Following an exciting slate of college football games today, the calendar flips to November with Week 10 college football rankings and the first College Football Playoff rankings of the year
Our CFP rankings and top-25 rankings are the same after Week 9, with our evaluations of each program based on how we would sort them into a CFP picture. While there were only a few ranked versus ranked games in Week 9, there’s still plenty of movement in our top 25.
Dropped from rankings: Duke Blue Devils (20), North Carolina Tar Heels (16)
Let’s dive into our top 25 college football rankings after Week 9.
Week 10 college football rankings: Top 25 after Week 9
25. UCLA Bruins
- Previously: Unranked
- Next Opponent: UCLA vs Arizona
The UCLA Bruins had to overcome some early turnovers on Saturday night, but quarterback Ethan Gabers and the running tandem of TJ Harden and Carson Steele delivered once again. There are plenty of instances this year where Chip Kelly’s squad has stumbled, but the Bruins have won two in a row. UCLA is higher in the consensus top 25 rankings, we’re just a little more skeptical based on efforts against Utah and Oregon State.
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24. USC Trojans
- Previously: 21st in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: USC vs Washington
Nothing we’ve seen from the USC Trojans in the last month suggests this team can even be on the same field as Washington (Nov. 4) or Oregon (Nov. 11). It’s not just the Trojans’ defense anymore. Lincoln Riley’s system hasn’t put Caleb Williams in the best position to be effective and keeping defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has backfired as everyone expected. At this point, a four-loss season seems predictable for USC and it might be five losses for a team with a generational talent at quarterback.
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23. Utah Utes
- Previously: 13th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Arizona State vs Utah
With Cam Rising officially out for the season and a looming matchup against Washington (Nov. 11), this will likely be Utah’s last appearance in the top 25 rankings. In Week 9, Oregon outgained the Utes 390 to 241 even while losing the time of possession battle. While plenty of blame falls on the defense, Utah just can’t beat great teams when it has to start its backup quarterback every Saturday.
22. Oregon State Beavers
- Previously: 11th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Oregon State vs Colorado.
The Oregon State Beavers ran into DJ Uiagaelelei’s deficiencies in Week 9. Simply put, the former five-star recruit just doesn’t have the accuracy, decision-making or ability to make plays outside of structure to consistently win, especially in difficult spots. The loss robs Oregon State’s chance of cracking the top-10 for the first time in years and things will get much more difficult from here. The Beavers’ tenure in our college football rankings is nearing its conclusion.
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21. Kansas Jayhawks
- Previously: Unranked
- Next Opponent: Kansas vs Iowa State
No one who watched the Kansas Jayhawks lose to Oklahoma State on Oct. 14 would’ve predicted they would take down the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners two weeks later. Of course, that’s the beauty of college football. This was a monumental win for the Jayhawks and it could be the spark needed that carries over into double-digit wins.
Related: Week 10 college football schedule
20. Liberty Flames
- Previously: 23rd in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Louisiana Tech vs Liberty
The Liberty Flames schedule might be one of the easiest in college football, but look at how many undefeated teams are remaining after Week 9. Not only is Liberty undefeated, but the Flames’ offense has scored 42 points in consecutive weeks and it has won by double-digits six times this year.
Related: College Football Playoff picture
19. James Madison Dukes
- Previously: 22nd in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: James Madison vs Georgia State
It wasn’t always pretty for James Madison in Week 9, but Jordan McCloud, Reggie Brown and Elijah Sarratt paved the way to victory. Just like with Liberty, the FPI and strength of schedule aren’t on the Dukes’ side. However, undefeated teams have to be recognized and James Madison is now 8-0 entering November.
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18. Tulane Green Wave
- Previously: 24th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Tulane vs East Carolina
The Tulane Green Wave are often carried to victories by quarterback Michael Pratt, but it was actually running back Makhi Hughes that came through clutch on Saturday night. It was a bit closer against Rice than we expected, but Tulane’s lone defeat on the year remains the game Pratt didn’t get to play in. We do need to see more from the Green Wabe’s defense, which has allowed 1,489 total yards and 100 points in its last four games.
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17. Tennessee Volunteers
- Previously: 17th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: UConn vs Tennessee
The Hoe Milton-Jaylen Wright combo was sensational on Saturday night. Milton completed 17-of-20 passes through the air, finishing with over 250 total yards of offense on the road in Kentucky. Of course, passing is made easier when you have a back like Jaylen Wright, who recorded his sixth 100-yard campaign of the season. This looked a lot more like the first-half Volunteers we saw versus Alabama, although, Tennessee’s defense remains a big problem. UConn should be a breeze for the Vols, but upcoming matchups against Missouri and Georgia are the real litmus tests.
16. Louisville Cardinals
- Previously: 25th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Virginia Tech vs Louisville
The Louisville Cardinals needed to rebound after what happened in Pittsburgh. Thanks to Jawhar Jordan that’s precisely what happened. Remember, the Duke Blue Devils have been feisty all year and entered Saturday with an impressive resume at 5-2. Louisville’s loss to Pitt still stings, but it’s climbing its way back toward the top 15.
15. Air Force Falcons
- Previously: 18th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Air Force vs Army
The Air Force Falcons went into Colorado on Saturday night and came away with another impressive win. While the Rams have been far from a quality team this year, the win strengthens the Falcons’ resume. One incredible thing to keep in mind, Air Force is now a virtual lock to win double-digit games for the third year in a row. If that happens, it will be the first time in this school’s history.
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14. Missouri Tigers
- Previously: 19th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Missouri vs Georgia
In order to have a chance against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Missouri Tigers definitely needed at least two weeks to prepare. It also helps that this offense is on fire as of late, scoring 340-plus points in four consecutive games. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs likely have too much depth for Mizzou to pull off the upset. Even if Missouri loses, though, this has been a phenomenal year.
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13. LSU Tigers
- Previously: 15th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: LSU vs Alabama
One can only imagine where the LSU Tigers would be right now if they had a functional defense. It cost them dearly against Florida State and Ole Miss. Theoretically, two weeks to prepare for the Crimson Tide’s offense should help and Alabama has allowed the second-highest sack rate (16.06%) in the FBS this season. Even a few stops in Week 10 could be all Jayden Daniels needs to pull off the stunner in Tuscaloosa. Unfortunately for the Tigers, defensive coordinator Matt House’s unit hasn’t earned any trust.
Related: Heisman Watch
12. Penn State Nittany Lions
- Previously: 12th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Rutgers vs Penn State
The Penn State Nittany Lions survived a scare, surprisingly playing against Indiana as if the Hoosiers were a ranked opponent. Of course, the real disappointment as of late has been the Nittany Lions’ offense that can’t get much going through the air or on the ground. It might not cost them in Maryland next Saturday, but it does put Franklin’s team in danger of a two-score loss when they host Michigan (Nov. 11).
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Previously: 14th in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Notre Dame vs Clemson
With each passing week, the loss to Louisville stings even more. It also doesn’t help that Sam Hartman’s play dropped since an outstanding first four games. He was even worse in Week 9 (2 INTs), but Audric Estime (114 yards) and Notre Dame’s defense paved the way to a blowout win . Ordinarily, a road trip to Clemson next Saturday would be a daunting test. However, the Tigers have demonstrated this season that there isn’t any power behind their bite anymore.
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Week 10 college football rankings: Best college football teams
10. Oklahoma Sooners
- Previously: No. 6 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State
The effort we saw last Saturday in a two-point victory over Central Florida carried over into Week 9. There will be a lot of finger-pointing in Norman after Saturday, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel shouldering some of the responsibility. Our biggest takeaway, though, is Brent Venables’ reputation as a brilliant defensive mind has not translated to much on-field success by his defense in recent weeks. The Sooners’ playoff hopes are effectively toast.
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9. Ole Miss Rebels
- Previously: No. 10 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Texas A&M vs Ole Miss
The victories are rarely pretty for the Ole Miss Rebels, but they do have wins over two ranked opponents this season and entered Saturday 13th in FPI. The Rebels are rarely going to win in dominating fashion and that likely includes next Saturday’s matchup at home against Texas A&M. If Lane Kiffin’s program wants more national recognition, it will need to pull off a stunner in Georgia on Nov. 11. We wouldn’t count on that happening, but Quinshon Judkins at least gives Ole Miss a shot.
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8. Texas Longhorns
- Previously: No. 7 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Kansas State vs Texas
The Texas Longhorns should be favored in every remaining game on their regular-season schedule and victories will keep them in the top 10. When stacking up the best teams in college football, though, that’s where the Quinn Ewers injury really hurts. While he’s not out for the season, starting an inexperienced quarterback always significantly reduces a team’s margin for error in each game and that puts Texas at risk of an upset loss.
Related: Texas Football schedule
7. Oregon Ducks
- Previously: No. 9 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: California vs Oregon
The Oregon Ducks needed a signature win on Saturday to sustain any slim hope of sneaking into the CFP picture. In a tough spot on the road against the Utah Utes, the Ducks came through in emphatic fashion thanks to Bo Nix. With Texas missing Quinn Ewers, the Ducks move up a spot. The path to even making the top five is difficult, but the Ducks can at least have a shot if they head into the Civil War (Nov. 24) with a 10-1 record.
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6. Alabama Crimson Tide
- Previously: No. 8 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: LSU vs Alabama
The bye week came at the perfect time for the Alabama Crimson Tide, providing a banged-up team with much-needed rest. Plus, Alabama’s offense showed a lot more life in its Week 8 victory over Tennessee and that second-half performance provided a lot to build from. As long as the Crimson Tide’s offensive line holds up against LSU’s pass rush, the Crimson Tide should roll to victory in Week 10.
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5. Michigan Wolverines
- Previously: No. 4 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Purdue vs Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines don’t have a win over a ranked opponent this season, but they are continuing to dominate in the midst of the biggest scandal in college football this season. Fortunately for Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy, they can cross off that last remaining hole on their resume in Week 11 with a victory against Penn State. While the Nittany Lions are at home, we’ll always bet on Harbaugh and McCarthy against a James Franklin-coached team.
Related: Michigan Wolverines’ J.J. McCarthy leaning in surprising direction on 2024 return
4. Washington Huskies
- Previously: No. 3 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Washington vs USC
This is it for the Washington Huskies. Led by Michael Penix Jr., head coach Kalen DeBoer’s program has won 15 consecutive games since October 15, 2023. It’s been all thanks to one of the best offenses in college football over the last two years. Now, the Huskies head into their most challenging stretch with matchups against the USC Trojans, Utah Utes and Oregon State Beavers.
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Even a 2-1 record over that span might get Washington into the playoffs and a perfect 3-0 record practically guarantees they make it. Yet, if we see performances from the Huskies like we have in the last two games, Washington might lose to Utah and Oregon State.
3. Georgia Bulldogs
- Previously: No. 5 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Missouri vs Georgia
The Georgia Bulldogs aren’t the same without Brock Bowers, but Kirby Smart and Co. have proven countless times they can overcome injury. On Saturday, Georgia’s offense did just that. Carson Beck racked up over 300 yards through the air, with Ladd McConkey stepping up for a huge performance. Between that and a strong ground game with a defense still playing at a high level, Georgia has surpassed Michigan in our eyes when comparing the top teams in the nation.
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2. Florida State Seminoles
- Previously: No. 2 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Florida State vs Pittsburgh
The Florida State Seminoles offense put on a clinic this Saturday against Wake Forest. Travis, one of the leading Heisman candidates, had one of his best performances through the air in 2023 with Trey Benson and Keon Coleman coming through with big performances. Plus, the Seminoles’ defense played well. With two quality wins on the year already, Florida State can now go for style points as it controls its destiny in the CFP race.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
- Previously: No. 1 in college football rankings
- Next Opponent: Rutgers vs Ohio State
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team in college football. Entering Week 9, the Buckeyes had the highest Football Power Index in the nation, putting them over Michigan and Georgia by a fairly significant margin. Plus, the Buckeyes’ offense has been producing through injuries to key players. Victories over Notre Dame – on the road – and against Penn State further demonstrate why Ohio State has earned the No. 1 spot in our college football rankings for the last three weeks.
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With that said, we also can’t ignore the realities of the Buckeyes’ situation. Kyle McCord isn’t on C.J. Stroud’s level and we’ve seen how things have gone for Ohio State in previous playoff attempts. The Buckeyes belong in the CFP, but they would face an uphill climb to reach the national championship.
What are the college football rankings after Week 9?
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Florida State Seminoles
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Washington Huskies
- Michigan Wolverines
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Oregon Ducks
- Texas Longhorns
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Oregon State Beavers
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- LSU Tigers
- Missouri Tigers
- Air Force Falcons
- Louisville Cardinals
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Tulane Green Wave
- James Madison Dukes
- Liberty Flames
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Utah Utes
- USC Trojans
- UCLA Bruins