Ohio State fell out of the top 10 following its defeat to USC.
The Buckeyes plummeted from second to eleventh place after suffering a 30-18 loss to the Trojans on Saturday night. This game marked the first start for true freshman quarterback Luke Fahey after Julian Sayin sustained a shoulder injury while playing against Indiana.
Ohio State became the eleventh team ranked in the top 10 to face a loss in the past three weeks. Furthermore, at least one squad within the top two of the AP poll has experienced a loss during each of the latest three weeks.
Miami retained its position at number one after clinching a victory by three points against North Carolina, a match that included two onside kick recoveries that were negated due to penalties. Georgia advanced to second place following a commanding win over Florida, and Utah surged three positions to third place after a decisive win against Cincinnati on the road.
Notre Dame occupies the fourth spot after defeating Navy, while UCLA has reached fifth place following a win against Nevada. Indeed, the Bruins have become the top-ranked team from the Big Ten.
Indiana fell two places to sixth after securing an overtime victory against Minnesota. The Hoosiers’ offensive performance has been lacking over the previous four games, resulting in quarterback Josh Hoover being replaced by Grant Wilson after the half. Hoover took a significant hit on an interception just before halftime.
The remainder of the top 10 comprises BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas.
USC re-entered the top 25 at number 18 following their victory over Ohio State. Iowa also made its way into the rankings at number 20, with New Mexico positioned at number 22. The Lobos are two spots behind Boise State at number 20 as the battle for the College Football Playoff’s Group of Six berth appears to be between these two contenders as November approaches.
The carnage among the top 10 teams seems likely to persist into Week 10. The first week of November is shaping up to be the most exciting of the season. Consider the following matchups:
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No. 1 Miami at No. 4 Notre Dame
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No. 2 Georgia at No. 12 Ole Miss
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No. 8 Kentucky vs. No. 16 Tennessee
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No. 9 Alabama at No. 15 LSU
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No. 10 Texas at No. 23 Missouri
Post-Week 9 AP Top 25
1. Miami Hurricanes (8-0)
2. Georgia Bulldogs (7-1)
3. Utah Utes (8-0)
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-1)
5. UCLA Bruins (8-0)
6. Indiana Hoosiers (7-1)
7. BYU Cougars (7-1)
8. Kentucky Wildcats (7-1)
9. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2)
10. Texas Longhorns (6-2)
11. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-2)
12. Ole Miss Rebels (6-2)
13. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-1)
14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-1)
15. LSU Tigers (6-2)
16. Tennessee Volunteers (6-2)
17. Houston Cougars (6-2)
18. USC Trojans (7-2)
19. Missouri Tigers (6-2)
20. Boise State Broncos (7-1)
21. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2)
22. New Mexico Lobos (7-1)
23. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3)
24. Arizona Wildcats (6-2)
25. Florida Gators (5-3)
