UNDATED (AP) — Ohio State is out of the top 10 of The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in five years, UCLA is in the top five for the first time in 25 years and New Mexico has earned its first ranking in program history. The Buckeyes plummeted from No. 2 to No. 11 following their 30-18 loss at Southern California. Miami is No. 1 for the third straight week after escaping North Carolina with a 38-35 victory. Georgia moved up a spot to No. 2 and was followed by Utah, Notre Dame and UCLA.
UNDATED (AP) — Utah and Notre Dame have joined Miami and Georgia as top-four seeds in a hypothetical 12-team College Football Playoff bracket based on The Associated Press Top 25. The AP poll, released Sunday, saw a shuffle after Ohio State lost to Southern California. Miami remains the No. 1 seed, followed by Georgia, Utah, and Notre Dame. The top four seeds receive first-round byes. The Southeastern Conference would have four teams in the bracket. The first College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night and continue weekly until December 6. The championship game is set for January 25 in Las Vegas.
UNDATED (AP) — March Madness is famous for its underdog stories, but Cinderella teams are struggling in the world of bigger conferences spending more money. The NCAA Tournament is expanding to 76 teams in the 2026-27 season. This change could favor larger schools with more resources. Smaller teams, like UMBC and St. Peter's, often lose top players and coaches to bigger programs. The expansion will likely include more big-conference teams, potentially sidelining smaller schools. While America loves an underdog, the most-watched finals often feature big names like Duke and North Carolina. The financial gap between schools continues to grow.
