to 25 based on their accumulated points, with additional teams receiving vote mention.
Voting is done online, and the tabulation is automated.
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