AP top 25 poll: Miami tumbles, Alabama rises in Week 9 college football rankings

More chaos for the AP top 25 college football rankings coming out of a Carnage Saturday, including around the very top of the poll heading into Week 9.

Where things stand in the new AP top 25 college football rankings coming out of a hectic Saturday and moving into Week 9 action. | David Leong-Imagn Images

Mayhem reigned on the field over the weekend, as nine ranked teams lost their games, including two of the top-five and four of the top-ten, leaving voters with quite a dilemma as they vote on the new AP top 25 college football rankings moving into Week 9.

Miami predictably tumbled from the No. 2 position after its shocking upset loss against Louisville on Friday night, its first loss of the season, one of three then-unranked teams to upset ranked opponents.

Indiana moved into the second position behind near-consensus No. 1 Ohio State, but the AP pollsters gave the Hoosiers six first-place votes, awarding the other 60 to the reigning champion Buckeyes.

Alabama and Georgia moved into the top-five of the rankings this week following huge victories against ranked SEC competition, Tennessee and Ole Miss, respectively, resulting in a drop for those losers as we move deeper into October.

Where do things stand in the updated AP top 25 college football rankings as we look ahead to an active slate of Week 9 games?

Let’s take a look at the teams that moved up, slid down, and stayed put in this week, according to the AP voters.

AP top 25 college football rankings for Week 9

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Ohio State (60)
2. Indiana (6)
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Georgia Tech
8. Ole Miss
9. Miami
10. Vanderbilt
11. BYU
12. Notre Dame
13. Oklahoma
14. Texas Tech
15. Missouri
16. Virginia
17. Tennessee
18. USF
19. Louisville
20. LSU
21. Cincinnati
22. Texas
23. Illinois
24. Arizona State
25. Michigan

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

Other teams receiving votes

These teams received votes from AP pollsters, but not enough of them to qualify for the top 25 football rankings this week

USC 97, Utah 40, Tulane 37, Houston 34, Navy 28, San Diego State 7, James Madison 6, Boise State 4, TCU 2, Minnesota 1.

AP top 25 biggest movers

LSU (Down 10). The biggest drop in this week’s rankings came as the Tigers lost their second game of the season, on the road against Vanderbilt, putting Brian Kelly’s tenure in some peril facing a tough stretch over the next couple weeks.

Vanderbilt (Up 7). On the other side of that game, the Commodores crack the top 10 of the AP poll for the first time since 1941 and playing some of their best football ever.

Tennessee (Down 6). A potentially-costly second loss for the Vols, who came out on the wrong end of results against Georgia and now Alabama.

Georgia (Up 4). This isn’t anything like the Georgia defenses of old, but it did enough at the right time and this offense proved it can attack when their back is against the wall in a critical win against undefeated Ole Miss.

Ole Miss (Down 3). The loss at Georgia wasn’t too costly for the Rebels, who stay in the top 10 this week on the back of an otherwise-strong resume.

Miami (Down 7). Their undefeated season ruined, the Hurricanes have a little less margin for error in their quest to play for the ACC title.

BYU (Up 4). A win over rival Utah, combined with Texas Tech’s loss, further cements the Cougars as the favorite in the Big 12 right now.