Rankings
AP Top 25 poll
The media panel's weekly ranking of college football's best teams, published through the season.
AP Top 25 · Week 5
The ranking
SEC · 62 first-place votes
SEC · 6 first-place votes
Independent
ACC · 1 first-place votes
Big Ten
Big Ten · 1 first-place votes
SEC
SEC
SEC
Not covered here yet
SEC
Not covered here yet
Big 12
Big Ten
Big Ten
Not covered here yet
SEC
Big Ten
Big 12
Not covered here yet
Not covered here yet
Pac-12
Not covered here yet
Not covered here yet
Not covered here yet
Just outside
Others receiving votes
Wisconsin 102, Duke 101, Penn State 98, Wake Forest 88, Virginia Tech 86, Michigan 54, Pittsburgh 52, Nebraska 36, Louisville 25, Cincinnati 20, James Madison 10, Arizona 8, Minnesota 7, North Dakota State 6, Northwestern 1
About the poll
What the AP poll actually measures
The AP poll is a vote, not a formula. A panel of media members each submit a ballot ranking twenty-five teams, and the published poll is the aggregate. That matters, because it means the poll carries human judgement about how teams look, not just what their record says.
Strength of schedule does most of the work in explaining apparent oddities. A one-loss team that has played a brutal slate is routinely ranked above an unbeaten team that has not, and voters are generally slow to move teams down after a narrow loss to a strong opponent. Movement week to week is usually gradual, which is why a genuine upset stands out so sharply.
The poll is published weekly once the Saturday slate is complete, with a preseason edition before any games are played. That preseason ballot is guesswork by definition and tends to exert more influence over the early weeks than it deserves.
FAQ
Ranking questions
What is the AP poll?
The AP poll is a ranking produced by a panel of media voters, published weekly through the season. It reflects voter opinion rather than a formula, so ballots differ and rankings can move on the strength of a single result.
How do the AP poll and NCAA rankings differ?
NCAA.com currently publishes the AP Top 25, which is the same media poll displayed on our AP page. The separate College Football Playoff committee rankings are released later in the season.
How often do rankings update?
Rankings follow a weekly cycle during the season, typically published after each Saturday slate is complete, with a preseason edition before any games are played.
Why can a team with a better record be ranked lower?
Strength of schedule is a large part of the judgement. A team with one loss against difficult opponents is frequently ranked above an unbeaten team that has played a weaker slate.
Do rankings decide the postseason?
Rankings shape the conversation and inform selection, but bowl and playoff placement comes from the official selection process and conference tie-ins rather than directly from a poll.