AP Top 25 football poll sees movement after two ranked ACC teams lose
If anyone thought this would be a calm week for college football, with seven teams in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll on a bye, they were sorely mistaken.
The biggest culprit? The ACC.
Some football analysts argue that the same sentiment often levied about the SEC — it’s deep and deserves multiple playoff bids — could be ascribed to the ACC’s argument for playoff inclusion.
But that’s not the ACC’s reputation, and this weekend’s results probably won’t help public perception. The ACC seemingly cannibalized itself, with two of its three ranked teams losing to unranked conference opponents.
Deacs leave Virginia dumbfounded
Virginia saw its seven-game winning streak snapped after falling to Wake Forest at home, 16-9, unable to convert offensive opportunities into touchdowns. UVA played much of the game without veteran quarterback Chandler Morris, who left the game in the second quarter, and it showed. The offense was held to three field goals.
The Demon Deacons (6-3) deserve credit for playing tough defense and responding after their 42-7 bludgeoning at Florida State, but the Cavaliers (8-2) created a number of self-inflicted errors. UVA entered the game leading the nation with zero fumbles lost this season. It coughed up three against Wake.
Virginia’s defense performed well, all things considered. It didn’t give up a touchdown, either, and held the Deacs to 64 yards passing. Wake’s lone trip to the end zone came on an 88-yard punt return touchdown.
The Cavaliers were the favorite to win the ACC entering this weekend. They didn’t fall out of the poll, but they found themselves falling eight spots to No. 20.
Cal squeaks out win over the Cardinals
California (6-4) became bowl eligible after picking up a 29-26 win over Louisville (7-2) in overtime, sending the ACC into further chaos.
The Cardinals controlled the majority of the opening half, but they weren’t able to break away. The game featured four ties and three lead changes, and it took a 3-yard touchdown for Cal to pull off the upset.
Louisville running back Keyjuan Brown ran for 136 yards, providing favorable field position that the team used for a pair of touchdowns and four field goals.
The Golden Bears, an 18.5-point underdog, used a 350-yard passing attack to overcome the home favorite.
Because other teams at the bottom of the poll lost, Louisville remained ranked alongside the Cavaliers and landed at No. 19. The Cardinals, however, can’t afford another loss.
Miami picks up the ACC’s lone ranked win
After plummeting in last week’s AP Poll, Miami (7-2) had a chance to sneak back up after its win over Syracuse (3-7). It was the only ranked ACC team to win. The Hurricanes overcame a scoreless first quarter, in which they punted on the first four drives, before picking up 31 points in the second and third quarters.
Carson Beck finished the game 18 of 24 passing for 247 yards and one touchdown in the 38-10 victory, while surpassing 10,000 career passing yards. He also caught a touchdown pass from Malachi Tony to score the team’s first points.
The Miami defense, which held Syracuse to 285 yards of total offense, also added a pick-six and recovered a fumble in the victory.
Miami ranked No. 18 in last week’s AP poll and came in at the same spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. The Hurricanes needed a bump, and they rose two spots to No. 16.
Tech wins Big 12 battle
Texas Tech (9-1) handed BYU (8-1) its first loss of the season in a 29-7 rout. The Red Raiders held the Cougars scoreless until the fourth quarter, breaking the 26-0 shutout.
Tech had a strong game in every phase. Caleb Douglas grabbed the lone touchdown reception and Cameron Dickey finished with 121 rushing yards, more than the entire BYU team, and one TD. Kicker Stone Harrington went 5 of 5 on field goals, while the defense recorded an interception and seven pass deflections.
With the other top 10 teams winning their respective games, Texas Tech moved up to No. 8, replacing BYU. The Cougars landed at No. 12.
Wisconsin ends Washington’s one-week run
Washington finally cracked the top 25 last week. Its stay was brief. The Huskies fell to unranked Wisconsin, 13-10, after squandering a 10-3 lead. They were unable to overcome the Badgers’ defense, which forced five punts and two turnovers on downs. Washington threw an interception, fumbled the football and missed a field goal in its loss.
Quarterback Desmond Williams finished with 134 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Huskies, while the team finished with 117 yards rushing.
Wisconsin had little offensive firepower — it used four quarterbacks who finished with 48 yards and no passing TDs — but it found the end zone once and rushed well enough to put kicker Nathaniel Vakos in position for a pair of field goals.
Wisconsin snapped a six-game losing streak and an 11-game skid against Power Four opponents with the victory.
Their matchup, which included winter precipitation, was a signature Big Ten matchup … but it wasn’t one that will keep a team ranked.
Other notable results
No. 2 Indiana pulled off a gutsy 27-24 win against Penn State to become the first 10-0 team this season. The Hoosiers led by as many as 13 points but allowed the Nittany Lions — without their starting quarterback — to score 17 unanswered points. It took a well-placed pass into the end zone with 36 seconds left to give Indiana the go-ahead score.
No. 1 Ohio State (9-0) and No. 3 Texas A&M (9-0) also remain undefeated after picking up their respective conference wins. The Buckeyes topped Purdue (2-8), 34-10, while the Aggies downed Missouri (6-3), 38-17. Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M remained in their respective spots, while Missouri dropped out.
Oregon (8-1) beat Iowa (6-3) on the road, 18-16, but fell one spot to No. 7.
Vanderbilt (8-2) survived Auburn (4-6) at home, but it took an overtime to secure the win. Commodores rallied from 10 points down and maintained its hopes for a College Football Playoff bid.
Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia threw for 377 yards, a career high, and three touchdowns, while rushing for 112 yards and one TD. The Commodores’ defense struggled mightily against the Tigers, allowing Auburn to rack up 563 yards of total offense, 210 rushing yards and 34 first downs.
The Commodores move up from No. 15 to No. 13 with multiple losses by teams ranked higher.
Tulane (7-2) moved into the last unranked position among teams receiving votes after defeating Memphis (7-2), 38-32. The Green Wave used a 35-point first half to take a 35-17 lead into the half, but the Tigers scored 15 in the fourth to cut Tulane’s lead to one possession. An interception and turnover on downs ultimately ended Memphis’ comeback bid.
The Tigers dropped out. South Florida (7-2) re-entered at 25.
James Madison found itself in the poll after picking up another win. The Dukes (8-1) defeated Marshall (4-5) on the road for their seventh consecutive victory. JMU has received votes for multiple weeks but never cracked the top 25. With the other losses, it has a chance.
Despite the ACC’s struggles this week, Pittsburgh (7-2) came in at No. 23. It has five wins over Power Four programs and has won five straight games.
Week 12 AP Top 25 poll
This story was originally published November 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
