Georgia Bulldogs Surge to No. 4 in AP Poll as North Texas Makes Historic Return to Rankings
Georgia climbed to No. 4 in the latest AP Top 25 poll Sunday, continuing its steady march back toward the top of college football’s rankings after claiming its sixth consecutive victory. Meanwhile, North Texas made headlines by cracking the Top 25 for the first time since Eisenhower was president, ending the longest drought for any FBS program.
The college football landscape continues to take shape as Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M held firm as the top three teams for the fifth straight week. The Buckeyes, who dismantled UCLA to improve to 10-0, received 57 of 66 first-place votes, while the undefeated Hoosiers collected eight first-place votes after beating Wisconsin to reach 11-0 for the first time in program history.
Sooners Surge, Crimson Tide Slides
Oklahoma made one of the week’s biggest moves, jumping three spots to No. 8 following its statement victory at Alabama. The win, which snapped the Crimson Tide’s eight-game winning streak, propelled the Sooners back into the top 10 for the first time since early October. “The Sooners were last in the top 10, at No. 6, the second week of October,” the AP noted.
Alabama, meanwhile, paid a steep price for the home loss, tumbling six spots to No. 10. The Crimson Tide’s defeat opened the door for Ole Miss to return to the top five at No. 5 after handling Florida, though they remain more than 100 points behind Georgia in the balloting.
North Texas Makes History
Perhaps the most remarkable story of the week belongs to North Texas, which entered the poll at No. 22. The Mean Green hadn’t been ranked since 1959, ending what had been a 66-year absence from the AP Top 25 — the longest such drought by any FBS program.
North Texas is part of a rare trio of Group of Five programs in this week’s rankings, joining No. 21 James Madison and No. 24 Tulane. When was the last time three Group of Five teams appeared simultaneously in the Top 25? You’d have to go back to last season’s final poll, which actually featured four such programs.
James Madison continued its impressive season by blowing out Appalachian State and climbing three spots, while Tulane has won two straight since losing to UTSA and is ranked for the first time this season.
Conference Breakdown
The SEC continues to flex its muscles with nine ranked teams, easily outpacing all other conferences. The Big Ten placed five teams in the rankings, followed by the Big 12 with four, the ACC with three, and the American Athletic Conference with two. The Sun Belt has one representative in James Madison, while Notre Dame stands as the lone Independent in the Top 25.
Within the ACC, Miami leapfrogged Georgia Tech to become the conference’s highest-ranked team at No. 14 after easily defeating North Carolina State. The Yellow Jackets slipped to No. 15 after barely escaping one-win Boston College with a last-second field goal. The voters’ decision to place Miami ahead of Georgia Tech mirrored what the College Football Playoff selection committee did last week.
Rising and Falling
Utah continues to build momentum, reaching its highest ranking of the season at No. 13. Since losing to BYU, the Utes have been on a tear, outscoring their last three opponents by a combined 153-49. Missouri also returned to the poll at No. 23 after a one-week absence, highlighted by Ahmad Hardy becoming the first player since 2022 to rush for 300 yards in a victory over Mississippi State.
Texas took the week’s biggest tumble, dropping seven spots to No. 17. Meanwhile, Houston sneaked in at No. 25 despite being idle, as several previously ranked teams fell out. Louisville (previously No. 19), Cincinnati (No. 22), Pittsburgh (No. 23), and South Florida (No. 25) all disappeared from this week’s rankings.
As the regular season enters its final weeks, these rankings take on added significance with College Football Playoff implications hanging in the balance. For teams like North Texas, the recognition comes as validation of a historic season. For perennial powers like Georgia and Oklahoma, it’s another step toward their championship aspirations. And for the Buckeyes, Hoosiers, and Aggies at the top? The pressure only intensifies from here.
