Don’t waste your time trying to reason with the AP voters each week. You’ll drive yourself insane keeping up with the whiplash they put you through when the new poll releases. One team makes a drastic move up the rankings after a mediocre win; another mysteriously drops out after a win. A team can have a head-to-head win over a team, yet they’re still ranked behind them. It’s unorganized chaos at its best and far worse when it’s not.
This week, you can probably pinpoint which teams fit into the above formula the AP voters used this week and it caused a lot of conflicting logic. Here’s all the ways the AP voters churned up confusion after the latest AP top 25 poll release.
Texas being ranked behind Ohio State, Alabama is criminal
I understand that Ohio State was ranked No. 5 after last week, but they simply can’t be ranked over Texas and the Longhorns defeated it earlier this year. That also proves maybe they didn’t punish Ohio State as much as they should after giving up 21, fourth-quarter points in the Buckeyes’ only loss this season. Why play the games if they don’t matter? Sure, Texas lost to Oklahoma, an unranked team, but to drop them behind a team they beat in Week 2 just feels wrong. Almost as wrong as having them ranked behind Alabama.
The Crimson Tide lost at home to Georgia on Saturday night and stayed ranked at No. 6. It’s interesting the Crimson Tide didn’t drop at all, despite their only ranked win being Mississippi State before the latest rankings – Kentucky got back into the rankings this week at No. 15. Not only does Texas have a win over Ohio State, but also Tennessee. Had Alabama won, there’s clearly an argument for them to be the second-best SEC team in the rankings and possibly even the best. They didn’t though, which is why Texas, which has the stronger resume, should be ranked ahead of them.
LSU still being ranked continues to show SEC bias
Look at LSU’s schedule this season. Its best win right now is Texas A&M, when the Aggies were the 23rd-ranked team. Now the Aggies are a three-loss conference team on the verge of implosion. Why is LSU still ranked after its second loss of the season, no ranked wins and two ranked losses? This is very much like the Notre Dame treatment we saw last year — the Fighting Irish remained ranked after starting the year 0-2. SEC bias is real and it’s clear the AP voters are giving the benefit of the doubt to a team that plays in a loaded conference.
What if a Big 12 or ACC team had LSU’s resumé through six games? Would they still be ranked? We’re not judging these teams based on the schedule they’re about to play; it’s based on the schedule they’ve played to this point. And LSU’s resume is weak. Being ranked No. 22 after a loss to an unranked team at the time is the epitome of SEC bias.
UCLA’s dramatic move up the rankings after mediocre win over Oregon
UCLA didn’t look great in its win over Oregon yet the undefeated Bruins moved up from No. 21 to No. 12. Are the Bruins really a CFP playoff team right now? Oregon had six turnovers in the game and in the end it was a stopped 2-point try and sealed the win for UCLA. Oregon has a strong resume despite its two losses, beating USC and Boise State. The loss to Oklahoma State looks a lot worse than it did, but this isn’t about Oregon. UCLA looks like a sleeper team, but they aren’t fringe CFP right now.
The Bruins haven’t played any respectable opponents this season other than Oregon and somehow have convinced the AP voters they’re one of the best teams this season. Don’t be shocked if UCLA loses a game they shouldn’t. This team hasn’t really been tested and has been rewarded with a path to the CFP – assuming the CFP selection committee follows the AP voters ranking philosophy.
Mississippi State has defeated Missouri this season and is still ranked behind them
Another case of a team that has a head-to-head win over a team ranked ahead of them. Not even a month ago, Mississippi State got its first marquee win of the 2026 season and the AP voters aren’t even acknowledging it was a respectable win. Missouri, on the other hand, is yet another SEC team with a mediocre schedule and getting moved up the rankings. Give Missouri credit for dismantling Florida all you want. Now the Gators aren’t ranked, so that win doesn’t mean much of anything.
Just like college football fans attacked the CFP selection committee for their inconsistencies with head-to-head matchups, it’s time to hold AP voters accountable as well.
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