AP Top 25: Georgia Reclaims No. 1 as Notre Dame Vaults to No. 3 and Ohio State Freefalls

Ralph Garcia November 9, 2026 at 12:02 am 4 minutes read

Photo credit: AP

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NEW YORK — The AP Top 25 poll saw massive changes on Sunday following a wild Week 10 of college football that saw top-ranked teams fall and playoff graphics reshuffled.

The Georgia Bulldogs reclaimed the No. 1 spot after Miami’s stumble, earning 53 of 70 first-place votes. Unbeaten Utah jumped to No. 2, while Notre Dame rose to No. 3 following its victory over the Hurricanes. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s tailspin continued as the Buckeyes tumbled to No. 21.

Here is how the latest AP Top 25 shapes up, highlighting the biggest risers, fallers, and teams clinging to College Football Playoff hopes.

The New AP Top 10

Georgia Bulldogs (8-1) (53 first-place votes)
Utah Utes (9-0) (12 first-place votes)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-1) (5 first-place votes)
UCLA Bruins (9-0)
Miami Hurricanes (8-1)
Indiana Hoosiers (8-1)
Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2)
Texas Longhorns (7-2)
Tennessee Volunteers (7-2)
Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-1)

The Risers: Irish Vault, Vols Surge, Ducks Return

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Up 1 to No. 3)

Notre Dame Stadium served as the backdrop for the biggest win of the weekend. Irish quarterback CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with receiver Micah Gilbert nine times for 98 yards and two scores to take down top-ranked Miami 31-24. Notre Dame safety Luke Talich sealed the win with a late turnover, earning the Irish five first-place votes in the process.

Tennessee Volunteers (Up 7 to No. 9)

up to 9 in the AP poll

#GBO 🍊 https://t.co/kdIidO5PDh

— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 8, 2026

Tennessee made the night’s biggest leap inside the top 10. Running back DeSean Bishop and the Volunteers’ defense suffocated then-No. 8 Kentucky 34-6, holding the Wildcats out of the end zone and surging into the top 10 for the first time in two years.

Oregon Ducks (Re-entered at No. 18)

The Ducks made a thunderous return to the rankings after going into Ohio Stadium and handing Ohio State a 41-28 drubbing. Behind quarterback Dylan Raiola (257 passing yards, 2 TDs) and running back Dierre Hill Jr. (75 rushing yards, 2 TDs), Oregon reeled off 38 unanswered points to crash the Top 25 party.

The Fallers: Ohio State Slides, Miami Knocks Off Top Perch

Ohio State Buckeyes (Down 10 to No. 21)

The nightmare fortnight for the Buckeyes reached a low point on Saturday. After dropping nine spots to No. 11 last week following a loss to USC, Ohio State’s 41-28 home loss to Oregon pushed them down to No. 21—their lowest ranking in the AP Poll since 2014 (excluding the 2020 pandemic season). Quarterback Luke Fahey threw for 360 yards and targeted Jeremiah Smith for 133 yards and a touchdown, but a defense that allowed 38 straight points leaves Ohio State’s postseason aspirations on life support.

Miami Hurricanes (Down 4 to No. 5)

Miami became the fourth team this season to fall from the No. 1 ranking after their 31-24 loss in South Bend. Quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 276 yards and three scores, finding tight end Elija Lofton seven times for 113 yards. Despite the loss, Miami remains inside the top five and firmly in control of its ACC championship path.

Clinging to the Playoff Thread

With the 12-team College Football Playoff field coming into focus, several two-loss heavyweights sit right on the bubble:

Alabama (No. 7): Keelon Russell’s three touchdown passes led a 31-13 victory over LSU, keeping the Crimson Tide in position for an SEC championship berth and at-large postseason play.
Texas (No. 8): A 34-20 road win over Missouri pushed the Longhorns back into the top eight, keeping their at-large resume afloat.
BYU (No. 12): Despite a hard-fought 28-20 defeat to rival Utah in the Holy War, the Cougars (7-2) hold resume-boosting non-conference wins over Notre Dame that keep them within striking distance.

Outside Looking In

Saturday’s results officially knocked multiple fringe contenders out of the AP Top 25:

Missouri Tigers (Previous: No. 19): Dropped out of the poll following their home loss to Texas.
Florida Gators (Previous: No. 25): Exited the rankings after falling to Oklahoma.
LSU Tigers (No. 24): Barely managed to hang on to a top-25 ranking at 6-3 after being handled at home by Alabama.