Penn State and Texas fell out of the Top 25. AP sports writers explain why

No. 8 Alabama’s stretch of ranked opponents continues as the Crimson Tide visit No. 13 Missouri. The undefeated Tigers are fresh off a bye week while Alabama has used two big SEC wins to climb into the top 10.

No. 6 Oklahoma faces a now-unranked Texas team in the historic Red River Rivalry game. The John Mateer-less Sooners have designs on the SEC title while the Longhorns would love to erase their humbling loss at Florida by beating their old foe.

No. 1 Ohio State takes on arguably its toughest opponent of the season with a visit to No. 17 Illinois. The Fighting Illini have bounced back from a 63-10 loss to Indiana with two consecutive wins. A win against the top-seeded Buckeyes would shake up the Big Ten race and CFP picture.

No. 3 Oregon is at home for a Big Ten showdown with No. 7 Indiana. Both quarterbacks — the Hoosiers’ Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore — are both in the Heisman Trophy mix.

Voters are tasked with putting a puzzle together each week, and taking a week off doesn’t mean you stand pat in the rankings. Voters tend to reward teams for impressive wins and there are ripple effects.

Oregon slipped one spot to No. 3 this week after they were idle. Miami was rewarded for going on the road and beating a ranked FSU team and moves from No. 3 to No. 2.

Miami had been No. 2 on Sept. 21 and was idle the week Oregon beat Penn State on the reward. The Ducks had to be rewarded for that and were given a 4-spot promotion, which forced everybody in front of them to get moved down.

Earlier this season, Alabama was No. 14 after beating Wisconsin, was idle the next week and dropped to No. 17 because three teams behind the Tide — Texas Tech, Indiana and Georgia Tech — merited promotions after good/great wins.

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Voters had good reason to believe each team would be solid this year.

All had what were expected to be stingy defenses and excellent, Heisman-caliber quarterbacks (Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Penn State’s Drew Allar and Texas with Arch Manning), which is a good place to start.

But early expectations are just that — expectations. And all three teams have absolutely fallen well short.

Clemson’s offense has been stagnant at times, Manning has sometimes looked like the young, inexperienced QB he is and Penn State — which returned two 1,000-yard running backs — has the nation’s 52nd-ranked rushing offense at just 175 yards per game.

Still, shake-ups are what make college football exciting. As proven the past two weekends in particular, anything can happen on a Saturday in the fall.

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Landon, I really like the Red Raiders. Very, very impressive team on both sides of the ball. All they have to do is keep winning.

To play the “if” game — if Indiana loses at Oregon, Alabama gets upset at Missouri and Oklahoma gets beat by Texas this week, they’ll be knocking on the door assuming they beat Kansas in Lubbock.

Patience, my friend.

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Tim, I watched most of that game and agree with you.

The Bearcats were picking up yards in big chunks and totally outmuscled the Cyclones, who are shorthanded on defense now. Cincy also was coming off a nice road win at Kansas.

One could argue that Cincinnati should be ranked but it might still be paying the price for losing to Nebraska, which is unranked, and the other teams Cincy beat (Bowling Green, Northwestern State) don’t move the needle.

As of now, they also don’t face another ranked team until late November (BYU).

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Great question!

I think many would say Miami’s the best team in college football right now, and the Hurricanes certainly have the resume to reflect that. Top 25 voters are seeing it: Ohio State’s 40 first-place votes were its fewest since ascending to the top spot five weeks ago.

The Hurricanes went from four first-place votes last week to 21 this week. But look — has an undefeated Ohio State team with a stout defense and explosive offense done anything to warrant being dropped out of the top spot?

A loss or an unexpected slow start or a close game against a lesser opponent could do the trick.

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Bruce, what I say will be pure conjecture because FSU’s rise and fall in the rankings is the consensus of the 66 members of the voting panel.

Notre Dame played in the national championship game last season and expectations were high coming into 2025. Their two losses are by a combined four points against teams that are now in the top five (Miami, Texas A&M). Irish have three straight convincing wins (say what you will about Purdue and Arkansas), including 2024 playoff qualifier Boise State.

Florida State was rewarded for its win over Alabama with a No. 14 ranking and got into the top 10 with blowouts of East Texas A&M and Kent State.

The 2OT loss to Virginia? Perhaps at the time the voters didn’t think Virginia was legit based on recent seasons. FSU also wasn’t competitive against Miami until the fourth quarter.

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I like the job Bret Bielema is doing, and I prefer to think of Illinois’ 63-10 loss to Indiana as a one-off, especially after the Illini responded with wins over USC and Purdue.

I do think Ohio State beats Illinois easily this week; the Buckeyes have gotten on a nice roll with a salty defense and a young quarterback who keeps getting better.

As for Oregon, the Ducks are too good to get exposed by Indiana and I see it the other way around. Curt Cignetti is 0-2 against top-five teams, and this one is on the road against a legitimate Heisman contender in QB Dante Moore.

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I would argue Texas and Penn State were already on fraud watch before this weekend. Both teams had expected wins but fell short when the stakes were highest against top teams.

The Longhorns’ Week 1 loss to No. 1 Ohio State and Penn State’s overtime loss to No. 3 Oregon were justifiable, but the losses this week were too much for voters to overlook.

UCLA was a winless, 24.5-point underdog, and the Gators were 1-3 before taking down Texas, where QB Arch Manning has been inconsistently good but certainly not great.

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Texas was the AP’s preseason No. 1 team and Penn State was No. 2. Both are now out of the rankings for the first time since 2022.

Penn State took one of the biggest falls in the 89-year history of the poll for its 42-37 loss at previously winless UCLA a week after the Bruins fired their coach. The Nittany Lions had slipped from No. 2 to No. 7 following their loss to Oregon.

The plunge out of the Top 25 matched 1959 Oklahoma for second-biggest drop out of the rankings, not counting preseason polls or the 2020 pandemic season.

Texas lost at Ohio State as the preseason No. 1 and was No. 9 entering its game at Florida. The Longhorns’ 29-21 loss at the Swamp sent it tumbling out of the Top 25.

Before Sunday, the last time two top-10 teams fell out of the poll the same week was Sept. 16, 1986, when it happened to No. 8 Tennessee and No. 10 Ohio State.

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AP college football writers Maura Carey and Eric Olson will answer a few questions on Monday at 11:30 ET about what could lie ahead for the Top 25 rankings.

No. 1 Ohio State is approaching a tough one against No. 17 Illinois.

The Fighting Illini are on a mission to climb back up the rankings after stumbling against Indiana and there’s no better way to make a statement than a win against the top-ranked team that happens to be the defending national champion.

Meanwhile, Oregon will aim to defend its home field on Saturday against No. 7 Indiana. Both teams are 2-0 in conference play and hungry for the top seed in the Big Ten.

No. 8 Alabama heads to No. 14 Missouri in another SEC clash next week.

Alabama has reemerged as a serious contender after winning against Vanderbilt and Georgia.

The matchup is easily the biggest test of the season for Missouri, which has had the gift of a bye week before hosting the Crimson Tide.

The now-unranked Longhorns have a shot at redemption in the historic Red River Rivalry game against Oklahoma, a matchup which headlines a thrilling Week 7 slate.

The Sooners outscored Kent State 44-0 this week, showing no sign of regressing with John Mateer sidelined.

The Longhorns need several big-time wins to earn a spot back in the rankings and playoff conversation.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if UVA, GT and Miami all finish undefeated in ACC play. Again, UVA/GT has to win out and beat Miami in the title game to sniff the CFP.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

It’s a straight points system: A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote is worth 24 points down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote.

Then it’s just a summary of which teams are 1-25 based on the totals.

Dave Zelio is an AP sports editor.

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I have the Huskers at No. 23. And the Terps would’ve made it onto my ballot had they not collapsed against Washington.

I think Nebraska’s final hurdle, which is a hurdle its head coach shares, is beating a ranked team. (It won’t have that opportunity until Nov. 1 at the earliest.)

The upcoming games in College Park and at Minnesota for a rivalry game are big for the Huskers.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

In: Memphis made its first poll appearance this season, coming in at No. 23 after a 45-7 win against Tulsa. No. 24 South Florida returned to the Top 25 after beating Charlotte 54-26.

Out: Texas and Penn State have fallen out of the rankings after surprising losses to Florida and UCLA.

The Bulldogs have already played Alabama and Tennessee and still have Auburn (a rivalry), Ole Miss, Florida (another rivalry), Mississippi State and Georgia Tech on the schedule.

That looks like an opportunity to finish with the best résumé in the country.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

No. 4 Ole Miss was the only team with a bye week to retain its exact spot in the poll.

Miami leapfrogged over Oregon, returning to No. 2 after a 28-22 win over Florida State. Indiana (7), Tennessee (12), Georgia Tech (13), Missouri (14) and Arizona State (21) each ascended in the rankings.

No. 13 is Georgia Tech’s highest ranking since 2014, when the Yellow Jackets went 11-3 and beat Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl.

Iowa State dropped eight spots, falling from No. 14 to No. 22 after losing to unranked Cincinnati.

Florida State retained its AP Top 25 status but dropped seven spots, coming in at No. 25 after losing to Miami on Saturday night.

My biggest disappointment is Clemson.

I believed the Tigers were a national championship contender in the summer. We dropped them out of the poll after the Georgia Tech loss, and I was in the press box for the Syracuse loss.

I can’t recall ever being more wrong about a college football team.

Texas and Penn State are obvious candidates for most disappointing, too. Those programs have invested too much money into those rosters to be anything but top-five teams.

I think the country is learning that Arch Manning isn’t some generational quarterback. And the first-round hype around Drew Allar should be gone by now.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45.

Heating up: Miami (2), Alabama (8), Texas Tech (9), Michigan (15), Notre Dame (16), BYU (18), Virginia (19), Memphis (23), South Florida (24).

Cooling off: Penn State, Texas, Vanderbilt (20), Iowa State (22), Florida State (25).

Holding steady: Ohio State (1), Ole Miss (4).

I believe context is needed.

Are Ole Miss and Missouri undefeated? Yes.

Have they played anyone as good as Alabama or Georgia? No.

I can’t penalize Georgia too much for losing to Alabama. What I will say, which I have to consider moving forward, is that the Florida State loss isn’t looking as good for the Tide.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

Miami is the only team in the country with three wins over ranked teams so far this season.

The Hurricanes beat then-No. 6 Notre Dame, then-No. 18 South Florida and then-No. 18 Florida State. Miami’s 21 first-place votes this week match its total from the last 354 polls combined, going back to midway through the 2003 season.

The team has appeared in 24 consecutive AP polls, matching the fifth-longest streak in school history.

I had Ole Miss out of the top 10 last week.

I am not one that believes they are the fourth-best team in the country. However, I moved them into that tier this week.

The losses by Texas and Penn State, whom I had little faith in already, made me rethink which résumés deserve a top-10 distinction.

BYU, Michigan and Illinois also made some leaps on my ballot. I think we’re learning that there aren’t as many elite teams this season as we initially believed.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

The No. 2 Hurricanes picked up 21 first-place votes after beating a ranked Florida State team, reaching 1,579 points – their highest total this season.

Ohio State’s margin at No. 1 narrowed, earning a season-low 40 first-place votes despite a 42-3 triumph over Minnesota.

Texas and Penn State, the top two teams in the preseason AP Top 25, are out of the poll after losing to unranked teams.

Texas lost to Florida and Penn State fell to UCLA on the road. The Longhorns and Nittany Lions had held steady in the top 10 all season, but now they are both out of the rankings for the first time since 2022. The result? Two of the biggest declines since the poll began in 1936.

That made room for other teams to rise. Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Indiana each moved up a spot. Alabama rose from No. 10 to No. 8, and Texas Tech and Georgia broke into the top 10.

1. Ohio State
2. Miami (Fla.)
3. Oregon
4. Ole Miss
5. Texas A&M
6. Oklahoma
7. Indiana
8. Alabama
9. Texas Tech
10. Georgia
11. LSU
12. Tennessee
13. Georgia Tech
14. Missouri
15. Michigan
16. Notre Dame
17. Illinois
18. BYU
19. Virginia
20. Vanderbilt
21. Arizona State
22. Iowa State
23. Memphis
24. South Florida
25. Florida State

No. 2 Oregon, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 8 Indiana, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 17 Georgia Tech, No. 19 Missouri and No. 25 Arizona State each had the week off and will return to game action next weekend.

The bye week came at a good time following hard-fought battles in Week 5. Oregon, Tennessee and Georgia Tech beat opponents in overtime. Arizona State, Ole Miss and Indiana each won by a touchdown or less.

The Aggies are in my top 5. I think Mike Elko has a team that’s to his liking, and Marcel Reed’s feet opens a lot for that offense.

That’s a team that could be in the SEC title game.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

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Georgia responded to its first loss of the season with a 35-14 win against Kentucky.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton ran the ball in for two touchdowns in the first quarter, giving the Bulldogs an early 14-0 lead. Kentucky responded with a score in the second quarter before Georgia’s Dillon Bell notched two rushing touchdowns.

Cash Jones put the game away in the third quarter, connecting with Stockton for a 16-yard touchdown. It was a much-needed win for the Bulldogs, who dropped 24-21 to Alabama in Week 5.

They didn’t receive a vote from me and shouldn’t receive one from anyone else. They are simply undeserving in every sense of the word.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

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I have the Red Raiders at No. 10.

I can’t help but ask how good this team would be if Quenton Joyner weren’t injured.

My thing is, they have no ranked wins. Utah and Houston are good teams, but they aren’t knocking my socks off. Résumé is hurting Texas Tech at the moment.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

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That is the basis of my voting process. Who did you play and how good did you look? I don’t really think there’s any other way to vote.

In the early parts of the season, voting based on belief in the roster can be acceptable. But that has to phase out as the year progresses.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

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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.

Stock up: Alabama, Notre Dame, BYU, Texas Tech.

Stock down: Florida State, Penn State, Texas, Iowa State.

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.

Javon Edmonds is a Top 25 voter and a college football reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard. You can follow him on X: @javonedmonds45

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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.

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.