College football rankings: Predicting the AP top 25 poll for Week 10

Let's take a crack at predicting what the Week 10 college football rankings could look like

As the dust settles around the latest slate of games on Saturday, let's look ahead to the next AP top 25 college football rankings

Note: this isn't our ranking of the best teams, but our prediction for how top 25 voters will slot them in the official poll

College football rankings: Predicting the AP top 25 poll for Week 10

Predicting the Week 10 college football rankings / USA Today Images

25. Arkansas. Three bad losses dumped the Hogs from the rankings, but two straight wins - and scoring a combined 93 points against BYU and Auburn - plus steady play from KJ Jefferson and Raheim Sanders could get this team back in the top 25. 

24. Cincinnati. That 19-game AAC win streak is history after losing a close one to UCF, throwing a curve into Cincy's conference title aspirations.

23. NC State. Not having Devin Leary has hurt this offense, but the Wolfpack rallied from behind against Virginia Tech at home, winning by 1 point and moving to 6-2.

22. Kentucky. An ugly loss for the Wildcats, whose season is slipping away fast as Will Levis didn't even eclipse 100 yards passing and threw 3 picks in a bad outing at Tennessee.

21. Tulane. Off this week, the Wave's AAC title hopes got some big help after Cincinnati's loss and could inch up the rankings with other teams losing.

20. Wake Forest. The Deacs collapsed in the third quarter, handing over six turnovers to Louisville in that frame alone, and eight overall, including two pick-sixes, in an ugly loss.

19. Syracuse. Make that two straight losses after Notre Dame dropped a season-high 41 points on a good Orange defense. 'Cuse made it close midway through but ultimately couldn't hold back the Irish, falling to 6-2.

18. Oklahoma State. Despite a strong defense and college football's No. 3 scoring attack, the Pokes dropped a 48-0 decision at K-State, the worst shutout for a top 10 team since 1966 and its own worst loss this century.

17. North Carolina. Drake Maye turned in another solid performance in a nice win over Pitt, including a 21-point fourth quarter to maintain UNC's lead in the Coastal Division at 7-1.

16. Kansas State. Backup quarterback Will Howard and Deuce Vaughn teamed up to smack Oklahoma State in a 48-0 shutout and took a firm hold on second place in the Big 12 chase.

15. Penn State. Sean Clifford and this offense proved they could hang with Ohio State, but they also showed they can't hold onto the ball when it counted most and now this team is 0-2 against the Big Ten East's best teams.

14. LSU. Idle this Saturday, the Tigers welcome Alabama next weekend in a consequential matchup for the SEC West title chase in what is Brian Kelly's biggest test by far in his debut season.

13. Illinois. A comfortable win over Nebraska brings the Illini to a 7-1 mark for the first time since 2001 and inching closer to the Big Ten West crown behind one of college football's better rushing attacks.

12. Ole Miss. The Rebs needed every minute to hold off the Aggies, but ran for almost 400 yards on the ground to keep this team at 8-1, its best mark since the 1962 national title season.

11. Utah. No Cameron Rising as the QB deals with a new injury, but Bryson Barnes did just enough to knock off Wazzu. A clash with Oregon is coming in three weeks' time.

10. UCLA. DTR and Zach Charbonnet can take this team places, but the loss to Oregon could hurt the Bruins in the Pac-12 title hunt. There are four winnable games left and a toss-up against USC to come.

9. USC. The Trojans returned from the bye week with a 45-37 win over Arizona, leaving some persistent concerns over its defensive consistency, but Caleb Williams and company are still elite: the QB hit 411 yards passing with 5 TDs and no picks while USC stacked up over 200 yards rushing.

8. Oregon. Bo Nix accounted for six TDs in a win at Cal, keeping the Ducks on a win streak, now at seven games, and scoring more than 40 points each time out.

7. TCU. Another close win for the Frogs, this time at West Virginia, and this team is still undefeated through eight games. But it has no margin for error as the lowest-ranked among perfect teams.

6. Alabama. Off this weekend, the Crimson Tide comes back from their rest going into a road game at LSU that will impact the SEC West title chase. Lose another game, and Bama's College Football Playoff dreams are toast.

5. Clemson. Also idle in Week 9, the Tigers should stay put in the top 25 rankings ahead of a crucial trip to Notre Dame next week. Last time Clemson was at ND was 2020, and lost as the No. 1 team.

4. Michigan. The Wolverines took care of business against Sparty in a rivalry game that's getting increasingly testy in recent years, staying perfect and looking like they will be heading into The Game.

3. Tennessee. Another 40-plus point performance for Big Orange in a statement win over Kentucky that included a stellar performance from its much-maligned pass defense. Could the Vols be the No. 1 team in the first College Football Playoff rankings?

2. Ohio State. J.T. Tuimoloau turned in arguably the best game by an OSU defensive player ever, stacking up takeaways and scoring a pick-6, while the Bucks' offense found its footing after a slow start at Penn State. A comeback win on the road to a ranked conference rival is what College Football Playoff selectors like to see.

1. Georgia. Still perfect after a win over rival Florida, even if the Gators made it interesting in the second half, the Bulldogs head into a titanic clash with Tennessee that looks like the East Division's play-in game for the SEC title.

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