College football just got a whole lot more interesting! Indiana's historic rise to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll has shaken up the rankings, while Texas and four other teams crashed the party after a wild weekend of upsets. But here's where it gets controversial: can the Hoosiers sustain their momentum, or is this just a fleeting moment of glory? Let's dive into the chaos.
The latest AP college football poll (https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll) dropped Sunday, and it’s a doozy. Indiana’s stunning 10-point victory over then-No. 3 Oregon (https://apnews.com/article/indiana-oregon-score-9e7866e608fa0dd7717b41da37fdc360) catapulted them to their highest ranking ever. Meanwhile, Texas—once the preseason No. 1—re-entered the Top 25 at No. 21 after a dominant win over Oklahoma (https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-texas-red-river-score-576c169ddb5f410a08613be7c79dc50a), holding the Sooners scoreless in the second half for the first time since 1979. Talk about a redemption story!
At the top, Ohio State and Miami held steady at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The Buckeyes solidified their grip on the top spot with a convincing road win over then-No. 17 Illinois (https://apnews.com/article/ohio-state-illinois-football-score-446f46f392a6b63d56512bd26c73e71b), earning 50 first-place votes—10 more than last week. Miami, despite being idle, snagged 13 first-place votes, while Indiana grabbed the remaining three. And this is the part most people miss: Indiana’s three first-place votes are their most since 1945, when they were ranked No. 6. History, anyone?
But the real drama unfolded in the middle of the pack. Texas A&M climbed to No. 4 after a 17-point thrashing of Florida (https://apnews.com/article/aggies-gators-score-top-25-317b145217ab7046cab601ae114425a1), while Mississippi slipped to No. 5 despite a narrow win over Washington State (https://apnews.com/article/ole-miss-washington-state-football-score-1398e7488880721664ba0032c7eb19f7). Alabama jumped two spots to No. 6, followed by Texas Tech, Oregon, Georgia, and LSU. Speaking of Oregon, their five-spot drop to No. 8 is their lowest ranking since September 2024. Ouch.
Indiana’s Cinderella story under second-year coach Curt Cignetti has been nothing short of remarkable. Before Sunday, the Hoosiers had never cracked the top four, and their road record against top-five teams was a dismal 0-46. Now, they’re knocking on the door of college football’s elite. But can they keep it up? Only time will tell.
Elsewhere, Oklahoma plummeted eight spots to No. 14 after their first loss of the season, while Missouri dropped two spots to No. 16 following a heartbreaker against Alabama (https://apnews.com/article/alabama-missouri-football-score-c030615a49bc344307ef69906e596015). And let’s not forget the teams making their return: Southern California (No. 20) after a big win over Michigan (https://apnews.com/article/usc-michigan-score-78eaca9cc5c224edfb97c841996b9acd), Utah (No. 23) after a 32-point blowout of Arizona State (https://apnews.com/article/arizona-state-utah-football-score-3bdf8d817011b3225ba8269a58e67de1), and Cincinnati (No. 24) with their fifth straight win. Nebraska (No. 25) also cracked the rankings for the first time this season after a comeback victory over Maryland (https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-maryland-score-ca8d748f6a5b0603afb369d9a59be238).
Controversial question: Is the SEC still the dominant conference? With 10 teams in the Top 25, it’s hard to argue against them. But the Big Ten (5 teams), Big 12 (4 teams), and ACC (3 teams) are making their cases. What do you think—is the SEC’s reign unchallenged, or are we seeing a power shift?
Looking ahead, several ranked vs. ranked matchups promise fireworks. No. 5 Mississippi travels to No. 9 Georgia in a battle of unbeatens, while No. 10 LSU faces No. 17 Vanderbilt in a historic showdown. And don’t sleep on No. 23 Utah vs. No. 15 BYU—last year’s controversial finish still has fans buzzing (https://apnews.com/article/utah-byu-score-90bc1618078c2d46b7e99d50376e7aa7).
So, what’s your take? Is Indiana for real? Can Texas sustain their momentum? And which conference will reign supreme? Let us know in the comments—we’re all ears!
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