AP Poll: Ohio State Falls, Miami Holds Top Spot After Week 10

Miami remains the national champion in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday.

The Hurricanes finished their third consecutive week at No. 1 after a 38-35 victory over North Carolina. Georgia moved up one position to No. 2, followed by Utah at No. 3, Notre Dame at No. 4, and UCLA at No. 5. Indiana sits at No. 6, with BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas rounding out the top ten.

Ohio State fell from No. 2 to No. 11 after losing 30-18 at Southern California. This marks the first time the Buckeyes have dropped out of the top 10 since Sept. 26, 2021. The loss extended a streak of four weeks in which the No. 1 or No. 2 team lost to an unranked opponent. Ohio State had remained in the top 10 for 86 consecutive polls before this week's decline.

UCLA entered the top five for the first time in 25 years under first-year coach Bob Chesney. The Bruins, who are 8-0, shut out Nevada 27-0 to secure their highest ranking since 2001. New Mexico cracked the rankings for the first time in program history at No. 22. The Lobos defeated San Jose State 21-16, giving the team its first 7-1 start since 1982.

Lincoln Riley’s USC team returned to the poll at No. 18 after its largest margin of victory in his five seasons as head coach. Iowa, ranked No. 21, re-entered the list following a 30-0 win over Wisconsin. South Carolina, at No. 23, is ranked for the first time since September 2025 after winning three straight games. SMU, Northwestern, and Oklahoma State fell out of the top 25.

The voting panel gave Miami 62 of 70 first-place votes. Georgia received seven first-place ballots, and Utah received one. Utah has matched its highest ranking since October 2015. Indiana holds the longest active streak of consecutive top-10 rankings at 22 weeks. Boise State, now a member of the Pac-12, remains at No. 20, keeping a Mountain West team in the poll for the first time since the 2025 preseason.

The No. 2 team has lost three consecutive weeks, a first since 2007. The SEC holds the most teams in the top 25 with 10 entries. The Big 12 has five ranked teams, and the Big Ten has five. The ACC has two, and the independent Notre Dame is at No. 5. The Pac-12 has one entry in Boise State, and the Mountain West has one in New Mexico.

Upcoming matchups include No. 1 Miami visiting No. 4 Notre Dame on Saturday. The teams hold the same rankings they did in 1988 during a famous contest at Notre Dame Stadium. No. 2 Georgia will face No. 12 Mississippi in an effort to avenge last season’s playoff loss. The Big 12 Holy War features No. 7 BYU at No. 3 Utah, with the winner taking command of the conference. No. 8 Kentucky hosts No. 16 Tennessee, and No. 10 Texas plays No. 19 Missouri in a first meeting as SEC members.

No. 9 Alabama takes on No. 15 LSU in another potential playoff knockout game. The Crimson Tide have won three straight in the series. These games are scheduled for this weekend across various time zones and venues.