AP Poll Reaction Week 9: TCU Continues to Climb, LSU Stays Hot, Texas Drops Out

Despite the slate of games this past weekend in college football, the results did not provide much change to the AP Top 25 Poll. However, that does not mean all was lost this past Saturday. The TCU Horned Frogs defeated the Kansas State Wildcats to take sole possession of the top spot in the Big 12. And similarly to TCU, the Oregon Ducks did the exact same thing in the Pac-12 Conference as the Ducks handed the UCLA Bruins their first loss of the season.

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In that same vein, the Clemson Tigers stand alone at the top of the ACC after they handed the Syracuse Orange their first loss of 2022. Finally, the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Alabama Crimson Tide bounced back from losses a week ago, each picking up a win at home against a ranked conference opponent (Texas Longhorns and Mississippi State Bulldogs, respectively), bouncing those respective teams out of the AP Top 25 Poll. So, what else happened in the AP Poll? No more waiting. Here you go!

Biggest Jumps

#13 Penn State Nittany Lions (Up 3 Spots)

Penn State's White Out was in full-affect as the Nittany Lions avoided a potential trap game and bounced back from last week's loss, taking care of business against Minnesota.

#10 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Up 3 Spots)

Still very much alive for a spot in the ACC title game, Wake Forest looks to run the table in their remaining schedule to get revenge on the Clemson Tigers, the Demon Deacons' lone loss on the year.

Biggest Drops

#15 Ole Miss Rebels (Down 8 Spots)

Ole Miss cannot help themselves, getting in their own way as they lost their first game of the season to a very hot LSU Tigers team.

#12 UCLA Bruins (Down 3 Spots)

UCLA had no answers for the Ducks on offense, but if they take care of business and avoid another loss, the Bruins should find themselves in a rematch versus the Ducks in the Pac-12 title game.

New to the Top 25

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#18 LSU Tigers

Led by Jayden Daniels, the LSU Tigers have won six of their last seven games and are making a late season push for, at worst, a New Year's Six Bowl Game.

#25 South Carolina Gamecocks

Since their humiliating loss to Georgia, the South Carolina Gamecocks have rattled off four-straight wins. But their final three games could be troublesome as they play at Florida, at home against Tennessee and at Clemson.

Dropped Out of the Top 25 Poll

Texas Longhorns (Previously #20)

The Longhorns had almost everything going for them to defeat Oklahoma State since, ironically, Quinn Ewers and his passing game struggled all day, as Texas finds themselves on the outside looking in once again.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (Previously #24)

After a hot stretch of games, the Bulldogs have cooled off tremendously, losing two straight games to ranked conference opponents and can now kiss the AP Top 25 and a shot at the SEC title goodbye.

What to Watch for in Week 9

We have fewer ranked matchups this week, but could see some game-changing upsets as we head into Week 9.

• In a disappointing start time, the Penn State Nittany Lions try to hand the visiting Ohio State Buckeyes their first loss of the season.
• The Kentucky Wildcats look to continue their resurgence as they take on the undefeated Tennessee Volunteers.
• The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Kansas State Wildcats go head-to-head for a game that could decide which one of these teams makes the Big 12 title game.
• The Wake Forest Demon Deacons could be in a potential trap game as they go on the road to play the Louisville Cardinals.
• The Florida Gators hope to rekindle some of their early-season magic as they try to hand the top ranked Georgia Bulldogs their first loss in 2022.
• Fresh off their first loss of the season, the Syracuse Orange look to avoid another setback as they play host to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

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