Texas A&M has fallen out of the top five of the AP Top 25 poll for the first time in two months, making way for No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Oregon each to move up a spot.
No. 5 Texas Tech grabbed its highest ranking in 17 years, thanks to a two-spot promotion from last week.
Mississippi remained No. 6 and was followed by Texas A&M at No. 7. The Aggies had their perfect season and SEC title game hopes spoiled by No. 14 Texas, which moved up two spots in the poll.
Ohio State and Indiana held tight to the top two spots as the only remaining unbeatens. They face off Saturday in a Big Ten title game. No. 8 Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Alabama round out the top 10 for the third straight week.
Find out more about what happened in this week’s Top 25 poll, tell us what the rankings should’ve been or ask AP sports writers a question about what it means and what’s next.
Here’s the latest:
Georgia earns its highest rank of the season
By MAURA CAREY
Georgia earned its highest ranking of the season this week, coming in at No. 3 behind Ohio State and Indiana.
The Bulldogs responded to a late September loss to Alabama with an eight-game win streak, knocking off Kentucky, Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, Mississippi State, Texas, Charlotte and Georgia Tech.
Texas A&M was the team to beat in the SEC, but after a rivalry week loss to Texas, Georgia took its spot at No. 3.
The Bulldogs will face Alabama on Saturday, marking the fifth time the two teams have met in the SEC championship.
AP Top 25 poll rankings
1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Georgia
4. Oregon
5. Texas Tech
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10. Alabama
11. BYU
12. Miami (Fla.)
13. Vanderbilt
14. Texas
15. Utah
16. Virginia
17. USC
18. Michigan
19. James Madison
20. North Texas
21. Tulane
22. Arizona
23. Navy
24. Georgia Tech
25. Missouri
Mountain West metrics decide conference championship matchup
By DAVE ZELIO
You don’t see this every day: The Mountain West Conference announced its championship matchup Sunday based on metrics.
Boise State will host UNLV on Friday night, the third straight season the Broncos and Rebels will meet for the title.
Boise State, New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV all finished with 6-2 records in conference play. Because all four teams did not meet this season, the tie was broken by a composite average of the Connelly SP+, ESPN SOR, KPI and SportSource rankings.
Belichick bombs in his debut college season
North Carolina started the year with a lot of buzz under a national spotlight, teeming with optimism that former NFL coach Bill Belichick could elevate the program.
But Belichick fielded a team that had more losses by double-digit margins (five) than total wins (four) along with frequent helpings of unwanted off-field headlines.
The 73-year-old Belichick won six Super Bowl titles and landed a massive contract at North Carolina. His newly hired GM said the Tar Heels “consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team” with their pro-heavy influence and approach.
Yet North Carolina closed the season with three straight losses to cap a 4-8 season.
BYU and Texas Tech prepare for a rematch
By MAURA CAREY
BYU and Texas Tech will meet for a second time this season, this time in the Big 12 championship game.
The two last faced off in early November, when Texas Tech delivered a 29-7 win. BYU has prevailed in three straight games since then and the upcoming rematch gives the Cougars a shot at redemption as well as a chance to impress the College Football Playoff committee.
Texas Tech also finished the regular season with one loss, falling to Arizona State in October. The Sun Devils had a chance at the conference championship game but were knocked out of the running after a 23-7 loss to Arizona on Friday.
What happens if Alabama loses the SEC championship?
That is a good question if you’re talking about the Tide’s playoff hopes.
A loss to Georgia would leave Alabama with a mostly impressive 9-3 record, but it would be the only team in the CFP’s current top 12 with three losses.
A year ago, a three-loss Alabama team was left out of the 12-team bracket, but it was 11th in the CFP going into conference championship weekend; this year, it is 10th. A win and the Tide is in.
A loss to the Bulldogs is very much bubble territory for a committee juggling some other factors. You have probably noticed the lobbying underway for a three-loss Texas team with three wins vs. top 10 teams, but still ranked only No. 16 by the CFP going into Tuesday’s updated CFP poll.
An unlikely combo sends Duke to the ACC championship
A crowded race to the ACC championship game wrapped up on Saturday, but not without a few twists.
Virginia earned its spot with a win against Virginia Tech 27-7.
SMU came up short against Cal, opening the door for a handful of ACC championship game hopefuls, but Pitt lost its shot when the Panthers fell to Miami.
The combination of results — plus Duke’s win against Wake Forest — sends the Blue Devils to the title game, where they will play Virginia in Charlotte this coming Saturday.
Coaches on the move
By DAVE ZELIO
It seems like everyone in college football is waiting for word from Lane Kiffin, the Ole Miss coach and this season’s hottest commodity after leading the Rebels to an all-but-certain playoff berth.
Kiffin’s decision could come any moment and he is reportedly choosing between taking the job at LSU and staying at Ole Miss.
In the meantime, Florida is moving forward on landing Tulane coach Jon Sumrall and Auburn has hired Alex Golesh from South Florida. To keep up on the whirlwind coaching carousel, we have you covered.
Alabama and Georgia are set to meet in the SEC championship
By MAURA CAREY
Alabama and Georgia will meet in the SEC championship for the fifth time on Dec. 6 in Atlanta.
Georgia clinched a spot with a win against Georgia Tech and Alabama punched its ticket with an Iron Bowl victory against Auburn.
It will be the second time the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs meet this season. Alabama handed Georgia its only loss of the season on Sept. 27, 24-21 in Athens. The Crimson Tide has won all four previous SEC title game matchups against Georgia.
Big Ten stage is set
Ohio State beat Michigan for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, clinching a spot in the Big Ten championship game.
The Buckeyes will face an unbeaten Indiana team led by Heisman favorite Fernando Mendoza.
Saturday’s championship game in Indianapolis marks the first time in Big Ten history that both teams enter the championship undefeated. The winner is set to secure the No. 1 seed in the CFP bracket.
Who might rise and fall in this week’s poll
Stock up: Georgia, Texas, Vanderbilt, Miami, Oregon, Texas Tech.
Stock down: Texas A&M, Michigan, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Pitt, SMU.
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-to-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.