AP Poll Reactions as Ole Miss Bounces Back, Top National Contender Collapses

Going chalk for many of the nation's top teams, there was still a massive upset atop the national rankings.

Oct 31, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels Head Coach Pete Golding reacts with a referee during warm ups prior to the game against the Auburn Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The AP Top 25 poll saw some major shakeups following a chaotic Week 9 of college football. Seven ranked teams lost on Saturday, led by a major Big Ten upset, while several other programs made statements as the regular season enters November.

Ole Miss handily defeated Auburn at home, 45-15, bolstering a solid SEC resume ahead of its momentous home showdown with Georgia at home next weekend.

With the first College Football Playoff rankings set to be released Tuesday, Nov. 3, Sunday's AP poll will offer another look at where the nation's top teams stand heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Not a Good Day to be Ryan Day

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day leaves the field following the NCAA football game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31, 2026. Ohio State lost 30-18. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Saturday featured several notable upsets, headlined by USC's 30-18 victory over Ohio State. The Buckeyes entered the weekend ranked No. 2 nationally but struggled against the Trojans, suffering their second loss of the season. Ohio State fell to No. 11 in the latest AP poll, while USC climbed into the rankings at No. 18.

Another ranked team suffered a costly defeat: SMU. The Mustangs entered the weekend ranked No. 19 but fell 30-27 to Syracuse. The loss dropped SMU out of the poll, putting its season-long standing in jeopardy.

No. 20 Northwestern also fell on Saturday, losing 34-26 to Oregon. The Wildcats dropped just outside the top 25 following the defeat, earning the 26th most votes, while Oregon finished with the second most votes of all non-ranking teams.

No. 22 Arizona traveled to face No. 13 Texas Tech and left with a 34-26 loss. The Wildcats fell to No. 22, while the Red Raiders stayed at No.13 after defending their home field.

No. 24 Oklahoma State suffered one of the weekend's most entertaining losses, falling 51-49 to Iowa State. The Cowboys dropped out of the poll following the loss.

No. 25 Wisconsin rounded out the ranked losses, getting shut out 30-0 by Iowa. The Badgers fell out of the rankings following the loss.

Georgia, Utah and More Ranked Teams Take Care of Business

While several ranked teams struggled Saturday, others continued to strengthen their positions near the top of the poll.

No. 3 Georgia handled its rivalry matchup against No. 17 Florida, coming away with a 27-8 victory. The Bulldogs climbed to No. 2 after controlling the game defensively, while the Gators fell to No. 25.

No. 6 Utah also put together an impressive performance, defeating Cincinnati 49-25 on the road. The Utes climbed to No. 3 following the victory and continued to establish themselves as one of the Big 12's top teams.

No. 7 UCLA shut out Nevada 27-0, moving to No. 5 in the latest poll. The Bruins continue to fly under the radar nationally despite putting together another undefeated performance.

No. 4 Indiana needed overtime to get past Minnesota, winning 23-16. The Hoosiers moved to No. 6 after surviving a difficult road test.

No. 5 Notre Dame took care of Navy with a 35-13 victory, climbing to No. 4, while No. 8 BYU held off Arizona State 27-20 to move to No. 7.

No. 1 Miami also survived a late challenge, defeating North Carolina 38-35. The Hurricanes held strong at No. 1 after narrowly avoiding an upset.

Ole Miss Holds Following Dominant Auburn Victory

Oct 31, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Caleb Cunningham (3) reacts with running back Shekai Mills-Knight (33) after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss had one of its best performances of the season Saturday, taking down Auburn 45-15 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

The Rebels controlled the matchup and kept building momentum in the final month of the regular season. The victory helped Ole Miss hold at No. 12 in the latest AP poll.

Ole Miss was poised to benefit from several losses ahead of it in the rankings, most notably Ohio State's defeat to USC. With multiple teams suffering setbacks, the Rebels should have moved closer to the top 10.

The Rebels now turn their attention toward a massive matchup against No. 2 Georgia next weekend. The Bulldogs enter the contest following their victory over Florida, setting up one of the most important games remaining on Ole Miss' schedule.

A win would give Ole Miss another major victory for its College Football Playoff résumé and could push the Rebels even higher in the national rankings.

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