Three teams near of the top of the AP Top 25 college football poll came up short this weekend, setting the stage for a shuffle in the top 10.
No. 8 Georgia Tech was upset for the first time this season, defeated by North Carolina State. That leaves the Bowl Subdivision with four unbeaten teams, given that Navy also lost.
A couple of teams’ College Football Playoff hopes might be crushed, too: No. 9 Vanderbilt came up just short against No. 20 Texas and No. 10 Miami fell to SMU in overtime.
All top 5 poll spots are likely to remain unchanged, given that No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana both reeled in victories and No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Alabama were idle. That leaves No. 5 Georgia unlikely to move up despite a win this week, because the Bulldogs have already lost to the Crimson Tide.
Promotions may be in store for No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 15 Virginia, No. 18 Oklahoma and No. 20 Texas, thanks to their wins this weekend.
How high will they climb?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for poll projections, game recaps and voter answers to fan questions, all in one place.
How the top 10 fared
Four top 10 teams came out on top of their matchups this week, but three lost games.
Ohio State (1), Indiana (2), Georgia (5) and Ole Miss (7) notched conference wins on Saturday.
Ohio State running back Bo Jackson, top, is tackled by Penn State defensive back Antoine Belgrave-Shorter during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
The remaining top 10 teams weren’t as fortunate. NC State outscored No. 8 Georgia Tech 48-36, handing the Yellow Jackets their first loss of the season. No. 9 Vanderbilt dropped 34-31 to No. 20 Texas. And No. 10 Miami suffered its second defeat in the past three games, falling 26-20 to SMU in overtime.
Texas (3), Alabama (4), Oregon (6) and BYU (T-10) were idle.
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, which has done the job 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.
Voting is a straight points system: A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote is worth 24 points, down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote.
Then it’s just a summary of which teams are 1-25 based on the totals. Others receiving votes are also noted.
Voting is done online, and the tabulation is automated.
