In the first AP Top 25 college football poll rankings of the regular season, the Ohio State Buckeyes took the lead, followed by Penn State at No. 2 and LSU at No. 3.
The Buckeyes slid into position to dominate this week’s rankings with 55 first-place votes after besting the preseason poll’s No. 1 Texas Longhorns on Saturday.
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for game recaps, poll predictions, ranking analyses and answers to fan questions, all in one place.
Here’s the latest:
Hear from a voter: How did ASU move down in the rankings from 11?
That’s a good question — I actually moved ASU up on my ballot from No. 18 to No. 11 as I had them in the preseason. But I saw enough, even against an overpowered Northern Arizona, to influence me to bump them up.
As far as the other voters, there was lots of action in the top half of the poll, and that usually means there are some ripples the farther down you go.
▶ Ask a voter and AP reporters a question about the Top 25 poll
— Scott Hamilton is a sports columnist for the Charleston Post and Courier and has been an AP Top 25 voter for eight years.
FSU and Utah kick Boise State and Kansas State out
FSU wasn’t the only team to break into the Top 25 this week.
Utah delivered a stunning 43-10 win over a UCLA team operating under transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier stole the show, completing 21 of 25 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns while adding 87 yards and a score on foot.
Utah came in at No. 25, previously belonging to Boise State. The Broncos slipped out of the Top 25 after a 34-7 loss to South Florida, where the team couldn’t get anything going offensively without Ashton Jeanty.
Kansas State also fell out of the Top 25 after struggling to beat North Dakota. The Wildcats narrowly avoided an upset loss with a last-minute touchdown, winning 38-35 in a game that should’ve teetered toward blowout status.
Hear from a voter: What do you think you need to see from Alabama to climb back up the rankings?
I need to see composure and discipline, first and foremost.
The Tide’s roster is way too talented to be overwhelmed by anyone, let alone a team with the kind of baggage FSU is dealing with going back to last season.
That means extending drives, getting its defense off the field quickly and keeping their composure after penalties. Didn’t see much of any of that on Saturday.
▶ Ask a voter and AP reporters a question about the Top 25 poll
— Scott Hamilton is a sports columnist for the Charleston Post and Courier and has been an AP Top 25 voter for eight years.
Florida State jumps into Top 25, Alabama plummets
The story of the week came from Tallahassee, when Florida State, coming off a 2-10 season, delivered an upset victory against preseason No. 8 Alabama.
The Seminoles dominated for the bulk of the game, maintaining a lead from the second quarter on. Fumbles and missed field goals plagued an Alabama performance that fell short of the Crimson Tide standard. The previously unranked Seminoles now rank No. 14 in the poll.
Alabama fell to No. 21, the program’s lowest ranking since coming in at No. 24 in the 2008 preseason poll.
Hear from a voter: FSU jumped to No. 16 on your ballot. What did you see from the Seminoles?
The Seminoles definitely looked more like the 2023 version than the ones we saw in the 2-10 version, that’s for sure.
The offensive line was far better. And the FSU defense was fast and physical — that’s probably the biggest takeaway for me.
The Seminoles were also more composed than Alabama, even after falling behind 7-0 right after kickoff. None of those traits was evident last year, or at least not evident for extended periods.
How has the transmission of votes changed over time?
The sports writers and broadcasters who are Top 25 voters have submitted their ballots in different ways over the years.
For most of the years since the poll debuted in 1936, voters called the AP sports desk in New York and dictated their ballots. Then a designated AP sports staffer would tabulate the ballots to come up with that week’s Top 25.
The digital age made it easier for voters. Some would still dictate their ballots over the phone, but more and more they used email. About 20 years ago, a special webpage was created for voters. They now submit their ballots online and the tabulation is automated.
▶ Ask a voter and AP reporters a question about the Top 25 poll
Texas falls to No. 7 after disappointing Week 1 outing
Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns couldn’t get much going for the bulk of their highly anticipated Week 1 matchup against Ohio State.
Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception. 65 of his 170 yards came during a late fourth-quarter drive culminating in the Longhorns’ sole touchdown. Texas slid to No. 7 as a result.
The fall marks the biggest for a preseason No. 1 since Auburn dropped to No. 8 in the first regular-season poll of 1984. The Longhorns have a chance to get back on the right track against a less daunting opponent in San Jose State on Saturday.
Oregon moves up one after impressive debut
Week 1 went to plan for the Ducks, who defeated Montana State 59-13 in the season opener. Quarterback Dante Moore impressed, completing 18 of 23 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns.
Oregon moved up from No. 7 to No. 6 in this week’s poll, receiving 1,302 points and a first-place vote.
The Ducks aim to accumulate wins early before the start of the Big Ten competition in late September.
Miami rounds out the top 5 after Notre Dame upset
Miami jumped from No. 10 to No. 5 following a 27-24 Sunday night win against Notre Dame.
The Hurricanes held onto the lead despite a late-game resurgence from the Fighting Irish and quarterback CJ Carr. The Irish tied it up at 24 with 3:21 remaining. Transfer quarterback Carson Beck led a 10-play, 46-yard drive, putting the Hurricanes in field goal range with 1:07 remaining. Kicker Carter Davis hit a 47-yard field goal to seal the deal.
The Hurricanes last cracked the Top 5 in 2024 after a 9-0 start.
Georgia remains in the top 5 with a dominant Marshall win
Georgia moved up one spot in this week’s poll, coming in at No. 4 after an authoritative 45-7 win over Marshall in the home opener.
Gunner Stockton fared well in his second start for the Bulldogs, taking full command of the passing and running games. Stockton threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns and led the Bulldogs with 73 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
Penn State holds steady at No. 2
Penn State’s 46-11 win over Nevada was enough to retain the No. 2 spot. The Nittany Lions finished with 1,558 points and seven first-place votes.
It was the kind of dominant win expected of a team of Penn State’s caliber against a Nevada team that finished 3-10 in 2024. Drew Allar completed 22 of 26 passes for 217 yards and a score. Nick Singleton scored a team-high two rushing touchdowns. Kaytron Allen and Ethan Grunkemeyer each found the end zone on foot.
Allar connected with Kyron Hudson for Penn State’s sole receiving touchdown of the outing, a 31-yard reception just before half.
LSU makes statement, jumps 6 spots
A statement-making 17-10 road victory against then-No. 4 Clemson helped LSU jump six spots, from No. 9 to No. 3 in this week’s poll. LSU received the third-most first-place votes (3) and 1,514 points overall.
LSU’s 2024 leading rusher Caden Durham picked up where he left off, rushing for a team-high 74 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Aaron Anderson connected with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for six receptions and 99 yards. Trey’Dez Green notched the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter on an 8-yard pass.
It’s LSU’s highest ranking since topping the poll during a historic 2019 campaign, when ironically, they beat Clemson in the National Championship game.
Ohio State dethrones Texas, tops Week 1 poll
Ohio State’s hiatus from No. 1 was short-lived, returning to the top spot after a 14-7 week 1 victory against then top-seeded Texas. The Buckeyes received 55 first-place votes, 44 more than they received in the preseason poll (11), and 1,636 total points.
Ohio State last topped the poll after defeating Notre Dame 34-23 in the National Championship game. It’s the Buckeyes’ first regular-season No. 1 ranking since Nov. 1, 2015.
Julian Sayin performed well in his Buckeyes debut, completing 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown. It was a stout performance by Ohio State’s defense, holding the Longhorns scoreless until late in the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes leaped over Penn State, which maintained the No. 2 spot.
AP Top 25 college football poll rankings
1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. LSU
4. Georgia
5. Miami
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. Utah
Hear from a voter: What criteria matter most to voters for team rankings?
I look at quality wins and quality of play, which sound pretty basic.
That obviously means beating quality opponents and executing like the superior team when highly favored against other opponents. That’s a big thing — being able to execute comfortably.
▶ Ask a voter and AP reporters a question about the Top 25 poll
— Scott Hamilton is a sports columnist for the Charleston Post and Courier and has been an AP Top 25 voter for eight years.
Reader question: What are the chances of Nebraska being ranked this year?
Who can say? It will all depend on performance, notably by the Huskers’ defense and the leadership provided by Dylan Raiola at QB.
Nebraska got a gritty win over Cincinnati in the opener and should cruise in its next two games against Akron and Houston Christian.
After that, come home games against Michigan and Michigan State, and then road trips to Maryland and Minnesota and a home game against Northwestern.
Will Nebraska be 8-0 going into the USC game? Seems like there are opportunities in that stretch to stand out to voters and get ranked.
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.
▶ Read more about the history of the AP Top 25 poll and how it works.
Reader question: Do any G5 teams have a vote besides Tulane?
Yes, Group of Five teams did receive votes in this week’s Top 25.
Does that mean a G5 team is ranked? Stay tuned for poll drop at 2 p.m. Eastern.
▶ Ask a voter and AP reporters a question about the Top 25 poll
Which teams could jump into the new poll?
No. 25 Boise State lost 34-7 at South Florida, which will probably cost the Broncos a spot in the rankings.
But there are plenty of other teams eager to take their place — Florida State arguably made the loudest statement, handing Alabama a 31-17 loss that could shake up the playoff race.
Utah manhandled UCLA 43-10 and BYU blew out Portland State 69-0 behind freshman QB Bear Bachmeier. The Utah schools were the top two teams that were first out in the last rankings, too.
Utah emerges as Big 12 threat
Utah increased its odds in the Big 12 after delivering a thumping 43-10 win over UCLA on Saturday.
It was a debut to remember for transfer quarterback Devon Dampier, who completed 21 of 25 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns while adding 87 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
It was the first taste of a Nico Iamaleava-led UCLA offense following the quarterback’s surprising spring transfer from Tennessee. Iamaleava went 11 of 22 for 136 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He carried the ball 13 times for 47 yards.
Utah’s odds to win the Big 12 improved to +450 after the win, tied for second with Arizona State (+450) and just behind Texas Tech (+350).
Corso ends legendary tenure on ‘College GameDay’ with perfect picks
Lee Corso made his final appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Saturday ahead of the Ohio State and Texas matchup.
Corso helped build the show from the ground up and perhaps became most known for his popular mascot prediction schtick in which he dons the headgear of the team he predicts will win one of the biggest games of the week.
It was a full-circle finale for Corso, who predicted Ohio State’s win by donning Brutus Buckeye, just like he did on Oct. 5, 1996, when the segment first began. Corso went 6-for-6 with his final predictions, an impressive feat given upsets including FSU over Alabama, Miami over Notre Dame and an LSU road win at Clemson.
Alabama and Texas performances undercut SEC’s reputation Week 1
Southeastern Conference teams won 14 games and lost two during Week 1, but the two conference losses overshadowed the overall performance. FSU stunned No. 8 Alabama with a 31-17 victory, edging the Crimson Tide in total yards (382), rushing yards (230), yards per play (6.1), first downs (20) and faring better on third and fourth downs.
A historically dominant Alabama team exited Week 1 with much to prove and skeptical fans already throwing in the towel on coach Kalen DeBoer.
No. 1 Texas dropped 14-7 to No. 3 Ohio State in Arch Manning’s debut as the starting quarterback. Manning struggled against a dominant Buckeyes’ defense, completing 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The young quarterback’s sole score, a 32-yard completion to Parker Livingstone, came with 3:28 left in the fourth and proved to be too little, too late.
Notre Dame and Miami restore old rivalry
Texas vs. Ohio State may have lacked the excitement fans hoped for, but the third and final top-10 matchup of the weekend didn’t disappoint. The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes hosted No. 6 Notre Dame in a modern rendition of an old-school rivalry.
Both teams looked different with new quarterbacks. Notre Dame’s CJ Carr warmed up as the game went on, finishing 19 of 30 for 221 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Carr spearheaded a 14-point swing, culminating with a rushing touchdown to tie the game with 3:21 left.
Carson Beck threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Hurricanes to a 27-24 victory. Kicker Carter Davis drilled the game-winner, a 47-yard field goal with 1:04 on the clock.
Nussmeier outplays Klubnik in Heisman contender showdown
Eyes turned to No. 9 LSU and No. 4 Clemson on Saturday night, a highly anticipated matchup between top-10 opponents.
It was an early view of veteran signal-callers and Heisman Trophy favorites Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik. Nussmeier delivered a big win in enemy territory, completing 28 of 38 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. The LSU quarterback connected with Trey’Dez Green for a game-winning 8-yard receiving touchdown with 12:18 on the clock in the fourth quarter.
Klubnik went 19 of 38 for 230 yards and an interception. Running back Adam Randall scored Clemson’s sole touchdown of the night on a one-yard run right before half. The Klubnik-led offense had three opportunities to tie it up in the fourth quarter and fell short with two failed fourth-down attempts and a three-and-out.
