College football’s final week of the regular season brought familiar foes head-to-head, setting the stage for conference championship games and fresh rankings in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
No. 17 Virginia secured a spot in the ACC championship matchup with a 27-7 win over Virginia Tech and will meet Duke’s Blue Devils next weekend.
No. 10 Alabama pulled off a tight victory over Auburn in the Iron Bowl to nab a spot in the SEC title game. The Crimson Tide will face No. 4 Georgia, which beat No. 23 Georgia Tech on Friday.
In the Big Ten, No. 1 Ohio State punched its ticket by knocking off No. 15 Michigan 27-9. The Buckeyes will face No. 2 Indiana for the conference crown.
The Big 12 championship will pit No. 7 Texas Tech against No. 11 BYU in a rematch of the Red Raiders’ November win over the Cougars.
What will it all mean for the rankings?
Follow live updates from The Associated Press below for poll projections, game recaps and expert analysis, all in one place.
Here’s the latest:
An unlikely combo sends Duke to the ACC championship
By MAURA CAREY
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.