College football rankings: Week 10, 2021

By Kevin Kelley -

College football rankings for week 10 of the 2021 season have been released. Georgia remains in first, while Michigan State moved into the top five.

The Michigan State Spartans (8-0) moved up three spots to No. 5 in the AP Poll after upsetting the 6th-ranked Michigan Wolverines 37-33 in East Lansing. The Spartans moved up one spot in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll to No. 6.

Several teams made big jumps in the AP Poll following victories on Saturday. The Auburn Tigers moved up six spots to No. 12, the UTSA Roadrunners (8-0) moved up seven spots to No. 16, and the BYU Cougars (7-2) moved up eight spots to No. 17.

The top five in the AP Poll is now (1) Georgia, (2) Cincinnati, (4) Alabama, (3) Oklahoma, and (5) Michigan State while the top five in the Coaches Poll is (1) Georgia, (2) Cincinnati, (3) Alabama, (4) Oklahoma, and (5) Ohio State.

Iowa State and San Diego State dropped out of both polls, while Pitt dropped out of the AP Poll following losses this weekend.

Below is the full AP Poll and USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll for Week 10 of the 2021 season (first-place votes in parentheses). The STATS Perform FCS Top 25 and FCS Coaches Poll will be announced on Monday.

AP Poll – Week 10

1. Georgia (63)
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Michigan State
6. Ohio State
7. Oregon
8. Notre Dame
9. Michigan
10. Wake Forest
11. Oklahoma State
12. Auburn
13. Texas A&M
14. Baylor
15. Ole Miss
16. UTSA
17. BYU
18. Kentucky
19. Iowa
20. Houston
21. Coastal Carolina
22. Penn State
23. SMU
24. Louisiana
25. Fresno State

Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh 117, NC State 104, Wisconsin 91, Mississippi State 79, Arkansas 72, Minnesota 51, San Diego State 50, Appalachian State 23, Utah 11, Iowa State 9, Nevada 2

Dropped from rankings: Pittsburgh 17, San Diego State 21, Iowa State 22

AFCA Coaches Poll – Week 10

1. Georgia (64)
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan State
7. Oregon
8. Notre Dame
9. Wake Forest
10. Michigan
11. Oklahoma State
12. Texas A&M
13. Baylor
14. Auburn
15. Ole Miss
16. Iowa
17. Kentucky
18. UTSA
19. Houston
20. BYU
21. Coastal Carolina
22. NC State
23. Penn State
24. SMU
25. Pitt

Others receiving votes: Louisiana 156, Fresno State 73, San Diego State 65, Arkansas 65, Minnesota 29, Wisconsin 26, Mississippi State 20, Appalachian State 10, Utah 10, Air Force 9, Liberty 4, Clemson 4, Iowa State 4, Arizona State 1

Dropped from rankings: San Diego State 20, Iowa State 23

STATS Perform FCS Top 25 – Week 10

1. Sam Houston (40)
2. North Dakota State
3. James Madison
4. Montana State
5. Eastern Washington
6. Southeastern Louisiana
7. Southern Illinois
8. UC Davis
9. South Dakota State
10. Villanova
11. Montana
12. Kennesaw State
13. Northern Iowa
14. ETSU
15. UT Martin
16. Sacramento State
17. Missouri State
18. VMI
19. Jackson State
T-20. Princeton
T-20. William & Mary
22. UIW
23. South Dakota
24. Weber State
25. Eastern Kentucky

Dropped from rankings: Rhode Island 24

Others receiving votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Prairie View A&M 34, Chattanooga 20, Mercer 14, Florida A&M 12, Dartmouth 10, Rhode Island 9, Stephen F. Austin 8, Harvard 7, Monmouth 2

FCS Coaches Poll – Week 10

1. Sam Houston (27)
2. North Dakota State
3. James Madison
4. Montana State
5. Eastern Washington
6. Southeastern Louisiana
7. UC Davis
8. Kennesaw State
9. Southern Illinois
10. Montana
11. UT Martin
12. South Dakota State
13. Villanova
14. ETSU
15. Northern Iowa
16. Princeton
17. Jackson State
18. VMI
19. Eastern Kentucky
20. Missouri State
21. South Dakota
22. Sacramento State
23. William & Mary
24. Weber State
25. Chattanooga

Others receiving votes: Harvard 27, Monmouth 21, Mercer 16, Dartmouth 14, Prairie View A&M 14, Central Arkansas 13, Florida A&M 13, Stephen F. Austin 12, Holy Cross 11, Delaware 10, UIW 8, Maine 6, Nicholls 5, Davidson 2

Dropped from rankings: Harvard 21, Rhode Island 25

Comments (4)

Projected CFP semifinals based on this week’s rankings (NOTE: No multiple teams from the same conference for accountability purposes):
Cotton Bowl Classic: #1 Georgia vs. #4 Michigan State
Orange Bowl: #2 Cincinnati vs. #3 Oklahoma

New Year’s Six matchups include:
Fiesta Bowl: #9 Michigan vs. #12 Auburn
Peach Bowl: #8 Notre Dame vs. #10 Wake Forest
Rose Bowl Game: #6 Ohio State vs. #7 Oregon
Sugar Bowl: #5 Alabama vs. #11 Oklahoma State

#cfbplayoff #newyearssix #earnit :)

@KevinKelley,

I’m excited as the 16 Team Playoff Starts the last Saturday of this Month.

The Spring 2021 Season changed the equation of Teams vying for a playoff Spot this Fall.

The regular Season matters isn’t lip service even if the Division 1 Level is overshadowed by the 1A Club Football Preference arranged Playoff Trust.

With 5 Conferences who participate in the Playoffs having 2-5 teams out & in of the weekly Top 25 makes it very interesting for their Fans. Those eventual Champions of their Conferences who aren’t @ Top 25 Level must still play well all Season long to achieve whatever 1st Round Advantages they can get on 27. November ’21.