theref960
The Associated Press Top 25 poll is bracing for another significant reshuffling when it is released on Sunday afternoon. For the fourth consecutive week, a team ranked No. 1 or No. 2 suffered a defeat at the hands of an unranked opponent, and a total of seven ranked teams fell in Week 9.
The most impactful loss came from No. 2 Ohio State, which was without injured quarterback Julian Sayin and dropped a 30-18 decision at Southern California. The Buckeyes, now with two losses this season, are likely to take a substantial tumble, especially with Oregon visiting Columbus next Saturday.
Miami, meanwhile, escaped North Carolina with a 38-35 victory and is expected to hold onto the No. 1 ranking for a third straight week. With Ohio State's defeat, No. 6 Utah is positioned to crack the top five for the first time since 2019, thanks to its 49-25 win over Cincinnati.
Significant changes are also anticipated at the bottom of the poll, as six teams ranked between Nos. 17 and 25 lost. No. 17 Florida fell to No. 3 Georgia, No. 19 SMU lost to Syracuse, No. 20 Northwestern was beaten by Oregon, No. 22 Arizona lost to No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 24 Oklahoma State fell to Iowa State, and No. 25 Wisconsin was shut out 30-0 by Iowa.
Key Analysis
Iowa's dominant shutout of Wisconsin should propel the Hawkeyes back into the rankings after a one-week absence. USC, fresh off its first top-five win since the 2018 Rose Bowl against Penn State and its highest-ranked victory since beating Oklahoma in the 2004 national championship game, could also re-enter the poll. Additionally, New Mexico, off to a 7-1 start, may earn its first-ever ranking.
Originally reported by theref960.