College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 8

Coming out of the latest Saturday of action, let’s take a look at the updated ESPN top 25 college football rankings as we look ahead to the Week 8 games.

It was another Upset Saturday across college football, with eight teams in the AP top 25 rankings losing their games, resulting in some major changes across the national polls as we move deeper into the second full month of the 2025 season.

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 scores 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 rankings, but by a projected point margin per game against an average team on a neutral field.

Where do things stand in the ESPN top 25 college football rankings this week?

College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 8

25. Florida State

Rankings change: Down 1

Win prediction: 7.1 games

A curious addition for the ESPN computers this week, considering the Seminoles dropped their third-straight game of the season, falling to 3-3 after allowing Pittsburgh’s freshman quarterback to lead a 476 yard offensive effort at Doak, and suddenly that early-season promise is up in smoke.

24. Auburn

Rankings change: Down 1

Win prediction: 6.3 games

It would appear that the Hugh Freeze era on The Plains may be coming to an end after an uninspiring loss to rival Georgia that saw the offense put up one quick touchdown, but not do very much after that. Jackson Arnold ran for a score but was held out of the end zone throwing the ball and no receiver went over 50 yards. Auburn is 0-3 in the SEC, but still somehow in ESPN’s computer rankings.

23. Nebraska

Rankings change: Down 1

Win prediction: 8.6 games

Just three points against Michigan away from being undefeated, the Cornhuskers rallied to take down Maryland on the road thanks to an 8-1 yard scoring drive led by quarterback Dylan Raiola, moving to 5-1 and not playing another currently-ranked team for the remainder of the season.

22. Washington

Rankings change: Up 5

Win prediction: 8.7 games

A new entry into the ESPN top 25 rankings this week, the Huskies improved to 5-1 on the season with a 38-19 victory over Rutgers, as quarterback Demond Williams came away with career-bests in both passing and rushing, but two difficult matchups await this team, on the road against Michigan and at home opposite Illinois.

21. Penn State

Rankings change: Down 2

Win prediction: 6.0 games

Disaster. Complete disaster for a Nittany Lions program that was talked about as a national championship contender coming into the season, but is now a dismal 3-3 after a third-straight loss, this time to lowly Northwestern, and they lost quarterback Drew Allar for the season in the process from a lower leg injury. They’re ranked here, why?

20. Oklahoma

Rankings change: Down 5

Win prediction: 7.7 games

Questions will naturally be raised about whether or not the Sooners brought quarterback John Mateer back to the field a little too quickly. He was not on point in the Red River Shootout, throwing no touchdowns and three interceptions in a loss against rival Texas, and now OU faces arguably college football’s toughest remaining schedule.

19. BYU

Rankings change: Up 1

Win prediction: 9.8 games

With their back against the wall and on the verge of certain defeat, the Cougars scored a touchdown with seconds left to force overtime, and then did the rest to take down Arizona in extra time to stay undefeated with Utah up next.

18. LSU

Rankings change: Down 1

Win prediction: 8.3 games

Garrett Nussmeier had 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and once again the LSU ground game failed to gel, not scoring any points in a 20-10 win over South Carolina, although the Tiger defense did hold LaNorris Sellers to no touchdowns on the night. Now 2-1 in SEC competition, LSU plays a tough three-game stretch with road dates at Vandy and Bama and hosts undefeated Texas A&M.

17. Michigan

Rankings change: Down 5

Win prediction: 8.3 games

A second road loss against a marquee opponent this season for the Wolverines, who couldn’t get to 14 points out west against USC, and didn’t get much going from its usually-efficient run game, just getting over 100 total yards and with no touchdowns.

16. Vanderbilt

Rankings change: None

Win prediction: 8.4 games

Idle this past weekend following their first loss of the season at Alabama, the Commodores get some rest heading into a tough two-game stretch against SEC hopefuls LSU and Missouri, but both of those games come at home.

15. Missouri

Rankings change: Up 3

Win prediction: 8.4 games

College football’s ninth-ranked scoring offense was held to almost exactly half its usual output in a 27-24 loss at home to Alabama, its first defeat in 15 straight home games, held to just 1 of 10 on third down and sitting 1-1 in SEC play with two road dates at Auburn and Vanderbilt coming up.

14. Utah

Rankings change: Up 7

Win prediction: 9.4 games

A bad loss at home against resurgent Texas Tech made the Utes an afterthought for a time, but very dominant wins against West Virginia and then ranked, reigning Big 12 champ Arizona State, rushing for 6 touchdowns in the latter case this past weekend, will change that narrative. Utah scored 90 combined points in the victories.

13. Tennessee

Rankings change: Down 2

Win prediction: 8.9 games

Big Orange found themselves in a little shootout at home against unranked Arkansas. Tied at 17 entering the halftime break, the Vols added 17 straight points to get a little breathing room in a 3-point victory. But their run defense will have to improve with games against Alabama and Oklahoma still to come in a tough second half of the season.

12. Ole Miss

Rankings change: Down 5

Win prediction: 10.2 games

Not quite what was expected from the Rebels coming off an idle weekend that followed a signature win over LSU, but both sides of the ball looked listless in a three-point win against unranked Washington State. Still undefeated at 6-0, they head into two critical road tests at Georgia and then Oklahoma.

11. Texas A&M

Rankings change: Up 2

Win prediction: 9.9 games

Marcel Reed passed for 1 touchdown and ran for another and the Aggies ran for 2 more scores while this defense held Florida to 3 points across the final 3 quarters to improve to 6-0 with a perfect 3-0 mark in SEC play, and looking ahead to a winnable schedule and a credible path to the College Football Playoff.

10. Texas Tech

Rankings change: Up 4

Win prediction: 11.5 games

Cameron Dickey was responsible for more than half the Red Raiders’ entire offensive output by himself, rushing for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns while the defense held Kansas to three scoreless quarters in a dominant 42-17 victory, moving to 6-0 with a road date against Arizona State next weekend.

9. USC

Rankings change: Up 1

Win prediction: 9.0 games

An important victory for Lincoln Riley and the Trojans at home against ranked Michigan, rushing for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns while Jayden Maiava connected on 2 scores to star wideouts Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, avoiding a second-straight loss and improving to 5-1 with a big date at ranked Notre Dame next weekend.

8. Miami

Rankings change: Up 1

Win prediction: 11.7 games

Off this past Saturday, the Hurricanes jumped into the No. 2 position in the AP rankings following a signature win at Florida State. Still undefeated, they’re not projected to play another ranked opponent for the rest of the regular season.

7. Texas

Rankings change: Up 1

Win prediction: 8.4 games

Arch Manning was able to put some of the criticism behind him in an important win against Oklahoma, and while the numbers won’t pop off the page, the quarterback positively impacted the game while the Longhorns’ inspired defense did the rest, picking up a critical victory looking ahead to a more difficult slate going forward.

6. Georgia

Rankings change: None

Win prediction: 9.9 games

Not much went right for the Bulldogs’ offense much of the night, but their defense locked in after the first quarter, and Gunner Stockton led drives that resulted in 20 unanswered points. A home date against undefeated Ole Miss awaits Georgia next.

5. Oregon

Rankings change: Down 3

Win prediction: 9.9 games

Still highly placed in the ESPN rankings despite the loss at home against Indiana, the Ducks’ offense didn’t look its usual confident self in the face of a tough defense, and suddenly their College Football Playoff credentials don’t look so great, either, after Penn State’s shocking collapse.

4. Notre Dame

Rankings change: Up 1

Win prediction: 9.4 games

Leading NC State by a close 10-7 count in the first half, the Fighting Irish were able to pull away after the break as quarterback CJ Carr had 342 yards and 2 touchdowns while Jeremiyah Love rushed for 2 more scores in a 36-7 win that propels the Golden Domers to a 4-2 overall record with a big date against USC at home up next.

3. Alabama

Rankings change: None

Win prediction: 10.3 games

Ty Simpson had 200 yards passing with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions, including a game-clinching TD drive in the fourth quarter to sneak out of Missouri with a three-point win that moves the Tide to 3-0 in SEC play with rival Tennessee paying a visit next, but this run game still leaves plenty to be desired, posting 2.8 yards per carry.

2. Indiana

Rankings change: Up 2

Win prediction: 11.8 games

Curt Cignetti lost just two games in less than two years and went to the College Football Playoff in Year 1, but the knock against him was road losses against highly-ranked teams. Not anymore, as the Hoosiers went into Oregon and ended their 18-game home win streak in a double-digit win, not just with flashy offense, but on the back of a strong defensive performance. Indiana is on track for another playoff bid.

1. Ohio State

Rankings change: None

Win prediction: 11.9 games

College football’s most suffocating defense snatched three takeaways and the Julian Sayin-led offense converted them into 21 points in a comfortable victory on the road against ranked Illinois, preserving the Buckeyes’ perfect record heading into a road test at Wisconsin next Saturday.

College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 8

25. Florida State

24. Auburn

23. Nebraska

22. Washington

21. Penn State

20. Oklahoma

19. BYU

18. LSU

17. Michigan

16. Vanderbilt

15. Missouri

14. Utah

13. Tennessee

12. Ole Miss

11. Texas A&M

10. Texas Tech

9. USC

8. Miami

7. Texas

6. Georgia

5. Oregon

4. Notre Dame

3. Alabama

2. Indiana

1. Ohio State

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