Alabama has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 after securing 40 out of 63 first-place votes, surpassing three teams, including Texas, which now sits at No. 2. Texas faced a tough challenge against Mississippi State, barely holding on as a five-touchdown favorite, and saw its first-place votes drop from 44 to 19.
Ohio State continues to hold steady at No. 3 with four first-place votes. Meanwhile, Tennessee, enjoying a bye week, climbed to No. 4, while Georgia, having lost three times to Alabama since 2021, slipped to No. 5.
Completing the top ten are Oregon, Penn State, Miami (Fla.), Missouri, and Michigan, each showcasing strong performances this season.
Ole Miss and Utah experienced significant drops in the rankings. The Rebels fell from No. 6 to No. 12 after a surprising upset by Kentucky at home, while Utah dropped from No. 10 to No. 18 following a loss to Arizona.
Alabama, now ranked No. 1 for the first time under coach Kalen DeBoer, has demonstrated impressive form with standout performances from Heisman Trophy candidate Jalen Milroe and freshman sensation Ryan Williams.
The Tide’s recent victories include a dominant 42-10 win over Wisconsin and a nail-biting 41-34 triumph against Georgia, where they nearly let a 28-point lead slip away.
Alabama’s last time at No. 1 was on October 2, 2022, when they held the position for just a week after a narrow win against an unranked Texas A&M, with Milroe stepping in for the injured Bryce Young.
This marks the 141st time Alabama has held the top ranking, the most in history since the AP poll began in 1936, and the 105th time since 2009, a period during which Nick Saban has led the team to six national championships.
For the fourth consecutive week, the SEC dominates the rankings with four of the top five teams. This unprecedented feat has only occurred once before, on October 19, 2014, when the SEC also claimed four of the top five spots.
The SEC currently boasts nine teams in the Top 25, just one shy of its own record for the most ranked teams from a single conference.
The Big Ten has made a notable comeback, placing four teams in the top 10 for the first time since October 2021, and seven teams overall in the Top 25.
UNLV has made history by breaking into the rankings for the first time after remaining unbeaten through four games, despite losing their starting quarterback due to an NIL dispute. They are currently tied for No. 25 with Texas A&M.
The Rebels have emerged as one of the season’s feel-good stories, even after quarterback Matthew Sluka announced his decision to sit out, claiming he was denied a $100,000 name, image, and likeness payment.
With Hajj-Malik Williams stepping up as the new quarterback, UNLV recently triumphed over Fresno State with a staggering score of 59-14. They now sit at 4-0 for the first time since 1976 and are gearing up to challenge Syracuse, aiming for their third victory against a power-conference opponent.
Also joining the rankings is Indiana at No. 23, marking their first 5-0 start since 1967. They hadn’t been ranked since being No. 17 in the 2021 preseason poll.
Oklahoma State, on the other hand, has fallen out of the rankings after losing two consecutive games against ranked teams, including a recent heavy defeat to Kansas State.
SEC: 9 (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13, 19, T-25).
Big Ten: 7 (Nos. 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 23, 24).
Big 12: 4 (Nos. 16, 17, 18, 20).
ACC: 3 (Nos. 8, 15, 22).
Mountain West: 2 (No. 21, T-25).
Independent: 1 (No. 14).
Here’s the full top 25:
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Ohio State
4. Tennessee
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Penn State
8. Miami (Fla.)
9. Missouri
10. Michigan
11. USC
12. Ole Miss
13. LSU
14. Notre Dame
15. Clemson
16. Iowa State
17. BYU
18. Utah
19. Oklahoma
20. Kansas State
21. Boise State
22. Louisville
23. Indiana
24. Illinois
25. UNLV
