College football rankings: AP Top 25 prediction in Week 9

For Associated Press Top 25 voters, there is one big puzzle to solve. Where do three previously-unbeaten teams fit in after losing in Week 8?

The trio is headlined by Ohio State. The Buckeyes came in No. 2 and few would have expected Urban Meyer’s squad to run into trouble against an unranked Purdue team. Not only did the Buckeyes lose, they lost bad – 49-20. As the Boilermakers piled on the points, you could almost feel Ohio State falling further and further. The No. 9 ranking, previously held by a one-loss Oklahoma team, seems appropriate for OSU.

NC State was a reluctantly ranked team. As an undefeated Power 5 team, the Wolfpack could not be completely ignored, but clearly, voters did not consider a true contender. Considering how many two-loss teams are ranked, it seems only fair to keep NC State in the poll. No. 23 feels like about the right place.

Cincinnati is another team that could only get noticed by the voters as one of the few unbeatens. The Bearcats are no longer undefeated, falling to Temple, but this is pretty much the same case as NC State. With so many two-loss teams ranked, it feels like Cincinnati can stay in the poll.

Two low 20s spots in the AP Top 25 will open up upon the exits of Michigan State and Mississippi State. We predict Stanford and Utah will be the teams to grab those spots, but keep and eye on Fresno State. This could be the chance for the 6-1 Bulldogs to sneak into the poll.

Here is the predicted AP Top 25 after Week 8:

1. Alabama (8-0) def. Tennessee
2. Clemson (7-0) def. No. 16 NC State
3. Notre Dame (7-0) OFF
4. LSU (7-1) def. No. 22 Mississippi State
5. Michigan (7-1) def. No. 24 Michigan State
6. Texas (6-1) OFF
7. Oklahoma (6-1) def. TCU
8. Georgia (6-1) OFF
9. Ohio State (7-1) lost to Purdue
10. UCF (7-0) def. East Carolina
11. Florida (6-1) OFF
12. West Virginia (5-1) OFF
13. Washington State (6-1) def. No. 12 Oregon
14. Kentucky (6-1) def. Vanderbilt
15. Washington (6-2) def. Colorado
16. Texas A&M (5-2) OFF
17. Penn State (5-2) def. Indiana
18. Iowa (6-1) def. Maryland
19. Oregon (5-2) lost to No. 25 WSU
20. USF (7-0) def. UConn
21. Wisconsin (5-2) def. Illinois
22. Stanford (5-2) def. Arizona State
23. NC State (5-1) lost to No. 2 Clemson
24. Utah (5-2) def. USC
25. Cincinnati (6-1) lost to Temple

SDS Staff

Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.