AP Top 25 Poll Rankings Prediction After Exciting Week 6

There should be a new No. 1 team in the country when the latest AP Poll is released on Sunday thanks to then-ranked No. 2 Georgia's win over then-No. 6 Alabama as well as then-No. 1 Texas losing its first game of the season to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry.

How far Texas falls remains to be seen as the Longhorns do have a win over No. 5 Ohio State on their resume, and whether or not the Crimson Tide fall out of the top 10 remains to be seen after losing a close one at home to the Bulldogs.

ap top 25 poll prediction usc trojans lincoln riley penn state ucla bruins oregon ducks college football playoff rankings ap — Oct 10, 2026; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer yells at Alabama Dijon Lee Jr. (5) after Lee committed a personal foul that allowed Georgia to run out the clock at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, the No. 19 USC Trojans survived the Penn State White Out and picked up a win over the Nittany Lions. As USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans improve to 5-1, the team is firmly on the bubble for the College Football Playoff despite losing to No. 13 Oregon at home. However, the Trojans' gauntlet of a schedule is not getting any easier. In fact, it may be even more difficult than previously expected before the start of the season.

No. 21 UCLA upset Oregon in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, and the Bruins are likely to leapfrog USC in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. The success of the Bruins gives Riley and the Trojans another quality, ranked opponent to face while USC tries to make the first CFP appearance in program history. With No. 5 Ohio State, no. 7 Indiana, and UCLA still on the Trojans' schedule, the margin for error is slim.

Still, where will USC and the team's future opponents be ranked in the latest AP Top 25 Poll?

AP Top 25 Poll Prediction

1. Georgia
2. Notre Dame
3. Miami
4. Ohio State
5. Indiana
6. Texas
7. Alabama
8. BYU
9. Ole Miss
10. Texas Tech
11. Utah
12. Missouri
13. UCLA
14. Tennessee
15. Mississippi State
16. Oklahoma State
17. LSU
18. USC
19. Iowa
20. Kentucky
21. Houston
22. Boise State
23. SMU
24. Wake Forest
25. Wisconsin

USC Trojans Rankings Thoughts

All USC can do at this point in the season is play the teams on their schedule, although the Trojans can expect to be ranked above Oregon after the Ducks' upset loss to UCLA. Will Oregon be ranked at all come Sunday?

With plenty of season remaining, both the Trojans and the Ducks are sure to move around the rankings. However, will a USC loss to an unranked Oregon team hurt the Trojans' resume when it comes time for the CFP Selection Committee to decide which teams get at-large bids?

Then again, if the Trojans are able to pick up two wins out of the Ohio State, Indiana, and UCLA games, then USC's wins should be enough.

Will the Trojans receive any benefits for handling the White Out environment and defeating Penn State? USC can expect to move up slightly with Oregon and No. 10 LSU losing ahead of them, but most of the AP Poll shuffling is likely to happen at the top of the rankings.

AP Top 25 Poll Week 5

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

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