Following an impressive start to the 2025 college football season, Ohio State has ascended to the top of the AP Top 25 rankings, a move solidified by their recent win over the previously top-ranked Texas Longhorns. The Buckeyes garnered 55 of 66 first-place votes, launching them two spots to grab the lead, as reported by WBNS. Ohio State's climb to prominence marks their first regular-season top billing since November 2015.
Penn State remained firmly in their preseason No. 2 spot, able to hold onto their position after a convincing 46-11 thrashing of Nevada, while LSU vaulted six spots to No. 3 in the wake of their narrow 17-10 victory over Clemson as detailed in NCAA, rounding out the top three are Georgia and Miami who've inched their way to No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, thanks to their respective wins.
In contrast, Texas, after their stint as preseason No. 1, endured a significant stumble to No. 7, finding themselves in a position where coach Steve Sarkisian's team will need to rally if they want to reclaim a spot near the zenith of the rankings. This was a sentiment echoed by CBS Sports. LSU, besides their significant leap forward, snapped a five-game losing streak in season openers with their prime-time win.
The shakeup in the AP Top 25 also saw Florida State make a notable entry at No. 14, after decisively defeating Alabama, signalling a potentially resurgent season for the Seminoles. Clemson and Notre Dame saw their positions slip to No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, after opening-week losses. Alabama's fall was one of the more precipitous, going from highly-touted to No. 21, their lowest spot in the rankings in the last 17 years, indicating a rough start for the powerhouse program, possibly marking a transitional phase for Nick Saban's squad.
.jpg){kind=link}