The anticipation for the newest AP Top 25 college football rankings is building as we reflect on a tumultuous Week 8.
This week demonstrated the unpredictability of the rankings, with nine teams, including four from the top 10, experiencing defeats. Furthermore, three underdogs managed to topple their higher-ranked adversaries.
Miami, sitting at No. 2, was the first to experience an upset, losing at home to an unranked Louisville, marking their inaugural loss of the season. This weekend saw three other unranked teams achieving victories over ranked squads, proving they cannot be underestimated.
Saturday evening saw the end of winning streaks for No. 5 Ole Miss, who fell to No. 9 Georgia, and No. 7 Texas Tech, who couldn’t overcome Arizona State.
Meanwhile, No. 10 LSU faced their second loss this season, succumbing to No. 17 Vanderbilt.
Despite these setbacks, some top-ranked teams managed to maintain their momentum. No. 3 Indiana dominated Michigan State with a decisive 38-13 victory, and No. 6 Alabama emerged victorious against No. 11 Tennessee.
After matchups like these, expect major waves in the poll. So which teams climb?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for poll projections, game recaps, analysis and voter answers to fan questions, all in one place.
Here’s the latest:
Five Top 25 teams keep their undefeated streaks alive
Five Top 25 teams maintained an undefeated record through Week 8: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Indiana, No. 4 Texas A&M, No. 12 Georgia Tech and No. 15 BYU.
Ohio State shut out Wisconsin 34-0. Indiana cruised past Michigan State with a 38-13 win. Texas A&M escaped a close one against Arkansas, pulling out a 45-42 victory. Georgia Tech beat ACC foe Duke 27-18 and BYU held off Utah, coming out on top with a 24-21 win.
Four top 10 teams stumble in Week 8
No. 2 Miami, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas Tech and No. 10 LSU lost in Week 8 of college football play, paving the way for a major reshuffle in the top 10 of this week’s poll.
They were the first losses of the season for Miami, Ole Miss and Texas Tech. The Hurricanes were stunned at home by Louisville, which picked off quarterback Carson Beck four times on Friday night and secured a 24-21 win.
Vanderbilt outscored LSU 31-24 on Saturday, an effort spearheaded by Commodores’ quarterback Diego Pavia. Ole Miss dropped 43-35 to Georgia on the road in an offensive shootout. And Arizona State handed Texas Tech a 26-22 loss in a last-minute thriller.
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-to-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.
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