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USC Trojans Ranked Inside Top 10 After Texas, Alabama, Clemson Upsets? AP Top 25 Poll

The USC Trojans were one of a few unranked teams that dominated on Saturday. Will any of them be ranked inside the AP Top 25 Poll after the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, No. 4 Clemson Tigers, and No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide were upset? USC is No. 6 according to one ranking.
Charlie Viehl|
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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USC TrojansAlabama Crimson TideFlorida State SeminolesClemson TigersLSU TigersBYU CougarsOle Miss RebelsOregon DucksNotre Dame Fighting IrishMiami (FL) HurricanesOhio State BuckeyesTexas Longhorns

The USC Trojans started the 2025 season with a bang, scoring 73 points in front of the home crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in a dominant win over Missouri State. There were a number of blowouts across the country, but there were also some exciting upsets and top-10 matchups on Saturday.

Upset-Filled Weekend

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day leads his team onto the field prior to the NCAA football game against Texas Longhorn
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day leads his team onto the field prior to the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

To kickoff the college football season, No. 7 Texas lost to No. 1 Ohio State, No. 8 Clemson lost at home to No. 3 LSU, and No. 21 Alabama was upset by a previously unranked Florida State team, now No. 14.

After knocking off the preseason No. 1 team in the country, the Ohio State Buckeyes took over the top spot in the rankings. Ohio State's defense was dominant as the Buckeyes offense only needed 14 points to defeat Texas, 14-7.

However, the ESPN's College Football Power Index (FPI) was updated on Sunday, and the Texas Longhorns still hold the No. 1 spot. Some of the biggest movers in ESPN's power rankings are the No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels and the No. 6 USC Trojans.

USC Trojans rankings top 25 upset Ole Miss Rebels alabama crimson tide ohio state buckeyes texas longhorns arch mannin
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) prepares to take the snap against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC is still unranked in the AP Top 25 Poll, but they were considered a top-15 team by ESPN before the season started.

After the Trojans' 60-point win over Missouri State, USC is now ranked even higher. According to the FPI, USC behind No. 3 Ohio State and No. 5 Penn State as the third-highest ranked team in the Big Ten, followed by No. 7 Oregon and No. 20 Michigan.

ESPN's FPI Top 25:

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

MORE: Big Ten Coaches Reveal Season Sleep Schedule: Lincoln Riley’s Response Stands Out

MORE: How USC’s Caleb Williams Could Be the Biggest Winner of NFL Week 1

MORE: Three Biggest Shocks of USC Trojans Depth Chart For Season Opener vs. Missouri State

MORE: USC Trojans Make Surprising Move Along Defensive Line: First Official Depth Chart

MORE: USC Trojans Coaches, Veterans Reveal First Impression of Five-Star Recruit RJ Sermons

On the other hand, the AP Top 25 Poll will most likely paint a different picture of Saturday's results. Teams that started the season with a loss were dropped by AP voters, but they can certainly move their way back up the rankings.

Alabama fell to No. 21 and Clemson fell to No. 8 while Florida State went from unranked to No. 14 in the country.

Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell reacts after a play against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half
Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell reacts after a play against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

ESPN has the Trojans as a top-10 team in the country, but AP voters see USC outside of the top-25.

Week 2 AP Top 25 Poll:

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

The biggest college football matchup in week 2 is between No. 15 Michigan an No. 18 Oklahoma. Can the Trojans make their way into the top-25?

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is the deputy editor for the Oregon Ducks, Colorado Buffaloes, and USC Trojans on SI. He has written hundreds of articles for SI and has covered events like the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician, holding a degree in Music and Philosophy from Boston College. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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