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B/R's 2025 College Football Experts Top 25 Rankings After Week 10
With several of the nation's top teams on a bye week, there was still plenty of shuffling at the top of the college football landscape as Georgia Tech, Miami, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Houston all lost on Saturday.
The Georgia Tech loss in particular creates significant chaos in the race for a spot in the ACC championship game, while North Texas handing Navy its first loss of the season also has significant implications in the battle for the Group of Five playoff berth.
Now it's time for Bleacher Report's updated top 25 ranking after all the Week 10 action, with the college football writing staff of David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard making up our voting panel.
Let the debate begin!
Nos. 25-21
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25. North Texas (8-1, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 10 Result: Win vs. Navy (31-17)
Next Week: BYE
The AAC revolving door continues to spin at a dizzying pace, and the Mean Green are still very much in the running to claim the Group of Five playoff spot, especially after handing previously undefeated Navy its first loss of the year. The defense forced three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions of Blake Horvath, while running back Caleb Hawkins shouldered the offensive load with 197 rushing yards and four touchdowns. With South Florida and Tulane both sitting on two losses and Navy set to play Notre Dame next week, it could come down to Memphis and North Texas for a playoff bid.
24. Pittsburgh (7-2, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 10 Result: Win at Stanford (35-20)
Next Week: BYE
The Panthers have quietly won five straight and look like a different team since Mason Heintschel took over as the starting quarterback, as he finished with 304 yards and three touchdowns for his fourth 300-yard passing game in five starts. The road ahead is an extremely difficult one with Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Miami to close out the regular season after a Week 11 bye, but that gives them an opportunity to continue climbing the national picture.
23. Cincinnati (7-2, Previous Rank: 16)
Week 10 Result: Loss at Utah (45-14)
Next Week: BYE
Between a season-opening loss to Nebraska and Saturday night's blowout loss to Utah, the Bearcats won seven straight, while Brendan Sorsby emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. They still have just one loss in conference play, and will control their own destiny in the Big 12 race with a chance to knock off BYU head-to-head on Nov. 22.
22. Washington (6-2, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 10 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Wisconsin
The Huskies were overmatched against Ohio State (24-6) and Michigan (24-7), but in their six victories have come by a staggering 271-119 margin, and their offense has been lethal at times. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. threw for 402 yards against Rutgers in Week 7 and had four touchdown passes against Illinois in Week 9, and he won't need to do much to put things out of reach against a Wisconsin offense that has managed just seven points over its past three games.
21. Memphis (8-1, Previous Rank: 23)
Week 10 Result: Win at Rice (38-14)
Next Week: vs. Tulane
A week after picking up a huge win over South Florida to move into the top Group of Five spot, the Tigers cruised to victory against Rice behind five rushing touchdowns and a defense that forced two turnovers and allowed just 3.4 yards allowed per play. Brendon Lewis had 225 passing yards, 87 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Frank Peasant tallied three rushing scores. Next week's game against Tulane lost some of its luster when the Green Wave fell to UTSA on Thursday, but they are still a quality opponent.
Nos. 20-16
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20. USC (6-2, Previous Rank: 22)
Week 10 Result: Win at Nebraska (21-17)
Next Week: vs. Northwestern
The Trojans trailed 14-6 at halftime and 17-14 early in the fourth quarter, but took the lead on a six-yard touchdown run from King Miller with 10:06 remaining. The defense then forced a punt and a turnover on downs from the Cornhuskers on their final two drives to close out the victory. Jayden Maiava completed just 9-of-23 passes for 135 yards and an interception against a tough Nebraska defense, but he did have 62 rushing yards and a touchdown, and USC found a way to win.
19. Missouri (6-2, Previous Rank: 21)
Week 10 Result: BYE
Next Week: vs. Texas A&M
A significant ankle injury is expected to keep quarterback Beau Pribula out for an extended period of time after he was carted off the field in Week 9, so the Tigers will turn to 4-star true freshman Matt Zollers coming out of their bye week. He completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown in relief of Pribula against Vanderbilt, but will face a tall order against an undefeated Texas A&M squad in Week 11.
18. Michigan (7-2, Previous Rank: 18)
Week 10 Result: Win vs. Purdue (21-16)
Next Week: BYE
The Wolverines clung to a 21-16 lead for the final six minutes of regulation, grinding out 63 yards over 11 plays to run out the clock after the Boilermakers made things interesting with a touchdown on their final drive. With leading rusher Justice Haynes sidelined with a foot injury, Jordan Marshall shined as the featured back, finishing with 25 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
17. Texas (7-2, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 10 Result: Win vs. Vanderbilt (34-31)
Next Week: BYE
For all the ups and downs they have faced this season, the Longhorns suddenly look very relevant on a national level after their victory over Vanderbilt. The final score made it look like a closer game than it was, as Texas built a 34-10 lead through three quarters, and their defense bent but didn't break to hold on for the victory. Arch Manning finished 25-of-33 for 328 yards and three touchdowns, returning strong from a concussion that knocked him out of last week's overtime victory against Mississippi State.
16. Utah (7-2, Previous Rank: 24)
Week 10 Result: Win vs. Cincinnati (45-14)
Next Week: BYE
A lopsided Week 4 loss to Texas Tech (34-10) knocked the Utes out of the national picture early, but they are 4-1 in their last five games with a pair of wins over ranked opponents following Saturday's victory against Cincinnati. Their only other loss came against undefeated BYU, and with a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in Devon Dampier and a defense that entered play on Saturday allowing just 14.3 points per game, they might now be one of the most underrated teams in the country.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Vanderbilt (7-2, Previous Rank: 12)
Week 10 Result: Loss at Texas (31-34)
Next Week: BYE
After back-to-back wins at home against LSU and Missouri, the Commodores suffered their second road loss of the year on Saturday against the Longhorns. Diego Pavia put together a strong individual performance, finishing with 365 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air, to go along with a team-high 43 rushing yards and another score on the ground. However, much of that damage came after Texas built a 34-10 lead going into the fourth quarter, and the comeback was ultimately too little, too late.
14. Oklahoma (7-2, Previous Rank: 20)
Week 10 Result: Win at Tennessee (33-27)
Next Week: BYE
A pair of second quarter interceptions of Joey Aguilar led to two Oklahoma field goals, and that proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth battle of ranked SEC foes. The Sooners defense limited Tennessee to 1.8 yards per carry, while Xavier Robinson (16 carries, 115 yards, TD) and quarterback John Mateer (16 carries, 80 yard, TD) helped their own rushing attack pound out 5.5 yards per touch. Now a bye week gives Oklahoma a chance for some extra preparation ahead of a huge Week 12 matchup with Alabama.
13. Notre Dame (6-2, Previous Rank: 15)
Week 10 Result: Win at Boston College (25-10)
Next Week: vs. Navy
The Notre Dame defense had three interceptions and limited Boston College to just 12 rushing yards on 33 carries in a dominant performance, while CJ Carr (18-of-25, 299 yards, 2 TD) and Jeremiyah Love (17 carries, 136 yards, 2 TD) led the way offensively. A home game against Navy and a road game against Pitt are on deck the next two weeks, and if the Fighting Irish can survive those games, their path to a playoff spot is clear with Syracuse and Stanford to close out the regular season.
12. Louisville (7-1, Previous Rank: 13)
Week 10 Result: Win at Virginia Tech (28-16)
Next Week: vs. California
The Cardinals trailed 16-7 at halftime, but scored the final 21 points of the game to improve to 7-1, though they lost star running back Isaac Brown to a leg injury that could sideline him for "a while," according to head coach Jeff Brohm. Brown had 130 rushing yards and a touchdown before he was sidelined, and Keyjuan Brown stepped up in his absence with 12 carries for 94 yards and two scores.
11. Georgia Tech (8-1, Previous Rank: 7)
Week 10 Result: Loss at NC State (36-48)
Next Week: BYE
The Yellow Jackets quest for an undefeated regular season is over after allowing a season-high 48 points and 583 yards of offense against CJ Bailey and NC State. Dual-threat star Haynes King was his usual productive self, tallying 408 passing yards, 103 rushing yards and four total touchdowns, but his defense allowed four straight scoring drives in the second half to halt any chances of a comeback. Suddenly things are wide open atop the ACC standings, and the Nov. 22 game against Pitt now looms large.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Virginia (8-1, Previous Rank: 14)
Week 10 Result: Win at California (31-21)
Next Week: vs. Wake Forest
J'Mari Taylor had 21 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns, with both of his scores coming in the first half to help Virginia build an early 17-7 lead, and they sealed their seventh straight victory when Kam Robinson returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers have reached eight wins for the first time since 2019, and they should be favored against Wake Forest, Duke and Virginia Tech to close out the regular season slate.
9. Texas Tech (8-1, Previous Rank: 11)
Week 10 Result: Win at Kansas State (43-20)
Next Week: vs. BYU
The Red Raiders defense forced five turnovers and scored on a fumble recovery, while the offense piled up 436 total yards behind a strong running game and a solid performance from quarterback Behren Morton (21-of-32, 249 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) in his return from a leg injury. A clash with undefeated BYU awaits next weekend in a battle of the two highest-ranked teams in the Big 12 and a potential preview of the conference championship game.
8. Ole Miss (8-1, Previous Rank: 9)
Week 10 Result: Win vs. South Carolina (30-14)
Next Week: vs. The Citadel
Despite going just 1-of-11 on third down conversions and turning the ball over twice, the Rebels still covered a 12.5-point spread to improve to 5-1 in SEC play. Kewan Lacy (24 carries, 167 yards, TD) paced a rushing attack that piled up 258 yards on 45 carries, and the Ole Miss defense did a good job disrupting things with eight tackles for loss and six sacks. The road ahead is a favorable one with The Citadel, Florida and Mississippi State to wrap up the regular season.
7. BYU (8-0, Previous Rank: 8)
Week 10 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Texas Tech
The Cougars improved to 8-0 with a road win against Iowa State in Week 9, but their toughest tests are still to come over the final weeks. Road games against Texas Tech (Week 11) and Cincinnati (Week 13) might decide whether they secure a spot in the Big 12 championship, while a home matchup with TCU sandwiched in between looks like a classic trap game. True freshman quarterback Bear Bachemier leads the Big 12 with nine rushing touchdowns, while running back LJ Martin is tops in the conference with 789 rushing yards.
6. Georgia (7-1, Previous Rank: 5)
Week 10 Result: Win at Florida (24-20)
Next Week: at Mississippi State
The Bulldogs coughed up the lead when Florida scored 10 unanswered points to take a 20-17 advantage into the fourth quarter, but the Georgia defense forced a turnover on downs and the offense drove 82 yards on seven plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. Chauncey Bowens delivered the game-winning, 36-yard touchdown run with 4:36 remaining, and the defense forced a four-and-out to clinch the victory. Gunner Stockton threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns, overcoming a first quarter interception to put together a strong game.
5. Oregon Ducks (7-1, Previous Rank: 7)
5 of 11
Week 10 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Iowa
The Ducks beat Rutgers and Wisconsin by a combined 60 points after suffering their first loss of Indiana in Week 7, but the road ahead is tricky with road games against Iowa and Washington, along with a home game against No. 23 on Nov. 22.
Quarterback Dante Moore has been one of college football's breakout stars, throwing for 1,772 yards and 19 touchdowns against just four interceptions while piloting an offense that ranks sixth in the nation with 41.3 points per game.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1, Previous Rank: 4)
6 of 11
Week 10 Result: BYE
Next Week: vs. LSU
The Crimson Tide have won seven straight since their season-opening loss to Florida State, and look every bit the part of a title contender after conference victories over Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
It took 15 points in the final minutes for them to pull out a 29-22 victory on the road against South Carolina in Week 9, with a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown from Germie Bernard providing the decisive scores.
3. Texas A&M Aggies (8-0, Previous Rank: 3)
7 of 11
Week 10 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Missouri
The Aggies are the last undefeated team standing in the SEC, and with Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss all absent from their schedule, they have a legitimate shot at running the table with an undefeated regular season.
A convincing 49-25 victory at LSU last weekend moved them up to No. 3 in the AP poll, and they will look for a third straight road win against a good Missouri team coming out of their bye in Week 11.
2. Indiana Hoosiers (9-0, Previous Rank: 2)
8 of 11
Week 10 Result: Win at Maryland (55-10)
Next Week: at Penn State
Despite an early interception thrown by Fernando Mendoza and an injury to star wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, the Hoosiers cruised to victory for their second straight blowout win after a 56-6 victory over UCLA in Week 9.
After opening the game with a pick and a punt on their first two drives, Indiana put points on the board on each of their next eight drives.
It was a relatively quiet game for Mendoza, which finished with 201 passing yards, 24 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but the running game carried the day with a season-high 367 rushing yards.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0, Previous Rank: 1)
9 of 11
Week 10 Result: Win vs. Penn State (38-14)
Next Week: at Purdue
The Ohio State vs. Penn State matchup looked like one of the games of the year when the season began, but a disappointing year from the Nittany Lions ended up making it something of an afterthought, with the Buckeyes entering as 19.5-point favorites and coming away with an easy win.
Julian Sayin added another layer to his Heisman resume by completing 20-of-23 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns, while Carnell Tate (5 catches, 124 yards, TD) and Jeremiah Smith (6 catches, 123 yards, 2 TD) both had big games.
The defense limited the Nittany Lions to 200 total yards of offense, including a brutal 1.8 yards per carry.
B/R Top 25 Ranking After Week 10
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B/R Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Oregon
6. Georgia
7. BYU
8. Ole Miss
9. Texas Tech
10. Virginia
11. Georgia Tech
12. Louisville
13. Notre Dame
14. Oklahoma
15. Vanderbilt
16. Utah
17. Texas
18. Michigan
19. Missouri
20. USC
21. Memphis
22. Washington
23. Cincinnati
24. Pittsburgh
25. North Texas
Others Receiving Votes: Iowa
What's Next
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For college football fans who like to get an early jump on the weekend's action, the Week 11 lineup offers a terrific triple-barrelled appetizer on Friday night with Houston (at UCF) and USC (vs. Northwestern) both in action, along with a terrific Group of Five clash in the AAC between Tulane and Memphis.
Shifting to the Saturday slate, the two top-ranked teams in the Big 12 square off as undefeated BYU heads to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech. The winner will have a clear path to the conference championship game, while the loser joins a crowded picture behind them in the standings.
Texas A&M at Missouri is the best matchup in the SEC, which few would have guessed heading into the year considering LSU at Alabama is also part of the weekend's action. Vanderbilt will also look to bounce back from its loss to Texas with a home game against Auburn.
The Big Ten's top dogs are all on the road, as Ohio State (at Purdue), Indiana (at Penn State) and Oregon (at Iowa) will all look to avoid an upset, and the Hawkeyes could make things difficult on the Ducks as both teams enter that game with a 4-1 record in conference play.
Speaking of upsets, Virginia (vs. Wake Forest) and Louisville (vs. California) both face sneaky good opponents. The Demon Deacons handed SMU their first conference loss in Week 9, while the Golden Bears hung right with Virgina in a 31-21 game this weekend.
Finally, Notre Dame will have to slow down Navy's triple-option offense, as the Midshipmen started the season 7-0 before Saturday's loss to North Texas and have a veteran quarterback in Blake Horvath steering the ship.
See you all next weekend!
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