By : Sabri Haidar
(Photo/Sabri Haidar- The Mojo Network)
Vanderbilt continues its steady rise in what has become one of the most surprising stories of the season. Following a gritty 17–10 win over then No. 15 Missouri, the Commodores jumped one spot to No. 9 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25, their highest ranking in 88 years. LSU, meanwhile, fell out of the poll after losing three of its last four, including a 45–21 defeat to Texas A&M.
The top of the rankings remained unchanged. Ohio State stayed at No. 1 for the ninth consecutive week, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, and Oregon. The Buckeyes received 54 of 66 first-place votes, while the Hoosiers claimed 11 and the Aggies picked up one.
The middle of the top ten saw some movement as Ole Miss edged up to No. 7, Georgia Tech held at No. 8, and Vanderbilt’s climb pushed Miami into a tie for 10th with BYU. For Vanderbilt, this marks its best position in the AP poll since 1937, when the Commodores reached No. 7. This season’s 7–1 start is also their best since 1941, highlighted by a school-record three regular-season wins against ranked opponents.
The Big 12 had a strong showing, landing five teams in the Top 25 for the first time this season: BYU (No. 10), Texas Tech (No. 13), Cincinnati (No. 17), Houston (No. 22), and Utah (No. 24). Utah’s return came after a dominant 53–7 win over Colorado, while Houston reentered the rankings for the first time since 2022 following a 24–16 victory over Arizona State.
Other notable moves included Tennessee climbing to No. 14 after a strong home win, Virginia moving up to No. 15 for its highest ranking since 2004, and Michigan cracking the Top 25 at No. 21. USC reappeared at No. 23 despite being idle last weekend, and Memphis rounded out the poll at No. 25 after edging South Florida 34–31.
Notre Dame stayed put at No. 12, marking the program’s 900th appearance in the AP poll, tied for fourth-most all time.
LSU’s fall was among the week’s biggest storylines. Once ranked as high as No. 3 in September, the Tigers’ latest defeat sent them tumbling out of the Top 25 for the second straight year after a midseason skid. South Florida, Illinois, and Arizona State also dropped out.
This coming week features several ranked matchups that could shake up the standings again. No. 9 Vanderbilt travels to No. 20 Texas in a key SEC test, while No. 17 Cincinnati visits No. 24 Utah in a Big 12 battle. No. 18 Oklahoma heads to No. 14 Tennessee in what could be one of the most explosive games of the weekend.
With the calendar flipping to November and conference races tightening, every result from here on out will carry weight and for Vanderbilt, history continues to feel just within reach.