AP top 25 poll: Indiana jumps Ohio State in Bowl Season college football rankings

An historic win by Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game helped reshape the AP top 25 college football rankings moving into Bowl Season.

The updated AP top 25 college football rankings for Bowl Season | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

There may be no better job in college football history than what Curt Cignetti has accomplished, taking an Indiana program that had the most all-time losses to a 13-0 season and Big Ten championship after beating reigning champ Ohio State.

As a result, AP top 25 voters were left with an easy decision when compiling the updated college football rankings moving into the playoff and bowl season.

They assigned all of their first-place votes to the Hoosiers, who predictably moved to the top of the rankings in a notable shake-up around the top-five that also saw SEC champion Georgia rise.

Where does that leave everything else in the updated top 25 college football rankings heading into the 2025 postseason?

Let’s take a look at what teams moved up, and down, and who stayed put moving into the College Football Playoff and Bowl Season, according to AP top 25 voters.

AP top 25 rankings for Bowl Season

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Indiana (66)
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Texas Tech
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10. Miami
11. Alabama
12. BYU
13. Vanderbilt
14. Texas
15. Utah
16. USC
17. Tulane
18. Michigan
19. James Madison
20. Virginia
21. Arizona
22. Navy
23. North Texas
24. Georgia Tech
25. Missouri

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

AP top 25 biggest movers

Indiana (Up 1). The historic Hoosiers moved up 1 spot from No. 2 to the top of the rankings after finishing a 13-0 season by beating undefeated Ohio State to win the Big Ten championship.

Ohio State (Down 2). The reigning national champions were just three points worse than Indiana on the field, and despite the tough loss to end the season, are still a favorite to win another title.

Georgia (Up 1). For the second-straight year, the Bulldogs are SEC champions, this time taking out Alabama to move up 1 place in the rankings and clinch a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.

Miami (Up 2). The idle Hurricanes took advantage of losses by higher-ranked Alabama and BYU to move back into the top-ten as playoff selection nears.

Tulane (Up 4). Champions of the American Conference, the Green Wave are the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the playoff, too.

North Texas (Down 3). Runners-up in the American Conference, the Mean Green failed to get their offense together against Tulane, but have done enough to stay in the rankings.

Other teams receiving votes

These teams got votes on AP top 25 ballots, but not enough to be included in the rankings this week

Houston 82, Iowa 74, Tennessee 61, New Mexico 21, Duke 18, Boise State 16, UNLV 10, USF 10, SMU 8, Arizona St. 6, Louisville 6, UConn 5, Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3, Kennesaw State 3, Illinois 2, Iowa State 2, Western Michigan 1, TCU 1.

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