College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 9

Where things stand in the ESPN top 25 college football rankings after No. 1 Texas went down against Georgia, and Tennessee took down Alabama over the weekend.

What you need to know as ESPN updates the Top 25 college football rankings moving into Week 9 action. / USA Today Sports | IMAGN

Another critical weekend of consequential action across the country has pollsters reconsidering who belongs where at the top in late October. Where does that leave things in the ESPN top college football rankings as we move into the Week 9 games?

Football Power Index (FPI) college football rankings and computer prediction model are a measure of team strength that predicts a team’s future performance. 

Rankings and scores predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season and games, using a combination of key analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, team talent, recruiting, and a team’s schedule.

Teams are ranked not in order of talent like in other rankings, but by a projected point margin per game against an average team on a neutral field.

Who is moving up, and down, in the latest ESPN top 25 college football rankings this week?

College football rankings: ESPN updates Top 25 poll for Week 9

25. Wisconsin

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 3

Win total prediction: 7.4 games

The Badgers moved to 5-2 this season on a nice little 3-game win streak, scoring over 40 points in 2 of those matchups and sitting at 3-1 in Big Ten play.

24. Colorado

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 6

Win total prediction: 8.4 games

Quite a turnaround for Coach Prime's program in his second season, moving to 5-2 after an impressive victory against Arizona and still playing college football's 7th most productive passing offense behind Shedeur Sanders.

23. South Carolina

Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 3

Win total prediction: 6.9 games

A nice rebound after losing 2 straight in SEC play as the Gamecocks smothered Oklahoma's incompetent offense, scoring a pair of defensive touchdowns in a rout on the road.

22. Florida

Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 5

Win total prediction: 5.7 games

DJ Lagway and Jaden Baugh played some historic football as Gator freshmen, as the former put up 259 yards passing and the latter ran for a record 5 touchdowns in a beatdown against Kentucky.

21. Boise State

Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 1

Win total prediction: 10.7 games

Idle this past weekend, the Broncos got to rest star back Ashton Jeanty, who has 17 touchdowns this season, in preparation for a big road matchup against UNLV as this team looks to stay in contention as the Group of Five's playoff hopeful.

20. Missouri

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 1

Win total prediction: 8.7 games

Brady Cook left Saturday's game with an injury, went to the hospital, came back, warmed up at the practice facility, and went back in to lead a stunning comeback against Auburn to prevent Mizzou from dropping what would have been a second SEC loss.

19. Iowa State

Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 2

Win total prediction: 10.7 games

Another comeback helped keep the Cyclones undefeated and projected to win double-digit games after Rocco Becht led a frantic late scoring drive to hold off upset-minded UCF, winning 4 straight conference games for the first time ever.

18. Kansas State

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 3

Win total prediction: 9.9 games

Avery Johnson had a career night in a rout against West Virginia, throwing 3 touchdown passes that enabled the Wildcats to advance to 6-1 and remain in the thick of the Big 12 title race.

17. Louisville

Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 1

Win total prediction: 7.3 games

Tyler Shough led the offense while passing for 342 yards and 4 touchdowns in a gutsy back-and-forth shootout against Miami at home, but it wasn't enough as the Cardinals drop their third game in four outings.

16. SMU

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 2

Win total prediction: 10.2 games

Just 3 points away from being undefeated, the Mustangs won their fourth straight game after beating up on Stanford, moving to 3-0 in ACC play and with a winnable schedule going forward, presenting a unique threat in this conference title picture.

15. USC

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 2

Win total prediction: 6.6 games

Yes, apparently the Trojans are still ranked despite falling to 3-4 and an awful 1-4 Big Ten mark after another late collapse, this time against Maryland, but the computers still like this offense to be 2 touchdowns better than opponents, hence this lofty position in the rankings.

14. Texas A&M

Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 2

Win total prediction: 9.1 games

A little close against Mississippi State in a 10-point victory on the road, but the Aggies got 2 touchdowns from Le'Veon Moss and became the first team to start 4-0 in SEC play and riding a 6-game win streak.

13. Clemson

Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 2

Win total prediction: 10 games

Cade Klubnik had another 300 yard passing effort as the Tigers got past Virginia for their sixth-straight win and sitting atop the ACC football standings with a 5-0 conference record.

12. LSU

Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 2

Win total prediction: 9.1 games

Caden Durham ran for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns in an important moment for LSU's rushing attack in a statement win at Arkansas that brings this team to a 3-0 mark in SEC play but with a critical two-game stretch coming up, at Texas A&M and against Alabama.

11. Indiana

Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 4

Win total prediction: 10.8 games

The likely big move mover across all rankings this week, Indiana needed to pass a key test against Nebraska's defense and did more than that, dominating in a 56-7 beatdown of the Cornhuskers that proves this team can contend, and facing a winnable schedule to close out, too.

10. Miami

Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Rankings change: None

Win total prediction: 11.8 games

Cam Ward did it again, firmly planting himself in the Heisman Trophy conversation after going over 300 yards passing with 4 touchdowns in a signature victory at Louisville that keeps the Hurricanes undefeated and in the thick of the ACC title race.

9. Penn State

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Rankings change: None

Win total prediction: 10.6 games

Off this past weekend, the Nittany Lions remain undefeated and a favorite to contend in the Big Ten, but have to get past a resurgent Wisconsin team on the road first before thinking about a huge clash at home against Ohio State in two weeks.

8. Oregon

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Rankings change: None

Win total prediction: 11.4 games

Even as most rankings are expected to put the Ducks at No. 1 after some turmoil at the top, the ESPN computers like this team to be 20.5 points better than its opponents, which still isn't enough to even crack the top-five, but they are the favorite to win the Big Ten (87%).

7. Notre Dame

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 1

Win total prediction: 10.2 games

Riley Leonard ran for 2 touchdowns and the Irish relied on some strong defense to pull away from Georgia Tech looking ahead to a huge game against a ranked, undefeated Navy up next and needing to avoid a second loss this season as the specter of NIU still hangs over this team.

6. Tennessee

Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Rankings change: Up 1

Win total prediction: 10.2 games

Another slow start that raises more questions about the Vols' vertical passing game, but Dylan Sampson leads a strong backfield and this defense put on another show in an important victory against Alabama that still wasn't enough to come out ahead of the Tide in ESPN's rankings.

5. Ole Miss

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Rankings change: None

Win total prediction: 8.9 games

Off this past weekend, the Rebels are sitting at 1-2 in SEC play and yet ESPN has them ranked ahead of the LSU team they lost to, owing to a superior projected scoring margin per game. But there's no questioning the fact that this team is facing an uphill battle to get back in the playoff hunt.

4. Georgia

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Rankings change: None

Win total prediction: 9.9 games

A statement by the Bulldogs defense on the road against No. 1 Texas, playing like it desperately needed to avoid what would have been a costly second loss and proving this team still has the firepower to contend for the national title.

3. Alabama

Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Rankings change: None

Win total prediction: 9.1 games

Alabama has lost two games before the end of October for the first time since Nick Saban's first season, putting Kalen DeBoer under some intense scrutiny from an impatient fan base, and there are still games against Missouri and LSU for a team that has struggled the last three weeks.

2. Texas

Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rankings change: Down 1

Win total prediction: 10.7 games

Texas couldn't pass that first big test as an SEC team, despite playing at home as the No. 1 team with all those weapons, unable to get much momentum against Georgia's defense, and now not even the team's signature wins against Michigan and Oklahoma look that impressive.

1. Ohio State

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rankings change: Up 1

Win total prediction: 10.7 games

Plenty of fans will take issue with the Buckeyes being No. 1 after the Oregon loss, but the ESPN models project this team to be a national-best 27.5 points better than opponents going forward, but a huge litmus test for this team awaits in Happy Valley in two weeks with a ton on the line.

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