AP college football poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team

ByESPN staff ESPN logo
Sunday, October 1, 2023

The new AP Top 25 college football poll is out.

Georgia escaped a serious challenge from Auburn, USC held off a furious rally from Colorado and Notre Dame came out on the right side of a last-minute, winning score.

What does it mean for the new AP Top 25? Let's break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information.

All times Eastern

No. 1Georgia Bulldogs

Previous ranking: 1

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result: Defeated Auburn 27-20

Stat to know:Georgia has won seven straight against Auburn, the second-longest streak(Georgia won nine in a row between 1923 to 1931) by either team in a rivalry game that has been played 128 times.

What's next:Saturday vs. Kentucky, 7 p.m., ESPN

No. 2Michigan Wolverines

Previous ranking: 2

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Nebraska 45-7

Stat to know:Michigan has scored at least 30 points and allowed seven or fewer in all five of its games this year. The only other teams in the past 50 years to do that are Florida State in 1993 and Alabama in 1979 -- both won the national title.

What's next:Saturday at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., NBC

No. 3Texas Longhorns

Previous ranking: 3

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Kansas 40-14

Stat to know:Texas racked up 661 total yards in the game, its most against a Big 12 opponent since joining the conference in 1996. The Longhorns also didn't punt for the first time against an AP Top 25 team since 2011.

What's next:Saturday vs. Oklahoma, noon, ABC

No. 4Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking:4

2023 record:4-0

Week 5 result:Idle

Stat to know:The Buckeyes stars have been delivering in the early going -- RBTreVeyon Henderson is averaging 6.7 yards per carry with five touchdowns, while Marvin Harrison Jr. is averaging 19.8 yards per reception.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Maryland, noon, Fox

No. 5Florida State Seminoles

Previous ranking:5

2023 record:4-0

Week 5 result:Idle

Stat to know:QB Jordan Travis has thrown for 1,028 yards, 10 touchdowns and only one interception through the Seminoles' first four games.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m.

No. 6Penn State Nittany Lions

Previous ranking:6

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result: Defeated Northwestern 41-13

Stat to know:The Nittany Lions have won 10 consecutive games by 10 points or more.

What's next:Oct. 14 vs. UMass, 3:30 p.m.

No. 7Washington Huskies

Previous ranking:7

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Arizona 31-24

Stat to know:QB Michael Penix Jr. didn't throw a touchdown for the first time this season but the Huskies got four on the ground to hold off the Wildcats.

What's next:Oct. 14 vs. Oregon

No. 8Oregon Ducks

Previous ranking:9

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Stanford 42-6

Stat to know:Oregon's point differential of plus-199 through five games is the best for a Pac-12 team since Oregon in 2013.

What's next:Oct. 14 at Washington

No. 9USC Trojans

Previous ranking:8

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Colorado 48-41

Stat to know:The Trojans led wire to wire -- they remain the only FBS team not to trail this season -- while improving to 17-0 all time against the Buffaloes.

What's next:Saturday vs. Arizona, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

No. 10Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previous ranking: 11

2023 record:5-1

Week 5 result: Defeated Duke 21-14

Stat to know:The Fighting Irish have won 30 consecutive regular-season games against ACC opponents.

What's next:Saturday at Louisville, 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 11Alabama Crimson Tide

Previous ranking:12

2023 record:4-1

Week 5 result:Defeated Mississippi State 40-17

Stat to know:The Crimson Tide won their 16th straight against Mississippi State behind two rushing touchdowns from QBJalen Milroe.

What's next:Saturday at Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m., CBS

No. 12Oklahoma Sooners

Previous ranking:14

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Iowa State 50-20

Stat to know:QBDillon Gabrielfinished with five total touchdowns, three passing and two rushing.

What's next:Saturday vs. Texas, noon, ABC

No. 13Washington State Cougars

Previous ranking:16

2023 record:4-0

Week 5 result:Idle

Stat to know:Last week, Cam Ward became the first Pac-12 QB with four passing touchdowns and a rushing score in back-to-back games since Ryan Leaf in 1996.

What's next:Oct. 7 at UCLA, 3 p.m., Pac-12 Network

No. 14North Carolina Tar Heels

Previous ranking:15

2023 record:4-0

Week 5 result:Idle

Stat to know:By running for a score last week against Pitt, Omarion Hampton has scored a touchdown in every game this season and also already surpassed his touchdown total from a year ago.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Syracuse, 3:30 p.m.

No. 15Oregon State Beavers

Previous ranking: 19

2023 record:4-1

Week 5 result:Defeated Utah 21-7

Stat to know:The win was the Beavers' largest against a top-10 team in 22 years, while the seven points allowed were the fewest they've given up to a top-10 team since 1967.

What's next:Saturday at Cal, 10 p.m., Pac-12 Network

No. 16Ole Miss Rebels

Previous ranking:20

2023 record:4-1

Week 5 result: Defeated LSU 55-49

Stat to know:The Rebels finished with 706 total yards, their second most in an SEC contest, while their 55 points is the most they have scored against an AP Top-25 opponent.

What's next:Saturday vs. Arkansas, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

No. 17Miami Hurricanes

Previous ranking:18

2023 record:4-0

Week 5 result:Idle

Stat to know:Tyler Van Dyke has completed 74.7% of his passes this season to go along with 11 touchdown passes. That's the highest completion percentage for an ACC quarterback with at least 10 TD passes in the season's first four games in the past 20 years.

What's next:Oct. 7 vs. Georgia Tech, 8 p.m., ACC Network

No. 18Utah Utes

Previous ranking: 10

2023 record:4-1

Week 5 result:Lost to Oregon State 21-7

Stat to know:The Utes have lost six consecutive games as an AP top-10 team, tied for the third-longest streak in poll history.

What's next:Oct. 14 vs. Cal

No. 19Duke Blue Devils

Previous ranking:17

2023 record:4-1

Week 5 result:Lost to Notre Dame 21-14

Stat to know:Duke still has not won a matchup between AP-ranked teams since 1994.

What's next:Oct. 14 vs. NC State

No. 20Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking:NR

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Florida 33-14

Stat to know:The Wildcats have won three in a row against Florida for the first time since 1948 to 1951.

What's next:Saturday at Georgia, 7 p.m., ESPN

No. 21Missouri Tigers

Previous ranking:23

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Vanderbilt 38-21

Stat to know:QBBrady Cookhas now thrown 348 consecutive passes without an interception -- the longest streak in SEC history. (The FBS record is 444.)

What's next:Saturday vs. LSU, noon, ESPN

No. 22Tennessee Volunteers

Previous ranking:21

2023 record:4-1

Week 5 result:Defeated South Carolina 41-20

Stat to know:The Vols enjoyed their second-largest margin of victory over the Gamecocks since 2000 thanks in part to their first defensive touchdown since 2021.

What's next:Oct. 14 vs. Texas A&M

No. 23LSU Tigers

Previous ranking:13

2023 record:3-2

Week 5 result:Lost to Ole Miss 55-49

Stat to know:WRBrian Thomas Jr. finished with 124 receiving yards and a career-high three touchdown catches.

What's next:Saturday at Missouri, noon, ESPN

No. 24Fresno State Bulldogs

Previous ranking:25

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated Nevada 27-9

Stat to know:The Bulldogs won their 14th straight game on Saturday, second to only Georgia in the FBS.

What's next:Saturday at Wyoming, 8 p.m.

No. 25Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking:NR

2023 record:5-0

Week 5 result:Defeated NC State 13-10

Stat to know:Louisville is now 5-0 for the first time since 2013, the year before the Cardinals joined the ACC, when they finished 12-1.

What's next:Saturday vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., ABC

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