NCAA Football Rankings 2019: Week 10 Standings and Analysis for Latest Polls

LSU's third victory over a Top 10 opponent earned it the top position in the AP Top 25. 

The Tigers can't lose the top spot on their Week 10 bye, so they will head to Bryant-Denny Stadium as a higher-ranked side than Alabama. 

Nick Saban's side has played well, but its resume does not match up with LSU's yet. The Tigers have victories over Texas, Florida and Auburn. 

The Top 5 could remain the same after Week 10 since LSU, Alabama, Ohio State and Penn State are off and Clemson plays host to Wofford. 

The most significant shift was Oklahoma's tumble to No. 10, which allowed a pair of Pac-12 playoff contenders, Florida and Georgia, to move into more favorable positions. 

AP Top 25

1. LSU (8-0) 

2. Alabama (8-0) 

3. Ohio State (8-0) 

4. Clemson (8-0) 

5. Penn State (8-0) 

6. Florida (7-1) 

7. Oregon (7-1) 

8. Georgia (6-1) 

9. Utah (7-1) 

10. Oklahoma (7-1) 

11. Auburn (6-2) 

12. Baylor (7-0) 

13. Minnesota (8-0) 

14. Michigan (6-2) 

15. SMU (8-0) 

16. Notre Dame (5-2) 

17. Cincinnati (6-1) 

18. Wisconsin (6-2) 

19. Iowa (6-2) 

20. Appalachian State (7-0) 

21. Boise State (6-1) 

22. Kansas State (5-2) 

23. Wake Forest (6-1) 

24. Memphis (7-1) 

25. San Diego State (7-1) 

Coaches Poll

1. Alabama

2. LSU 

3. Clemson

4. Ohio State

5. Penn State

6. Florida

7. Georgia

8. Oregon 

9. Oklahoma

10. Utah 

11. Baylor

12. Auburn 

13. Minnesota

14. SMU 

15. Michigan 

16. Notre Dame

17. Wisconsin

18. Cincinnati 

19. Iowa

20. Appalachian State

21. Boise State

22. Wake Forest

23. Memphis

24. Texas (5-3) 

25. Kansas State 

Analysis

LSU is back at No. 1 for the first time since 2011, per The Advocate's Brooks Kubena. 

The Tigers' Week 10 status could be a preview of what the College Football Playoff rankings look like next Tuesday. 

Ed Orgeron's side is the only one in FBS with three Top 10 wins, and it could gain a fourth over Alabama November 9. 

Alabama actually received four more first-place votes than the Tigers, but LSU earned two more total points. 

In addition to the epic clash in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Penn State and Minnesota will enter their November 9 meeting without a loss. 

It will be the first time in the AP poll era that two FBS games feature a pair of programs at 8-0 or better, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

Penn State slid up a spot to No. 5, while the Golden Gophers jumped four places to No. 13 following losses by Notre Dame and Wisconsin. 

But before we get to the Week 11 showdowns, there are some poll-changing contests in Week 10, with Georgia-Florida leading the way. 

Saturday's clash in Jacksonville will likely be for the SEC East title, and it would allow the one-loss division champion to face LSU or Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. 

The playoff hopes of the Bulldogs and Gators were boosted by Oklahoma and Notre Dame's Week 9 shortcomings. 

The Fighting Irish's loss to Michigan may make Georgia's resume look worse since that is its only victory over a ranked team. 

Conversely, Florida's defeat to LSU may be the best of the one-loss teams, and that showed a bit on the ballots, as it is above Oregon, Georgia and Utah. 

As College Football Talk's Kevin McGuire noted, Week 10 will put the SEC East sides, two Pac-12 playoff contenders and Group of Five favorites in the spotlight. 

Oregon and Utah can bolster their respective resumes with road wins over USC and Washington, and if they are impressive in those games, it could justify a high ranking from the playoff committee. 

Brady McCollough of the Los Angeles Times pointed out that USC could do damage to Oregon, just like it did to Utah. 

The Pac-12 has cannibalized its playoff chances before, and despite the Ducks and Utes looking strong, Washington and USC are more than capable of pulling off upsets. 

If the Pac-12's worst-case scenario arrives Saturday, Oklahoma could slide back into a decent position and SMU would move higher if it beats Memphis. 

That is significant for the best Group of Five program race. The Mustangs are two spots ahead of Cincinnati, but they could earn that title by defeating Memphis Saturday and then knocking off the Bearcats in The American Athletic Conference Championship Game. 

In total, six Group of Five schools landed in the AP Top 25, but they could be lower in the first playoff ranking based off what we have seen in the past with UCF. 

Kansas State was the only new entrant from the Power Five conferences in both polls. The Wildcats have back-to-back wins over TCU and Oklahoma, and they could improve on their standing with wins over Kansas and Texas.

The Wildcats may not land a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game, but they could end up with the best hire of the offseason if Chris Klieman directs them to eight or nine victories. 

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