| 1 |
Ohio State |
6–1 |
Big Ten |
Apex Predictor: Claims the top spot after handing undefeated Indiana its first loss of the season. Holds the nation's most dominant forward-facing FPI rating and elite game-control scores. |
| 2 |
BYU |
6–0 |
Big 12 |
Marquee Resume: Earns the premium runner-up spot by virtue of a flawless record anchored by a definitive, high-profile victory over Notre Dame today. |
| 3 |
Miami |
6–0 |
ACC |
Unblemished Baseline: One of the final elite, undefeated power-conference teams left standing completely unscathed after a weekend of historical top-10 carnage. |
| 4 |
Tennessee |
6–1 |
SEC |
Signature Win: Vaults directly into the top five after logging the single biggest resume win of the weekend by taking down powerhouse Alabama. |
| 5 |
Indiana |
6–1 |
Big Ten |
High-Floor Loss: Suffered its first defeat to top-ranked Ohio State, but advanced Strength of Record (SOR) and efficiency data heavily cushion the blow to preserve its top-5 standing. |
| 6 |
UCLA |
6–0 |
Big Ten |
Passive Ascent: Maximizes its unblemished record by rising systematically up the ladder as the top-tier programs collapsed all around them over the weekend. |
| 7 |
Kentucky |
6–1 |
SEC |
SEC Attrition Beneficiary: Climbs steadily into the elite tier by taking care of business while its premium conference peers suffered cascading losses. |
| 8 |
Georgia |
6–1 |
SEC |
Foundational Cushion: Slipped from the absolute driver's seat due to an unexpected SEC defeat today, but their pre-existing #1 analytical foundation keeps them locked just ahead of Notre Dame. |
| 9 |
Notre Dame |
5–1 |
Independent |
Capped Ceiling: Boasts high analytical efficiency baselines, but the head-to-head loss to BYU caps their immediate vertical ceiling right below the former top-ranked Bulldogs. |
| 10 |
Texas Tech |
6–0 |
Big 12 |
Conference Frontrunner: Secures a top-10 position on the back of an unblemished overall record and elite standing in the Big 12 race. |
| 11 |
Alabama |
5–2 |
SEC |
Head-to-Head Penalty: Dropped out of the top tier after being penalized directly by the game-ending metrics of their loss at Tennessee. |
| 12 |
Utah |
6–0 |
Big 12 |
Undefeated Rise: Leverage a perfect 6–0 record to plant a firm flag in the top half of the poll as a premium Big 12 frontrunner. |
| 13 |
Iowa |
6–1 |
Big Ten |
Defensive Anchor: Maintained a rock-solid metric platform owing to a nationally elite defensive efficiency tier that heavily outweighs minor offensive flaws. |
| 14 |
Wake Forest |
6–1 |
ACC |
Adjusted Ceiling: Slides below Utah to accommodate the undefeated profile, but remains highly ranked following the weekend's high-profile power-conference carnage. |
| 15 |
Houston |
6–1 |
Big 12 |
Win-Volume Surge: Breaks away from the chaotic two-loss middle pack, using its strong 6–1 record to anchor a new baseline inside the top 15. |
| 16 |
Florida |
5–2 |
SEC |
Metric Power Surge: Vaults to the top of this tier. Their 27–24 road victory over Texas gives them a top-10 resume anchor, backed by a grueling SEC strength of schedule. |
| 17 |
Texas |
4–2 |
SEC |
Schedule Baseline Cushion: Despite the head-to-head loss to Florida, Texas benefits from a highly rated FPI efficiency model and a premium SOS metric that ranks near the top of the nation. |
| 18 |
Northwestern |
5–1 |
Big Ten |
Conference Premium: Accommodates high-profile SEC movements, remaining heavily supported by a high Big Ten conference weight adjustment. |
| 19 |
Boise State |
5–1 |
Pac-12 |
Efficiency vs. Schedule: Holds its 5–1 position coming off a bye week. While their FPI numbers are dominant, their baseline schedule lacks the high-profile conference metric weight possessed by SEC teams. |
| 20 |
SMU |
5–1 |
ACC |
Tucked Ranking: Holds steady right behind the premium tier. Their win against Virginia keeps them solid at 5–1, but the ACC's overall conference strength metric sits slightly below the Big Ten/SEC curves. |
| 21 |
Wisconsin |
5–2 |
Big Ten |
Stable Flow: Positioned firmly within the two-loss cluster, backed by standard Big Ten opponent parameters. |
| 22 |
USC |
5–2 |
Big Ten |
Analytical Safety Net: Maintained near the bottom purely by a high-efficiency FPI baseline that protects them from dropping out entirely. |
| 23 |
LSU |
5–2 |
SEC |
Resume Injector: Holds its ground in the Top 25 after proving their trajectory with a clear conference win over Mississippi State earlier today. |
| 24 |
UTSA |
6–1 |
AAC |
Record Floor Entry: Enters the rankings on strong win volume. A signature matchup against Texas provides a higher structural SOS floor than lower mid-majors, keeping them just ahead of unblemished programs. |
| 25 |
James Madison |
7–0 |
Sun Belt |
Schedule Anchor: Sinks to the absolute bottom line of the poll; kept ranked purely by its unblemished 7–0 record but heavily punished by a weak conference and a low Strength of Schedule (SOS). |
