CFB Top 25: Minor changes, but sets up rated teams in four games

As we reflect on the the cause and effect of the new AP top 25, out attention spins forward to next weekend, which will include four games involving two rated teams:

No. 1. Georgia vs. No. 14 Missouri

No. 5 Washington at No. 24 USC

No. 7 Texas vs. No. 25 Kansas State

No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 13 LSU 

After a couple of mild surprises in Week 10, the AP Top 25 showed minor changes. While Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State and Washington held down the top five again, Oregon moved up two spots to No. 6 after a resounding, 35-6, win over Utah, which dropped from five places to No. 18 and Oklahoma dropped four places to No. 10 after losing 38-33 to Kansas, now No. 22. 

Georgia, 8-0 after flattening Florida 43-20, Saturday is No. 1 for the 20th straight week, receiving 48 of 63 first-place votes, distancing itself from No. 2 Michigan, 8-0 and idle last week. This is the 50th consecutive week that either Georgia or Alabama has been No. 1.  Alabama, 7-1.  was idle but moved up one spot to No. 8.

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck guided the Dawgs to more than 400 total yards despite the absence of standout tight end Brock Bowers (inj., out for season). 

Perhaps the biggest shock in the Top 25 was that USC, 7-2,  managed to hold on to the No. 22 position despite escaping with a 50-49 win over unranked Cal, which actually dominated the action most of the game.   

Although the Michigan had a bye, the Wolverines made headlines regarding an NCAA sign-stealing investigation. They received nine first-place votes while No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Florida State each received three.

Washington (8-0) remained at No. 5, one spot ahead of Pac-12 rival Oregon (7-1) after its win over Utah, which fell five places to No.

Texas stayed put at No. 7 after managing a 35-6 win against BYU with first string quarterback Quinn Ewers out for the season (shoulder). Penn State (7-1) moved up one to ninth  after defeating Indiana, 33-24.

The Sooners lost for the first time this season and to Kansas for the first time since 1997, then tumbled in the rankings behind Big 12 rival Texas, which Oklahoma beat in a thriller three weeks ago.

Kansas re-entered the rankings at No. 22 after one of the biggest victories in program history and Kansas State moved back in at No. 25 ahead of a big matchup at Texas next Saturday.

Air Force moved up two spots to No. 17, the Falcons' best ranking since finishing No. 13 in 1998.

All times Eastern

No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs

Previous ranking: 1

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Defeated Florida 43-20

Fact: The 43 points from the Bulldogs were the most they have scored against the Gators since 1982, as Georgia won its 25th straight game.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 14 Missouri, 3:30 p.m., CBS

No. 2 Michigan Wolverines

Previous ranking: 2

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Idle

Fact: J.J. McCarthy is now the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. The last Michigan quarterback to be a finalist for the award? Current head coach Jim Harbaugh in 1986.

Next: Saturday vs. Purdue

No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking: 3

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Defeated Wisconsin 24-10

Fact: Marvin Harrison Jr. had six receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 25 receiving touchdowns, tied for fifth most in Ohio State history with Santonio Holmes.

Next: Saturday at Rutgers

No. 4 Florida State Seminoles

Predicting the College Football Playoff rankings: How the top 12 could shake out

12hHeather Dinich

Previous ranking: 4

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Defeated Wake Forest 41-16

Fact: Florida State has held its past two opponents, Duke and Wake Forest, to a combined 14 pass completions. The last time it held two FBS opponents to fewer than 15 completions was 1998.

Next: Saturday at Pitt

No. 5 Washington Huskies

Previous ranking: 5

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Defeated Stanford 42-33

Fact: The Huskies are 8-0 for the first time since 2016, when they made their only College Football Playoff appearance.

Next: Saturday at No. 24 USC, 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 6 Oregon Ducks

Previous ranking: 8

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Defeated Utah 35-6

Fact: Bo Nix has had at least a 70% completion percentage and multiple passing touchdowns in nine straight games, passing Kellen Moore in 2010 for the longest streak by an FBS player in the past 20 seasons.

Next: Saturday vs. California

No. 7 Texas Longhorns

Previous ranking: 7

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Defeated BYU 35-6

Fact: The Longhorns are off to their best start since 2009, when they opened 8-0. Starting QB Quinn Ewers (shoulder) may be out of the season.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 25 Kansas State

No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide

Previous ranking: 9

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Idle

Fact: The Crimson Tide are 5-0 in SEC play for the 11th time in 17 seasons under Nick Saban, which is more than every other SEC school combined in that span.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 13 LSU, 7:30 p.m., CBS

No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions

Previous ranking: 10

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Defeated Indiana 33-24

Fact: Before throwing his first career interception in the fourth quarter, Drew Allar had thrown 19 career touchdown passes, the third most by an FBS quarterback in the past 25 years before his first pick.

Next: Saturday at Maryland, 3:30 p.m., Fox

No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners

Previous ranking: 6

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Lost to Kansas 38-33

Fact: Dillon Gabriel became the first Oklahoma quarterback to rush for three touchdowns in a game since Jalen Hurts.

Next: Saturday at Oklahoma State

No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels

Previous ranking: 12

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Defeated Vanderbilt 33-7

Fact: Ole Miss is 7-1 in consecutive seasons for the first time since it did so seven years in a row from 1957 to 1963.

Next: Saturday vs. Texas A&M, Noon, ESPN

No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previous ranking: 14

2023 record: 7-2

Week 9 result: Defeated Pitt 58-7

Fact: Notre Dame's 58 points are its most against a Power 5 opponent in the past 20 years. And the Irish have now scored 40 or more points six times this season, tied for its most ever.

Next: Saturday at Clemson

No. 13 LSU Tigers

Previous ranking: 15

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Idle

Fact: Quarterback Jayden Daniels has accounted for three or more touchdowns in seven straight games, which is tied with Joe Burrow in 2019 for the longest streak by a LSU player in the past 20 seasons.

Next: Saturday at No. 8 Alabama, 7:30 p.m., CBS

No. 14 Missouri Tigers

Previous ranking: 16

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Idle

Fact: Luther Burden III had 90 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' win over South Carolina last week. He has only had fewer than 90 receiving yards in one game this season.

Next: Saturday at No. 1 Georgia, 3:30 p.m., CBS

No. 15 Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking: 18

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Defeated Duke 23-0

Fact: This is the first time the Cardinals have had consecutive wins against ranked opponents in a single season since 2006.

Next: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network

No. 16 Oregon State Beavers

Previous ranking: 11

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Lost to Arizona 27-24

Fact: Oregon State's loss snaps a six-game win streak as ranked team against unranked opponents.

Next: Saturday at Colorado, 10 p.m., ESPN

No. 17 Air Force Falcons

Previous ranking: 19

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Defeated Colorado State 30-13

Fact: The Falcons are 8-0 for the first time since 1985 and earned their 13th straight win dating back to last year, the fourth longest active FBS winning streak.

Next: Saturday vs. Army, 2:30 p.m., CBSSN

No. 18 Utah Utes

Previous ranking: 13

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Lost to Oregon 35-6

Fact: This was the Utes' third-worst conference loss since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 and snapped an 18-game home winning streak.

Next: Saturday vs. Arizona State, 2 p.m., Pac-12 Network

No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers

Previous ranking: 21

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Defeated Kentucky 33-27

Fact: The Vols earned their first true road win of the season and 36th victory over Kentucky in their past 39 meetings.

Next: Saturday vs. UConn, Noon, SEC Network

No. 20 UCLA Bruins

Previous ranking: 23

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Defeated Colorado 28-16

Fact: The Bruins pressured Shedeur Sanders on 26 of his 56 dropbacks, the sixth-most pressures any team has recorded in a game this year.

Next: Saturday at Arizona

No. 21 Tulane Green Wave

Previous ranking: 22

2023 record: 7-1

Week 9 result: Defeated Rice 30-28

Fact: Tulane's six-game winning streak is its longest within a single season since going 12-0 in 1998. season.

Next: Saturday at East Carolina, 3:30 p.m.

No. 22 Kansas Jayhawks

Previous ranking: NR

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Defeated Oklahoma 38-33

Fact: With the upset of the Sooners, the Jayhawks earned their first home win against an AP top-10 team since 1984.

Next: Saturday at Iowa State

No. 23 James Madison Dukes

Previous ranking: 25

2023 record: 8-0

Week 9 result: Defeated Old Dominion 30-27

Fact: The Dukes are the second Sun Belt team to start a year 8-0 (joining 2020 Coastal Carolina) and have won 11 in a row overall, dating back to last year.

Next: Saturday at Georgia State, 3:30 p.m.

No. 24 USC Trojans

Previous ranking: 24

2023 record: 7-2

Week 9 result: Defeated Cal 50-49

Fact: The Trojans are only the second Pac-12 team to allow 40 or more points in four different regular-season games while ranked in the AP Poll, joining 2005 UCLA.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 5 Washington, 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 25 Kansas State Wildcats

Previous ranking: NR

2023 record: 6-2

Week 9 result: Defeated Houston 41-0

Fact: The Wildcats earned their 15th 40-point shutout win as a Big 12 team, the most in conference history. It also tied for their fourth-largest win against a Big 12 team in the past 20 years.

Next: Saturday at No. 7 Texas