College Football Shocker: Preseason Favorites Tumble in New AP Top 25

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October 5, 2025 — College football’s Week 6 delivered a seismic shakeup, resulting in one of the most dramatic Associated Press Top 25 polls in recent memory. The new rankings released on Sunday saw two preseason title contenders—No. 7 Penn State and No. 9 Texas—fall completely out of the poll, while an undefeated Miami Hurricanes squad moved up to the No. 2 spot, signaling a dramatic shift in the College Football Playoff picture.

The New Order at the Top

While the top spot remains unchanged, the gap is closing, and the secondary pecking order has shifted:

Rank	Team	Record	Previous Rank
1	Ohio State	5-0	1
2	Miami (FL)	5-0	3
3	Oregon	5-0	2
4	Ole Miss	5-0	4
5	Texas A&M	5-0	6

Ohio State (5-0) remains firmly entrenched at No. 1 following its dominant win over Minnesota, though its margin of first-place votes saw a slight dip. The real story at the top is the ascent of the Miami Hurricanes (5-0). After a signature road win over rival Florida State, the Hurricanes leapfrogged an idle Oregon to get back the #2 ranking they had two weeks ago and showing they are a real contender in the national championship picture.

The Big Fall: Bye-Bye, Blue Bloods

The major news of the day is the spectacular plunge of the two teams that began the season ranked No. 1 and No. 2:

Penn State (3-2) is OUT. The Nittany Lions suffered a shocking defeat to a previously winless UCLA squad, making their drop from No. 7 a historic freefall. After starting the season at No. 2, the team is now unranked for the first time since September 2022, marking a stunning collapse of playoff aspirations.
Texas (3-2) is OUT. The preseason No. 1 Longhorns’ struggles continued with a loss at Florida. They are now unranked for the first time since November 2022, following a similar path of disappointment after their early-season upset loss to Ohio State.

The dual exit of these top-10 programs marks the first time since 1986 that two top-10 teams have dropped out of the poll in the same week.

Big Winners: Risers and Re-Entrants

Several teams took advantage of the chaos, moving up multiple spots or entering the Top 25 entirely:

Texas Tech (5-0) Jumps to No. 9: The Red Raiders continue their impressive start, cracking the Top 10 for the first time since the 2008 season following a commanding victory over previously unbeaten Houston.
Alabama (4-1) Climbs to No. 8: The Crimson Tide earned a two-spot promotion after defeating ranked Vanderbilt, re-establishing themselves as a major threat in the SEC race.
Georgia (4-1) Rises to No. 10: The Bulldogs are back in the Top 10 after a solid performance against Kentucky.
Memphis (6-0) Enters at No. 23: The Tigers are rewarded for becoming the first 6-0 team in the country and are now the highest-ranked team from the Group of Five, a crucial distinction in the expanded College Football Playoff format.
South Florida (4-1) Enters at No. 24: The Bulls’ dominant victory over Charlotte, highlighted by a strong offensive showing, secured their return to the rankings after a one-month absence, giving the American Athletic Conference two teams in the poll.

Conference Call: The SEC’s Dominance

The Southeastern Conference once again flexed its muscle, now claiming a poll-high nine teams in the Top 25: Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Missouri, and Vanderbilt. The Big Ten follows with five ranked teams.

The unpredictable nature of the 2025 season continues to deliver week-to-week volatility, making the remaining schedule a thrilling tightrope walk for every team with national championship dreams. With Penn State and Texas out, the race for the expanded 12-team playoff field has a dramatically different look heading into the crucial midpoint of the season.