Missouri's Leap and USC's Slip Highlight Week 5 AP Top 25 Shake-Up
The latest college football rankings show significant movement, particularly within the SEC, with Missouri making the largest jump and USC falling despite a victory.
Week 5 of the college football season saw considerable shifts in the AP Top 25 poll, with the Missouri Tigers making the most dramatic ascent. After a decisive 45-17 victory over the Florida Gators, Missouri surged 11 spots to No. 14. This win came just a week after Florida had shown strong performance against Ole Miss.
SEC and Big Ten Fluctuations
Alabama moved up one position to No. 6, maintaining its standing despite a dominant win over Mississippi State. However, defending national champion Indiana dropped a spot to No. 7, even after securing a road victory against Rutgers.
Ole Miss remained at No. 9 following a bye week. LSU climbed to No. 10 with a 4-1 record after defeating McNeese. Florida, conversely, fell eight spots to No. 17 after its significant loss to Missouri. Mississippi State, despite a 33-point home defeat to Alabama, only dropped one spot to No. 17.
The Kentucky Wildcats experienced a notable setback, falling out of the rankings from No. 24 despite an overtime road win against South Carolina in Week 5.
Big Ten Team Movements
Within the Big Ten conference, USC saw a six-spot drop to No. 18, a significant fall for a team that secured a 25-21 comeback victory over Washington. In contrast, Oregon gained five spots in the rankings despite having a bye week. Iowa also moved up three spots to No. 21, even after a 17-point loss to Ohio State.
The top eight teams in the latest poll, including an unchanged Top 5 from the previous week, are largely considered settled. However, rankings beyond that, particularly among SEC teams, have become increasingly volatile, reflecting the unpredictable nature of the sport.