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

ByESPN staff ESPN logo
Sunday, October 6, 2024

The new AP Top 25 college football poll is out. And a Saturday full of upsets -- four top-11 teams lost to unranked foes -- means big shake-ups all over the new rankings.



Last week's No. 1, Alabama, was stunned by Vanderbilt, the Commodores' first win over a top-five team in 61 tries and their first win over Alabama since 1984. No. 4 Tennessee lost at Arkansas, No. 10 Michigan lost to Washington and No. 11 USC lost at Minnesota.





Elsewhere, Texas A&M made a huge statement after tying for the No. 25 spot last week. The Aggies routed then-No. 9 Missouri 41-10 to skyrocket up the rankings.



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



Stats courtesy ofESPN Research.



All times Eastern







1. Texas Longhorns


Previous ranking: 2



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas), 3:30 p.m., ABC





2. Ohio State Buckeyes


Previous ranking: 3



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Defeated Iowa 35-7



Stat to know: Jeremiah Smith is the first true freshman in Ohio State history with a receiving touchdown in five consecutive games.



What's next: Saturday at Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC





3. Oregon Ducks


Previous ranking: 6



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Defeated Michigan State 31-10



Stat to know: QB Dillon Gabriel threw two touchdown passes, giving him 136 for his career and putting him third in FBS history behind only Case Keenum (155) and Kellen Moore (142).



What's next: Saturday vs. Ohio State, 7:30 p.m., NBC





4. Penn State Nittany Lions


Previous ranking: 7



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Defeated UCLA 27-11



Stat to know: The Nittany Lions are the only FBS team that has started 4-0 each of the past five seasons.



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





5. Georgia Bulldogs


Previous ranking: 5



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Defeated Auburn 31-13



Stat to know: The Dawgs ran their home winning streak to 27 games -- the longest active streak in the FBS -- and their winning streak against unranked teams to 37, the second-longest active streak in FBS.





6. Miami Hurricanes


Previous ranking: 8



2024 record: 6-0



Week 6 result: Defeated Cal 39-38



Stat to know: The Hurricanes fell behind 35-10 in the second half before storming back for a last-minute win.



What's next: Oct. 19 at Louisville





7. Alabama Crimson Tide


Previous ranking: 1



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Lost to Vanderbilt 40-35



Stat to know: The Tide are the first top-ranked team since 1960 Minnesota to lose to an unranked team the week after beating a top-two team.



What's next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, noon, ABC/ESPN+





8. Tennessee Volunteers


Previous ranking: 4



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Lost to Arkansas 19-14



Stat to know:The Vols' 14 points was their fewest in a game against an unranked opponent since 2020, as Josh Heupel's crew lost a conference game when leading entering the fourth quarter for the first time since 2017.



What's next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7 p.m., ESPN





9. Ole Miss Rebels


Previous ranking: 12



2024 record: 5-1



Week 6 result: Defeated South Carolina 27-3



Stat to know:JJ Pegues had two rushing touchdowns for Ole Miss, giving him four on the season, the most for an SEC defensive lineman in the past 20 years.



What's next: Saturday at LSU, 7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+



What's next: Saturday vs. Mississippi State, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network





10. Clemson Tigers


Previous ranking: 15



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Defeated Florida State 29-13



Stat to know: With the win, Dabo Swinney now has 174 career victories in the ACC, passing Bobby Bowden for most in league history.



What's next: Saturday at Wake Forest, noon, ESPN





T-11. Iowa State Cyclones


Previous ranking: 16



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Defeated Baylor 43-21



Stat to know: The Cyclones are 5-0 for the first time since 1980 and have allowed only 50 points on the season.



What's next: Saturday at West Virginia, 8 p.m., Fox





T-11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish


Previous ranking: 14



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday vs. Stanford, 3:30 p.m., NBC





13. LSU Tigers


Previous ranking: 13



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday vs. Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+





14. BYU Cougars


Previous ranking: 17



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday vs. Arizona, 4 p.m., Fox





15. Texas A&M Aggies


Previous ranking: 25



2024 record: 5-1



Week 6 result: Defeated Missouri 41-10



Stat to know: The Aggies' 31-point win was their largest over a top 10 team in program history.



What's next: Oct. 19 at Mississippi State





16. Utah Utes


Previous ranking: 18



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Friday at Arizona State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN





17. Boise State Broncos


Previous ranking: 21



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Defeated Utah State 62-30



Stat to know: Ashton Jeanty is only the third FBS player since 1990 with more than 1,000 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns through his team's first five games, joining Buffalo's Jaret Patterson and Texas' Ricky Williams.



What's next: Saturday at Hawaii, 11 p.m., CBSSN





T-18. Kansas State Wildcats


Previous ranking: 20



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday at Colorado, 10:15 p.m., ESPN





T-18. Indiana Hoosiers


Previous ranking: 23



2024 record: 6-0



Week 6 result: Defeated Northwestern 41-24



Stat to know: The Hoosiers improved to 6-0 for only the second time in school history (1967) and scored 40 or more points for the fifth straight game for the first time ever.



What's next: Oct. 19 vs. Nebraska





T-18. Oklahoma Sooners


Previous ranking: 19



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday vs. Texas (in Dallas), 3:30 p.m., ABC





21. Missouri Tigers


Previous ranking: 9



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result:Lost to Texas A&M 41-10



Stat to know: The Tigers entered Week 6 with the SEC's fourth-best run defense, allowing only 92 yards per game and one score. The Aggies ran for 236 yards and five scores.



What's next: Saturday at UMass, noon, ESPN2





22. Pittsburgh Panthers



Previous ranking: NR



2024 record: 5-0



Week 6 result: Defeated North Carolina 34-24



Stat to know: QB Eli Holstein threw three touchdown passes in the win, the fifth consecutive time he's reached that mark, which matches Kenny Pickett for the longest streak in 20 years at Pitt.



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





23. Illinois Fighting Illini


Previous ranking: 24



2024 record: 4-1



Week 6 result: Idle



What's next: Saturday vs. Purdue, 3:30 p.m., FS1





24. Michigan Wolverines


Previous ranking: 10



2024 record: 4-2



Week 6 result: Lost to Washington 27-17



Stat to know: The Wolverines have only 690 passing yards this season, the fewest by any Big Ten team in its first six games in the past 20 years.



What's next: Oct. 19 at Illinois





25. SMU Mustangs


Previous ranking: NR



2024 record: 5-1



Week 6 result:Defeated Louisville 34-27



Stat to know: The Mustangs have now won seven consecutive road games.



What's next: Oct. 19 at Stanford



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