College football rankings: Predicting the AP top 25 poll for Week 12

Making our predictions for the AP top 25 college football rankings entering Week 12 games.

Let's lock in our predictions for what the AP top 25 college football rankings moving into the Week 12 games. / USA Today Sports | Imagn

As we pick up the pieces from the latest games on Saturday, let’s look ahead to the AP top 25 college football rankings as we head into Week 12 action.

Who’s moving up? Who’s falling down?

Note: This isn’t our ranking of the best teams, but our prediction for how AP top 25 voters will slot them in the official poll on Sunday.

Predicting the AP top 25 college football rankings for Week 12

Dropping out: Vanderbilt, Pittsburgh, Iowa State

25. Tulane. Still a contender in the AAC this season, the Green Wave pounded Temple by a 52-6 count, moving to 8-2 overall and 6-0 in conference and on a seven-game win streak that puts this team in position to take advantage of a potential spot in the AAC title picture.

24. South Carolina. Raheim Sanders ran for 3 touchdowns as the Gamecocks put away Vanderbilt in a 28-7 decision on the road, which should be enough for AP top 25 voters to dump the Dores and elevate the Gamecocks into this week’s rankings.

23. Missouri. AP top 25 voters gave the Tigers some votes last week, but after beating out Oklahoma late and emerging in the CFP rankings, we could see Mizzou get back into this poll.

22. Louisville. While the Cardinals were off this past weekend, they have maintained their position as a team to watch in the ACC title picture, just 21 combined points away from being undefeated this season, losing all three of their games by a touchdown and knocking off Clemson two weeks ago.

21. Kansas State. Idle this weekend, the Wildcats fell to 4-2 in Big 12 play after a loss against Houston and cuts into their Big 12 title hopes looking ahead to games against Arizona State and Cincinnati in which they should be favored before the finale at Iowa State, but K-State needs some help to get back into the race for Arlington.

20. Washington State. John Mateer had 4 touchdown passes and the Cougars ran for 287 yards and 3 more scores to put away Utah State and improve to 8-1 on the year.

19. LSU. Make it two straight losses for the Tigers as Garrett Nussmeier and this offense was held out of the end zone until the last few seconds of regulation while getting pounded at home by Alabama, playing some of their worst football when they needed their best, effectively eliminated from the playoff now at 6-3.

18. Colorado. Shedeur Sanders threw 3 touchdown passes and the Buffaloes’ defense forced 3 takeaways in an important road win at Texas Tech that puts Coach Prime’s team in second place in the Big 12 standings and controlling its own destiny in the conference title race.

17. Clemson. Cade Klubnik threw 3 touchdown passes after the Tigers didn’t score a point in the first half in an important comeback win at Virginia Tech coming off the Louisville loss, and still right in the ACC title picture after Miami’s loss.

16. Army. Bryson Daily returned at quarterback and ran for 153 yards and both the Black Knights’ touchdowns in a close win over North Texas, moving to 9-0 on the year and tightening their grip on the top spot in the AAC standings with a date against Notre Dame in two weeks.

15. Texas A&M. Off this past weekend, the Aggies are regrouping from a 22-point loss at South Carolina, but are still in a tie for first place in the SEC standings after Georgia lost to Ole Miss and should be a big favorite against New Mexico State next week.

14. SMU. Idle this weekend, the Mustangs are still within striking distance of winning the ACC championship as we move deeper into November football after that signature victory over Pittsburgh, but the selection committee kept this team just outside the top 12 of their rankings.

13. Boise State. Ashton Jeanty ran for 209 yards and scored 3 touchdowns in a win at Nevada that moves the Broncos to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in Mountain West play, with a 3-point loss at current No. 1 Oregon early in the year the only blemish on this record, building a strong resume for the selection committee to consider down the road.

12. Miami. The top of the ACC standings get a notable shakeup moving into November as the Hurricanes lose their first game of the season after getting upset at Georgia Tech and fall into third place behind SMU, which is undefeated in conference play, and Clemson.

11. Georgia. Some poor secondary play and another sluggish offensive showing resulted in a second loss for the Bulldogs, falling to 1-2 in those three big road tests this year, and head into what might be a playoff elimination game at home against Tennessee next weekend.

10. Ole Miss. After allowing an early touchdown, the Rebels’ smothering defense kicked into another gear and dominated at home in a 28-10 win against Georgia, a signature moment for Lane Kiffin in his tenure and for Ole Miss’ nascent playoff hopes heading into an off week before closing at Florida and at home in the Egg Bowl.

9. Alabama. Jalen Milroe punched a hole through LSU’s defense, running for 185 yards and 4 touchdowns in a signature 42-13 victory that keeps the Crimson Tide in the thick of the College Football Playoff picture in a performance the selection committee will remember.

8. Notre Dame. Riley Leonard accounted for 3 touchdowns and the Irish backs ran for over 200 yards in a beatdown against hapless Florida State, moving to 8-1 and still building their playoff bona fides with a date against Virginia next before a matchup against undefeated Army.

7. BYU. Down by 2, the Cougars led a drive for the ages to kick the game-winning field goal with seconds left and get past rival Utah in a miraculous Holy War game to stay undefeated and atop the Big 12 standings.

6. Indiana. The Hoosiers have won 10 games for the first time in program history, staying undefeated with a close victory at home against Michigan heading into an idle weekend before what could be a season-defining game at Ohio State after that.

5. Tennessee. Nico Iamaleava scored two first-half touchdowns in an eventual win against Mississippi State and, although he left that game with an injury, he should be ready for the Vols in a potentially season-defining game at Georgia next weekend with huge SEC and playoff implications.

4. Penn State. Drew Allar posted over 200 yards passing and the Nittany Lions ran for 4 touchdowns in a comfortable win against Washington coming out of the Ohio State loss and with a clear path to an 11-1 mark looking ahead to three very winnable games.

3. Texas. It was a splattering in Austin as the Longhorns pound the Gators and their third-string quarterback in a 49-17 rout as Quinn Ewers threw 5 touchdown passes and Texas moves up in the SEC standings with Georgia’s loss and with a trip to Arkansas up next.

2. Ohio State. Jeremiah Smith broke the Buckeyes’ freshman record with his 9th touchdown catch of the season in a 45-0 shellacking against hapless Purdue and moving to 8-1 with a date at Northwestern next before returning home in 2 weeks against Indiana.

1. Oregon. Dillon Gabriel threw 3 touchdown passes to put away Maryland and improve to 10-0 while further cementing the Ducks’ hold on the top spot in the Big Ten heading into the off week before closing at Wisconsin and at home against Washington.

More ... When the AP top 25 rankings come out

-

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

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks