AP top 25 poll: Michigan, Texas rise in Rivalry Week college football rankings

Where things stand in the new AP top 25 college football rankings after Saturday's action and looking ahead to a very consequential Rivalry Week.

The updated AP top 25 college football rankings for Rivalry Week. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There were some minor changes around the top-ten of the AP top 25 college football rankings, but plenty more movement near the bottom of the poll as we come out of Saturday’s action and look ahead to a very consequential Rivalry Week.

AP voters were impressed with what Oregon did, beating conference rival USC by 15 points in a quasi-playoff elimination game, to jump the Ducks over idle Ole Miss and back into the top-five as we draw nearer to Selection Sunday.

Michigan jumped over Texas despite both winning on Saturday, and with each heading into marquee rivalry games — Ohio State and Texas A&M, respectively — with playoff implications next weekend.

Missouri and Houston fell out of the rankings entirely after losses over the weekend, and voters replaced them with a pair of ACC title insurgents, notably Pittsburgh after its statement win over league contender Georgia Tech, and SMU after a win over Louisville.

Where does that leave everything in the updated top 25 college football rankings heading into the 2025 regular season finale?

Let’s take a look at what teams moved up, and down, and who stayed put in Week 14, according to AP voters.

AP top 25 rankings for Rivalry Week

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Ohio State (58)
2. Indiana (7)
3. Texas A&M (1)
4. Georgia
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas Tech
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10. Alabama
11. BYU
12. Vanderbilt
13. Miami
14. Utah
15. Michigan
16. Texas
17. Virginia
18. Tennessee
19. USC
20. James Madison
21. North Texas
22. Tulane
23. Georgia Tech
24. Pittsburgh
25. SMU

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

AP top 25 biggest movers

Texas (Up 1). Arch Manning made history as the first Longhorn to throw for, catch, and run for a touchdown in a single game to beat Arkansas and just stay around the playoff bubble with a massive test against undefeated rival Texas A&M next week.

USC (Down 3). With playoff consideration on the line and at two losses with no room for mistakes, the Trojans came out of Oregon a 15-point loser and out of the postseason field for good.

Tulane (Up 2). Jake Retzlaff accounted for 3 touchdowns as the Green Wave got past Temple to stay among the top two in the American Conference, and should remain as the Group of Five selection in the playoff bracket this week.

Georgia Tech (Down 8). All the Wreck had to do was beat Pittsburgh and they would make the ACC Championship Game. Instead, after a loss at home, that conference is thrown into a little more turmoil heading into the regular season finale.

Michigan (Up 3). Even without their two lead backs, the Wolverines got enough from third-stringer Bryson Kuzdzal, who ran for 3 scores to push past Maryland, and now return home against rival Ohio State with a chance to put a dent in the playoff race.

Other teams receiving votes

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

Arizona State 77, Navy 44, Missouri 23, Arizona 20, San Diego State 19, Washington 16, Iowa 10, UNLV 7, USF 4, UConn 3, Wake Forest 2, Illinois 1.