The new AP Top 25 poll has arrived, and a lot of fans down South are not happy about who's on top this week.
The Texas Longhorns jumped one rung to take the No. 1 position for the first time in 16 years, overtaking Georgia who held the top spot for the past three weeks.
POLL ALERT: Texas is No. 1 in the AP Top 25 college football poll for first time in 16 years as Georgia drops to No. 2.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) September 15, 2024
Full poll: https://t.co/7dTTUiSC1j pic.twitter.com/dRmEnqNJe8
The devil went down to Georgia (and wrote angry posts on X)
Fans of the Bulldogs took their torches and pitchforks to X and unleashed their fury into the void on Sunday upon hearing the news. Some argued Georgia's struggles against SEC foe Kentucky proved it still belonged in the top spot because it managed to come out on top and compete in the toughest conference.
Georgia isn’t No. 1 anymore because they played a tough game vs an SEC opponent on the road, but Texas gets to be No. 1 for beating UTSA? Smh. #UGA #GoDawgs https://t.co/L7DG8ASXWb
— Yuriy Andriyashchuk🇺🇦 (@YuriyATL) September 15, 2024
Some came to Texas' defense, arguing Week 2's road dismantling of a ranked Michigan team was more than enough to provide the Longhorns with a stepping stone to this week's No. 1 spot.
Texas blew Michigan out on the road last week & UGA struggled with Kentucky. The resumes are clear who should be #1
— Nate (@205Nate) September 15, 2024
As an SEC fan I’m ok with it, Texas did put it on Michigan who was #10. It was a conference game that UGA played but only scoring 13 against Kentucky is bad. Clemson is a good win. UGA will have a chance to be back at #1 after Bama next week. Texas is best team rn on paper
— ashton (@ASHT0NMARTIN) September 15, 2024
So, who's No. 1: Texas or Georgia?
According to the voters, Texas is the best of the best (for now). Like some fans correctly noted, Georgia must go to Tuscaloosa in Week 5 (after this week's bye) and beat a Top 5 Alabama team. The Longhorns do, in fact, have the easiest remaining road schedule out of the entire SEC.
But circle the date Oct. 19. That's when Georgia travels to Austin to face Texas. The No. 1 spot will be undisputed after that day (barring Ohio State doesn't keep blowing people out for the next five weeks).
A week prior, Texas will be facing off against a Top 15 Oklahoma team in the Red River Rivalry. It'll be in Dallas, a "neutral" location, but a victory would lend even more legitimacy to its case going into the Georgia game.
To be fair, neither head coach Steve Sarkisian nor Kirby Smart probably want the No. 1 moniker. Most teams see it as a bullseye on their backs and bulletin board material for whoever was snubbed. Regardless, college football fans were just handed one of the best narratives this season could've cooked up, so enjoy it!