This past weekend, we saw some dramatic games across college football. Maybe the most remarkable didn’t involve ranked teams, with Colorado coming back and beating Baylor in a wild overtime game.
Michigan coming back to beat USC in Ann Arbor and Tennessee traveling to Oklahoma and beating the Sooners were two of the most impactful games involving ranked teams.
This week’s new Associated Press poll gives us a new top 25 with a lot of movement because of upsets and surprises. The schedules are starting to transition to conference games, which means more rivalries and heated matchups.
If you’re circling one game on your schedule for the weekend, it’s No. 2 Georgia traveling to face No. 4 Alabama. Both teams had a bye week to get ready for this heavyweight bout with likely College Football Playoff implications.
Here’s how the new poll ranks the teams and what’s on deck for this coming weekend.
1. Texas (4-0, SEC)
After easily dispatching Louisiana-Monroe
51-3 behind a fabulous first start from Arch Manning, Texas hosts Mississippi State in a mid-afternoon affair. The question isn’t if Quinn Ewers can play, it’s if the Longhorns need him. Manning threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns while Texas ran for 239 yards as a team.
2. Georgia (3-0, SEC)
After a week off, the Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama in the game of the weekend. The winner will be in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth in the SEC.
3. Ohio State (3-0, Big Ten)
The Buckeyes will open their Big Ten schedule with a trip to East Lansing on Saturday for a battle with Michigan State.
4. Alabama (3-0, SEC)
The good news: Alabama is at home for the biggest game of the weekend. The bad news: Georgia is coming in with two weeks to prepare just like the Crimson Tide has had to get ready for this great matchup.
5. Tennessee (4-0, SEC)
The first team to climb in this week’s rankings, Tennessee went into Norman and beat Oklahoma 25-15 in a game that was emotional for head coach Josh Heupel. A strong first win in conference play sets up the Volunteers for a potential playoff run. It’s worth noting the Vols host Alabama on Oct. 19 and visit Georgia on Nov. 16. One of those teams will have a loss after Saturday.
6. Mississippi (4-0, SEC)
Ole Miss drops a spot this week despite beating Georgia Southern 52-13. They host Kentucky at noon on Saturday.
7. Miami (4-0, ACC)
The first ACC representative on the list bumps up one spot this week after winning 50-15 at South Florida. The Hurricanes will host Virginia Tech on Friday night.
8. Oregon (3-0, Big Ten)
The second Big Ten representative in the rankings also moves up a spot this week. They’ll renew a conference rivalry this weekend, though the conference affiliation has changed from the PAC-12 to the Big Ten. The Ducks are at UCLA late on Saturday night.
9. Penn State (3-0, Big Ten)
The Nittany Lions were not tested by Kent State, winning 56-0. While Penn State has rolled through their first three games, they’ll get a good test at home from a hot Illinois team on Saturday night.
10. Utah (4-0, Big 12)
Utah climbs two spot after winning 22-19 at Oklahoma State. They’ll host Arizona in a new Big 12 rivalry game.
11. Missouri (4-0, SEC)
Missouri is our first big drop this week, sliding four spots after needing double-overtime to escape with a 30-27 win against Vanderbilt. The Tigers are off this weekend and will travel to Texas A&M next week.
12. Michigan (3-1, Big Ten)
The defending national champions are the biggest climber this week, moving up six spots after coming back to beat USC 27-24 at the Big House on Saturday. The Wolverines will look to stay hot at home against Minnesota at noon on Saturday.
13. USC (2-1, Big Ten)
After their stunning last-second loss at Michigan, the Trojans will return home and host Wisconsin in their second Big Ten battle of the season.
14. LSU (3-1, SEC)
A thorough beating of UCLA helps LSU move up a couple of places in this week’s poll. They’ll stay home and host South Alabama this weekend on Saturday night.
15. Louisville (3-0, ACC)
A 31-19 win at Georgia Tech moves Louisville up four spots and into the top 15 this week. The Cardinals travel to South Bend on Saturday and will look to improve their standing in one of the top matchups of the weekend.
16. Notre Dame (3-1, Independent)
The Fighting Irish beat Miami (Ohio) 28-3 on Saturday and moved up a spot this week. The schedule isn’t nearly as easy for Notre Dame this weekend. They host Louisville in a mid-afternoon kickoff.
17. Clemson (2-1, ACC)
After getting hammered the first weekend of the season, Clemson has rebounded with two wins. They beat North Carolina State 59-35 on Saturday, a win that earned them a climb of four spots this week. They’ll host Stanford in a new ACC rivalry game on Saturday evening.
18. Iowa State (3-0, Big 12)
Iowa State thoroughly demolished Arkansas State 52-7 on Saturday and moved up a couple of spots in this week’s poll. They’ll travel to Houston for a Big 12 matchup on Saturday evening.
19. Illinois (4-0, Big Ten)
The second biggest climber in this week’s poll is also in the Big Ten. The Illini went into Nebraska and handed the Cornhuskers a
31-24 defeat in overtime. Quarterback Luke Altmyer was efficient, completing 21 of 27 pass attempts for 215 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Illinois will look to remain road warriors as they head to Happy Valley to face Penn State on Saturday night.
20. Oklahoma State (3-1, Big 12)
Losing to Utah at home cost the Cowboys six spots in the poll this week. They’ll look to bounce back in Manhattan against Kansas State in a battle of two teams coming off bad losses. The loser will likely fall out of the rankings next week.
21. Oklahoma (3-1, SEC)
Losing to Tennessee at home cost the Sooners six spots in the poll this week. Their rude welcome to the SEC continues this weekend with a mid-afternoon start at Auburn, which has never been an easy place to play. Will the Sooners stick with freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins, Jr., after he came in and
led the team with 132 passing yards and 22 rushing yards in the loss?
22. BYU (4-0, Big 12)
After beating Kansas State
38-9, BYU is ranked for the first time this season. They travel to Baylor, who will look to pick up the pieces after their overtime loss at Colorado.
23. Kansas State (3-1, Big 12)
The loss to BYU means KSU falls 10 spots in this week’s poll. They host Oklahoma State at noon on Saturday and will look to stay among the ranked teams in next week’s AP Poll.
24. Texas A&M (3-1, SEC)
The Aggies beat Bowling Green 26-20 this past weekend but will travel to AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, to “host” Arkansas.
25. Boise State (2-1, Mountain West)
Previously unranked, Boise State closes out this week’s AP Poll. They host Washington State late on Saturday night.
