Ohio State has officially ascended to the coveted No. 1 position in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, marking a significant moment in the current college football season. In a remarkable shift, both LSU and Miami (Fla.) have entered the top five, while Florida State has made a triumphant return to the rankings, pushing Alabama down to its lowest position in 17 years.
The defending national champion Buckeyes received a staggering 55 out of 66 first-place votes following their impressive victory over preseason No. 1 Texas. This marks the first time Ohio State has topped the regular-season Top 25 since November 2015, a notable achievement for the program.
The rankings experienced considerable upheaval after a chaotic Labor Day weekend, with Texas dropping to No. 7. This year marked only the second instance—and the first since 1972—where two top-five teams lost in Week 1, alongside an unprecedented four top-10 teams experiencing defeat. Remarkably, only three teams maintained their positions from the preseason poll.
Penn State, which received seven first-place votes, remains firmly at No. 2. Following them are LSU, which moved up six spots after a notable win at Clemson, and Georgia and Miami, rounding out the top five. Miami surged five places following their victory over Notre Dame, while Oregon secured the remaining first-place vote and now sits at No. 6.
The most significant shifts in the rankings belong to Florida State and Alabama. The Seminoles achieved a remarkable 31-17 victory over Alabama, propelling them 15 spots up from their previous position outside the top 25 in the preseason, now landing at No. 14. In stark contrast, Alabama plummeted from No. 8 to No. 21, marking its lowest ranking since 2008, a year that was only the second season of Nick Saban's tenure in Tuscaloosa.
This turnaround for Florida State is particularly notable; after starting the 2024 season ranked No. 10, they suffered two consecutive losses, finishing with a disappointing 2-10 record before re-entering the rankings this week.
Utah joins Florida State as the only newcomers in this week's poll, securing the No. 25 position after a dominant 43-10 victory against UCLA. This marks Utah's return to the rankings for the first time since last October. In contrast, Boise State, which had been ranked No. 25, received no votes following a significant loss to South Florida, ending their run of 14 consecutive appearances in the polls. Additionally, Kansas State fell out of the rankings after a lackluster performance following their season-opening loss.
Ohio State's rise to No. 1 is historic, being the first team to claim the top spot in the first regular-season poll since Alabama did so in 2012. This is the most significant leap to No. 1 in the first regular-season poll since USC advanced from No. 3 in 2008. Texas experienced the largest drop for a preseason No. 1 since Auburn fell to No. 8 in 1984.
Meanwhile, LSU celebrates its highest ranking after Week 1 since 2012, and Miami enjoys its best position since 2004. South Carolina is also making waves, entering the top 10 for the first time since December 2013.
In terms of conference representation, the SEC leads with 10 ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten with six, the ACC with four, and the Big 12 with four as well. The Independent teams have one representative in the rankings.
This weekend features a notable matchup between No. 15 Michigan and No. 18 Oklahoma, marking their first encounter since Oklahoma defeated Michigan in the 1975 Orange Bowl to clinch the national championship. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood of Michigan will be put to the test in his second start.
Here’s the complete top 25 ranking:
1. Ohio State 2. Penn State 3. LSU 4. Georgia 5. Miami (Fla.) 6. Oregon 7. Texas 8. Clemson 9. Notre Dame 10. South Carolina 11. Illinois 12. Arizona State 13. Florida 14. Florida State 15. Michigan 16. Iowa State 17. SMU 18. Oklahoma 19. Texas A&M 20. Ole Miss 21. Alabama 22. Tennessee 23. Indiana 24. Texas Tech 25. UtahStay updated with the latest college football news and rankings by subscribing to our newsletter for personalized updates and insights.
