College football rankings: Michigan exits the polls, USC returns

College football rankings for Week 8 of the 2025 season have been released, and a tumultuous weekend in the Top 25 resulted in a series of changes.

Michigan stumbled on the road against USC, falling 31-13. This dispatched the Wolverines from the ranks after they were ranked 15th in both polls.

The Texas Longhorns recovered from an early 6-0 deficit at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and notched 23 unanswered points against the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners tumbled eight spots in the AP Poll and seven in the Coaches Poll.

The Ohio State Buckeyes remain the top-ranked team in both polls following a win over Illinois that knocked the Fighting Illini out of the AP rankings. Miami remained No. 2, while Indiana surged four spots to No. 3 following a huge road win at Oregon. Texas A&M and Ole Miss round out the Top 5 of both polls.

New teams in the AP Poll for Week 8 include USC, Texas, Utah, Cincinnati, and Nebraska. Teams that moved into the Coaches Poll this week include USC, Utah, South Florida, and Cincinnati, while Iowa State, Penn State, Arizona State, and Michigan all exited.

Below are the College football rankings for Week 8 of the 2025 season (first-place votes in parentheses):

AP POLL – Week 8

1. Ohio State (50)
2. Miami (13)
3. Indiana (3)
4. Texas A&M
5. Ole Miss
6. Alabama
7. Texas Tech
8. Oregon
9. Georgia
10. LSU
11. Tennessee
12. Georgia Tech
13. Notre Dame
14. Oklahoma
15. BYU
16. Missouri
17. Vanderbilt
18. Virginia
19. South Florida
20. USC
21. Texas
22. Memphis
23. Utah
24. Cincinnati
25. Nebraska

Others receiving votes: Illinois 113, Michigan 73, Washington 36, UNLV 30, Navy 11, Mississippi State 8, Tulane 2, San Diego State 2

Dropped from rankings: Michigan 15, Illinois 17, Arizona State 21, Iowa State 22, Florida State 25

FBS COACHES POLL – Week 8

1. Ohio State (63)
2. Miami (2)
3. Indiana (1)
4. Texas A&M
5. Ole Miss
6. Alabama
7. Georgia
8. Texas Tech
9. Oregon
10. LSU
11. Tennessee
12. Georgia Tech
13. Oklahoma
14. BYU
15. Notre Dame
16. Missouri
17. Texas
18. Vanderbilt
19. Virginia
20. Memphis
21. USC
22. Utah
23. South Florida
24. Cincinnati
25. Illinois

Others receiving votes: Michigan 119, Nebraska 90, Washington 85, UNLV 43, Navy 43, Louisville 18, Tulane 17, Arizona State 17, Duke 11, Iowa 9, Iowa State 7, Clemson 6, Houston 4, TCU 1, San Diego State 1, Pittsburgh 1

Dropped from rankings: Michigan 15, Iowa State 21, Penn State 22, Arizona State 23

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 – Week 8

1. North Dakota State (55)
2. South Dakota State (1)
3. Tarleton State
4. Montana
5. Montana State
6. UC Davis
7. Lehigh
8. Tennessee Tech
9. North Dakota
10. Illinois State
11. Monmouth
12. Southern Illinois
13. Abilene Christian
14. Jackson State
15. Villanova
16. Rhode Island
17. Lamar
18. Harvard
19. Northern Arizona
20. Mercer
21. Presbyterian
22. South Dakota
23. Austin Peay
24. Idaho
25. Stephen F. Austin

Others receiving votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): West Georgia 126, Southeastern Louisiana 96, Gardner-Webb 54, Sacramento State 28, Brown 25, Youngstown State 23, Western Carolina 23, North Carolina Central 18, Northern Colorado 9, Eastern Kentucky 5, Lafayette 5

Dropped from rankings: West Georgia 21

FCS Coaches Poll – Week 8

1. North Dakota State (26)
2. South Dakota State
3. Tarleton State
4. Montana
5. Montana State
6. UC Davis
7. Lehigh
8. Tennessee Tech
9. Illinois State
10. Monmouth
11. North Dakota
12. Southern Illinois
13. Jackson State
14. Villanova
15. Rhode Island
16. Mercer
17. Abilene Christian
18. Lamar
19. Presbyterian
20. Harvard
21. Northern Arizona
22. Southeastern Louisiana
23. West Georgia
24. Austin Peay
25. Youngstown State

Others receiving votes: Gardner-Webb 37, South Dakota 34, Stephen F. Austin 34, Lafayette 28, Western Carolina 19, North Carolina Central 14, Idaho 10, Sacramento State 10, UT Rio Grande Valley 10, Brown 8, Dartmouth 7, Penn 7, Alabama State 5, Central Arkansas 4, Elon 3, Furman 3, ETSU 1, Eastern Kentucky 1

Dropped from rankings: Idaho 13