College football rankings: Predicting the AP top 25 poll for Week 9

Predicting the latest AP top 25 college football rankings as we move into Week 9

As we survey the damage from the latest slate of games on Saturday, let's look ahead to the Week 9 AP top 25 college football rankings

Who's moving up? Who's moving down?

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 on Sunday

Related: How the AP top 25 is made | CFP rankings schedule

Predicting the AP top 25 rankings

25. USC. The Trojan defense struggled yet again, this time against a Utah attack that ranks among college football's least productive, and although Caleb Williams helped take a late lead, the quarterback is now 0-3 against the Utes. At 2 losses, Southern Cal is almost certainly out of the playoff now.

24. UCLA. The Bruins took care of business at Stanford in a comfortable 42-7 win in which Carson Steele ran for three touchdowns.

23. James Madison. Not bowl eligible despite being 7-0 after making the move from FCS, the Dukes come off a 20-9 win over Marshall.

22. Tennessee. The Vols had a 20-7 lead over Bama at halftime but couldn't stop a second-half scoring surge that included a lost Joe Milton fumble that went for 7 the other way.

21. Tulane. Michael Pratt had 3 TD passes, including the winner with 2:34 left, and the Green Wave skirted past UNT to move to 6-1 and stay at No. 1 in the AAC.

20. Duke. The Blue Devils took an early lead on the Seminoles on the road, but Riley Leonard's re-aggravated injury threw the offense out of rhythm and Duke falls to 5-2.

19. Air Force. College football's top rushing team used a 94-yard TD pass and a pick-six to beat Navy, which had 0.6 yards per carry and 3.5 yards per pass in the loss.

18. Louisville. Idle

17. North Carolina. Despite being 23.5 point favorites against 1-win Virginia, the Tar Heels dropped a shocker at home to the Hoos, as Drake Maye's final pass was intercepted.

16. Missouri. Still at No. 2 in the SEC East after a 34-12 decision over South Carolina heading into the open week with a trip to Georgia after that.

15. LSU. Jayden Daniels went 11 of 15 passing and the Tigers had two 100-yard receivers in a thrashing of the U.S. Military Academy to stay at No. 2 in the SEC West with a date at Alabama in a couple weeks.

14. Notre Dame. Idle

13. Utah. Wideout/safety Sione Vaki caught 2 TD passes off 5 total grabs and the Utes' previously-anemic offense came to life against the Trojan D, kicking the game-winner as time expired.

12. Ole Miss. The Rebs played close at Auburn early on thanks to some gaffes and a flubbed field goal, but pulled away in the second half to hang around the SEC West title chase.

11. Oregon State. Idle

10. Alabama. Despite trailing the Vols at halftime, the Tide mounted a second-half comeback, scoring 27 unanswered points to move to 7-1 and in the driver's seat in the SEC West pecking order.

9. Penn State. The passing attack evaporated, the ground game stymied, and even the Nittany Lions' top-ranked defense finally gave way late in a loss at Ohio State. PSU is now 0-13 against AP top 10 opponents on the road since 2010 and still awaits that program-defining win to break through in the tough Big Ten East. Michigan awaits in 3 weeks.

8. Oregon. Bucky Irving ran for 2 TDs and the Ducks had 248 yards rushing against the Cougars to stay at third-place in the Pac-12 standings.

7. Texas. Some concern around Quinn Ewers after the quarterback left the game with an injury, while the Longhorns snuck out of Houston with a close win.

6. Oklahoma. The Sooners played it close with UCF at home all day and needed to thwart a 2-point conversion at the end to win it, but stay perfect this week.

5. Washington. Michael Penix didn't throw a TD pass in a strangely close win over Arizona State as the Huskies offense ground to a halt, running for 13 yards and suffering four turnovers.

4. Florida State. Despite trailing a ranked Duke at home early on after some fourth down flops and a pick-six, the Seminoles scored 21 unanswered points in the second half and Jordan Travis accounted for 3 touchdowns to stay perfect.

3. Ohio State. The Buckeyes' defense came to play, holding Penn State to 1 of 16 on third down and Marvin Harrison, Jr. broke through with a late score to put the game away and stay undefeated in the Big Ten East race.

2. Michigan. The Wolverines bedeviled the Spartans from start to finish and could earn more No. 1 votes this week as a result.

1. Georgia. Idle

---

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks