Utah moves up two spots in latest AP Top 25 poll

The Utes look to regain momentum coming off a bye week

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Utah Utes enjoyed a productive bye week, moving up two spots to No. 16 in the latest AP Top 25 college football poll. Despite not playing, the Utes benefited from a chaotic weekend in college football, as several top teams faltered, allowing them to slide up the rankings.

The Big 12's highest-ranked team, Iowa State, surged five spots to No. 11 after a strong performance, positioning themselves just outside the top ten. In Utah's backyard, BYU also made gains, climbing to No. 14 in the poll. Both Utah and BYU’s rises reflect the unpredictable nature of the latest rankings.

One of the most surprising upsets came when last week’s No. 1 team, Alabama, suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Vanderbilt. The Commodores earned their first victory over a top-five team in 61 attempts and their first win against Alabama since 1984. This upset reshaped the top of the rankings, allowing Texas to reclaim the No. 1 spot. Alabama’s loss wasn’t the only surprise, as No. 4 Tennessee was upset by Arkansas, No. 10 Michigan lost to Washington, and No. 11 USC fell to Minnesota.

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The top five teams in the country now feature Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Georgia, in that order, highlighting the new hierarchy in college football.

Utah will look to continue their climb in the rankings when they face Arizona State this Friday in a late-night showdown on ESPN. With several top teams struggling, the Utes have an opportunity to further improve their standing with a strong performance on the road.