SEC Claims Six of Top Seven Rankings as Notre Dame Falls to No. 18

In a historic shake-up following the first significant week of the college football season, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has dominated the AP Top 25 rankings. An unprecedented six of the top seven spots were claimed by SEC teams, marking the first time this has happened in the 88-year history of the polls. Meanwhile, Notre Dame faced a significant drop, falling to No. 18 after a surprising home loss.

Georgia solidified its position as the number one team, receiving 54 of the 63 first-place votes. No. 2 Texas experienced a rise in the rankings after a decisive victory against reigning national champions Michigan on their home turf, earning four first-place votes. This ranking is the Longhorns’ highest since they finished second back in 2009.

The defeat was tough for Michigan, which was knocked down to No. 17 following this loss. Ohio State from the Big Ten Conference dropped one spot to No. 3, and the SEC continued to make its presence felt with Alabama holding steady at No. 4 and Mississippi rising to No. 5.

Missouri saw a significant boost, moving up three spots to capture the No. 6 position. Tennessee also made headlines, jumping from No. 14 to No. 7 after defeating North Carolina State in a commanding performance in Charlotte.

The SEC, now consisting of 16 teams with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, seems poised for a strong season, possibly rewriting records as new rivalries take shape in the conference. Holding six of the top seven rankings is a reflection of the growing power of superconferences in college football.

Additionally, the season witnessed a considerable upset. Notre Dame’s 16-14 loss to unranked Northern Illinois marked the first defeat of a top-five team to a team outside the rankings since November 2022. This historic loss marked a notable achievement for Northern Illinois, being the first Mid-American Conference team to beat a top-five opponent, landing them at No. 25 in the rankings.

This ranking is a significant milestone for NIU, as it is their first appearance in the polls since 2013, making them the first non-Power Four conference team to break into the rankings this season.

Completing the top 10 are No. 8 Penn State, No. 9 Oregon, and No. 10 Miami. The Ducks fell two spots after a thrilling comeback victory against Boise State, reflecting the highly competitive nature of this season.

Northern Illinois was one of four teams making their debut in the rankings this week, alongside Nebraska, which claimed the No. 23 spot. This notable ranking is the Cornhuskers’ first since 2019, following a strong win against Colorado, striving to break a long absence from the polls since 2016.

It is crucial to note that Nebraska holds the record for the longest consecutive presence in the AP polls, a staggering 348 weeks from 1981 to 2002 under head coach Tom Osborne. Alabama currently has the second-longest active streak with 264 weeks in the rankings.

The shake-up at the bottom of the rankings saw teams like Kansas, Iowa, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina State fall out after defeats. Iowa State’s victory over Iowa allowed them to switch places in the standings, and Georgia Tech’s brief appearance in the polls ended following a loss to Syracuse, while Boston College managed to secure the No. 24 spot, marking their first ranking since 2018.

Historically, the SEC has held four of the top five spots previously, but this current achievement represents a significant escalation in conference dominance. The top-ranked teams reflect the strength of competing conferences: SEC leads with eight teams, followed by the Big Ten with six, the Big 12 with five, and the ACC with four. The MAC and Independent teams round out the rankings with one each.

Looking to next week, No. 20 Arizona is set to face No. 14 Kansas State in a nonconference matchup, while No. 24 Boston College will take on No. 6 Missouri, promising exciting matchups as teams continue to jockey for position in the rankings.

Source: AP News