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