AP Top 25: Georgia Still No.1, USC KO'd from List
Despite some early drama, the top five college football teams in last week's AP poll -- Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State and Washington -- all prevailed Saturday.
And, regardless of the College Football Playoff Ratings sequence last week of Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, Florida State and Washington, the AP first five remained the same with the two-time defending national champion Dawgs still on top.
But there was movement throughout the rankings.
Depending on one’s geographic or historical perspective, perhaps the most dramatic game featured No. 5 Washington and its Heisman candidate, quarterback Michael Penix, outscoring USC and last season’s Heisman quarterback, Caleb Williams, 52-42.
Pending conference championship-game possibilities, that could be the final game between those two teams as Pac-12 rivals. It also knocked the Trojans out of the Top 25 for the first time under coach Lincoln Riley.
Also...
—Alabama held on to No. 8 with a big win over LSU, which slid from No. 13 to No. 18.
—Clemson coach Dabo Swinney got the last word, for now, with 31-23 upset over Notre Dame, which pushed the Irish from No. 12 to No. 22. Swinney lashed out at a radio caller, defending his team’s demise. The Tigers are still unranked, however. And unless Swinney changes his attitude against the transfer portal and NIL, the Tigers probably won't get into the Top 25 any time soon.
—Ole Miss moved up one spot to No. 11 after holding on to beat Texas A&M, 38-35.
—In an emotional encounter, previously unranked Oklahoma State moved to No. 15 with a 27-24 upset win over Oklahoma in the final intrastate rivalry game, known as Bedlam. The loss pushed Oklahoma from No. 10 to No. 17.
A look at AP’s Top 25
All times Eastern
No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs
Previous ranking: 1
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated Missouri, 30-21
FACT: The Dawgs extended their winning streak to 26 games — and 42 out of 43 — thanks to two touchdown passes from Carson Beck.
NEXT: Saturday vs. No. 10 Ole Miss
No. 2 Michigan Wolverines
Previous ranking: 2
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated Purdue, 41-13
FACT: Michigan has won 27 consecutive regular-season games, the longest streak in FBS, thanks to Blake Corum's three rushing touchdowns.
NEXT: Saturday at Penn State, Noon, Fox
No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous ranking: 3
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated Rutgers, 35-16
FACT: Marvin Harrison Jr. has now caught a touchdown pass in five straight games, as he scored twice to tie Cris Carter for fourth-most receiving touchdowns in school history.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Michigan State, 7:30 p.m., NBC
No. 4 Florida State Seminoles
Previous ranking: 4
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated Pitt, 24-7
FACT: The Seminoles clinched a spot in the ACC title game for the first time since 2014.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Miami, ABC
No. 5 Washington Huskies
Previous ranking: 5
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated USC, 52-42
FACT: Dillon Johnson had 199 of his career-high 256 rushing yards before contact, the most rushing yards before contact by an FBS player in a game this season.
NEXT: Saturday vs. No. 11 Utah, 3:30 p.m., Fox
No. 6 Oregon Ducks
Previous ranking: 6
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated Cal, 63-19
FACT: Bo Nix threw for 386 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for two additional scores. He is only the third player in FBS history with 90 career passing touchdowns and 35 career rushing scores.
NEXT: Saturday vs. USC, 10:30 p.m., Fox
No. 7 Texas Longhorns
Previous ranking: 7
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated Kansas State 33-30 (OT)
FACT: By hanging on in overtime, the Longhorns avoided blowing a 20-point second-half lead for the first time in school history.
NEXT: Saturday at TCU
No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide
Previous ranking: 8
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated LSU 42-28
FACT: Jalen Milroe became the first Alabama quarterback to rush for four touchdowns in a single game.
NEXT: Saturday at Kentucky, Noon, ESPN
No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions
Previous ranking: 9
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated Maryland, 51-15
FACT: Penn State held Maryland to -49 yards, the fewest it has allowed since 1947.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Michigan, Noon, Fox
No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels
Previous ranking: 11
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated Texas A&M, 38-35
FACT: Quinshon Judkins ran for 102 yards and three scores in the win. He now has 28 rushing scores, the second most in program history.
NEXT: Saturday at No. 1 Georgia
No. 11 Louisville Cardinals
Previous ranking: 15
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated Virginia Tech, 34-3
FACT: The Cardinals have now won 10 consecutive home games, all by double digits.
NEXT: Thursday vs. Virginia, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 12 Oregon State Beavers
Previous ranking: 16
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Defeated Colorado, 26-19
FACT: Oregon State started 7-2 for the first time since 2012 and ran its streak of rushing for at least 125 yards to 23 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in FBS.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Stanford
No. 13 Utah Utes
Previous ranking: 18
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Defeated Arizona State 55-3
FACT: Bryson Barnes completed 19 of 28 passes for 161 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.
NEXT: Saturday at No. 3 Washington, 3:30 p.m., Fox
No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers
Previous ranking: 19
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Defeated UConn, 59-3
FACT: Thanks in part to three defensive touchdowns, the Vols won their 13th consecutive home game, the third-longest FBS streak, behind only Georgia and Michigan. It's Tennessee's longest home streak since it won 23 in a row from 1996 to 2000.
NEXT: Saturday at Missouri
No. 15 Oklahoma State Cowboys
Previous ranking: NR
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Defeated Oklahoma, 27-24
FACT: The Cowboys have won two of the final three Bedlam matchups after winning only two of the first 16 in coach Mike Gundy's tenure.
NEXT: Saturday at UCF
No. 16 Missouri Tigers
Previous ranking: 14
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Lost to Georgia, 30-21
FACT: Cody Schrader rushed 22 times for 112 yards, making him the first player to rush for more than 100 yards against Georgia since Kentucky's Chris Rodriguez Jr. on Oct. 31, 2020.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Tennessee
No. 17 Oklahoma Sooners
Previous ranking: 10
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Lost to Oklahoma State, 27-24
FACT: This was the first game this season that QB Dillon Gabriel had multiple turnovers and did not produce multiple touchdowns.
NEXT: Saturday vs. West Virginia
No. 18 LSU Tigers
Previous ranking: 13
2023 record: 6-3
Week 10 result: Lost to Alabama, 42-28
FACT: Jayden Daniels threw for 219 yards and two scores while rushing for 163 yards and an additional score before leaving the game following a Dallas Turner hit. Daniels was in concussion protocol this week. His status for Saturday's game is still unclear.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Florida
No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks
Previous ranking: 22
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Defeated Iowa State, 28-21
FACT: The Jayhawks clinched their first seven-win season since 2008, when they went 8-5.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Texas Tech
No. 20 Tulane Green Wave
Previous ranking: 21
2023 record: 8-1
Week 10 result: Defeated East Carolina, 13-10
FACT: Tulane scored its fewest points in a win since 2014, when it beat UConn, 12-3.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Tulsa, Noon, ESPN2
No. 21 James Madison Dukes
Previous ranking: 23
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated Georgia State, 42-14
FACT: It was Jordan McCloud's second game of the season with multiple passing touchdowns and rushing scores, with four through the air and two on the ground.
NEXT: Saturday vs. UConn, 2 p.m., ESPN+
No. 22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Previous ranking: 12
2023 record: 7-3
Week 10 result: Lost to Clemson, 31-23
FACT: Sam Hartman is now 0-5 in his career against Clemson, the first Power 5 starting QB to go 0-5 against a single opponent since Florida State's Chris Rix against Miami.
NEXT: Nov. 18 vs. Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m.
No. 23 Arizona Wildcats
Previous ranking: NR
2023 record: 6-3
Week 10 result: Defeated UCLA, 27-10
FACT: Arizona is the second team ever to win three consecutive games, all against AP-ranked opponents, while being unranked in all three. The Wildcats are now bowl eligible for the first time since 2017.
NEXT: Saturday at Colorado
No. 24 North Carolina Tar Heels
Previous ranking: NR
2023 record: 7-2
Week 10 result: Defeated Campbell, 59-7
FACT: Drake Maye threw four touchdowns in a get-well game following consecutive four-point losses to Virginia and Georgia Tech.
NEXT: Saturday vs. Duke
No. 25 Liberty Flames
Previous ranking: NR
2023 record: 9-0
Week 10 result: Defeated Louisiana Tech, 56-30
FACT: The Flames are 9-0 for the first time in program history thanks to four touchdown passes from Kaidon Salter.
Next: Saturday vs. Old Dominion, 1 p.m.