Oregon Ducks' AP Top 25 Poll Projection After Upset Scare

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks survived an early-season upset scare against the Boise State Broncos for the second time in three seasons, and will Oregon's ranking in the AP Poll drop as result?

Boise State received the third-most votes of any team ranked outside the preseason top 25, and the Broncos put up a fight against the Ducks despite entering the game as 24.5-point underdogs, per DraftKings Sportsbook. Boise State is unlikely to jump into the top 25 as an 0-1 team, but the Broncos could find themselves ranked in the AP Poll by the season's end.

oregon ducks dan lanning boise state broncos ap top 25 poll rankings ohio state notre dame michigan lsu clemson ole miss — Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning embrace after a game at Autzen Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On the other side, Oregon is likely to remain at No. 2, keeping its historic ranking to start the season. There were few ranked matchups during week 1 of the college football season, and no teams boosted their respective resumes enough to jump the Ducks and take over the No. 2 spot. Oregon may fall slightly, but dropping outside of the top five feels unlikely after week 1.

No. 4 Notre Dame still has to play Wisconsin on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. PT, and No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 24 Louisville are also scheduled to square off at 4:30 p.m. PT on Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. With college football taking advantage of the full holiday weekend, combined with the fact that the NFL regular season has yet to kickoff, the later games impact the release of the week 1 AP Poll.

Typically released at 11 a.m. PT on Sundays throughout the year, the week 1 AP Top 25 Poll is slated to come out on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 11 a.m. PT.

Projecting the Week 1 AP Top 25 Poll

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame*
5. Texas
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Ole Miss*
10. LSU
11. Oklahoma
12. Texas Tech
13. Alabama
14. USC
15. BYU
16. Washington*
17. Penn State
18. SMU*
19. Michigan
20. Tennessee
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Houston
24. Missouri
25. Florida

*Scheduled to play on Sunday or Monday.

Reacting to College Football Week 1

Oregon's upset scare was one of a couple exciting matchups during the first full week of college football. No. 16 Michigan's controversial, last-second win over Western Michigan stole headlines thanks to a replay review that added one second onto the clock and caused the Big Ten to release a statement on the officiating decision.

Michigan started the year ranked No. 16 in the preseason AP Poll, and voters may feel inclined to punish the Wolverines for escaping the upset against Western Michigan.

No. 11 LSU dominated Clemson, and the Tigers could jump past a few teams over a few teams once the updated rankings are out. No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 24 Louisville have an opportunity to pick up a ranked win against each other, and that result could provide the most movement in the AP Poll.

Still, voters are unlikely to make dramatic moves in the rankings until more marquee matchups take place like No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Texas and Michigan vs. No. 10 Oklahoma in week 2. Until then, fans likely have to wait until conference play begins to see some serious shake ups in the rankings.

Preseason AP Top 25 Poll

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Ole Miss
10. Oklahoma
11. LSU
12. Texas Tech
13. Alabama
14. BYU
14. USC
16. Michigan
17. Washington
18. Penn State
19. SMU
20. Tennessee
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Houston
24. Louisville
25. Missouri

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