Big changes in AP Top 25 poll after Ole Miss, Alabama, Oregon wins. Who’s No. 1?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Three of the Top 5 teams lost in Week 5, setting up a major AP poll shakeup.
- Alabama and Ole Miss grabbed key wins, possibly propelling both into the Top 10.
- Florida State, Georgia and Penn State expected to slide after Week 5 losses.
There were big changes in the Associated Press college football poll after three of the Top 5 and four of the Top 8 teams lost this weekend.
Oregon (5-0) upset then-No. 3 Penn State (3-1) on the road and handed the Nittany Lions their first loss of the season with a 30-24 overtime thriller. The Ducks secured the win with an interception in the second overtime period. Both teams overcame a sluggish first half, each kicking a field goal, and scored a pair of touchdowns in the second. Oregon, however, added another two scores and a pick to seal the victory.
Penn State is now 4-21 against Top-10 teams under James Franklin. The Ducks rose from No. 5 to No. 2 in the polls — moving past Miami (4-0) which had a bye — while the Nittany Lions fell to No. 7.
After the social media kerfuffle leading up to the game, Lane Kiffin’s squad backed up all the trash talk and proved it could hang with the big boys. Ole Miss (5-0) defeated LSU (4-1), 24-19, behind another stellar performance from backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. The Tigers took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Rebels’ subsequent field goal drive helped the squad settle in.
Chambliss, a former Division II national champion, threw for 314 yards and one touchdown. It was his third consecutive 300-yard outing since replacing injured Austin Simmons. As a result, Ole Miss shot up the poll to No. 4, while LSU tumbled to 13.
The next question: Is Alabama back after defeating Georgia, 24-21, in Athens? The Crimson Tide (3-1) led the Bulldogs (3-1) from wire-to-wire in the Top 25 matchup and ended Georgia’s home winning streak at 33 games. It was the longest active streak in FBS, which included 10 victories over ranked opponents.
After the Tide’s disastrous season opener against Florida State, Kalen DeBoer’s team has a much better outlook and jumped seven spots to No. 10. Georgia, meanwhile, dropped outside the Top 10 to No. 12.
Florida State (3-1) was the fourth Top 10 victim to lose in Week 5. The Seminoles were stunned in a 46-38 double overtime loss at Virginia, leading to arguably one of the fastest field storms in college football. The Hoos moved to 4-1 — their lone loss coming against N.C. State on the road — with the instant-classic, signature victory. Some people will call FSU fraudulent, but Virginia is a better team than it’s gotten credit for. UVA (4-1) hopped out to a 14-0 lead after capitalizing on early interceptions.
The Cavaliers feature one of the best offenses in the country, ranking in the top 20 for tackles for loss allowed per game (3.4), sacks allowed per game (0.6) total offense (539.6 yards) and scoring offense (45.6 points per game). They lead the country in No. 1 in offensive first downs (133). The defense is weaker, but it ranks in the national Top 75 in scoring defense and total defense allowed.
Florida State plummeted 10 spots to No. 18, and Virginia, which has won its four games by an average of 29 points, slipped in at No. 24.
Georgia Tech moved to 5-0 for the first time since 2014 after defeating Wake Forest (2-2) on the road in overtime. The Yellow Jackets went down 20-0 in the first half but came back to win 30-29 after a failed two-point conversion by the Demon Deacons. Despite the scare, Georgia Tech was ranked No. 17, dropping one spot in favor of Vanderbilt (5-0) sliding in at No. 16.
The rest of the teams in the middle from No. 9-No. 20 were either on a bye or won their respective games. Many of those teams shuffled slightly due to the havoc at the top and bottom of the rankings.
Illinois (4-1) edged then-No. 21 Southern California (4-1), 34-32, one week after its blowout loss to Indiana. The Trojans are now 4-11 against ranked opponents under Lincoln Riley. USC dropped out of the poll and Illinois moved one spot to No. 22.
Arizona State (4-1) reentered the poll after defeating No. 24 TCU, 27-24, at home. It overcame a 17-0 deficit and made the game-winning field goal. The Sun Devils were previously ranked but fell out after their lone loss at Mississippi State. Now, they have two wins over Power Four programs and are 2-0 in the Big 12, earning the No. 25 spot.
Notre Dame (2-2) wiggled up one place to No. 21 and took Southern Cal’s spot, after its 56-13 rout at Arkansas (2-3). The Fighting Irish jumped out to a 42-13 lead at halftime and its defense stopped the Razorbacks from doing anything in the second half.
The ACC has four ranked teams after Virginia earned its spot in the AP poll for the first time since 2019.
Last week’s AP Top 25 Poll
This story was originally published September 28, 2025 at 11:09 AM.
