The third week of AP Top 25 college football poll rankings drop Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
A week after four losses by top-10 teams left just three teams in the same spot in the rankings, Saturday was marked by blowouts and just a couple of notable upsets. Look for No. 13 Florida, bested by USF, and No. 12 Arizona State, defeated by Mississippi State, to drop — but how far?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for game recaps, poll predictions, ranking analyses and answers to fan questions, all in one place.
Here’s the latest:
MS State, South Florida, Baylor deliver key upsets
South Florida is now 2-0 against Top 25 teams.
A week after defeating Boise State 34-7, pushing the Broncos out of the Top 25, the Bulls outscored the Florida Gators 18-16 on the road. South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown excelled in both the passing and running games, completing 23 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown and adding 66 yards on 17 carries.
Florida entered the Week 2 outing at No. 13 after a 55-0 win over LIU in Week 1. The Bulls’ shocking road win wasn’t the sole upset of the week. Mississippi State beat No. 12 Arizona State 24-20, an effort spearheaded by quarterback Blake Sharpen. Senior receiver Brenen Thompson caught the game-winner, a 58-yard touchdown pass, with 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Over in Dallas, an unranked Baylor team overthrew No. 17 SMU with a 48-45 win in second overtime.
Who votes in the poll, and how does it work?
No organization has been ranking teams and naming a major college football national champion longer than The Associated Press, since 1936.
AP employees don’t vote themselves, but they do choose the voters. AP Top 25 voters comprise around 60 writers and broadcasters who cover college football for AP members and other select outlets. The goal is to have every state with a Football Bowl Subdivision school represented by at least one voter.
There is a 1-25 point system, with a team voted No. 1 receiving 25 points down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote. After that, it’s simple: The poll lists the teams with the most points from 1 to 25, and others receiving votes are also noted.
Voting is done online, and the tabulation is automated.
▶ Read more about the history of the AP Top 25 poll and how it works.
Ohio State enters Week 2 as No. 1
Ohio State tops the poll for the first time in the regular season since 2015.
The Buckeyes jumped from No. 3 to No. 1 following a 14-7 Week 1 victory against the then-top-seeded Texas Longhorns.
Ohio State is poised to keep the top spot in this week’s poll after a thumping 70-0 win over Grambling State on Saturday, answering any potential questions about the reigning national champs’ offense.
