College Football Rankings: ESPN Shakes Up the New Top 25 Poll for Week 5

With all the ranked teams taking losses across the country this weekend, there is bound to be significant changes to the new ESPN top 25 college football rankings as we close out the first month of the 2026 season.

A total of eight teams in the AP top 25 poll lost their games on Saturday, resulting in some important movements as we move into October. Where do things stand in the latest ESPN rankings?

ESPN Updates the New Top 25 College Football Rankings

25. Iowa

College Football Rankings: ESPN Shakes Up the New Top 25 Poll for Week 5 — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rankings change: Up 3

Reese Vander Zee came through with an elegant touchdown grab in the corner of the end zone to complete a gutsy 91 yard scoring drive that put the Hawkeyes ahead for good at Michigan, completing a rare win at the Big House and giving Iowa a 1-0 start in Big Ten play with Ohio State next.

24. Auburn

Rankings change: None

For the first time in 672 days, the Tigers won a game at home against an SEC opponent after taking down Vanderbilt in a 21-15 decision. Auburn’s last win on the Plains against a conference team was against Texas A&M in 2024.

23. Michigan

Rankings change: Down 3

Bryce Underwood led a more confident Wolverines passing attack at home, finishing with over 100 yards passing to two different receivers, a first for UM at home in 24 years, but the Michigan defense couldn’t stop Iowa’s last-second touchdown drive, falling in the Big Ten opener.

22. Pittsburgh

Rankings change: Up 3

Mason Heintschel became the first player in ACC history to throw for six-plus touchdowns in multiple games in the same season, and is the first college football quarterback to do so since 2021 in the Panthers’ rout against Bucknell heading into a road trip against Virginia Tech.

21. Oklahoma

Rankings change: Down 7

When he wasn’t accounting for three of his team’s turnovers, John Mateer covered 231 yards in the air, but this offense didn’t score in the first half and had just 65 total rushing yards while averaging 1.9 yards per carry in a 41-13 loss at Georgia. Even the Sooners’ intrepid defense finally gave way. It led the SEC in scoring before this game. It doesn’t anymore.

20. Mississippi State

Rankings change: Up 2

With a signature win against Missouri at home, the Bulldogs are 4-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1944-45, and they snapped a 14-game losing streak in AP ranked matchups, the longest such streak in the history of the poll, since 1936.

19. Ole Miss

Rankings change: Down 6

Leading that emotional win at home against Lane Kiffin and LSU last week was good and all, but clearly the Rebels didn’t have the game plan to stop Florida on the road. Not having Kewan Lacy didn’t help, but this defense still allowed 52 points in an important road test against an insurgent SEC opponent that will count against them come playoff selection time.

18. USC

Rankings change: None

It happened again. Chalk another loss up to the Trojans’ defense, which couldn’t stop the Oregon offense at home, even with the Ducks playing their backup quarterback when Dylan Raiola stepped in for Dante Moore, who was seriously injured as a result of a late hit. USC has allowed 83 points to Oregon in their last two meetings.

17. BYU

Rankings change: Up 2

Idle this past weekend, the Cougars are still hovering around the top of the Big 12 standings behind Texas Tech coming off that 41-23 win over Colorado State and going into a road date against TCU next weekend.

16. Texas A&M

Rankings change: Down 5

Mike Elko’s program is in a nosedive after losing two straight games and falling to 0-2 in SEC play following an ugly 29-point loss at LSU. Marcel Reed completed 10 passes and the Aggies ran for 2.8 yards per carry and the offense didn’t score a touchdown.

15. Penn State

Rankings change: Down 3

Matt Campbell’s first season at Happy Valley was going well against overmatched non-conference teams, but his defense gave way late in a surprising loss against unranked Wisconsin at home, a result that counts against him early in his tenure.

14. Nebraska

Rankings change: Up 7

Anthony Colandrea played turnover-free football and the Cornhuskers ran for 2 touchdowns to move to 4-0 heading into a winnable game against Maryland before a two-game stretch against Indiana and Oregon that will prove more decisive tests.

13. Texas Tech

Rankings change: Up 4

Austin Romaine stunned with two consecutive interceptions that he returned for touchdowns, but on the other side Will Hammond proved a little too generous himself, handing over 3 interceptions to Sam Houston, but the Red Raiders pulled away to score 28 unanswered points in a solid 49-14 win.

12. Utah

Rankings change: Up 3

Wayshawn Parker ran for 54 yards on the first play from scrimmage and posted a career-best 174 yards as the Utes put away Iowa State on the road by a 31-17 count, winning their first Big 12 engagement going into a home matchup against Kansas.

11. Tennessee

Rankings change: Down 1

Josh Heupel needs to start over coming up with a way to protect his quarterback, who was sacked 10 times and the Volunteers’ offensive line allowed a dozen other tackles for loss in an otherwise close 20-17 loss to No. 1 Texas at home, dropping to 0-1 in SEC competition and hosting Auburn next.

10. Florida

Rankings change: Up 6

Aaron Philo only threw the ball six times in the second half and the Gators’ offense still scored 35 points in a romp at home against No. 4 Ole Miss. Florida piled up 302 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground to put the Rebels away and suddenly Jon Sumrall’s operation looks like a credible challenger in the early SEC title picture. Games against Texas and Georgia will tell a clearer story in the weeks to come.

9. Oregon

Rankings change: None

There is considerable concern for quarterback Dante Moore, who left the game at USC after taking a dirty, late hit, but Dylan Raiola lived up to his five-star pedigree, leading six scoring drives to put away the Trojans and keep Oregon on the right side of the very early playoff picture out of the Big Ten.

8. LSU

Rankings change: None

Needing to avoid a second-straight loss after an emotional trip to Ole Miss a week ago, LSU returned to Death Valley and completely dominated Texas A&M in arguably the most convincing performance of the weekend, but there are also injury concerns for quarterback Sam Leavitt and linebacker Whit Weeks.

7. Indiana

Rankings change: Down 2

A little close for comfort for much of the reigning champs’ Friday night game against Northwestern to open Big Ten play, but Lee Beebe had 203 rushing yards to help pull out a close 29-23 victory, and now IU has won 20 straight games while allowing 24 or fewer points, the second-longest such streak ever, and became just the eighth FBS program in the last 15 years to win 20 straight overall.

6. Alabama

Rankings change: Up 1

Keelon Russell passed for 4 touchdowns with no turnovers and the Tide ran for 2 more scores to pound South Carolina in a 49-18 rout to improve to 2-0 in SEC play heading into a crucial road test against undefeated Mississippi State next Saturday, with dates against Georgia and at Tennessee after that.

5. Miami

Rankings change: Up 1

Darian Mensah became the first FBS passer in the last 30 years to have more touchdown passes (14) than incompletions (12) through his first four games as the Hurricanes cruised against Central Michigan heading into a road trip against Clemson.

4. Texas

Rankings change: Down 2

Arch Manning did his part, covering 201 yards in the air, but the Longhorns’ defense was the MVP of Saturday’s win at Tennessee, with edge rusher Colin Simmons tying a single game school record with 5 sacks, but Texas itself also allowed 6 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, giving them something to work on going forward.

3. Ohio State

Rankings change: Down 2

After breaking one school record last week, Jeremiah Smith tied another by scoring four receiving touchdowns in a game and he is the first Buckeye to make 10-plus receptions with 4 scoring plays in one day, beating out Illinois by a 42-19 count before going to Iowa.

2. Notre Dame

Rankings change: Up 2

In their last three games against Purdue, the Fighting Irish scored 66, 56, and 49 points, the latter coming in Saturday’s win on the road, as CJ Carr had 3 touchdowns in the air and 1 on the ground. Next week finds the Golden Domers at North Carolina to tangle with Bill Belichick.

1. Georgia

Rankings change: Up 2

As many expected, the Bulldogs had no issue with the Sooners and their anemic offense, taking the ball away four times and Chauncey Bowens scored twice on 9 carries. Georgia became the third team in SEC history to win each of its first four games by 28 or more points, and jumped to No. 1 based on its dominant performance against a Power Four conference opponent, pounding OU by a 41-13 count.

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