Week 4 of the AP Top 25 college football poll is coming up fast.
Stakes heightened and playoff paths sharpened as the dust settled Saturday, with the poll’s top seven teams all seeing wins. But others in the rankings — including No. 8 Notre Dame, No. 11 South Carolina and No. 12 Clemson — weren’t so lucky.
No. 5 Miami crushed No. 18 South Florida’s dream run, but will it cost the Bulls their poll spot? Will No. 6 Georgia fall after needing overtime to win on the road at No. 15 Tennessee?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for game recaps, poll predictions and ranking analyses all in one place.
Here’s the latest:
Clemson, South Carolina, Notre Dame stumble
Clemson, South Carolina and Notre Dame each suffered upsets on Saturday, putting each at risk of losing Top 25 status.
An unranked Georgia Tech team outplayed No. 12 Clemson and solidified the upset victory with a buzzer-beating 55-yard field goal.
Georgia Tech likely swayed voters with its compelling performance and the Tigers’ loss is sure to impact votes as well.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s home opener didn’t go as planned. The Irish took a gamble with a two-point attempt and fell short. Texas A&M answered with a charge downfield in the final minutes of the game, scoring the go-ahead touchdown to win 41-40.
South Carolina didn’t come close against Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks were outplayed in all aspects, especially after losing quarterback LaNorris Sellers in the second quarter with a concussion. The 31-7 loss puts South Carolina in serious danger of falling out of the Top 25.
Heisman race takes a turn
Most preseason Heisman conversations focused on three quarterbacks: Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) and Cade Klubnik (Clemson).
Three weeks into the season, those conversations sound quite different.
Preseason No. 4 Clemson is at serious risk of stumbling out of the Top 25 after losing to Georgia Tech on Saturday. Preseason No. 1 Texas underwhelmed in a 27-10 win over UTEP with an inconsistent passing game, while Nussmeier remains a favorite after leading LSU to a 3-0 start.
But John Mateer (Oklahoma) and Carson Beck (Miami) have replaced Klubnik and Manning in the top tier.
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.
