Tomorrow’s Top 25 Today: Ohio State among teams surviving upset bids ahead of new college football rankings

While we now have but to peer the college football scoreboard remove darkness from with upsets for teams conserving puts atop the AP Top 25 rankings, Saturday supplied sufficient upset scares to remind everybody of how tricky it’s to hold spectacular data deep into the season. Now previous the halfway level of the marketing campaign, there stay 9 undefeated teams with two such techniques from Power Five meetings taking place in Week 8.

Just as noticeable from a big-picture viewpoint have been the shut calls, like Oklahoma conserving off UCF on a failed 2-point take a look at, or Texas getting the most productive of Houston after the Cougars did not convert on a fourth-and-1 alternative. Even teams like Alabama and Oregon confronted early demanding situations in what would sooner or later turn into double-digit wins. Those teams might be among a gaggle waking up Sunday feeling lucky they didn’t endure the similar destiny as North Carolina, which used to be undefeated and closely preferred in opposition to Virginia however will tumble within the rankings after a 31-27 house loss. 

Michigan and Ohio State stand out for various causes on what used to be a sweaty Saturday for a lot of the highest 25. The Buckeyes confronted a hard take a look at with Penn State on the town however rode the energy of what is proving to be an elite protection to realize keep watch over of the competition and log a the most important 20-12 win. That victory knocked the Nittany Lions from the ranks of the undefeated and put Ohio State one win nearer to its function, which is to go into the sport in opposition to Michigan with stakes that come with a Big Ten Championship Game look and probably spot within the College Football Playoff. Michigan, in the meantime, finished a 49-point romp of rival Michigan State for one of few wire-to-wire dominant performances Saturday. It is apparent the opponents stay conserving a tier to themselves within the Big Ten. 

Further down within the rankings, there might be extra fallout from Florida State’s spectacular comeback win in opposition to Duke, the USC-Utah outcome and a few fascinating choices close to the tip of the poll that might mark triumphant 2023 AP Top 25 arrivals for teams like James Madison and Liberty. 

Here’s how we expect the new AP Top 25 will take care of Week 8 effects: 

1. Georgia (Last week — 1): The Bulldogs have been off in Week 8 and might be in motion subsequent week in opposition to rival Florida in Jacksonville. 

2. Michigan (2): Though scandal and controversy dominates the dialog, the on-field contributions of Michigan football to the game stay natural domination. It would no longer be unexpected to peer the Wolverines proceed to select up some extra first-place votes after a 49-0 shutout win in opposition to rival Michigan State that stood in stark distinction to the effects of many different top-10 teams on Saturday. 

3. Ohio State (3): College football enthusiasts are at all times asking whether or not one program or every other is “back,” however what about one thing extra explicit? Because after a 20-12 win in opposition to Penn State, which featured but every other show of defensive excellence, is it truthful to invite if the “Silver Bullets” are again in Columbus, Ohio? Penn State used to be held beneath 250 yards of offense for the primary time since 2021, and the Buckeyes protection got here up with a forestall on all however one third-down try. It is also a distinct type of workforce than the Ohio State squads that experience contended for the College Football Playoff lately, however it could nonetheless accomplish those self same objectives.  

4. Florida State (4): The Seminoles were given an excellent punch from Duke, however after Riley Leonard exited the sport in the second one 1/2, the reaction used to be arguably much more spectacular. Jordan Travis applied his legs to turn into one of the main playmakers on offense and Florida State’s protection feasted as soon as Leonard used to be knocked out of the sport in a 38-20 win by which FSU scored the ultimate 21 issues.

5. Washington (5): If no longer for the numerous hole in vote casting issues between Washington and Oklahoma ultimate week, there could be an opportunity that we see the Sooners leap ahead of the Huskies following their near-upset at house by the hands of one-win Arizona State. However, Oklahoma additionally had its personal shut name as a heavy house favourite, so there is probably not sufficient electorate to turn their order in comparison to the way in which their ballots appeared ultimate week. 

6. Oklahoma (6): We must have recognized an afternoon of upset scares used to be coming when Oklahoma wanted a defensive forestall on a 2-point attempt to grasp off unranked UCF for a 31-29 win within the early slate. Oklahoma’s 7-0 file eclipses ultimate season’s win overall, and it didn’t come simple because it required a couple of fourth-quarter landing drives from Dillon Gabriel to triumph over a second-half deficit in opposition to Gus Malzahn’s staff. 

7. Texas (8): Quinn Ewers’ shoulder damage stays the largest matter across the Longhorns as escaping with a one-touchdown win in opposition to Houston after an upset scare is excellent sufficient to handle the workforce’s one-loss profile within the rankings. Maalik Murphy were given the faucet to interchange Ewers at quarterback, but it surely used to be Jonathan Brooks and CJ Baxter who led the offense in the ones key moments to lend a hand Texas fortify to 6-1. 

8. Oregon (9): The Ducks bounced again from ultimate week’s disappointing loss at Washington with a cast effort in opposition to Washington State, the use of a pair of explosive 1/3 quarter landing runs from Bucky Irving to drag clear of a feisty Cougars squad. The 38-24 ultimate rating is excellent sufficient to satisfy electorate’ expectancies.

9. Alabama (11): Roaring again from a double-digit halftime result in outscore Tennessee 27-0 in the second one 1/2, Alabama used to be ready not to simplest keep away from getting knocked off at house, it bolstered the perception that this 12 months’s workforce has the gear to contend for an SEC identify at the energy of an elite protection and sufficient massive performs from Jalen Milroe. An offense that used to be gradual to begin on Saturday however were given the task accomplished after halftime. 

10. Penn State (7): Once a workforce does lose for the primary time in a season, particularly after the hole weeks, electorate start to ask, “Who have you beat?” For Penn State, the bedrock of its prime score used to be an undefeated file and objectively superb protection, no longer the resume which had Iowa and West Virginia as its highest wins. Because of that, the Nittany Lions will drop in the back of one-loss teams with higher wins — simply no longer too a long way as electorate are not fast to punish losses to top-five teams. 

11. Oregon State (12): The Beavers have been off in Week 8 and might be again in motion subsequent week at Arizona. 

12. Ole Miss (13): The Rebels proceed to stack wins, this time rolling into Auburn and getting a powerful efficiency from Quinshon Judkins (124 yards, landing on 21 carries) in a 28-21 win to fortify to 6-1. Ole Miss’ lone loss is to Alabama, and it has wins over LSU and Tulane serving to its case within the debate among height one-loss teams. 

13. Utah (14): The Utes and USC have been knotted at 14 into the 1/3 quarter earlier than buying and selling blows for the period of the sport. In the tip, the Trojans scored too quickly, and the Utes have been ready to force down the sector for a walk-off area function to be triumphant 34-32. Third-string quarterback Bryson Barnes, a former walk-on, starred for Utah with a gutsy efficiency to be triumphant over Caleb Williams.

14. North Carolina (10): It’s tricky to grasp precisely the place the Tar Heels will land, as I be expecting there might be wide-ranging responses from the electorate to a surprising house loss to prior to now 1-5 Virginia. As a one-loss workforce with 5 double-digit wins in opposition to Power Five combatants, there is some energy to the profile. However, UNC does no longer have high quality wins in opposition to teams anyplace just about the present height 25, and it misplaced the luster of being undefeated.

15. Notre Dame (15): The Fighting Irish have been off in Week 8 and might be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Pitt. 

16. LSU (19): No main adjustments popping out of the LSU outcome because the Tigers’ 62-0 win in opposition to Army did masses for Jayden Daniels’ ancient passing marketing campaign (4 overall touchdowns) however will accomplish much less in phrases of making massive strikes within the rankings. 

17. Missouri (20): South Carolina didn’t rating a unmarried landing in opposition to Missouri, settling for 4 area objectives in a 34-12 Tigers win. Mizzou jumped out to a 24-0 lead and not appeared again, driving a productive run sport to fasten up the win and transfer 7-1 total. 

18. Louisville (21): The Cardinals have been off in Week 8 and might be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Duke. 

19. Air Force (22): Though there used to be some doubt about his availability because of damage all over the week, quarterback Zac Larrier no longer simplest performed in opposition to Navy however made historical past on a 94-yard landing move to Dane Kinamon. The 94-yard rating early the second one quarter broke open a scoreless sport and were given momentum rolling for the Falcons, who at the moment are 7-0 after the 17-6 win. 

20. Tulane (23): The Green Wave were given a scare from North Texas of their first sport again as a nationally ranked workforce; then again, a protracted landing run from quarterback Michael Pratt within the ultimate mins helped Tulane get away with a 35-28 win. 

21. Duke (16): Voters don’t seem to be prone to leap Duke the entire method out of the rankings after masses of them were given eyes at the Blue Devils’ sturdy get started in opposition to the ‘Noles and can acknowledge how the competition grew to become after Leonard used to be knocked out of the sport. Duke does want extra high quality wins however gets that chance subsequent week in opposition to Louisville.

22. UCLA (25): Chip Kelly made a transformation at quarterback giving Ethan Garbers a majority of the snaps in Saturday night time’s win however the Bruins’ protection stays its largest energy as UCLA stepped forward to 5-2 with a 42-7 win at Stanford. 

23. James Madison (NR): The Dukes have been the primary workforce simply out of doors the highest 25 ultimate week then proceeded to stifle Marshall in a 20-9 win at the street to fortify to 7-0. Breaking into the AP To 25 would mark the Dukes’ second-ever look following ultimate season’s one-week stint at No. 25 after a 5-0 begin to the 2022 marketing campaign. 

24. Florida (NR): The Gators have been off this week, however as a two-loss workforce with each defeats coming at the street — one to extremely ranked Utah — Florida must fit in ahead of a Tennessee workforce it beat via 13 issues. The Gators won the twenty eighth maximum vote casting issues ultimate week after arguably their highest offensive showings of the season, a come-from-behind win at South Carolina.

25. Tennessee (17): Alabama scored 27 unanswered issues Saturday as Tennessee grew to become a 20-7 halftime lead right into a 34-20 loss. Sitting at 5-2, the Vols must take a seat simply in the back of the Gators given the head-to-head loss and the truth that UT does not have a top quality win in this season.

Projected to drop out: No. 18 USC, No. 24 Iowa