Georgia poised for top AP ranking after wild week of upsets
College football voters prepared a new ballot order after multiple ranked teams fell over the weekend. The shift clears the way for a fresh leader following losses by several national title contenders. The upcoming poll comes out at 2 p.m. EDT.
No. 2 Georgia secured a 20-17 road win over No. 6 Alabama. That victory puts the Bulldogs in line for the premier spot for the first time since 2024. The outcome came down to three points and followed an officiating decision.
Top-ranked Texas lost to Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon in the Red River Rivalry. The overtime result opened the leading position in the balloting. Six ranked teams lost across the weekend.
No. 10 LSU dropped an overtime game against Kentucky. South Carolina defeated Florida in another decisive outcome. One-loss teams seeking higher positions include Wake Forest, Northwestern and Kentucky.
West Coast Upset In Eugene
No. 21 UCLA traveled to Oregon and earned a 17-15 victory. The host Ducks committed seven turnovers during the matchup. Oregon lost five fumbles, including one on their final possession with under a minute left.
Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 162 yards and two interceptions. He left the contest for the second half with a lower leg injury. Replacement passer Ty Dieffenbach took over, throwing for 43 yards and one touchdown.
Oregon backup quarterback Dylan Raiola completed 6 of 18 passes for 43 yards. Raiola threw two interceptions. Coaches then replaced him with Brock Thomas.
Ballots And Voting Process
College football writers and broadcasters determine the weekly list. This season features 69 selected voters. Staff members at the news service choose the panel but do not cast votes themselves.
States with Football Bowl Subdivision teams gain representation based on their total school count. The panel also contains dedicated national spots. Voters receive guidelines to value actual performance and head-to-head outcomes over preseason speculation.
The tally uses a system ranging from 25 points down to 1 point. Online software tabulates the figures before staff members check for errors. Teams below the main list appear separately if they receive votes.
National rankings serve to compare football programs across different conferences before postseason selection panels meet. Media panels evaluate game results weekly throughout the autumn season.
The updated national list releases this afternoon.
