AP Top 25 Poll Results as Michigan Brings Back College Football Madness

The No. 14 USC Trojans picked up their second win of the season against Fresno State in impressive fashion after shutting out the Bulldogs, and USC has now taken full possession of the No. 14 ranking after starting the year tied with BYU. Without any major upsets, rankings are less inclined to move as much so early in the season, but USC did become the sole owner of No. 14.

Labor Day Weekend marks week 1 of the college football season, and there were multiple games played Sunday and Monday, including some that could impact on the AP Poll. As a result, the first updated AP Top 25 Poll of the season was released on Tuesday at 11 a.m. PT.

ap top 25 poll rankings prediction usc trojans lincoln riley michigan wolverins big ten standing controversy jayden maiava — Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (left) and Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz shake hands after the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 1 AP Poll

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

College Football Week 1 Biggest Takeaways

Then-No. 16 Michigan is seemingly the talk of the college football world after a controversial ending. Whether or not there was time on the clock remaining for Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood to complete a Hail Mary to receiver JJ Buchanan to avoid the upset against Western Michigan, it's never a good sign when a team's conference is putting out a statement on a review/clock decision after the win.

As a result of the close win, the Wolverines fell all the way outside of the AP Poll.

Then-No. 2 Oregon had one of the next closest calls as Boise State had the Ducks on the ropes for most of the game up in Eugene, Oregon. The Broncos were unable to pull off the upset as Oregon won 34-27, and the Ducks fell down to No. 6 in the latest AP Top 25.

Before the game, Boise State received the third-most votes of teams that were unranked in the preseason AP Top 25. Now, the Broncos are effectively ranked No. 26 in the nation.

As for USC, the Trojans' two decisive wins were enough to break the tie with BYU for the No. 14 spot in the rankings. The Cougars beat Utah Tech 63-7 on Saturday, but the Trojans have already answered some of the biggest questions facing the team entering the season.

Defensive coordinator Gary Patterson has already made his mark in two games, picking up a shutout in the win over Fresno State, and the Trojans have received key contributions from the No. 1 recruiting class as true freshmen, especially at wide receiver.

With Michigan faltering, USC has an opportunity to stamp itself as the top Big Ten team outside of the "big three" of No. 1 Ohio State, Oregon, and No. 6 Indiana. The Trojans play all three during the regular season, giving coach Lincoln Riley and company a chance to prove it on the field when the time comes.

Projected 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

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