The Washington Huskies took a 25-21 gut-punch loss from USC, and for everyone still feeling that sting in the Emerald City, the new AP Top 25 poll is out, outlining the current college football landscape. While our Huskies are licking their wounds, the Texas Longhorns are still sitting pretty at No. 1, holding onto their top spot after an open week.
Huskies Hit Hard, Top Teams Stay Put (Mostly)
That 25-21 final against USC was a tough pill to swallow, and it’s a stark reminder that every game counts in this wild college football season. Meanwhile, the Longhorns (4-0) proved they’re the team to beat right now, keeping that No. 1 ranking with 61 first-place votes. They didn’t even play, but sometimes that’s how it goes at the top. Elsewhere in the top five, it’s Georgia (5-0) at No. 2, Notre Dame (5-0) at No. 3, Miami (FL) (5-0) at No. 4, and Ohio State (4-1) rounding out the top spots at No. 5. It shows just how stacked the competition is out there, and how hard the Huskies will have to fight to climb back up after that tough loss.
Cougars Slide Despite Rally, SEC Shows Force
In other poll news, the University of Houston (4-1) actually slid two spots to No. 22. Can you believe that? They rallied from a brutal 17-0 halftime deficit to beat Central Florida. You had Khalil Laufau, their defensive lineman, making plays and celebrating a sack on UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins, but it wasn’t enough to impress the voters. That’s a rough break when you fight that hard for a win. Texas Tech (5-0) is moving up though, hitting No. 11 after beating Colorado. Even SMU (4-1) is in the top 25, though they slipped three spots to No. 24 after what the AP called a “non-descript win” over Boston College. And if you’re looking for dominance, the SEC is flexing with five schools in the top 10: No. 2 Georgia, No. 6 Alabama, No. 9 Ole Miss, and No. 10 LSU, all trailing the top-ranked Longhorns.
What’s Next for the Powerhouses
As the Huskies regroup after their hard-fought battle, the rest of the college football world keeps rolling. Houston has a big matchup coming up, heading to Kansas State on Saturday. But the real heavyweight bout everyone’s talking about is No. 1 Texas facing Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas this Saturday. Texas Tech and SMU are both on open weeks, so they’ll be watching how it all shakes out. For our Huskies, the message is clear: gotta keep fighting after that USC game, because the rankings don’t wait for anyone.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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