Projected AP Top 25 College Football Rankings for Week 8 After Upset Weekend
Following a weekend in which several top-ranked teams lost, analysts outline a tentative new AP Top 25 poll for week 8, highlighting shifts from the previous rankings.
After two consecutive weeks in which No. 1 teams were defeated by unranked opponents, the AP poll voters are expected to release a revised Top 25 ranking for week 8. The latest projections show Oregon entering at No. 25, while Oklahoma State and Northwestern move up to No. 24 and No. 23 respectively. Texas drops to No. 20 after consecutive losses to unranked Florida and Oklahoma, and LSU climbs to No. 19 after a 31-0 win over Mississippi State.
Florida, previously unranked, could re-enter the poll after beating Texas, while Wake Forest rises to No. 17 following a dominant win over California. USC remains at No. 16 despite a bye week, and Houston advances to No. 14 after defeating Oklahoma State.
In the top ten, Utah holds No. 10 as the only undefeated team in the Big 12, Tennessee moves to No. 9 after limiting Alabama to 10 points, and Texas Tech climbs to No. 8 with a 53-point performance against Arizona State. Ole Miss stays at No. 7 after a 31-3 victory over Missouri, and Indiana remains at No. 6 despite a narrow loss to Ohio State.
Georgia falls to No. 4 after a loss to Auburn, while Ohio State holds No. 3 after a close win over Indiana, though quarterback Julian Sayin is expected to miss several weeks with a shoulder injury. Miami stays at No. 2 after a double-overtime win over Florida State, and Notre Dame holds No. 5 despite a four-point loss to BYU.
These projections reflect the volatility of the recent weekend results and the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming AP poll.