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The 2021 college football season rolled on this weekend, and the Associated Press is giving us a look at how the competition stacks up. This weekend, the Week 8 AP Top 25 poll was officially released. After another upset in the top five, there were a number of shakeups in this week’s rankings.
This week, the Georgia Bulldogs hang on to the top spot, while the Cincinnati Bearcats jump to No. 2. The Oklahoma Sooners, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Ohio State Buckeyes round out the top five.
Purdue found its way into the top 25 after the stunning upset of Iowa, while the UTSA Roadrunners are ranked for the first time in the program’s history.
Where does your favorite team stand entering the upcoming season in the eyes of the Associated Press voters?
The Week 8 AP Top 25 poll can be seen below.
POLL ALERT: Cincinnati up to No. 2, Purdue snaps AP Top 25 poll drought after beating Iowa; Texas-San Antonio ranked for 1st time.
Full poll presented by @askRegions >> https://t.co/RePYaj3a7h pic.twitter.com/BdfnVMkQaz
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) October 17, 2021
- Georgia (63)
- Cincinnati
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Penn State
- Oklahoma State
- Michigan State
- Oregon
- Iowa
- Ole Miss
- Notre Dame
- Coastal Carolina
- Kentucky
- Wake Forest
- Texas A&M
- North Carolina State
- Auburn
- Baylor
- SMU
- San Diego State
- Pittsburgh
- UTSA
- Purdue
Others receiving votes: Clemson 64, Utah 43, Arkansas 29, Brigham Young 21, Air Force 19, Iowa State 14, Louisiana-Lafayette 13, Arizona State 7, Florida 7, Texas 5, UCLA 4, Houston 2, LSU 2, Virginia 1
The Associated Press rankings carry more weight than polls like the Coaches Poll and FWAA Poll, as they are part of the deciding factor on which teams reach the College Football Playoff. The Coaches Poll, which is not part of the College Football Playoff selection committee’s formula to determine the four teams that will compete for the College Football Playoff National Championship, is voted on by 65 FBS head coaches.
Longtime college football writers who vote in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll include Ben Jones, Bill Landis, Brett McMurphy, Brian Howell, Rece Davis, Rob Long, Robert Gagliardi, Steve Layman, Steve Virgen, Tom Murphy, and Tony Parks.
The Associated Press began its college football poll on Oct. 19, 1936, and it is now the longest-running poll of those that award national titles at the end of the season. The preseason poll was started in 1950. A panel of 62 sports writers and broadcasters from around the country votes on the poll weekly.
