College Football Rankings: Projecting AP Poll Top 25 after Week 11

It was another riveting weekend of college football action, one that saw Top 10 upsets and a slew of other compelling results likely to shake up this week’s AP Top 25 poll. We project the new poll below.

Georgia Tech started the day off early by throwing a wrench into the current College Football Playoff rankings by knocking off Miami in relatively convincing fashion. While that’s not a death blow to Miami’s chances, it certainly shakes up the picture in the ACC and lessens the chances for the conference to get two teams in.

Elsewhere, other top contenders held serve with big wins over inferior opponents — Texas over Florida, Ohio State over Purdue, etc.

We do have some teams projected to drop out of the AP Top 25 this week, following some losses by teams closer to the back end of the poll.

Let’s dive into those, and the rest of our AP Top 25 projections, below.

1. Oregon Ducks (10-0)

RESULT: W 38-19 vs Maryland

Oregon controlled the game against Maryland for the majority of the game after a bit of a slow start in the first quarter. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel set the NCAA record for most passing touchdowns accounted for in a career. And the Ducks keep cruising.

At 10-0 now, there are only two regular-season road blocks left. The first is next weekend at Wisconsin, then the second is after a bye week against a .500 Washington squad. Very manageable.

NEXT: @ Wisconsin

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1) | +1

RESULT: W 45-0 vs Purdue

Ohio State cruised from start to finish in a relative tune-up game against Purdue. Receiver Jeremiah Smith set the freshman school record with his ninth touchdown catch, hauling in six passes for 87 yards and a score on the afternoon.

With the easy win, Ohio State preserves a huge showdown with Indiana in two weeks. First up, a road trip to Northwestern.

NEXT UP: @ Northwestern

3. Texas Longhorns (8-1) | +2

RESULT: W 49-17 vs Florida

Texas had the luxury of facing a Florida team without freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, and the Gators simply couldn’t get much going against the Longhorns early on. Quinn Ewers was exceptionally sharp, throwing for five touchdowns in the game.

The Longhorns certainly seem to have their mojo back following a tough loss to Georgia, and they remain near the top of the AP Top 25.

NEXT UP: @ Arkansas

4. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) | +2

RESULT: W 35-6 vs Washington

Penn State led 28-0 at the halftime break and never broke a sweat in an easy win over Washington. Teams traveling across the country continue to fare remarkably poorly this season. Tyler Warren had a big day with two touchdown runs and eight catches for 75 yards, continuing to show his versatility.

As things currently stand, the Nittany Lions are still very alive in the Big Ten title race down the stretch. They also will remain ranked quite high in the AP Top 25.

NEXT UP: @ Purdue

5. Tennessee Volunteers (8-1) | +2

RESULT: W 33-14 vs Mississippi State

At times it looked like it might turn into a game in Knoxville, but every time Mississippi State drew close Tennessee had an answer. The real intrigue here lies in an upper body injury that forced starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to miss the second half. Coach Josh Heupel said after the game he expects Iamaleava back next week, but it’s still worth monitoring.

NEXT UP: @ Georgia

6. Indiana Hoosiers (10-0) | +2

RESULT: W 20-15 vs Michigan

In a defensive slugfest, Indiana took the early lead and mostly dictated the pace of play against Michigan. The Hoosiers looked much more dynamic offensively and eventually hit paydirt with a pair of Kurtis Rourke touchdown passes. Indiana now gets a bye week before a meeting with Ohio State, one that will be of utmost importance in the Big Ten race.

NEXT UP: Bye

7. BYU Cougars (9-0) | +2

RESULT: W 22-21 @ Utah

BYU gave up three touchdowns to Utah in the second quarter and had to fight tooth-and-nail for the win on a night when the crowd was ravenous. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff was kept mostly in check, going 15-of-33 passing for 219 yards, but he made the plays he needed to when it counted. And kicker Will Ferrin buried a 44-yard field goal at the death of it for the win.

It was a win that preserved BYU’s Big 12 lead and kept the Cougars firmly in the hunt for the College Football Playoff.

NEXT UP: Kansas

8. Georgia Bulldogs (7-2) | -6

RESULT: L 28-10 @ Ole Miss

In a surprising turn, Georgia had no answers for Ole Miss’ ferocious defensive line. Quarterback Carson Beck was sacked five times and threw an interception, completely thwarted by the Rebels. Now the question becomes whether Georgia can avoid a third loss … with a top-10 Tennessee team looming.

NEXT UP: Tennessee

9. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2) | +2

RESULT: W 42-13 @ LSU

In arguably the game of the week, Alabama looked like one of the best-prepared teams in the country. The Crimson Tide leaned on the Tigers in the run game, aided by a 185-yard, four-touchdown performance by quarterback Jalen Milroe. And with that, the team remains in the thick of the SEC race, the College Football Playoff hunt and the AP Top 25 rankings.

NEXT UP: Mercer

10. Miami Hurricanes (9-1) | -6

RESULT: L 28-23 @ Georgia Tech

The Hurricanes have flirted with disaster multiple times this season and on Saturday it finally caught up with them. Quarterback Cam Ward was mostly sharp, but he was pressured repeatedly by some very creative Georgia Tech blitz packages and didn’t seem to respond very well.

The game ended when Ward was sacked and fumbled deep in his own territory, with Miami trailing 28-23. Now Miami has to find a way to bounce back in a hurry.

NEXT UP: Bye

11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-1) | -1

RESULT: W 52-3 vs Florida State

It was never expected to be a close contest this week, with Florida State struggling as much as any team in the country. Notre Dame made short work of it, racking up a well-balanced 453 yards while holding Florida State to just 208. Job done, and the Fighting Irish keep marching toward that matchup with Army in two weeks.

NEXT UP: Virginia

12. Boise State Broncos (8-1)

RESULT: W 28-21 vs Nevada

In a game that Boise State initially led 14-0, Nevada hung tough and forced a full four quarters out of the Broncos. Turnovers by each team near the goal line made things interesting, but a fumble by the Wolf Pack with about five minutes to play on the 1-yard line essentially sealed the deal. Boise State wins another and remains the top-ranked Group of Five team.

NEXT UP: @ San Jose State

13. SMU Mustangs (8-1)

RESULT: Bye

SMU was on a bye week but had a heck of a week thanks to the Miami loss. The Mustangs are now in the driver’s seat in the ACC title race, needing only to keep taking care of business in order to play for a conference title.

NEXT UP: Boston College

14. Ole Miss Rebels (8-2) | +2

RESULT: W 28-10 vs Georgia

Things got off to a shaky start on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium when quarterback Jaxson Dart was picked off and hurt on the same play in the first quarter. That was about as far as the momentum went for Georgia, though. The Rebels secured a massive win that put them firmly back into College Football Playoff contention. The win should also lead to a considerable rise in the AP Top 25 this week.

NEXT UP: Bye

15. Texas A&M Aggies (7-2)

RESULT: Bye

Texas A&M was on a bye this week following a shellacking at the hands of South Carolina a week prior. Texas A&M had reeled off seven straight wins prior to the ambush in Columbia, so seeing how quickly it can regroup will be key. The Aggies still have everything to play for.

NEXT UP: New Mexico State

16. Clemson Tigers (7-2) | +3

RESULT: W 24-14 @ Virginia Tech

Clemson struggled early on against Virginia Tech and for a few quarters it looked like one loss might turn into two. Then quarterback Cade Klubnik got hot and made a wildly impressive play on a 41-yard touchdown toss to break an early deadlock. The Tigers cruised until the Hokies added a late touchdown, essentially in garbage time.

NEXT UP: @ Pittsburgh

17. Army Black Knights (9-0) | +1

RESULT: W 14-3 @ North Texas

Quarterback Bryson Daily was back after missing the previous game with an undisclosed injury, and he picked up right where he left off. It was a bit of a struggle for the Black Knights, who played a pretty even game against North Texas but managed to come out on top 14-3. Daily had 153 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Now a bye week for more recovery time before a pivotal game against Notre Dame.

NEXT UP: Bye

18. Washington State Cougars (8-1) | +2

RESULT: W vs Utah State

Washington State wasted little time putting it on Utah State in a convincing 49-28 win. Quarterback John Mateer was sharp, going 18-of-24 passing for 179 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a score. The Cougars have quietly put together a really solid season so far, even though the strength of schedule is a little lacking.

NEXT UP: @ New Mexico

19. Colorado Buffaloes (7-2) | +2

RESULT: W 41-27 @ Texas Tech

Colorado trailed for the entire first half before settling in and producing quite a bit more offense in the second half. Shedeur Sanders had a touchdown on the ground and three touchdown passes — one to Travis Hunter — to lead the way. The Buffaloes remain in the thick of the Big 12 title race after a key win.

NEXT UP: Utah

20. Kansas State Wildcats (7-2) | +2

RESULT: Bye

Like Texas A&M, Kansas State had a bye week after having a long win streak snapped the weak prior. Kansas State dropped a close contest on the road at Houston, falling 24-19. That was the second loss for the outfit. Kansas State remains in contention in a muddy Big 12 picture, though.

NEXT UP: Arizona State

21. LSU Tigers (6-3) | -7

RESULT: L 42-13 vs Alabama

LSU took a beating on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, never really in the contest after Alabama took an early lead. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had a rough go of it as the Crimson Tide put on ample pressure throughout the evening. And the Tigers had no answer for Jalen Milroe or the running game. It was a home loss bad enough that the Tigers can probably forget about entertaining playoff hopes at this point.

NEXT UP: @ Florida

22. Iowa State Cyclones (7-2) | -5

RESULT: L 45-36 @ Kansas

Iowa State fell behind early and was never able to overcome the deficit against a Kansas team that looked far better than it has for most of the year. There were no answers for quarterback Jalon Daniels, who threw for 295 yards and two scores, then rushed for 68 yards and a score. The Cyclones remain in Big 12 title contention but have a tough slate to end the season.

NEXT UP: Cincinnati

23. Louisville Cardinals (6-3) | +3

RESULT: Bye

Louisville was off this week after taking care of Clemson in a big upset in the week prior. That win should give the Cardinals, who have not lost this year by more than a touchdown, even more momentum down the stretch. The rest of the schedule is quite navigable, potentially allowing Louisville to work its way up the AP Top 25 standings in the coming weeks.

NEXT UP: @ Stanford

24. Missouri Tigers (7-2) | NR

RESULT: W 30-23 vs Oklahoma

For a minute it looked like Missouri was going to choke away a potential win against Oklahoma. Then things got nutty and one of the wildest finishes of the weekend unfolded. Theo Wease made an incredible touchdown grab inside the final minute and then Missouri scooped and scored moments later to finish things off in style.

NEXT UP: @ South Carolina

25. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-3) | NR

RESULT: W 28-7 @ Vanderbilt

South Carolina got the ground game rolling with Rocket Sanders recording two scores and LaNorris Sellers also chipping in. But the real story of the game was the Gamecocks defensive line. They made life tough on Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia in the game, eventually knocking him out of the contest. This was an impressive win for a team that could easily have a much better record and now returns to the AP Top 25 (at least in our projections).

NEXT UP: Missouri

PROJECTED TO DROP FROM RANKINGS

23) Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2)
24) Vanderbilt Commodores (6-4)