AP Top 25 new poll: How Indiana’s rout over Illinois impacted rankings
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Indiana's 63-10 win over Illinois likely ensures a climb in next AP Top 25 poll.
- Oklahoma and Ole Miss strengthened rankings cases with wins over ranked teams.
- TCU, Nebraska, and Mississippi State may enter poll following Week 4 victories.
With six top 15 teams being on a bye and three teams playing against ranked opponents, The Associated Press Top 25 poll saw some pretty significant movement heading into Week 5.
Indiana (4-0) provided the biggest surprise of the weekend when it throttled Illinois, 63-10, in a Big Ten matchup that was lopsided from the first quarter. The Hoosiers jumped from No. 19 to No. 11.
After being tied 7-7 early in the game, the Hoosiers rattled off four straight touchdowns and took a 35-7 lead. The Illini (3-1) made a field goal at the end of the first half, its final scoring drive of the game. Indiana’s win featured a blocked punt and return, while pressuring Indiana quarterback Luke Altmeyer all night.
The loss was Illinois’ worst under head coach Bret Bielema and the worst for the program since a 63-0 shutout against Iowa in 2018.
The Illini’s time in the Top 10 was fun, but it fell from No. 9 all the way to No. 23 after the loss.
Oklahoma (4-0) defeated Auburn, 24-17, in a controversial conference game in Norman. The Sooners pulled off the victory after an Auburn (3-1) scoop-and-score touchdown was overturned and the officials missed an unfair substitution tactic in the second quarter that fans believe could’ve shifted momentum in Tigers’ favor.
Ultimately, Oklahoma recorded 10 sacks and four pass deflections against former Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold while current OU QB John Mateer threw for 271 yards. The Sooners moved up from No. 11 to No. 7, their highest ranking in two years, thanks to the win and Illinois’ fall from grace. Auburn, meanwhile, fell from No. 22 to out of the poll. It was the first team out, with 122 votes.
Utah, formerly ranked No. 16, joined the Tigers in falling out of the Top 25 after Texas Tech dominated the Utes, 34-10, in Salt Lake City after a 24-point fourth quarter, led by its backup quarterback. Will Hammond stepped in after starter Behren Morton’s helmet slammed into the turf. Hammond not only helped the team win but provided a jolt on offense.
The Red Raiders moved to 4-0 after their victory, in which they never trailed, and jumped from No. 17 to No. 12.
Little movement was expected,as No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Penn State and No. 5 Georgia were among the top eight teams on byes and the other teams defeated their respective opponents by double figures. Texas A&M (10), Iowa State (12) and Alabama (14) were also off this week.
Miami’s game was the closest among the top eight, beating Florida, 26-7, and jumping from No. 4 to No. 2. Florida cut Miami’s lead to six in the second half but Miami scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, one on a 7-minute drive and another on a 1-minute drive, to secure the win.
Mario Cristobal’s team leapfrogged Penn State, one of the teams on a bye, and LSU., to the No. 2 spot.
LSU (4-0) beat Southeast Louisiana, 56-10, but dropped to No. 4.
No. 5 Georgia (3-0) stayed in its spot through its bye. No. 6. Oregon (4-0) beat Oregon State, 41-7, and also remained ranked at its previous position.
Florida State (3-0) routed Kent State, 66-10, while Texas (3-1) shutout Sam Houston State, 55-0, but both teams dropped due to the results of other games. The Seminoles came in at No. 8 and the Longhorns — who got a strong performance from embattled QB Arch Manning — were listed at No. 10. Texas A&M (3-0) jumped to No. 9 after being off.
No. 13 Ole Miss had a solid weekend when it handed Tulane (3-1) its first loss of the year. The Rebels moved to 4-0 when it beat the Green Wave, 45-10, one week after Tulane beat Duke, 34-27. Ole Miss held the Green Wave to 104 passing yards and 282 yards overall, while recording 548 yards of its own. Trinidad Chambliss led the Rebels as its starting quarterback, replacing an injured Austin Simmons. Ole Miss did not move in the rankings.
Vanderbilt (4-0) looked like the real deal when it defeated Georgia State, 70-21, with Diego Pavia on the bench for most of the second half. The Commodores improved two spots and moved to No. 18, and they’re proving the program is a legitimate opponent deserving of serious consideration.
With Auburn and Utah becoming unranked, TCU snuck into the poll at No. 24 this week after moving to 3-0 with a win over SMU. The Horned Frogs downed the Mustangs, 35-24, at home in the rivalry matchup. Its resume includes two victories over Power Four programs — though North Carolina hasn’t looked great — and TCU has made an early statement with every win coming by double digits.
BYU (3-0) also joined the Top 25, representing the Big 12, after beating East Carolina, 34-13. The Cougars also have wins over Portland State and Stanford.
Mississippi State was in position to possibly earn spots at the bottom of the poll but remains on the outside looking in. It received 69 votes in Week 4 and 102 entering Week 5 but is still outside the Top 25. The Bulldogs beat Northern Illinois, 38-10, on Saturday and are 4-0.
With Georgia Tech (4-0) winning and moving up to No. 16, the ACC has three ranked teams, including No. 2 Miami and No. 8 Florida State.
Week 5 Associated Press Top 25 college football poll
This story was originally published September 21, 2025 at 10:52 AM.
