How Week 14 reshaped the AP Top 25 football poll, and conference championships
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- AP poll sees minimal top movement as most top-15 teams won their regular season finales
- Key ranked losses reshaped mid-to-lower spots and clarified CFP and bowl scenarios
- Upsets and tiebreakers sent SMU, Pitt and others toward ranking exits and exclusion in ACC
There was little movement in the top of the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll after all but two of the top 15 teams won their respective games, despite a number of rivalry games.
There were five ranked-on-ranked matchups, and Texas A&M was the only higher-ranked team to lose.
Instead, most of the drama came at the bottom, with conference championship, College Football Playoff and ranking implications.
Two teams from the ACC and SEC, and one Big Ten program found themselves in the loss column.
ACC title game set
Virginia (9-2) rose one spor to No. 16 after it beat Virginia Tech (3-9), 27-7, to earn its spot in the ACC Championship game. It scored its first touchdown after an interception and led the rest of the way. The Cavaliers defense held the Hokies to a season-low 197 yards of offense and six first downs.
J’Mari Taylor led the Cavaliers with a rushing and passing touchdown, becoming the first ACC running back to have both in a game since 2021.
On the Pacific coast, California (7-5) upset SMU (8-4), 38-35, to send Duke — yes, Duke — to the ACC title game. Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns, while N.C. State transfer Kendrick Raphael ran for a late touchdown to secure the win. The Mustangs scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but the defense could not record the stop.
Miami (10-2) throttled Pittsburgh (8-4), 38-7, in an attempt to make the conference title game and strengthen its resume for a possible at-large playoff bid. Quarterback Carson Beck completed 23 of 29 passes for 267 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Hurricanes jumped one place to No. 12.
Due to tiebreakers, SMU, Miami, Georgia Tech and Pitt were left out of the championship game. They all finished 6-2 in ACC play. This sets up a rematch between UVA, which went 7-1 in league play, and Duke, which is also 6-2 in conference contests this season. The Cavaliers beat the Blue Devils, 34-17, in Durham two weeks ago.
SMU dropped the rankings and, after a second solid year in the ACC, will be left out of the CFP. Pitt will likely fall out, as well, and its playoff hopes are over. Georgia Tech (see below) is in a precarious position, rankings wise, and it’s expected to miss the playoff after its hot start.
Buckeyes win in the Big House
No. 1 Ohio State beat Michigan (9-3), 27-9, in Ann Arbor to move to 12-0 and earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship against Indiana. Its win likely secures a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, as well.
Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin threw three touchdown passes, while kicker Jayden Fielding went 2 for 2 on field goals. Bo Jackson ran for 117 yards. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was held to 63 yards and one interception.
Ohio State remained at the top of the poll after its win, while Michigan dropped to No. 18.
Down go the Aggies
Texas (9-3) handed Texas A&M (11-1) its first loss of the season in their annual rivalry matchup on Friday night. The Aggies led the Longhorns, 10-3, at halftime but gave up 17 consecutive points to start the second half and 24 total points in the final two quarters in the 27-17 loss. Texas’ defense, meanwhile, limited Texas A&M’s trips to the end zone to one 13-yard rushing score.
A&M quarterback Marcel Reed threw for 180 yards and two interceptions, while Arch Manning put up 179 yards and one touchdown. Texas rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
The Aggies dropped to No. 7, while Texas jumped back to No. 14.
Georgia remains on top in Tech series
Georgia defeated Georgia Tech, 16-9. The Bulldogs moved to 11-1 and have now won eight straight games in the series. The Yellow Jackets, 9-3, lost three of their last four games. This was a defensive showdown for both teams, with UGA scoring the only touchdown between the two programs. The Yellow Jackets scored a fourth-quarter field goal, but a Hail Mary pass with one second left was batted down in the end zone.
With A&M’s loss, the Dawgs moved up to No. 3. Georgia will face No. 10 Alabama (10-2) in the SEC title game after the Crimson tide beat Auburn (5-7), 27-20, in the Iron Bowl.
Other notable results
No. 2 Indiana (12-0) routed Purdue (2-10), 56-3, on Friday to earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship next week. The Hoosiers continue to roll, and the Boilermakers didn’t stand a chance. IU scored seven unanswered touchdowns, including six combined TDs in the second and third quarters. The Hoosiers will play the Buckeyes for the Big Ten title. This is the first time a No. 1 and No. 2 team will play in a conference championship game since the SEC Championship in 2009.
No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1) won 38-19 against Mississippi State (5-7), bookending its win with 14 points in the first and fourth quarters. Despite questions about coach Lane Kiffin’s future, the Rebels rolled to the win. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns, while Ole Miss ran for 186 yards. The Bulldogs put up 440 yards of total offense, but the Rebels defense held them to two turnovers on downs, one interception and a pair of field goals. Ole Miss should move up a spot or two after Texas A&M’s loss.
No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2) defeated LSU (7-5), 17-13, thanks to a 58-yard touchdown from quarterback John Mateer to Isaiah Sategna with four minutes remaining. Mateer threw for 318 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in the win. OU finished with 14 first downs, while LSU recorded nine. The Sooners will likely see little movement.
No. 13 Vanderbilt (10-2) beat Tennessee (8-4), 45-24, after blowing a second-quarter lead. The Commodores held the Volunteers to three points in the second half. Tennessee has been toward the bottom of the rankings for several weeks and could finally drop out after the most-recent loss. No. 7 Texas Tech (11-1) and No. 11 BYU (11-1) will meet in the Big 12 Championship. The Red Raiders shut out West Virginia (4-8), 49-0. Meanwhile, the Cougars overcame a 14-0 deficit to beat Central Florida (5-7), 41-21. With a couple of open spots at the bottom of the poll, a couple of teams could slide in. Navy moved to 9-2 after its 28-17 win over Memphis. It has not been ranked this season, despite receiving votes. This could be the week.
Arizona (9-3) beat Arizona State (8-4), 23-7, to close the regular season. Both teams finished shy of the top 25 last week and were ranked in the most-recent CFP rankings. The Wildcats returned to the poll at No. 22.
Last week’s AP Top 25 poll
This story was originally published November 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM.
