Ohio State, Miami, and Clemson Tumble in AP Top 25 After Shocking Losses
What a weekend, folks! College football fans were treated to a rollercoaster of emotions as chaos reigned supreme in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. The fallout? Major shakeups for some of the sport’s biggest names, including Ohio State, Miami, and Clemson, who all took a tumble after stunning losses. Meanwhile, Oregon continues to reign supreme as the nation’s No. 1 team, holding onto the top spot for the seventh consecutive week. Let’s break it all down.
Oregon Stays on Top, But the Top 10 Gets a Shakeup
The Oregon Ducks, the nation’s only unbeaten team at 12-0, remain perched at No. 1, and deservedly so. They’ve been a model of consistency this season, and their dominance has set the stage for a massive showdown in the Big Ten Championship against No. 3 Penn State. But the real story is the chaos that unfolded behind them.
Ohio State, Miami, and Clemson all suffered losses that sent shockwaves through the rankings. Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan marked their fourth straight defeat to their bitter rivals and knocked them out of the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes plummeted five spots to No. 7, now sitting behind Tennessee, who climbed to No. 6.
Miami’s 42-38 upset loss to Syracuse was another stunner. The Hurricanes not only lost their shot at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship but also saw their College Football Playoff (CFP) hopes take a massive hit. They dropped six spots to No. 14. Clemson, meanwhile, fell to No. 18 after a 31-24 loss to South Carolina, who has been on an absolute tear with six straight wins, including four against ranked opponents. The Gamecocks jumped three spots to No. 13.
Top 5 Matchups Highlight Championship Weekend
With the dust settling, the stage is set for two epic top-five matchups in conference championship games this Saturday. No. 1 Oregon will face No. 3 Penn State in Indianapolis for the Big Ten crown, while No. 2 Texas takes on No. 5 Georgia in Atlanta for the SEC title. The latter is a rematch of their October clash, which Georgia won. Can the Bulldogs do it again, or will Texas get revenge?
Notre Dame, sitting at No. 4 with an 11-1 record, won’t play again until the CFP. The Fighting Irish have been red-hot, winning 10 straight games, and this is their highest ranking since December 2020. They’ll be watching closely to see how the championship games shake out.
Boise State Cracks the Top 10
One of the feel-good stories of the season has to be Boise State. The Broncos, now ranked No. 10, are in the top 10 for the first time since 2011. They’re also the highest-ranked Group of Five team, sitting two spots ahead of No. 12 Arizona State, the top-ranked Big 12 team. If Boise State wins the Mountain West title and finishes as one of the top four-seeded conference champions in the final CFP rankings, they’ll earn a bye to the quarterfinals. Talk about a Cinderella story!
Miami and Clemson’s Pain, Syracuse’s Gain
Miami’s loss to Syracuse was a gut punch for the Hurricanes, but it was a historic win for the Orange. Syracuse enters the Top 25 at No. 23 for the first time since October 2022. Under first-year head coach Fran Brown, the Orange have won nine games for the first time since 2018. The victory over Miami was their first win against a top-10 opponent since 2017. Not bad for a team that started the season under the radar!
Meanwhile, Clemson’s loss to South Carolina has to sting. The Tigers will still play in the ACC Championship against No. 8 SMU, but their CFP hopes are all but dashed. South Carolina, on the other hand, is riding high. It’s been a decade since the Gamecocks were ranked higher than in-state rival Clemson, and they’re making the most of it.
Poll Points and Fun Facts
- Ohio State’s loss to Michigan was the fifth time this season a top-five team lost to an unranked opponent, the most since 2017.
- Miami’s loss to Syracuse marked the 12th time a top-10 team fell to an unranked opponent this season, tying the record set in 2021.
- Notre Dame’s No. 4 ranking is their highest since December 2020.
Who’s In, Who’s Out
Joining the Top 25 this week are No. 23 Syracuse and No. 25 Memphis. Syracuse’s win over Miami was a statement, while Memphis knocked off Tulane as a double-digit road underdog. Tulane, previously ranked No. 18, fell out of the rankings, as did Texas A&M, who dropped their last three SEC games, including a loss to Texas.
Conference Breakdown
Here’s how the Top 25 shakes out by conference:
- SEC: 7 teams (Nos. 2, 5, 6, 11, 13, 15, 22)
- Big Ten: 5 teams (Nos. 1, 3, 7, 8, 21)
- ACC: 4 teams (Nos. 8, 14, 18, 23)
- Big 12: 4 teams (Nos. 12, 16, 17, 20)
- AAC: 2 teams (Nos. 24, 25)
- Mountain West: 2 teams (Nos. 10, 19)
- Independent: 1 team (No. 4)
Ranked vs. Ranked Showdowns
Here’s what’s on tap for this weekend’s conference championship games:
- No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State: Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis
- No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia: SEC Championship in Atlanta
- No. 8 SMU vs. No. 18 Clemson: ACC Championship in Charlotte
- No. 10 Boise State vs. No. 19 UNLV: Mountain West Championship in Boise
- No. 12 Arizona State vs. No. 16 Iowa State: Big 12 Championship in Arlington
Buckle up, college football fans. This weekend is going to be one for the ages!
Originally Written by: Associated Press
