Tennessee’s ascent in The Associated Press college football poll continued Sunday as the Volunteers climbed to No. 5, marking an impressive surge in the rankings. Meanwhile, Boise State returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time in four years, debuting at No. 25.
For the second consecutive week, Texas held onto the No. 1 spot, garnering 44 of 62 first-place votes. The Longhorns maintained their position atop the rankings after a commanding win over Louisiana-Monroe, a game that also marked a successful debut for quarterback Arch Manning. The top four teams remained unchanged, with Georgia securing the No. 2 spot with 13 first-place votes, Ohio State at No. 3 with five first-place votes, and Alabama holding firm at No. 4.
The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide both had the weekend off, gearing up for a highly anticipated top-five showdown in Tuscaloosa next Saturday.
Tennessee continued its climb by defeating Oklahoma 25-15 on the road, a victory that boosted the Volunteers’ ranking for the fourth week in a row. Initially ranked No. 15, Tennessee has steadily risen, hitting No. 14 after Week 1, No. 7 after Week 2, and No. 6 last week. This latest jump to No. 5 marks their best position since October 30, 2022, when they peaked at No. 2.
Mississippi slipped to No. 6, while Miami, Oregon, and Penn State each moved up a spot, ranking at No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9, respectively. Utah made a significant leap to No. 10 after an impressive road win against Oklahoma State in a matchup of ranked Big 12 teams.
Boise State reentered the rankings for the first time since early November 2020 after a dominant victory over Portland State. Just two weeks ago, the Broncos suffered a heartbreaking last-second loss to Oregon, but they rebounded to improve their record to 2-1.
The SEC saw a slight loosening of its grip on the top spots, with Missouri dropping four places to No. 11 following an overtime loss to Vanderbilt. However, the conference achieved a milestone by continuing a streak where it has dominated the top rankings: the SEC still holds five of the top six spots and has held four of the top five for three consecutive weeks, an unprecedented feat in AP poll history.
Historically, the SEC’s dominance is not new. The only other instance of a conference holding four of the top five spots occurred on October 19, 2014, featuring Mississippi State, Mississippi, Alabama, and Auburn, although that lasted just one week.
Boise State’s reappearance in the rankings was notable after a long absence. From 2002 to 2020, the Broncos consistently made appearances in the AP Top 25, finishing ranked 13 times during that span.
BYU also made its season debut in the rankings, securing the No. 22 spot after a decisive victory over Kansas State, which tumbled 10 places to No. 23 following the loss. Nebraska and Northern Illinois both exited the rankings this week after suffering their first losses of the season. Nebraska fell in overtime to Illinois, helping the Fighting Illini move up to No. 19. Northern Illinois couldn’t capitalize on the momentum from their upset over Notre Dame, losing in overtime to Buffalo in a Mid-American Conference clash.
As it stands, the SEC boasts nine teams in the rankings, the Big Ten has six, the Big 12 claims five, the ACC has three, the Mountain West is represented by one, and the independents have one.
Upcoming ranked matchups include a No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 4 Alabama showdown, a meeting between No. 19 Illinois and No. 9 Penn State, a clash between No. 20 Oklahoma State and No. 23 Kansas State, and a bout between No. 15 Louisville and No. 16 Notre Dame. Each of these games promises to add more twists and turns to an already thrilling college football season.
