Associated Press Top 25 poll voters hit a new, ridiculous low with this week's results
AP Top 25 Poll Faces Fresh Scrutiny Over SEC Placement and Team Résumés
Maine News Now
The latest Associated Press Top 25 college football poll has renewed questions about how voters evaluate team résumés, conference strength, and early-season results, with several Southeastern Conference schools drawing attention for their placement despite multiple losses.
Florida remains ranked even after losing three games by double-digit margins. The Gators fell 45-17 at Missouri, 38-19 to South Carolina, and 27-8 to Georgia on Saturday. Those defeats accompany wins over Ole Miss and Texas, results that carry less weight after both opponents faltered in recent weeks.
South Carolina, ranked No. 23, has also lost three times. The Gamecocks were beaten by Mississippi State and Kentucky, and fell 49-18 to Alabama. Their entry into the rankings followed a win over Oklahoma, though they did secure a walk-off victory against Tennessee.
Missouri is ranked No. 19 despite a résumé that includes a 31-3 loss to Ole Miss and a defeat to Mississippi State in a game featuring Kamario Taylor. The Tigers’ most notable win came against Florida, though that victory has lost some luster as the Gators’ record has slipped.
Texas checks in at No. 10 with losses to Oklahoma and at home to Florida. The Longhorns narrowly escaped Ohio State and beat Ole Miss, but their two unimpressive losses have fueled debate over their position.
The conversation stretches beyond the SEC. Notre Dame is ranked No. 4 at 7-1, having played a schedule that critics describe as light. The Irish lost their stiffest test on the road at BYU and recorded wins over Wisconsin, Rice, Michigan State, Purdue, North Carolina, Stanford, and Navy. Their placement puts them ahead of undefeated UCLA and one-loss Indiana.
UCLA is the only team in the Big Ten or SEC without a loss. The Bruins have beaten Wisconsin at home and Oregon on the road. Northwestern, meanwhile, is unranked despite just two losses, both narrow, to Indiana and Oregon.
Texas Tech provides another comparison. The Red Raiders have one loss, at Cincinnati, and two victories over ranked teams in a competitive Big 12. They sit at No. 13.
SEC coaches, including Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian, have spent weeks pushing back against the conference’s move to a nine-game schedule and calling for scheduling consideration. Observers note that SEC programs continue to receive strong poll support even as those arguments are made.
Some analysts argue the rankings reflect a continued reliance on brand names rather than present performance. The transfer portal and name, image, and likeness rules have compressed talent differences across the sport, they say, reducing the value of historical reputation. Indiana’s national championship run is often cited as evidence that programs outside the traditional elite can rise to the top.
The rankings matter beyond bragging rights. The AP Top 25 feeds into the conversation around the College Football Playoff selection committee, whose decisions determine the postseason field.
Much of the current skepticism may fade as November provides a larger body of work. For now, the poll remains a focal point for those who believe the sport’s legacy powers are receiving more deference than their on-field results warrant.
