College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Rivalry Week

Where things stand in the updated ESPN top 25 college football rankings coming out of Saturday's games and looking ahead to the regular season finale in Week 14.

The updated ESPN top 25 college football rankings for Week 14. | USA Today Sports | Imagn

Heading into the regular season finale of action this Saturday, let’s take a look at the updated ESPN top 25 college football rankings as we look ahead to the Rivalry Week games.

How is this poll made? Football Power Index (FPI) college football rankings and computer prediction model are a measure of team strength that predicts a team’s future performance. 

Rankings and predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season and games, using a combination of key analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, team talent, recruiting, and a team’s schedule.

Teams are slotted not in order of talent like in other traditional rankings, but by a projected point margin per game against an average team on a neutral field.

College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Rivalry Week

25. LSU

Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 3

ESPN is keeping LSU in its rankings this week after a ho-hum 13-10 win against Western Kentucky, but the real question remains if the school will be able to land Lane Kiffin as its next head coach after reportedly offering him quite a bundle.

24. Auburn

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Rankings change: None

Deuce Knight had an Auburn debut they won’t forget, accounting for 6 total touchdowns in a beatdown against Mercer, and now heads into a massive Iron Bowl in which they can become bowl eligible and potentially knock Alabama out of the playoff at the same time.

23. SMU

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Rankings change: Up 2

Kevin Jennings had over 300 yards passing and 4 total touchdowns in a decisive 38-6 win over Louisville to stay in contention for the ACC championship, with just a road date against Cal to finish out next week.

22. Iowa

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Rankings change: Down 1

A last-second field goal put the Hawkeyes ahead of Michigan State for good, improving to 7-4 with a 5-3 mark in Big Ten play with just a game at Nebraska left to close out.

21. Washington

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Rankings change: Up 2

Demond Williams accounted for 4 touchdowns and the Huskies had a 59-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown to house UCLA at the Rose Bowl in the late night action, improving to 8-3 heading into the regular season finale against rival Oregon at home.

20. Missouri

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Rankings change: Down 1

Sloppy execution and bad special teams helped conspire against the Tigers in a road test against new playoff hopeful Oklahoma, and Mizzou slipped to 7-4, with a road trip against winless in SEC play Arkansas to close out and get to 8 wins.

19. Penn State

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Rankings change: Up 1

ESPN’s computer models have loved the Nittany Lions through it all this season, and that hasn’t changed this week coming off a big win over Nebraska at home, and now all they have to do is beat Rutgers in the finale to become bowl eligible and make something of an awful season.

18. Michigan

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Rankings change: None

Going without both lead rushers Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, the Wolverines got more than enough from Bryson Kuzdzal, who ran for 100 yards and scored 3 times to put Maryland away heading into the rematch against undefeated and top-ranked Ohio State at the Big House.

17. Vanderbilt

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Rankings change: None

Diego Pavia accounted for more than 500 yards and 5 total touchdowns in a 45-17 win over Kentucky, and if they can get past rival Tennessee next week, there’s an outside chance the ‘Dores could get into the College Football Playoff.

16. Tennessee

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Rankings change: None

DeSean Bishop ran for over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Vols overpowered the rival Gators in the Swamp for the first time since 2003, building a 31-0 lead before coasting in the second half. Big Orange closes at home against resurgent Vanderbilt.

15. BYU

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Rankings change: Down 1

LJ Martin ran for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns and the Cougars forced a pair of turnovers to take down Cincinnati on the road and stay in a tie for first place in the Big 12 standings. They close at home against UCF.

14. Oklahoma

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Rankings change: Up 1

John Mateer had 2 touchdowns and played turnover-free football as the Sooners edged out Missouri at home to stay on the right side of the College Football Playoff bubble. With two losses, Oklahoma still has no margin for error heading into the finale against LSU.

13. Ole Miss

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Rankings change: None

Off this past weekend, the Rebels have plenty going on. For one, they’re 10-1 and a sure thing for the College Football Playoff. But for another, Lane Kiffin appears to be on the way out, either for LSU or Florida. Or is he? We’ll know more after the Egg Bowl.

12. Texas

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Rankings change: None

Arch Manning became the first Longhorns player to throw for, catch, and run for a touchdown in a big win over Arkansas that just keeps their playoff hopes alive, but hanging on by a thread with undefeated Texas A&M coming in next weekend.

11. USC

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Rankings change: Down 1

Jayden Maiava was able to pull off some deep plays against Oregon’s defense on the road for a time, but ultimately the Trojans couldn’t do enough in a 42-27 loss that again puts Lincoln Riley’s game management on the road in question, and dooms Southern Cal’s remaining playoff ambitions.

10. Miami

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Rankings change: Up 1

Carson Beck had 4 touchdowns and no picks in a 17-point victory at Virginia Tech to move to 9-2 and despite their being on the outside of the ACC title picture, the Hurricanes are still the conference’s highest-ranked team in the playoff poll.

9. Texas A&M

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Rankings change: None

Marcel Reed threw 2 touchdowns and the Aggies’ ground game added 3 more scores in a 48-0 thrashing of one-win Samford, but they’ll face a stiffer test against rival Texas on the road in next Saturday’s regular season finale with their undefeated record on the line.

8. Utah

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 1

A wild back and forth shootout ended in the Utes’ favor in a 51-47 result against Kansas State on the back of two late touchdowns to stay just outside the top two of the Big 12 standings, behind the Texas Tech and BYU teams Utah lost to earlier this season.

7. Texas Tech

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Rankings change: Up 1

Surprisingly not the highest-placed Big 12 team in ESPN’s latest rankings until just this week, the Red Raiders were off this week and will be big favorites against West Virginia in the regular season finale, and headed for a spot in the conference championship game.

6. Georgia

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Rankings change: Down 2

Gunner Stockton didn’t have any touchdown passes, but the Bulldogs ground game did the heavy lifting with 5 scores of their own to put away Charlotte in preparation for next week’s finale against rival, and ACC title contender, Georgia Tech.

5. Alabama

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Rankings change: Up 1

Ty Simpson wasn’t his usual self with no touchdown passes and 2 interceptions, but the Tide backs ran for 8 touchdowns in a 56-0 demolition of Eastern Illinois in Cupcake Week before a road test in the Iron Bowl with some serious playoff implications. They get a bump in ESPN’s rankings this week owing to the margin of victory, which this poll is based on.

4. Oregon

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Rankings change: Down 1

Faced with a chance to buoy their own playoff hopes and doom USC’s, the Ducks lived up to the challenge, getting some big plays from their offense to improve to 10-1 and basically punch a ticket for the postseason. Just a trip to Washington remains.

3. Notre Dame

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Rankings change: Up 2

If the College Football Playoff pickers wanted style points, the Fighting Irish gave them 70, scoring 3 touchdowns on defense and special teams and adding 6 more scores from their potent backfield in a rout against Syracuse to stay firmly in the bracket this week.

2. Indiana

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Rankings change: None

Off this past weekend, the Hoosiers are the consensus No. 2 team in college football and look like a sure thing for the Big Ten Championship Game, owning the nation’s highest average margin of victory, undefeated, and a big favorite against Purdue next week.

1. Ohio State

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Rankings change: None

Julian Sayin hit 13 of 19 passes for 2 touchdowns and Bo Jackson went over 100 yards rushing with 2 more scores as the Buckeyes predictably smashed Rutgers by a 42-9 count, but the real test comes next, at the Big House against rival Michigan in The Game.