Saturday Down South Top 25 Poll

Heading into the 2024 season, we’re launching the new Saturday Down South top 25 rankings. Each week during the regular season, our panel of experts will rank the top 25 teams in the nation. Those votes will be combined into the SDS consensus rankings.

As of Thursday, December 5, 2024, here are the teams that make up the Saturday Down South Top 25:

1. Oregon (8) — 200 points

2. Texas — 190 points (↑1)

3. Notre Dame — 179 points (↑1)

4. Penn State — 174 points (↑1)

5. Georgia — 167 points

6. Tennessee — 157 points (↑2)

7. SMU — 149 points (↑2)

8. Ohio State — 144 points (↓6)

9. Indiana — 135 points (↑1)

10. Boise State — 127 points (↑1)

11. South Carolina — 124 points (↑2)

12. Alabama — 113 points (↑2)

13. Arizona State — 102 points (↑3)

14. Ole Miss — 100 points (↑1)

15. Miami — 96 points (↓8)

16. Iowa State — 77 points (↑1)

17. BYU — 64 points (↑3)

18. Clemson — 63 points (↓6)

19. Mizzou — 51 points (↑2)

20. Colorado — 41 points (↑2)

21. Syracuse — 35 points (NEW)

T22. Illinois — 28 points (↑1)

T22. UNLV — 28 points (↑3)

24. Army — 23 points (NEW)

25. Memphis — 14 points (NEW)

Also receiving votes: Texas A&M (11), Louisville (5), Tulane (2), Florida (1)

Below, check out our polls from previous weeks.

Post-Week 13 Poll

1. Oregon (8) — 200 points

2. Ohio State — 192 points

3. Texas — 177 points

4. Notre Dame — 169 points (↑3)

T5. Penn State — 165 points

T5. Georgia — 165 points (↑4)

7. Miami — 153 points (↑3)

8. Tennessee — 148 points (↑3)

9. SMU — 133 points (↑4)

10. Indiana — 130 points (↓6)

11. Boise State — 127 points (↑1)

12. Clemson — 106 points (↑5)

13. South Carolina — 97 points (↑5)

14. Alabama — 93 points (↓6)

15. Ole Miss — 92 points (↓9)

16. Arizona State — 86 points (↑4)

T17. Tulane — 56 points (↑3)

T17. Iowa State — 56 points (↑5)

19. Texas A&M — 55 points (↓4)

20. BYU — 43 points (↓6)

21. Mizzou — 35 points (NEW)

22. Colorado — 34 points (↓6)

23. Illinois — 25 points (NEW)

24. Kansas State — 22 points

25. UNLV — 20 points (↓1)

Also receiving votes: Army (14), Syracuse (5), Memphis (2)

Post-Week 12 Poll

1. Oregon (8) — 200 points

2. Ohio State — 192 points

3. Texas — 176 points

4. Indiana — 171 points (↑1)

5. Penn State — 162 points (↑1)

6. Ole Miss — 156 points (↑2)

7. Notre Dame — 150 points (↑3)

8. Alabama — 147 points (↑1)

9. Georgia — 140 points (↑3)

10. Miami — 131 points (↑1)

11. Tennessee — 123 points (↓7)

12. Boise State — 109 points (↑2)

13. SMU — 104 points

14. BYU — 95 points (↓7)

15. Texas A&M — 92 points

16. Colorado — 76 points

17. Clemson — 73 points

18. South Carolina — 68 points (↑5)

19. Army — 64 points (↓1)

T20. Tulane — 45 points (↑5)

T20. Arizona State — 45 points (NEW)

22. Iowa State — 29 points (NEW)

23. Washington State — 20 points (↓2)

T24. UNLV — 9 points (NEW)

T24. Kansas State — 9 points (↓4)

Also receiving votes: Mizzou (6), Illinois (6), James Madison (1), Memphis (1)

Post-Week 11 Poll

1. Oregon (8) — 200 points

2. Ohio State — 192 points

3. Texas — 180 points (↑2)

4. Tennessee — 165 points (↑3)

5. Indiana — 163 points (↑1)

6. Penn State — 155 points (↑1)

7. BYU — 151 points (↑2)

8. Ole Miss — 140 points (↑7)

9. Alabama — 138 points (↑2)

10. Notre Dame — 135 points

11. Miami — 121 points (↓7)

12. Georgia — 117 points (↓9)

13. SMU — 110 points (↓1)

14. Boise State — 100 points (↓1)

15. Texas A&M — 88 points (↑1)

16. Colorado — 63 points (↑4)

17. Clemson — 62 points (↑1)

18. Army — 60 points (↑1)

19. LSU — 50 points (↓5)

20. Kansas State — 48 points (↑1)

21. Washington State — 46 points (↑1)

22. Mizzou — 39 points (↑1)

23. South Carolina — 33 points (NEW)

24. Louisville — 23 points (↑1)

25. Tulane — 12 points (NEW)

Also receiving votes: Arizona State (3), Iowa State (2), Georgia Tech (2), Louisiana (1), Pitt (1)

Post-Week 10 Poll

1. Oregon (8) — 200 points

2. Ohio State — 187 points

3. Georgia — 185 points

4. Miami — 177 points

5. Texas — 166 points

6. Indiana — 152 points

T7. Penn State — 148 points

T7. Tennessee — 148 points

9. BYU — 141 points

10. Notre Dame — 135 points

11. Alabama — 104 points

12. SMU — 101 points

13. Boise State — 99 points

14. LSU — 95 points

15. Ole Miss — 93 points

16. Texas A&M — 88 points

17. Iowa State — 78 points

18. Clemson — 67 points

19. Army — 65 points

20. Colorado — 39 points

21. Kansas State — 38 points

22. Washington State — 35 points

23. Mizzou — 18 points

24. Pitt — 11 points

25. Louisville — 10 points

Also receiving votes: South Carolina (8), Tulane (5), Vanderbilt (3), Texas Tech (2), Louisiana (1), Minnesota (1)

Post-Week 8 Poll

1. Oregon (8) — 200 points (↑1)

2. Georgia — 187 points (↑1)

3. Ohio State — 179 points (↑1)

4. Penn State — 177 points (↓1)

T5. Texas — 166 points (↓4)

T5. Miami — 166 points (↑1)

7. LSU — 141 points (↑2)

8. Clemson — 139 points (↓1)

9. Tennessee — 137 points (↑2)

10. Iowa State — 127 points

11. Indiana — 121 points (↑4)

12. BYU — 119 points

13. Notre Dame — 104 points

14. Texas A&M — 99 points

15. Alabama — 75 points (↓7)

16. Kansas State — 74 points (↑1)

17. Boise State — 66 points (↓1)

18. Illinois — 65 points (↑3)

19. Mizzou — 54 points (↓1)

20. Pitt — 52 points (↓1)

21. Ole Miss — 46 points (↓1)

22. Army — 35 points

23. Navy — 32 points (↑1)

24. SMU — 27 points (↓1)

25. Vanderbilt — 9 points (New)

Also receiving votes: Colorado (1), UNLV (1), Washington State (1)

Post-Week 7 Poll

1. Texas (5) — 197 points

2. Oregon (3) — 195 points (↑1)

3. Penn State — 176 points (↑2)

4. Ohio State — 173 points (↓2)

5. Georgia — 171 points (↓1)

6. Miami — 165 points

7. Clemson — 145 points (↑1)

8. Alabama — 138 points (↓1)

9. LSU — 137 points (↑2)

10. Iowa State — 124 points (↑2)

11. Tennessee — 122 points (↓2)

12. BYU — 113 points (↑4)

13. Notre Dame — 104 points

14. Texas A&M — 100 points

15. Indiana — 93 points

16. Boise State — 73 points (↑5)

17. Kansas State — 68 points (↑2)

T18. Mizzou — 52 points (↑2)

T18. Pitt — 52 points (↑5)

20. Ole Miss — 51 points (↓10)

21. Illinois — 44 points (↑1)

22. Army — 22 points (↑2)

23. SMU — 21 points (New)

24. Navy — 19 points (↑1)

T25. Arizona State — 9 points (New)

T25. Nebraska — 9 points (New)

Also receiving votes: Oklahoma (8), Vanderbilt (7), Arkansas (7), Michigan (4), Utah (2), Washington State (1)

Post-Week 6 Poll

1. Texas (5) — 196 points (↑1)

2. Ohio State (3) — 195 points (↑1)

3. Oregon — 179 points (↑5)

4. Georgia — 172 points (↑1)

5. Penn State — 167 points (↑1)

6. Miami — 163 points (↑1)

7. Alabama — 156 points (↓6)

8. Clemson — 134 points (↑3)

9. Tennessee — 130 points (↓5)

10. Ole Miss — 127 points (↑4)

11. LSU — 116 points (↑1)

12. Iowa State — 104 points (↑4)

13. Notre Dame — 100 points (↑2)

14. Texas A&M — 92 points (↑8)

15. Indiana — 87 points (↑5)

16. BYU — 78 points (↑2)

17. Utah — 73 points (↑2)

18. Oklahoma — 70 points (↓1)

19. Kansas State — 50 points (↑2)

20. Mizzou — 46 points (↓11)

21. Boise State — 41 points (↑3)

22. Illinois — 33 points (↓5)

23. Pitt — 22 points (New)

24. Army — 14 points (New)

25. Navy — 13 points (New)

Also receiving votes: SMU (11), Arkansas (8), Michigan (8), USC (7), Vanderbilt (4), Nebraska (1), Oregon State (1)

Post-Week 5 Poll

1. Alabama (6) — 198 points (↑4)

2. Texas (1) — 190 points (↓1)

3. Ohio State (1) — 183 points

4. Tennessee — 175 points

5. Georgia — 166 points (↓4)

6. Penn State — 157 points (↑2)

7. Miami — 152 points

8. Oregon — 151 points (↑1)

9. Mizzou — 130 points (↑2)

10. USC — 118 points (↑3)

11. Clemson — 112 points (↑4)

12. LSU — 105 points (↑4)

13. Michigan — 104 points (↑1)

14. Ole Miss — 96 points (↓8)

15. Notre Dame — 92 points (↑5)

16. Iowa State — 78 points (↑1)

17. Oklahoma — 63 points (↑4)

18. BYU — 59 points (↑4)

19. Utah — 57 points (↓9)

20. Indiana — 56 points (↑3)

21. Kansas State — 41 points (↑3)

22. Texas A&M — 39 points (↑2)

23. Louisville — 30 points (↓11)

24. Boise State — 13 points (New)

25. Illinois — 12 points (↓8)

Also receiving votes: UNLV (8), Rutgers (5), Nebraska (4), Arizona (4), James Madison (2)

Post-Week 4 Poll

1. Texas (3) — 194 points

2. Georgia (4) — 193 points

3. Ohio State (1) — 178 points

4. Tennessee — 173 points (↑2)

5. Alabama — 167 points (↓1)

6. Ole Miss — 165 points (↓1)

7. Miami — 148 points (↑2)

8. Penn State — 144 points

9. Oregon — 138 points (↑2)

10. Utah — 132 points (↑2)

11. Mizzou — 122 points (↓4)

12. Louisville — 98 points (↑6)

13. USC — 97 points (↓3)

14. Michigan — 94 points (↑5)

15. Clemson — 91 points (↑2)

16. LSU — 89 points

T17. Illinois — 64 points (↑8)

T17. Iowa State — 64 points (↑6)

19. Oklahoma State — 49 points (↓5)

20. Notre Dame — 47 points (↑1)

21. Oklahoma — 46 points (↓6)

22. BYU — 35 points (New)

23. Indiana — 19 points (New)

T24. Texas A&M — 15 points

T24. Kansas State — 16 points (↓11)

Also receiving votes: Pitt (5), Nebraska (3), UNLV (3), Boston College (3), Washington State (3), Iowa (2), Boise State (2), Arkansas (1)

Post-Week 3 Poll

1. Texas (3) — 194 points (↑1)

2. Georgia (4) — 193 points (↓1)

3. Ohio State (1) — 181 points

4. Alabama — 168 points (↑1)

5. Ole Miss — 167 points (↓1)

6. Tennessee — 165 points (↓1)

7. Mizzou — 146 points

8. Penn State — 138 points

9. Miami — 137 points (↑1)

10. USC — 134 points (↓1)

11. Oregon — 133 points

12. Utah — 109 points

13. Kansas State — 106 points (↑1)

14. Oklahoma State — 92 points (↓1)

15. Oklahoma — 86 points

16. LSU — 74 points (↑2)

17. Clemson — 65 points (↑2)

18. Louisville — 64 points (↓1)

T19. Michigan — 44 points (↑1)

T19. Nebraska — 44 points (↑2)

21. Notre Dame — 43 points (↑2)

22. Iowa State — 32 points (↓1)

23. Memphis — 21 points (New)

24. Texas A&M — 19 points (New)

25. Illinois — 16 points (New)

Also receiving votes: Northern Illinois (13), Arizona (6), UNLV (5), Indiana (3), Boston College (2)

Post-Week 2 Poll

1. Georgia (7) — 198 points

2. Texas — 190 points (↑1)

3. Ohio State — 188 points (↓1)

4. Ole Miss — 166 points (↑1)

T5. Alabama — 159 points (↓1)

T5. Tennessee — 159 points (↑7)

7. Mizzou — 144 points (↑2)

8. Penn State — 142 points (↓1)

9. USC — 141 points (↑4)

10. Miami — 138 points

11. Oregon — 126 points (↓3)

12. Utah — 119 points (↑2)

13. Oklahoma State — 94 points (↑4)

14. Kansas State — 85 points (↑2)

15. Oklahoma — 80 points

16. Arizona — 73 points (↑2)

17. Louisville — 69 points (↑4)

18. LSU — 65 points (↑2)

19. Clemson — 52 points (↑5)

20. Michigan — 39 points (↓9)

T21. Nebraska — 29 points (New)

T21. Iowa State — 29 points (New)

23. Notre Dame — 25 points (↓17)

24. Boston College — 24 points (New)

25. Syracuse — 19 points (New)

Also receiving votes: Texas A&M (11), Northern Illinois (11), Illinois (10), Washington (7), Memphis (5), Boise State (2), Iowa (1)

Post-Week 1 Poll

1. Georgia (7) — 199 points

2. Ohio State (1) — 190 points

3. Texas — 183 points (↑1)

4. Alabama — 172 points (↑1)

5. Ole Miss — 162 points (↑1)

6. Notre Dame — 153 points (↑2)

7. Penn State — 152 points (↑1)

8. Oregon — 142 points (↓5)

9. Mizzou — 138 points (↓2)

10. Miami — 125 points (↑8)

11. Michigan — 119 points (↓1)

12. Tennessee — 110 points (↑1)

13. USC — 104 points (↑10)

14. Utah — 102 points (↓1)

15. Oklahoma — 97 points

16. Kansas State — 66 points (↑1)

17. Oklahoma State — 64 points (↑2)

T18. Arizona — 51 points (↑1)

T18. Iowa — 51 points (↑3)

20. LSU — 38 points (↓9)

21. Louisville — 35 points (↑4)

22. Kansas — 33 points (New)

23. Georgia Tech — 26 points (New)

24. Clemson — 23 points (↓8)

25. NC State — 11 points (↓1)

Also receiving votes: Auburn (10), North Carolina (10), Texas A&M (9), Nebraska (6), Washington (4), Memphis (2), Boise State (2), Maryland (2), Florida State (1), Boston College (1), SMU (1), Kentucky (1)

Preseason Poll

1. Georgia (7) — 199 points

2. Ohio State (1) — 190

3. Oregon — 183

4. Texas — 179

5. Alabama — 164

6. Ole Miss — 160

7. Mizzou — 140

T8. Penn State — 138

T8. Notre Dame — 138

10. Michigan — 125

11. LSU — 117

12. Florida State — 109

T13. Tennessee — 100

T13. Utah — 100

15. Oklahoma — 88

16. Clemson — 83

17. Kansas State — 59

18. Miami — 48

T19. Oklahoma State — 47

T19. Arizona — 47

21. Iowa — 34

22. Texas A&M — 30

23. USC — 21

24. NC State — 18

25. Louisville — 15

Also receiving votes: Virginia Tech (14), SMU (14), Kansas (12), Kentucky (4), Wisconsin (3), Boise State (2), Iowa State (1)

Methodology

Each week, our team of college football experts ranks the top 25 squads in the country. A first-place vote garners 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to a 25th-place vote, which equates to 1 point for the given team.

First-place votes are indicated in the above poll after the team name, offset by parenthesis. Teams in the also receiving votes section appeared on some polls, but didn’t accrue enough points to crack the top 25.

Voters

Eight voters participate in the Saturday Down South Top 25 Poll. They are:

• Connor O’Gara — Senior National Columnist
• Brett Friedlander — Featured Columnist
• Adam Spencer — Director of DFS and Newsletter Content
• Andrew Olson — News Editor
• Paul Harvey — News Editor
• Spenser Davis — News Editor
• Derek Peterson — Betting Expert/Columnist
• Ethan Stone — Evergreen Content Specialist