College football rankings: Week 9, 2021

By Brian Wilmer -

College football rankings for Week 9 of the 2021 season have been released. Georgia and Cincinnati continue to rule the top two spots in both polls.

The 7-0 Bearcats held on to 2nd in both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll after a nail-biter victory over Navy. They continue to look up at Georgia, who maintained its top spot through a bye week.

The Oklahoma Sooners (8-0) and Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1) flipped spots in the AP poll. The Crimson Tide climbed back to the third spot after a 52-24 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. The Sooners fell one notch despite a 35-23 result against Kansas.

Georgia and Cincinnati are ranked first and second in both polls, respectively. Alabama (3), Oklahoma (4), and Ohio State (5) round out the top five in both polls.

NC State fell from the AP Poll following a 31-30 defeat to Miami (FL) on Saturday. Additionally, the Clemson Tigers lost their spot in the Coaches Poll after a 27-17 loss to Pitt.

Below is the full AP Poll and USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll for Week 9 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 9

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

Others receiving votes: Arkansas 36, Louisiana-Lafayette 32, NC State 28, Houston 12, Virginia 9, Oregon State 7, Arizona State 7, Texas 6, Appalachian State 5, Florida 3, Minnesota 1, UCLA 1

Dropped from rankings: NC State 18

AFCA Coaches Poll – Week 9

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

Others receiving votes: Iowa State 38, Utah 35, Arkansas 31, BYU 23, Florida 23, Air Force 20, Louisiana 18, Arizona State 18, Purdue 16, Houston 11, Virginia 6, Texas 4, LSU 2, Fresno State 1

Dropped from rankings: Florida 17, Arkansas 19, BYU 20, Arizona State 22

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 – Week 9

1. Sam Houston (44)
2. North Dakota State (6)
3. Southern Illinois
4. Villanova
5. James Madison
6. Montana State
7. Eastern Washington
8. Southeastern Louisiana
9. UC Davis
10. South Dakota State
11. Montana
12. Kennesaw State
T-13. ETSU
T-13. UT Martin
15. Sacramento State
16. Northern Iowa
17. Missouri State
18. VMI
19. Princeton
20. Jackson State
21. South Dakota
22. UIW
23. Weber State
24. Rhode Island
25. Eastern Kentucky

Others receiving votes: William & Mary 52, Prairie View A&M 46, Harvard 37, Chattanooga 31, Mercer 31, North Dakota 29, Delaware 24, Stephen F. Austin 10, Jacksonville State 9, Florida A&M 8, Duquesne 7, Dartmouth 6, Columbia 5

Dropped from rankings: Delaware 23, Dartmouth 25

FCS Coaches Poll – Week 9

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

Others receiving votes: Chattanooga 53, William & Mary 27, Holy Cross 21, Stephen F. Austin 21, Monmouth 20, Prairie View A&M 19, North Dakota 18, Mercer 16, Delaware 15, Florida A&M 14, Columbia 10, Dartmouth 9, Jacksonville St. 8, Yale 8, UIW 7, Nicholls 3, Elon 2, Furman 2, Davidson 1

Dropped from rankings: Jacksonville St. 21, Delaware 25

Comments (3)

@BrianWilmer,

Dan-ke for the Poll Lists & for the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 Poll later today.

? Isn’t the First P ower F ive I vitational Poll released 25. Oktober ’21 Monday, in the Afternoon some time?

@KevinKelley,

Dan-ke.

I suppose 5 Weeks of Grandstanding, Spectacle, Controversy, Spotlight is enough for the P ower F ive I nvitational Committee to withstand.

Go Bearcats, Mustangs, Aztecs, Roadrunners, Chanticleers, Blue Cougars!