The Latest: Penn State and Texas should fall in the AP Top 25. Which teams will take their spots?
Week 6 of college football wasn’t great for a couple of blue blood teams. The latest AP Top 25 rankings, dropping at 2 p.m. ET, are likely to break some hearts for Penn State and Texas fans.
A week after their crushing home loss to Oregon, No. 7 Penn State got beat again, this time falling 42-37 to a woebegone UCLA in one of the biggest — if not the biggest — upset of the year in college football.
No. 9 Texas lost 29-21 to Florida, which could knock the Longhorns out of the poll altogether.
But it’s not all bad news in the Top 25, thanks to wins by three top-five teams Saturday. Ohio State rolled past Minnesota 42-3, No. 3 Miami held off No. 18 Florida State 28-22 and No. 5 Oklahoma routed Kent State 44-0.
So how will the rest of the top 10 shake out?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for poll predictions, game recaps, analysis and voter answers to fan questions, all in one place.
Here’s the latest:
Upset watch
UCLA pulled off the biggest upset of the week with a 42-37 win over No. 7 Penn State.
Bruins’ quarterback Nico Iamaleava accounted for five touchdowns, running three in and connecting with Kwazi Gilmer and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for two more.
A struggling Florida team exposed No. 9 Texas, beating the Longhorns 29-21 on Saturday. Texas — once ranked No. 1 in the poll — is now at risk of slipping out of the rankings altogether.
Who might rise and fall in this week’s poll
Stock up: Alabama, Notre Dame, BYU, Texas Tech.
Stock down: Florida State, Penn State, Texas, Iowa State.
Hear from a voter: What do you see in Miami over other top teams like Ohio State and Oregon?
I see a Hurricanes team with a national champion under center, the best pass rusher in the country, a super talented roster and a good schedule.
Once Ohio State and Oregon play some more competition, I’ll consider them for No. 1. Right now, Miami has the best combination of talent and résumé.
Hear from voter: What’s your take on so-called SEC bias?
By JAVON EDMONDS
It’s simple for me: Play good teams and you’ll be rewarded.
Simply being in a conference doesn’t qualify you as a good team (see Kentucky and Rutgers). I watch as many games as I can on Saturdays and catch up on whichever ones I missed.
I care about the body of work, not the rhetoric.
Ohio State safe at No. 1 as Miami makes a case for No. 2
Miami moved from No. 2 to No. 3 in the poll after a Sept. 27 bye.
While the Hurricanes had time off, Oregon topped Penn State in double overtime, moving up to No. 2. The roles were reversed this week, as Oregon had the week off for rest and recovery, while Miami delivered a convincing 28-22 win against No. 18 Florida State.
Meanwhile, Ohio State returned to action with a 42-3 victory over Minnesota, likely making the Buckeyes untouchable at No. 1.
Knocking on the door
Cincinnati knocked off No. 14 Iowa State on Saturday, outscoring the Cyclones 38-30 and improving to 4-1.
It’s the fourth straight win for the Bearcats, who are beginning to make a case for a Top 25 ranking.
Memphis improved to 6-0 with a dominant 45-7 win over Tulsa on Saturday. The Tigers rank second in the American Conference behind Navy, which has the edge with a 3-0 conference record.
South Florida could return to the rankings after a 54-26 win against Charlotte. The Bulls received 53 votes in the poll last week, more than any other team still outside the Top 25.
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 1-25 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.
