AP top 25 poll: Texas flexes, Ohio State sinks in college football rankings for Championship Weekend

Where things stand in the updated AP top 25 college football rankings after a prove-it Rivalry Week that saw some major movement near the top of the polls and in the playoff field moving into Championship Weekend with plenty more to sort out before selection day.

Texas made an important statement by dominating rival Texas A&M in a rivalry game we’ve been waiting more than a decade for, clinching a spot in the SEC Championship Game where it will have a chance to get revenge against Georgia, which beat the then-No. 1 Longhorns earlier this year.

But the Buckeyes were college football’s biggest loser over the weekend, losing a fourth-straight game to underdog Michigan that not only bruised their pride in that historic rivalry, but also destroyed their shot at the Big Ten title and could imperil their playoff position going forward.

What decisions have been made in the updated AP top 25 college football rankings this week?

Let’s take a look at what teams moved up, who slid down, and who stayed put in the Championship Week poll, according to the AP top 25 voters.

AP top 25 rankings

First-place votes in parentheses

Oregon (62)
Texas
Penn State
Notre Dame
Georgia
Tennessee
Ohio State
SMU
Indiana
Boise State
Alabama
Arizona State
South Carolina
Miami
Ole Miss
Iowa State
BYU
Clemson
UNLV
Colorado
Illinois
Missouri
Syracuse
Army
Memphis

How did we do? Our prediction for the AP top 25 rankings

Other teams receiving votes

These teams got some votes on this week’s AP top 25 ballot, but not enough of them to be considered among the 25 best teams in the updated football rankings

Texas A&M 93, Louisville 45, Duke 30, Kansas State 10, Tulane 9, LSU 6, Louisiana-Lafayette 5, Florida 4, Michigan 1, Baylor 1.

AP top 25 biggest movers

Ohio State (Down 5). As expected, the Buckeyes bore the brunt of the AP top 25 voters’ concern over what transpired in Columbus, and although they won’t play for the Big Ten title with that second loss, they could still end up hosting a first-round playoff game in a few weeks.

South Carolina (Up 3). A signature victory on the road against Clemson, as quarterback LaNorris Sellers ran for the go-ahead touchdown late in that game, gives the Gamecocks a sixth-straight win and a fourth victory against a ranked opponent.

Miami (Down 6). A costly second loss to end the regular season, on the road at Syracuse, ends any hopes the Hurricanes had of playing for the ACC championship, and could be the decisive blow against their playoff chances, a shocking result for a team the committee called the projected No. 3 seed for weeks.

Colorado (Up 3). Travis Hunter further entrenched his position as the leader in the Heisman Trophy race, catching 3 touchdowns as the Buffaloes pounded Oklahoma State in a 52-0 rout, but other developments will keep Colorado out of the Big 12 Championship Game.

What Championship Weekend looks like

Coming out of Rivalry Week, we finally have the complete picture of what teams will play for their respective conference championships, helping set the stage for the final College Football Playoff rankings as the selection committee looks to sort it all out.

ACC: SMU vs. Clemson

Clemson had a wild Saturday, losing at home to rival South Carolina, but learning later that day that it would play for the ACC title after Miami’s loss at Syracuse, against an SMU team that could fall out of playoff consideration if it loses to the three-loss Tigers in Charlotte.

Big 12: Arizona State vs. Iowa State

All 256 potential scenarios the Big 12 needed to sort out have been tidied up, after the Sun Devils clinched with a win over Arizona, and then Iowa State beat Kansas State and then watched BYU beat Houston to take the other half of the game.

Big Ten: Oregon vs. Penn State

Both these teams are locks for the College Football Playoff, so likely all this game should really determine is who gets seeded where, and what team likely gets the No. 5 seed and a first-round playoff game in their own stadium.

SEC: Georgia vs. Texas

A rematch of what remains the Longhorns’ only loss of the season, when, as the No. 1 team in the nation, they succumbed to the Bulldogs at home in a 30-15 decision. Both these teams should be in the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in Atlanta.

AAC: Tulane vs. Army

Army earned the right to host the AAC title game after Tulane was upset by Memphis on Thanksgiving night, an important distinction as the Black Knights look to use the matchup as a jumping-off point for playoff consideration, but they need outside help from the Mountain West first.

Mountain West: UNLV vs. Boise State

Boise State is in the College Football Playoff with a win as the committee’s favorite from the Group of Five ranks, but UNLV could make it with a win here, too, given it was ranked last week, whereas Army wasn’t, and Tulane now isn’t, taking some of the shine off the AAC.

CUSA: Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State

A rematch of the Conference USA game we just saw played this past weekend, one the Hilltoppers won on a last-second field goal, ending JSU’s eight-game win streak.

MAC: Ohio vs. Miami

Ohio has won five straight games and Miami has taken seven in a row, and this game is a rematch of when the RedHawks beat the Bobcats by a 30-20 count.

Sun Belt: Marshall vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

A strong showing from the conference this year, as eight teams become bowl eligible. The team that hosts this game has won the last five, and this year it’s Louisiana that plays it at home.

More ... ESPN top 25 college football rankings after Week 14

And ... The Coaches Poll top 25 rankings for Championship Weekend

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