AP college football poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team

ByESPN staff ESPN logo
Sunday, September 24, 2023

The new AP Top 25 college football poll is out.

Georgia, Michigan and Washington kept rolling, Florida State survived Clemson in overtime and Ohio State pulled out a thrilling last-second win at Notre Dame.

What does it mean for the new AP Top 25? Let's break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information.

All times Eastern

No. 1Georgia Bulldogs

Previous ranking: 1

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated UAB 49-21

Stat to know:In his 100th game as Georgia coach, Kirby Smart improved his record to 85-15 with the Bulldogs.

What's next:Saturday at Auburn, 3:30 p.m., CBS

No. 2Michigan Wolverines

Previous ranking: 2

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Rutgers 31-7

Stat to know:Blake Corum's two rushing touchdowns gave him 39 for his career, tied for fifth in program history.

What's next:Saturday at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., Fox

No. 3Texas Longhorns

Previous ranking: 3

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Baylor 38-6

Stat to know:Texas has held each of its last nine opponents under 30 points, which is tied with Penn State and Kentucky for the longest active FBS streak.

What's next:Saturday vs. Kansas, 3:30 p.m., ABC

No. 4Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking:6

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Notre Dame 17-14

Stat to know:Chip Trayanum's touchdown with just one second remaining was the latest game-winning TD from scrimmage in an AP top-10 matchup since Michael Crabtree scored to give Texas Tech a win over Texas in 2008.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Maryland

No. 5Florida State Seminoles

Previous ranking:4

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Clemson 31-24 (OT)

Stat to know:Keon Coleman's two touchdown receptions gave him six on the season and helped the Seminoles score more than 30 points for the 10th consecutive game, the second-longest streak in program history.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Virginia Tech

No. 6Penn State Nittany Lions

Previous ranking: 7

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Iowa 31-0

Stat to know:Saturday's win was Penn State's second-largest shutout of an AP-ranked team.

What's next:Saturday at Northwestern, noon, Big Ten Network

No. 7Washington Huskies

Previous ranking:8

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Cal 59-32

Stat to know:Washington's 199 points this season marks the most it has scored through four games since 1944.

What's next:Saturday at Arizona, 10 p.m., Pac-12 Network

No. 8USC Trojans

Previous ranking: 5

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Arizona State 42-28

Stat to know:Caleb Williams continued his quest to win another Heisman Trophy with 322 passing yards and five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).

What's next:Saturday at Colorado, noon, Fox

No. 9Oregon Ducks

Previous ranking: 10

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Colorado 42-6

Stat to know:Oregon's 36-point win is the school's sixth largest in a matchup of ranked opponents in the AP poll era.

What's next:Saturday at Stanford, 6:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network

No. 10Utah Utes

Previous ranking: 11

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated UCLA 14-7

Stat to know:UCLA's three lowest-scoring games under Chip Kelly are now all against the Utes.

What's next:Friday at Oregon State, 9 p.m., FS1

No. 11Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previous ranking: 9

2023 record:4-1

Week 4 result: Lost to Ohio State 17-14

Stat to know:Sam Hartman has now thrown a touchdown pass in 35 consecutive games, which is tied for the seventh-longest FBS streak of all time.

What's next:Saturday at Duke, 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 12Alabama Crimson Tide

Previous ranking:13

2023 record:3-1

Week 4 result:Defeated Ole Miss 24-10

Stat to know:Alabama has still not lost consecutive games at home since Nick Saban's first season with the Tide in 2007.

What's next:Saturday at Mississippi State, 9 p.m., ESPN

No. 13LSU Tigers

Previous ranking:12

2023 record:3-1

Week 4 result:Defeated Arkansas 34-31

Stat to know:LSU had two players -- Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. -- with more than 125 receiving yards and two touchdown catches each for the first time in school history.

What's next:Saturday at Ole Miss, 6 p.m., ESPN

No. 14Oklahoma Sooners

Previous ranking:16

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Cincinnati 20-6

Stat to know:The Sooners have allowed fewer than 20 points in each of their first four games for the first time since their national championship season of 2000.

What's next:Saturday vs. Iowa State, 7 p.m., FS1

No. 15North Carolina Tar Heels

Previous ranking:17

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Pitt 41-24

Stat to know:North Carolina and Duke are both 4-0 for the first time since 1971 and only the fourth time ever.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Syracuse

No. 16Washington State Cougars

Previous ranking:21

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Oregon State 38-35

Stat to know:Wazzu QB Cam Ward went 28-of-34 for 404 yards, with four passing touchdowns and a rushing score. His 95.0 completion percentage (19-of-20) in the first half is the best against a ranked team in the past 20 years with a minimum of 15 attempts.

What's next:Oct. 7 at UCLA

No. 17Duke Blue Devils

Previous ranking:18

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated UConn 41-7

Stat to know: "College GameDay" will be in Durham for a Duke football game for the first time Saturday when the Blue Devils take on Notre Dame.

What's next: Saturday vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 18Miami Hurricanes

Previous ranking:20

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Temple 41-7

Stat to know:The Hurricanes have scored at least 38 points in their first four games for only the second time in the AP poll era.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Georgia Tech

No. 19Oregon State Beavers

Previous ranking: 14

2023 record:3-1

Week 4 result:Lost to Washington State 38-35

Stat to know:RB Deshaun Fenwick rushed for 101 yards and three scores, becoming the first Oregon State player to do so against a ranked opponent.

What's next:Friday vs. Utah, 9 p.m., FS1

No. 20Ole Miss Rebels

Previous ranking: 15

2023 record:3-1

Week 4 result: Lost to Alabama 24-10

Stat to know:Saturday's 10-point output was the lowest total for an Ole Miss team under Lane Kiffin.

What's next:Saturday vs. LSU, 6 p.m., ESPN

No. 21Tennessee Volunteers

Previous ranking:23

2023 record:3-1

Week 4 result:Defeated UTSA 45-14

Stat to know:Joe Milton III's 81-yard touchdown run on the game's first play tied for the longest rushing score for a Tennessee QB.

What's next:Saturday vs. South Carolina, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

No. 22Florida Gators

Previous ranking:25

2023 record:3-1

Week 4 result:Defeated Charlotte 22-7

Stat to know:The Gators have now scored points in 440 games. The last time they were shut out was Oct. 29, 1988, against Auburn.

What's next:Saturday at Kentucky, noon, ESPN

No. 23Missouri Tigers

Previous ranking:NR

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Memphis 34-27

Stat to know:The Tigers improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2013 thanks to Luther Burden III's 177 receiving yards.

What's next:Saturday at Vanderbilt, 4 p.m., SEC Network

No. 24Kansas Jayhawks

Previous ranking:NR

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated BYU 38-27

Stat to know: Kansas has posted 4-0 starts in consecutive seasons for the first time in 108 years.

What's next:Saturday at Texas, 3:30 p.m., ABC

No. 25Fresno State Bulldogs

Previous ranking:NR

2023 record:4-0

Week 4 result:Defeated Kent State 53-10

Stat to know:Mikey Keene threw for 325 yards and three scores, while Elijah Gilliam added two touchdowns on the ground for the surging Bulldogs.

What's next:Saturday vs. Nevada, 10:30 p.m., FS1

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