Indiana fans cheer on their top-five ranked Hoosiers (Photo by Indiana Athletics)
Indiana continues to dominate, Texas A&M is red hot, and Navy, Georgia Tech, and BYU remain undefeated and top-ten ranked. Virginia and Alabama survive scares while Cincinnati and Memphis are sneaking up the rankings and up on opponents.
1. Ohio State (7-0) (Last Week #1) (Ranked #1 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Ohio State had the week off before they welcome Penn State to Columbus next week. It initially looked like this would be the third straight season that both teams were ranked in the top ten, but this will be the first time since 2016 that one of these two teams is unranked. This will be the 14th straight time Ohio State is ranked in the top 12 when playing Penn State.
2. BYU (8-0) (Last Week #2) (Ranked #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
BYU just keeps finding a way to win. Their ‘Bear Raid’ offense, built around true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, has them 8-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever. It’s not a perfect offense, but it wins for the Cougars. They have two huge road games against Texas Tech and Cincinnati that will prove just how good they are to doubters.
3. Indiana (8-0) (Last Week #3) (Ranked #2 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
IU had finished this one at halftime. The Hoosiers led the Bruins 35-3 at the break in Indiana’s rout of UCLA. The Bruins were red hot, and Indiana squashed them by 50, 56-6. Too many people are downplaying the significance of Indiana’s turnaround. The Hoosiers had never started 8-0 In back-to-back seasons, they had only ever won eight games in back-to-back seasons once in program history (1987-1988). They play at Maryland on Saturday as they continue to try and make history.
4. Navy (7-0) (Last Week #4) (Unranked and Ranked #23 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Their 10-game winning streak is tied for the longest in program history. The AP Poll is doing itself a disservice by having eight two-loss teams ranked ahead of the Midshipmen. Winning HAS to matter.
5. Texas A&M (7-0) (Last Week #5) (Ranked #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Aggies ran LSU out of Death Valley. Marcel Reed had a huge game and might have gotten his name into the Heisman conversation, passing for over 200 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for over 100 yards and two more touchdowns. They now have to go on the road to play a dangerous Missouri team.
6. Georgia Tech (8-0) (Last Week #6) (Ranked #8 and #7 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech just keeps on rolling along. Their offense runs on the shoulders of a low-key Heisman candidate, Haynes King. They shouldn’t have too much trouble in their next two games against NC State and Boston College. Their last two against Pitt and Georgia will show what Tech is made of.
7. Virginia (7-1) (Last Week #7) (Ranked #15 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Bailed out by Bill Belichick’s bad decision, Virginia is a surprising 7-1 through October. The reason they’re this high is because they beat the 3-4 team that Alabama lost to. The Cardiac Cavaliers seem to be playing with fire. They won three of their last four games in overtime, and the one they won in regulation was by only two points. They’re next battle will be on the road, out on the West Coast against Cal.
8. Alabama (7-1) (Last Week #8) (Ranked #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Bama almost got caught believing their own press. With less than three minutes to go, they were down a touchdown to South Carolina, and the Gamecocks had the ball. A turnover went the Tide’s way, and they mounted a comeback and got the win. They have a week off before they host LSU, then Oklahoma, have their FCS layup game, and finish at Auburn.
9. Georgia (6-1) (Last Week #9) (Ranked #5 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Dawgs had the week off before the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against Florida. Georgia has won seven of the last eight in this rivalry, and in those seven victories, Florida was within a touchdown of Georgia at the end of the game only once. Georgia will be the heavy favorite again this year.
10. Cincinnati (7-1) (Last Week #10) (Ranked #17 and #16 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
UC let Baylor claw back into the game after leading 24-0, but they refocused and got the 41-20 win. Brendan Sorsby and the Bearcats are red hot and on a seven-game winning streak. They will be put to the test when they visit Salt Lake City this Saturday. Three of UC’s four remaining opponents, Utah, BYU, and TCU, are a combined 20-2 this year. If Cincy keeps winning, they’ll keep proving they are for real.
11. Oregon (7-1) (Last Week #12) (Ranked #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Oregon had trouble when they lost Dante Moore early in the Wisconsin game. Their 21 points were their lowest in a victory this season. The good news is they get a week off before they go on the road to play a very good defense in Iowa. That will be a tough out for the Ducks as Iowa is 6-2, and against Minnesota, at least, found some offense to go with it.
12. Louisville (6-1) (Last Week #13) (Ranked #16 and #17 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Louisville has a star in running back Isaac Brown. Brown had 14 carries for 205 yards and a touchdown against Boston College. The Cards travel to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech next week and will need their defense to play like they did in the upset of Miami to keep Louisville alive for the ACC crown, and the College Football Playoff.
13. Houston (7-1) (Last Week #14) (Ranked #22 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Most weren’t sure of Houston due to their early-season schedule, but winning at Arizona State isn’t easy, as Texas Tech proved last week. Houston getting a win there is a big deal for the Cougars. Veteran Conner Weigman is a good quarterback. When you look at their schedule, there’s no reason Houston shouldn’t be 11-1 going into December.
14. Vanderbilt (7-1) (Last Week #15) (Ranked #9 and #11 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Vanderbilt keeps winning and keeps having chances to prove themselves each and every week. The win over Missouri was a millimeter away from overtime, but they still pulled off the win. Next week at Texas will be very telling and very interesting for both the Commodores and the Longhorns.
15. Texas Tech (7-1) (Last Week #18) (Ranked #13 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Red Raiders have had awful luck with quarterback injuries this season, and how they finish will be largely determined by their quarterbacks’ health. If both Behren Morton and Will Hammond are out, it will likely bite Texas Tech before the season is over. Playing at Kansas State and against BYU the next two weeks will be difficult with so much uncertainty at quarterback. Tech is still a very talented and well-coached team, though, and capable of winning both games.
16. Ole Miss (7-1) (Last Week #19) (Ranked #7 and #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Rebels won two of three against LSU, Georgia, and Oklahoma, and now have a very manageable schedule remaining. It goes South Carolina, their November layup against an FCS school, Florida, and Mississippi State should have Kiffin and company finish 11-1 and not gripe about failing to make the playoff this year.
17. Tulane (6-1) (Last Week #20) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Tulane was off this week and will resume their quest to win the American and make the College Football Playoff on Thursday. They’ll play UTSA in San Antonio in a game that could go a long way in deciding their fate in the conference.
18. Miami (6-1) (Last Week #21) (Ranked #11 and #9 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Hurricanes bounced back from the upset against Louisville with strength against an improved Stanford team. Stanford took an early 7-0, but it was all Hurricanes after that. Miami scored 42 unanswered to win dominantly, 42-7. They needed that after in past seasons a loss like the one they had to Louisville would have snowballed. Next week, they leave the state of Florida for the first time in the 2025 season when they travel to Dallas to play a very capable SMU team.
19. James Madison (6-1) (Last Week #22) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
JMU is the leader of the East Division in the Sun Belt (the Sun Belt is the last FBS conference with divisions) and will be playing the team in last place in the East Division. They’ll play at Texas State on Tuesday night.
20. North Texas (7-1) (Last Week #23) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Mean Green are another good team in the American Conference. With maybe the best offense in the league, they always have a chance to win. True freshman Drew Mestemaker set a team and conference record with 608 passing yards for UNT in the 54-20 win over Charlotte. Their battle with Navy will be pivotal next week at home.
21. San Diego State (6-1) (Last Week #24) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The American is the frontrunner to send their champion to the College Football Playoff, but the Mountain West is right on their heels. SDSU, UNLV, and Boise State are playing great football, and are hoping for upsets in the American Conference. The Aztecs do it with defense. Their 23-0 win over Fresno State was their third shutout of the season, and their fifth game out of seven in which they held their opponent to 10 points or less.
22. Memphis (7-1) (Last Week #25) (Ranked #25 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Tigers may have been looking ahead to USF when the upset bug bit them at UAB last week. The American is a strong conference, the strongest of the Group of Five. Whoever wins it, Navy, North Texas, Memphis, Tulane, or USF, belongs in the College Football Playoff. The instant classic between Memphis and USF that almost went to overtime is just further proof of that truth.
23. UNLV (6-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Dan Mullen and the Rebels will play New Mexico in Allegiant Stadium as they look to bounce back from their loss to Boise State.
24. Notre Dame (5-2) (Last Week Unranked) (Ranked #12 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The best two-loss team in the nation, Notre Dame, had the week off. They’ll be back in action next week against a terrible Boston College team. There’s no good reason the Irish won’t be 10-2 when their regular season ends.
25. Iowa (6-2) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I’m as surprised as anyone that the Hawkeyes are here. I’m just following the logic, though. If a 5-2 SEC team beat another 5-2 SEC team 41-3 in a rivalry game, they’d be raved about and in the top 15. Seems only fair to put the Hawkeyes in the top 25 for doing the same.
Game of the Week
Playoff Projection
First Round
7. Alabama (11-2) vs. 10. Ohio State (11-1)
Friday, December 18th, 2025 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
5. Georgia (11-1) vs. 12. Navy (12-1)
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Athens, Georgia
8. Notre Dame (10-2) vs. 9. Texas Tech (11-2)
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – South Bend, Indiana
6. Oregon (11-2) vs. 11. Louisville (11-2)
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Eugene, Oregon
Quarterfinals
1. Indiana (13-0) vs. 8. Notre Dame (11-2)
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – Pasadena, California
4. Georgia Tech (12-1) vs. 5. Georgia (11-1)
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – Miami, Florida
2. Texas A&M (13-0) vs. 10. Ohio State (12-1)
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – New Orleans, Louisiana
3. BYU (12-1) vs. 6. Oregon (12-2)
Wednesday, December 31st, 2025 – Arlington, Texas
Semifinals
3. BYU (13-1) vs. 10. Ohio State (13-1)
Thursday, January 8th, 2026 – Glendale, Arizona
4. Georgia Tech (13-1) vs. 8. Notre Dame (12-2)
Friday, January 9th, 2026 – Atlanta, Georgia
National Championship
10. Ohio State (14-1) vs. 8 (Notre Dame 13-2)
Monday, January 19th, 2026 – Miami, Florida
2025 National Champions
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 15-1 and repeat as your 2025 National Champions
