Projecting the College Football AP Top 25 After Week 8

Published 9:16 pm Saturday, October 21, 2023

Ohio State wide receiver Harrison has 304 receiving yards and three touchdowns through three games.

Saturday marked another day of clarity across the college football landscape.

In the early afternoon block of games, No. 3 Ohio State flexed its defensive muscles in a hard-fought win over No. 7 Penn State, while No. 6 Oklahoma stopped UCF on a late two-point conversion to preserve its undefeated ledger.

Later, No. 11 Alabama overturned an early 13-point deficit against No. 17 Tennessee at home, and No. 8 Texas downed Houston in controversial fashion.

In the evening set, No. 4 Florida State pulled away from No. 16 Duke, and No. 14 Utah beat No. 18 USC on a field goal at the final horn.

With all that in mind, here’s a glance at how this week’s edition of the AP Top 25 might look.

The Projected Ranking

1. Georgia Bulldogs: 7-0 (4-0 SEC)

This Week: Bye

Week 9: Neutral Site vs. Florida

2. Michigan Wolverines: 8-0 (5-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Win 49-0 at Michigan State

Week 9: Bye

3. Ohio State Buckeyes: 7-0 (4-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Win 20-12 vs. No. 7 Penn State

Week 9: Away at Wisconsin

4. Florida State Seminoles: 7-0 (5-0 ACC)

This Week: Win 38-20 vs. No. 16 Duke

Week 9: Away at Wake Forest

5. Washington Huskies: 7-0 (4-0 Pac-12)

This Week: Late vs. Arizona State

Week 9: Away at Stanford

6. Oklahoma Sooners: 7-0 (4-0 Big 12)

This Week: Win 31-29 vs. UCF

Week 9: Away at Kansas

7. Texas Longhorns: 6-1 (3-1 Big 12)

This Week: Win 31-24 at Houston

Week 9: Home vs. BYU

8. Alabama Crimson Tide: 7-1 (5-0 SEC)

This Week: Win 34-20 vs. No. 17 Tennessee

Week 9: Bye

9. Oregon Ducks: 6-1 (3-1 Pac-12)

This Week: Win 38-24 vs. Washington State

Week 9: Away at Utah

10. Oregon State Beavers: 6-1 (3-1 Pac-12)

This Week: Bye

Week 9: Away at Arizona

11. Utah Utes: 6-1 (3-1 Pac-12)

This Week: Win 34-32 at No. 18 USC

Week 9: Home vs. Oregon

12. Penn State Nittany Lions: 6-1 (3-1 Big Ten)

This Week: Loss 20-12 at No. 3 Ohio State

Week 9: Home vs. Indiana

13. Ole Miss Rebels: 6-1 (3-1 SEC)

This Week: Win 28-21 at Auburn

Week 9: Home vs. Vanderbilt

14. LSU Tigers: 6-2 (4-1 SEC)

This Week: Win 62-0 vs. Army

Week 9: Bye

15. Louisville Cardinals: 6-1 (3-1 ACC)

This Week: Bye

Week 9: Home vs. Duke

16. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 6-2

This Week: Bye

Week 9: Home vs. Pittsburgh

17. Missouri Tigers: 7-1 (3-1 SEC)

This Week: Win 34-12 vs. South Carolina

Week 9: Bye

18. Air Force Falcons: 7-0 (4-0 Mountain West)

This Week: Win 17-6 at Navy

Week 9: Away at Colorado State

19. Tulane Green Wave: 6-1 (3-0 American)

This Week: Win 35-28 vs. North Texas

Week 9: Away at Rice

20. North Carolina Tar Heels: 6-1 (3-1 ACC)

This Week: Loss 31-27 vs. Virginia

Week 9: Away at Georgia Tech

21. Duke Blue Devils: 5-2 (2-1 ACC)

This Week: Loss 38–20 at No. 4 Florida State

Week 9: Away at Louisville

22. Tennessee Volunteers: 5-2 (2-2 SEC)

This Week: Loss 34-20 at No. 11 Alabama

Week 9: Away at Kentucky

23. USC Trojans: 6-2 (4-1 Pac-12)

This Week: Loss 34-32 vs. No. 14 Utah

Week 9: Away at California

24. UCLA Bruins: 5-2 (2-2 Pac-12)

This Week: Late at Stanford

Week 9: Home vs. Colorado

25. James Madison Dukes: 7-0 (4-0 Sun Belt)

This Week: Win 20-9 at Marshall

Week 8: Home vs. Old Dominion

Others Considered: Kentucky, Wyoming, Fresno State, Florida, Liberty

Dropped from Rankings: No. 24 Iowa

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