Copyright Essentially Sports
Week 11 flipped the College Football board. The chaos started in Lubbock, where BYU’s dream season was dragged to a screeching halt by Texas Tech. Six Top-25 teams fell, including the previously unbeaten Cougars, while the ACC descended into pure bedlam. Virginia struggled at home, Louisville got stunned in overtime by Cal, and Miami decided it was done pretending and dropped 38 on Syracuse to crash back into the Playoff conversation. Predicting AP Top 25 after Week 11 Here’s how the AP Top 25 should stack up after a weekend that redrew the map one upset at a time. ADVERTISEMENT 1. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) Result: 34-10 win at Purdue Ohio State continues to march through the Big Ten like a well-oiled machine that occasionally hiccups before roaring back to life. The Buckeyes looked sluggish early at Purdue before turning it into a 34-10 rout. Julian Sayin threw for 303 yards with precision, tossing just six incompletions and a single interception that will probably haunt him more than it should. ADVERTISEMENT It’s becoming routine. Fall asleep in the first quarter and explode in the second. With UCLA and Rutgers next, the Buckeyes are basically tuning up for The Game at Michigan, a collision course that feels inevitable and season-defining. ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports 2. Indiana Hoosiers (10-0) Result: 27-24 win at Penn State If you’d told anyone two years ago that Indiana would be 10-0, they’d have laughed you straight out of Bloomington. Now, Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers have rewritten the school’s history book. Saturday’s 27-24 comeback win at Penn State was something to remember. Omar Cooper Jr.’s toe-tap touchdown with 36 seconds left sent shockwaves through Happy Valley and the nation ADVERTISEMENT Two straight 10-win seasons is not luck. Indiana is building a new identity with a winning culture. Fernando Mendoza was clutch down the stretch, and this team now looks like a genuine Big Ten title contender. 3. Texas A&M Aggies (9-0) Result: 38-17 win at Missouri ADVERTISEMENT The Aggies haven’t been 9-0 since 1992, and it’s about time people stopped acting surprised. Mike Elko’s squad went into Columbia and dismantled Missouri 38-17. The defense terrorized Mizzou’s backup QB Matt Zollers who was only able to finish 7-of-22 throws for 77 yards. Texas A&M has found its rhythm. Efficient offense, ruthless defense, and a perfectionist HC. The road to Texas looms large at season’s end, but first come South Carolina and Samford. 4. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1) Result: 20-9 win vs LSU A 20–9 win over LSU may not look pretty on paper, but Bama fans will tell you it was poetry in grit. Ty Simpson didn’t flinch under pressure, tossing for 277 yards and a touchdown while taking more hits than he probably should’ve. Alabama’s not blowing teams out, but they’re imposing their will and that’s what matters in November. Up next is a tricky home date with Oklahoma, who’s been waiting two weeks to take their shot. If the Tide survives that, pencil them into the CFP bracket. 5. Georgia Bulldogs (8-1) Result: 41-21 win at Mississippi State Mississippi State actually led early, and for about fifteen minutes, Athens might’ve blinked. Then Gunner Stockton lit the fuse with 264 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a 41-21 win. Is this the Bulldogs’ DNA? Start slow, crush spirits, go home. Next week’s showdown with Texas, though, is where Georgia’s true mettle gets tested. 6. Oregon Ducks (8-1) Result: 18-16 win at Iowa Good teams survive, great teams find a way and the Ducks did just that. Rain. Wind. Chaos. That was Iowa City. Oregon trailed with under two minutes left, but Dante Moore engineered a crucial drive to set up the game-winning field goal in an 18-16 thriller. Up next is Minnesota, then ranked showdowns with USC and Washington. 7. Ole Miss Rebels (9-1) Result: 49-0 win vs The Citadel Ole Miss has quietly built one of the most balanced offenses in college football, and Lane Kiffin’s swagger is back in full form. The Citadel was merely target practice for the Rebels, who stomped to a 49-0 halftime party. Trinidad Chambliss aired it out for 333 yards and three touchdowns before the backups got their shine. Florida comes next but at this point, the Rebels look playoff-ready if chaos breaks right. 8. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-1) Result: 29-7 win vs BYU In front of a raucous Lubbock crowd and ESPN’s College GameDay crew, Texas Tech delivered its biggest statement of the year. A 29-7 demolition of previously unbeaten BYU. The defense was lights-out, pitching a near-shutout until garbage time. Behren Morton was steady, throwing for 219 yards, while the rushing attack chewed through clock and Cougar morale. 9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2) Result: 49-10 win vs Navy The Irish just keep climbing. A 49-10 dismantling of Navy marked their seventh straight win and another reminder that Marcus Freeman’s team is finding its late-season groove. CJ Carr was sharp, Jeremiyah Love found the end zone twice, and the Irish looked unstoppable once the engine revved. A tricky road test at Pittsburgh looms but right now, Notre Dame looks like a top-10 team built for November football. 10. Oklahoma Sooners (7-2) Result: Bye The Sooners had the weekend off, but their resume speaks volumes after a gutsy win at Tennessee. They’re hanging on the fringes of the Playoff picture, but the path ahead is brutal with Alabama, Missouri, LSU looming. If Brent Venables’ squad can survive that gauntlet, the committee will have no choice but to give them a long, hard look. 11. Texas Longhorns (7-2) Result: Bye Texas heads into its bye after a crucial win over Vanderbilt that reignited its Playoff hopes. The CFP committee confirmed the Longhorns remain in striking distance, but the road ahead is brutal. Georgia awaits next weekend, followed by a season finale against Texas A&M that could decide the Big 12’s Playoff representative. 12. BYU Cougars (8-1) Result: 29-7 loss at Texas Tech BYU’s perfect season came undone in Lubbock. The Cougars’ rushing attack, ranked among the top 15 nationally, was completely shut down by Texas Tech’s front. With QB Bear Bachmeier under constant pressure, BYU never found rhythm. They’ll regroup before a pivotal matchup at Cincinnati that could define their Big 12 standing. 13. Vanderbilt Commodores (8-2) Result: 45-38 overtime win vs. Auburn Vanderbilt survived a thriller against Auburn in its first game since Hugh Freeze’s firing. Diego Pavia put up Heisman-caliber numbers, totaling 489 yards and four touchdowns. Escaping with a win keeps Vandy’s postseason hopes alive, but matchups with Kentucky and Tennessee will determine whether they remain in the Playoff mix. 14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-1) Result: Bye After a disappointing loss to NC State, Georgia Tech used the bye week to regroup. Brent Key’s defense struggled against a depleted Wolfpack offense, raising concerns ahead of the final stretch. With Boston College, Pitt, and Georgia remaining, Tech’s Playoff path is still open but the margin for error is gone. 15. Utah Utes (7-2) Result: Bye Utah’s dominant win over Cincinnati last weekend put them right back into the Big 12 conversation. The Utes’ physicality and defense remain elite, but they’ll need to win out and get help to sneak into an At-Large spot. Matchups with Baylor, Kansas State, and Kansas will define their postseason fate. 16. Miami Hurricanes (7-2) Result: 38-10 win vs. Syracuse Miami snapped its midseason skid with a convincing win over a battered Syracuse squad. The Hurricanes’ defense suffocated the Orange, forcing three turnovers and allowing no touchdowns until the final seconds. Carson Beck managed the offense cleanly, and the ‘Canes’ Playoff hopes stay faintly alive heading into the final stretch. 17. USC Trojans (7-2) Result: 38-17 win vs. Northwestern USC looked refreshed Friday night, taking care of Northwestern with a balanced offensive showcase. Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon combined for over 250 receiving yards, while King Miller added 127 on the ground. Now back in rhythm, Lincoln Riley’s squad must win out to stay in the CFP hunt. 18. Michigan Wolverines (7-2) Result: Bye Michigan hit its bye on a high note after rebounding from its loss to USC with three straight wins. Sherrone Moore’s squad will face Northwestern and Maryland next before the all-important showdown with Ohio State. That finale could double as a de facto Playoff elimination game in Ann Arbor. 19. Virginia Cavaliers (8-2) Result: 16-9 loss vs. Wake Forest Virginia’s unbeaten ACC run ended abruptly with a home loss to Wake Forest. The Cavaliers struggled offensively after QB Chandler Morris exited with injury, and backup Daniel Kaelin couldn’t finish drives. Though the loss stings, voters may go easy given Virginia’s resilience and overall conference dominance this season. 20. Louisville Cardinals (7-2) Result: 29-26 overtime loss vs. Cal Louisville’s ACC title push took a massive hit in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Cal. Without star rusher Isaac Brown, the Cardinals’ offense sputtered in key moments. Still, their earlier win over Miami should cushion the fall, keeping them in the Top 25 as the ACC race remains wide open 21. Tennessee Volunteers (6-3) Result: Bye Tennessee got a much-needed breather after being knocked out of Playoff contention last week. The Vols’ bye couldn’t have come at a better time, offering a chance to heal up before a crucial final stretch. A 9-3 finish remains possible if Josh Heupel’s team can find consistency on offense. 22. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2) Result: Bye Cincinnati’s lopsided loss to Utah last week knocked them from the CFP rankings, but a slew of Top-25 upsets gives them new life. The Bearcats’ remaining slate, UCF, BYU, and TCU, offers chances to reassert their strength. A strong finish could easily secure their spot back among ranked teams. 23. Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2) Result: 35-20 win at Stanford Pittsburgh continues to surge in the ACC, notching its fifth straight win after a midseason quarterback change to Mason Heintschel. The Panthers’ offense looks revitalized, and their upcoming matchups with Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and Miami could determine who survives the ACC’s logjam near the top. 24. James Madison Dukes (8-1) Result: 35-23 win at Marshall James Madison extended its win streak to seven and improved to 6-0 in Sun Belt play behind Alonza Barrett’s three-touchdown performance. Their only loss came in a tight contest against Louisville, and the Dukes’ consistency makes them hard for voters to overlook as a legitimate Group of Five contender. 25. North Texas Mean Green (8-1) Result: Bye
