College football rankings: ESPN updates top 25 poll for Week 12
With the month of November now almost half over, the conference and College Football Playoff races are heating up and now it's time to get a look at the updated top 25 rankings from around the country.
Eight of the top 25 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings went down with losses on Saturday, including two Pac-12 hopefuls in Oregon and UCLA that hurt the conference's reputation in the chase for the semifinal.
Ohio State and Michigan stayed perfect with wins over unranked Big Ten opposition and appear to be in position to face off later this month as undefeated rivals with a shot to earn a bid for the conference championship and, from there, contention in the final playoff positioning.
Where do things stand now with the ESPN football rankings? Here's your look at the latest top 25 as the regular season is moving to its conclusion.
College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 for Week 12
ESPN unveiled its latest college football rankings
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25. Troy (8-2). At first place in the Sun Belt, the Trojans won their seventh straight game of the season, but it was close: a 10-9 decision over Army.
24. Oregon State (7-3). The Beavers have played close games this season, including by a FG to a Washington team that just beat Oregon.
23. Cincinnati (8-2). Ben Bryant hit on 2 TD passes in a close win over ECU that keeps the Bearcats in the AAC title hopes, but still have a loss to UCF and a game against Tulane in the finale.
22. Coastal Carolina (9-1). The Chanticleers' first game knowing Grayson McCall is out for a while with an injury was close, but a win over Southern Miss and clinched the Sun Belt East.
21. Tulane (8-2). That shot to strengthen its hold on the AAC went up in smoke with a home loss to UCF, but it's not over yet.
20. Florida State (7-3). A solid two weeks for the Seminoles, who thrashed Miami and then smacked around Syracuse, and now even their opening win against LSU, now the SEC West champion, is looking pretty good, too.
19. Notre Dame (7-3). Make it four straight for Marcus Freeman and the Irish, who withstood a late rally from Navy and boast big wins over the class of the ACC this season, including over both entrants to that league's title game.
18. UCLA (8-2). This great offense ran out of gas at the wrong time after the Bruins' defense proved ineffective against Jayden de Laura, the dynamic Arizona quarterback who propelled his team to an upset in the Rose Bowl, potentially knocking UCLA out of Pac-12 contention.
17. Kansas State (7-3). Will Howard stepped in again for the injured Adrian Martinez and threw 3 TD passes while Deuce Vaughn went over 150 total yards in a rout over Baylor to stay in the Big 12 hunt.
16. UCF (8-2). John Rhys Plumlee went off for the Knights in their statement upset at Tulane, going over 300 total yards with three touchdowns behind a titanic rushing effort.
15. Ole Miss (8-2). Jaxson Dart was inches away from the game-winning TD throw after Quinshon Judkins ran the Rebels into scoring position, as he had all day, but they were unable to finally capitalize on a strong first-half showing against the Crimson Tide. This one hurts.
14. Penn State (8-2). Defense played a strong hand in the 30-0 rout over the Terps, holding that superb offense down while the Lions established the run in a confident performance. A 10-win season is still very much within reach.
13. Washington (8-2). If there was anybody who could challenge the Ducks, it was Michael Penix and the Huskies offense: the QB threw for over 400 yards and 2 scores as UW won its most impressive game of the year, at Oregon.
12. Utah (8-2). The Utes piled on 42 unanswered points over Stanford as the Rising/Thomas pair did its damage again and moved into a tie for second in the Pac-12, right next to this week's opponent, the Ducks.
11. Oregon (8-2). Those nascent College Football Playoff hopes are gone with the wind after a close loss at home to Washington behind a sluggish pass defense and a late 4th and 1 that didn't work and resulted in the game-winning kick the other way.
10. North Carolina (9-1). Drake Maye went off for a career-best 448 yards in a close one at Wake, clinching the Coastal title and booking a trip for the ACC Championship Game, moving to 6-0 on the road a year after not winning once.
9. Clemson (9-1). Another turnover-laden performance for the Tigers, three in all, but they recovered at home against a largely Malik Cunningham-less Louisville thanks to a strong rushing effort. Clemson will face UNC in Charlotte, and with one loss should still be in the College Football Playoff chase.
8. Alabama (8-2). They had to fight for this one, on the road to Ole Miss, but the front seven stiffened against an inspired Reb run attack, and the Tide went on a 23-7 scoring run for the second half.
7. USC (9-1). As expected, Troy handled Colorado at home, but lost running back Travis Dye to an injury in the process, and there are still structural questions over a defense that has kept things close in conference games.
6. LSU (8-2). An early kickoff, in the cold, coming off a win over Alabama: everything spelled "trap" for the Tigers, but they held on in a close one at Arkansas thanks to Harold Perkins' turbo-charged effort on defense, and are headed to the SEC title game in Brian Kelly's debut season.
5. Tennessee (9-1). Big Orange had the ugly L at Georgia last week and took it out on Missouri, piling on a record 724 yards and 66 points, and that's after they made it a 4-point game as late as the third quarter before the Vols tacked on 38 unanswered.
4. TCU (10-0). The Frogs leaned on their defense on the road at Texas, where they went as underdogs, making a major statement to the College Football Playoff, allowing 3.3 yards per play to the Longhorns.
3. Michigan (10-0). Blake Corum ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown in his 7th straight game, the longest streak by a UM player in 25 years, as the Wolverines handled Nebraska and stay undefeated.
2. Ohio State (10-0). A nice, easy win at home over Indiana, but at a cost after No. 2 running back Miyan Williams went out with an injury and came back in a walking boot. This team has been dealing with injuries all season.
1. Georgia (10-0). College football's defending national champions took care of business on the road to Mississippi State, clinching the East and setting up a date with LSU in the SEC Championship Game, but two more games await the Bulldogs first.
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