College Football Rankings: AP Top 25 Teams Moving Up, Down in Week 4

At least one team in the top ten of this week’s AP top 25 college football rankings was going to lose their game, but it looks like voters will have some other decisions to make at the top of the poll coming out of an active Saturday across the country.

The return of Lane Kiffin to Ole Miss, this time on the LSU sideline, was billed as the game of the week, and it didn’t disappoint, spoiling what was supposed to be a statement for the coach and instead turned into one for the playoff hopeful Rebels.

Rankings reflect AP top 25 poll

Moving up: Ole Miss

College Football Rankings: AP Top 25 Teams Moving Up, Down in Week 4 — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last week’s ranking: No. 8

Revenge. Catharsis. Call it what you want, but the Rebels pulled out arguably the statement victory of the season after taking down Lane Kiffin and LSU in the coach’s return to the school he left behind for apparently greener pastures in Baton Rouge.

Trinidad Chambliss put out a perfect start for the Rebels’ offense early on, helping build a formidable 24-7 halftime lead, and the quarterback answered LSU’s comeback bid with confidence, orchestrating a clutch late drive and running for a 14 yard touchdown.

Ole Miss could very well get some No. 1 votes in the new poll and may have done enough to jump Ohio State and move just outside the top-five in Week 4.

Moving down: LSU

Last week’s ranking: No. 7

You could be forgiven for thinking Kiffin’s Tigers were out of it in the first half, but they kept fighting, scoring 17 unanswered points to tie the game at 24 apiece in the fourth quarter, but LSU’s defense was ultimately unable to stop Chambliss and Sam Leavitt’s last-ditch fourth down pass was tipped and intercepted in the end zone.

Playing close on the road in that environment and mounting the comeback, combined with Texas A&M’s expected drop, should cushion LSU’s expected fall in the rankings this week, possibly to No. 10 or just outside.

Moving down: Texas A&M

Last week’s ranking: No. 9

After putting up a fight in two quarters against Alabama, this time Kentucky put up a fight in four and took down the Aggies on the road in a statement win for new head coach Will Stein, scoring 28 unanswered points against the A&M defense.

That defense allowed Kentucky to lead three different 75-yard plus touchdown drives in the second and third quarters and then the Ags’ offense failed to convert on a fourth and 2 from their own 33-yard line in the second half. Losing to an unranked opponent at home could find Texas A&M emerge as the biggest negative mover in the poll this week.

Moving up: Texas Tech

Last week’s ranking: No. 13

DENIED ❌@TexasTechFB stops Houston on the two-point conversion attempt! pic.twitter.com/KJ1pz1FO3T
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 19, 2026

They say football is a game of inches, but the Red Raiders’ defense had only centimeters between a game-tying two-point conversion and what instead was a two-point win over ranked Houston in a critical early test against a Big 12 insurgent title threat.

Some of Texas Tech’s defensive losses were apparent in what was a close game at home, failing to really corral the Cougar skill threats most of the night, and while it won a 10th straight matchup in Lubbock, Tech also surrendered more than 17 points for the first time in that span.

Moving down: Houston

Last week’s ranking: No. 23

Losing an early season road test against the defending Big 12 champion when you have designs on taking their place is never ideal, and the Cougars’ two-point loss at Texas Tech could prove costly for those ambitions down the line, but they also proved they can throw down with the conference’s best team right down to the wire. That’s not nothing, but it may not be enough to avoid falling out of the poll this week.

Moving up: Louisville

Last week’s ranking: No. 23

One of the most consequential early tests in the ACC went decisively in the Cardinals’ favor in a 41-31 win against ranked SMU at home, as Keyjuan Brown ran for a personal-best 163 yards and 2 touchdowns to seal a game that saw 8 lead changes.

Lincoln Keinholz, the former Ohio State quarterback, looks the part of a starter for Louisville, able to spread the field with a cadre of solid skill outlets, and the Cards’ rushing attack finally came to life with some explosive plays on the ground.

Moving down: SMU

Last week’s ranking: No. 16

Despite running almost two dozen more plays and having the football four minutes longer than Louisville, the Mustangs’ offense was unable to fully capitalize, turning the ball over on downs twice, both leading to Louisville touchdowns, and Kevin Jennings had a pair of giveaways and a 1-1 ACC record early.

Who else can move?

– No. 25 Virginia could fall out of the poll after a loss at home to unranked West Virginia and with other teams just outside the top 25 that will get a vote increase this week.

– Now 3-0, Mississippi State will be one, receiving 17 votes in last week’s poll, but it should see that total get a nice boost after passing a big test at South Carolina, which conversely will lose possibly all of their 15 votes this week.

– Florida, which was effectively the No. 27 team last week, should be due for a rise after enduring a shootout on the road against Auburn.

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