In an unprecedented turn of events for the college football season, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has secured six out of the top seven spots in the AP Top 25 rankings. Meanwhile, Notre Dame, previously a top-ranked team, has fallen to No. 18 after suffering a shocking defeat at home.
Receiving an impressive 54 out of 63 possible first-place votes, Georgia remains firmly seated at No. 1. Texas, on the other hand, has moved up to No. 2 after a dominant performance against defending national champion Michigan on the road, garnering four first-place votes. This marks their highest ranking since finishing second in 2009.
Ohio State, representing the Big Ten Conference, slipped to No. 3, making way for four more SEC teams. Alabama maintains its position at No. 4, while Mississippi climbs a spot to claim No. 5. Missouri and Tennessee have also made significant jumps in the rankings, moving up to No. 6 and No. 7 respectively, following their impressive victories.
With 16 teams and strengthened by the recent additions of Texas and Oklahoma, the SEC appears to be stronger than ever. This favorable circumstance has allowed the conference to establish an early-season dominance never seen before.
Not only does the SEC’s possession of six of the top seven spots set a new record, but it also marks the first time that a single conference has held five of the top seven places in the rankings.
However, as these teams start facing off against each other in the upcoming weeks, it is unlikely that the SEC will be able to maintain this level of dominance. Nonetheless, it serves as a striking example of what can be achieved in the superconference era.
Notre Dame’s shocking 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois stands out as the first major upset of the college football season. Such defeats, where a top-ranked team falls to an unranked opponent, are a rarity. The last occurrence was back in the 2022 season when Purdue defeated then-No. 2 ranked Iowa on November 5, 2022.
The victory for Northern Illinois, the first top-five win in the Mid-American Conference’s history, has earned them a spot at No. 25 in the rankings. This is the first time since 2013 that NIU has been ranked, and they are the first non-Power Four conference team to achieve this feat in the current season.
The top 10 rankings are completed by Penn State at No. 8, Oregon at No. 9 representing the Big Ten, and Miami at No. 10. Oregon slips two spots following a thrilling comeback victory against Boise State.
Nebraska is among the four teams entering the rankings for the first time this season, securing the No. 23 spot. The Cornhuskers have been absent from the rankings since 2019, but they have made a return after a convincing win against Colorado during their recent game. Second-year coach Matt Rhule and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola are now focused on leading the team to a strong and sustained season.
It’s worth noting that Nebraska still holds the record for the longest streak of poll appearances, having been ranked for an impressive 348 consecutive weeks under the guidance of coach Tom Osborne from 1981 to 2002. Alabama currently holds the second-best streak with 264 straight weeks ranked.
Shifting attention to the bottom of the rankings, Kansas, Iowa, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina State have all dropped out following their losses. Iowa State, on the other hand, has essentially replaced Iowa in the rankings after defeating them in the recent Cy-Hawk rivalry.
Georgia Tech’s brief return to the AP Top 25, which ended a drought dating back to 2015, lasted for only a week. They lost to Syracuse, but another Atlantic Coast Conference team has ended its own long-ranking absence.
Boston College, now ranked at No. 24, has entered the top 25 for the first time since 2018.
The SEC’s dominance is further highlighted by the fact that on October 19, 2014, the conference held four out of the top five spots in the rankings, with Mississippi State at No. 1, Ole Miss at No. 3, Alabama at No. 4, and Auburn at No. 5.
Conference breakdown:
SEC: 8 teams (No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16)
Big Ten: 6 teams (No. 3, 8, 9, 11, 17, 23)
Big 12: 5 teams (No. 12, 13, 14, 20, 21)
ACC: 4 teams (No. 10, 19, 22, 24)
MAC: 1 team (No. 25)
Independent: 1 team (No. 18)
Upcoming notable games:
No. 20 Arizona at No. 14 Kansas State on Thursday – a nonconference matchup that was scheduled prior to realignment but still promises an exciting Big 12 showdown.
No. 24 Boston College at No. 6 Missouri on Saturday – an unexpected ACC vs. SEC matchup featuring two ranked teams.
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