AP Poll : Week 4 Top 25
Another wild Saturday in college football has come and gone, and you know what that means: it’s time for the weekly ritual of dissecting the AP poll. The rankings are out, and let’s just say the voters have given us plenty to talk about, argue over, and generally lose our minds about heading into Week 4.
There was some serious shuffling at the top, and a few teams learned the hard way that September can be a cruel, cruel month. So, grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s break down the chaos.
What the AP Top 25 Rankings Look Like for Week 4
First, let’s get to the main event. Here are the freshly baked rankings for the AP Poll that have fans either cheering or questioning the sanity of the voters.
First-place votes are in parentheses.
- Ohio State (55)
- Penn State (5)
- LSU (2)
- Miami (3)
- Georgia
- Oregon (1)
- Florida State
- Texas
- Illinois
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Iowa State
- Ole Miss
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Texas Tech
- Georgia Tech
- Indiana
- Vanderbilt
- Michigan
- Auburn
- Missouri
- Notre Dame
- USC
The Big Shake-Ups and Head-Scratchers In the AP Poll
Alright, let’s get into the juicy stuff. Who climbed the ladder and who took a tumble down the rankings snake?
The Fall of the Titans: Notre Dame and Clemson Take a Nosedive
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Notre Dame plummeted a staggering 16 spots to No. 24. After a heart-wrenching 41-40 loss to Texas A&M, the Fighting Irish are sitting at a disastrous 0-2. Their College Football Playoff dreams aren’t technically dead, but they’re on life support, and the doctors are looking grim. One more slip-up, and you can stick a fork in them.
Then there’s Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers didn’t just fall; they got kicked out of the club entirely. A last-second, 55-yard field goal from Georgia Tech sent them packing from the top 25. Now at 1-2, the reigning ACC champs are looking less like Tigers and more like bewildered kittens. It’s a brutal blow, and you have to wonder what’s going on in Death Valley.
Welcome to the Party, Pal: Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech Crash the Rankings
On the flip side, let’s hear it for the underdogs in the AP poll! Vanderbilt crashed the AP Poll top 25 party at No. 20 after absolutely demolishing South Carolina 31-7. Before this, the Commodores’ record against ranked teams on the road was something like 2-for-a-million. A historic win and a well-deserved spot in the polls.
And how about those Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets? They stung Clemson with that walk-off field goal, improved to 3-0, and find themselves at No. 18. Quarterback Haynes King is looking like the real deal. Welcome to the rankings, fellas. Try to stick around.
Who’s Trending Up in the AP Top 25?
Texas A&M (+6): Mike Elko’s Aggies are the talk of the town. That fourth-and-goal, game-winning touchdown against Notre Dame was pure, unadulterated college football drama. Now sitting pretty at 3-0 and ranked No. 10, Texas A&M looks like a legitimate threat.
Georgia (+1): The Bulldogs moved up to No. 5 after a classic SEC slugfest against Tennessee. Coming back from a 14-point deficit to win 44-41 in overtime showed some serious championship grit. The AP Poll voters were clearly impressed, and for good reason.
Alabama (+5): Don’t look now, but the Crimson Tide might be getting its swagger back. After another beatdown, this time against Wisconsin, Alabama climbs to No. 14. They’ve got a week off before a massive test against Georgia. Get your popcorn ready for that one.
Final Thoughts on the Week 4 AP Top 25
While Ohio State holds firm at No. 1 in this AP Poll with a death grip on the first-place votes, the real story is the chaos brewing just beneath the surface. Teams like Notre Dame and Clemson serve as a stark reminder that in college football, your reputation will only carry you so far. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech are proof that on any given Saturday, anything can happen.
As we head into Week 4, the AP Top 25 poll has given us a clearer picture, but it’s also raised a whole new set of questions. Is Texas A&M for real? Can Notre Dame salvage its season? And who will be the next team to get booted from the AP poll? One thing’s for sure: it’s going to be a fun ride.
