Florida climbs into top four in college football Power Rankings after Week 9
Hey, we’ve finally got rankings that sort of actually matter. No, not these ones. But whether you agree with the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings Tuesday night or not (and you probably won’t), the unveiling of the rankings means we’ve arrived at the portion of the season when playoff speculation isn’t just an idle waste of time—even if the only rankings that really matter are the ones at the end of the regular season.
With some major showdowns this weekend, the Big 12’s contenders finally starting to play one another, and rivalry week on the horizon, the stage is set for an awesome month of football. Here’s where things stand heading into it:
• NADKARNI: Three thoughts on AP poll after Week 9 | Complete AP Top 25
1. Clemson Tigers
PREVIOUS: 1
RECORD: 8-0
Next week: Saturday vs. Florida State
2. LSU Tigers
PREVIOUS: 2
RECORD: 7-0
Last week: Bye week Next week: Saturday at Alabama
3. Baylor Bears
PREVIOUS: 3
RECORD: 7-0
Last week: Bye week Next week: Thursday at Kansas State
4. Florida Gators
PREVIOUS: 8
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Georgia 27-3 Next week: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
PREVIOUS: 4
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Bye week Next week: Saturday vs. LSU • STAPLES: Florida in control of SEC East
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
PREVIOUS: 5
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Bye week Next week: Saturday vs. Minnesota
7. TCU Horned Frogs
PREVIOUS: 6
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Beat West Virginia 40-10 Next week: Saturday at Oklahoma State
8. Michigan State Spartans
PREVIOUS: 7
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Bye week Next week: Saturday at Nebraska
9. Iowa Hawkeyes
PREVIOUS: 9
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Beat Maryland 31-15 Next week: Saturday at Indiana
10. Stanford Cardinal
PREVIOUS: 11
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Washington State 30-28 Next week: Saturday at Colorado • ELLIS: Biggest takeaways from Week 9
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
PREVIOUS: 14
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Temple 24-20 Next week: Saturday at Pitt
12. Utah Utes
PREVIOUS: 10
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Oregon State 27-12 Next week: Saturday at Washington
13. Memphis Tigers
PREVIOUS: 12
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Beat Tulane 41-13 Next week: Saturday vs. Navy
14. Oklahoma State Cowboys
PREVIOUS: 13
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Beat Texas Tech 70-53 Next week: Saturday vs. TCU
15. Ole Miss Rebels
PREVIOUS: 16
RECORD: 7-2
Last week: Beat Auburn 27-19 Next week: Saturday vs. Arkansas • KRASNOO: Playoff bubble watch
16. Michigan Wolverines
PREVIOUS: 15
RECORD: 6-2
Last week: Beat Minnesota 29-26 Next week: Saturday vs. Rutgers
17. Oklahoma Sooners
PREVIOUS: 17
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Kansas 62-7 Next week: Saturday vs. Iowa State
18. Houston Cougars
PREVIOUS: 18
RECORD: 8-0
Last week: Beat Vanderbilt 34-0 Next week: Saturday vs. Cincinnati
19. Toledo Rockets
PREVIOUS: 20
RECORD: 7-0
Last week: Bye week Next week: Tuesday vs. Northern Illinois
20. North Carolina Tar Heels
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Pitt 26-19 Next week: Saturday vs. Duke • ELLIS: UNC gets statement win over Pitt
21. Florida State Seminoles
PREVIOUS: 22
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Beat Syracuse 45-21 Next week: Saturday at Clemson
22. Northwestern Wildcats
PREVIOUS: 24
RECORD: 6-2
Last week: Bye week Next week: Saturday vs. Penn State
23. Texas A&M Aggies
PREVIOUS: 25
RECORD: 6-2
Last week: Beat South Carolina 35-28 Next week: Saturday vs. Auburn
24. Temple Owls
PREVIOUS: 23
RECORD: 7-1
Last week: Lost to Notre Dame 24-20 Next week: Friday at SMU
25. Wisconsin Badgers
RECORD: 7-2
Last week: Beat Rutgers 48-10 Next week: Saturday at Maryland
Dropped out: Pittsburgh, Duke
Next five: Mississippi State, USC, Duke, UCLA, Pittsburgh
