College football rankings reactions heading into Week 9

There isn’t too much movement in the college football polls this week. The #1 Clemson Tigers won big and Dabo complained the negativity, Alabama wrecked Tennessee for the 13th straight time (despite the awful season-ending injury to Jaylen Waddle), and Ohio State opened up a can on Nebraska as the Cornhuskers punishment for being so whiny about football in 2020.

But the biggest move of Week 8 was due to the Penn State Nittany Lions and Indiana Hoosiers playing one of the most perfect “college football is dumb and beautiful” games you’ll ever see. A dive to the end zone by Hoosiers quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was ruled a good two-point conversion in overtime on the field, and unoverturned (new word!) by the replay booth to give IU their first Top 10 win since the height of the Iran-Contra Scandal in 1987.

Because of the game, Penn State dropped 10 spots in both samples, from #8 in the AP to #18, and from #7 in the Coaches to #17. They’re the biggest mover either way this week, but it also means we welcome #Windiana to the Top 25 for the second time since 1994. They’re at #17 in the AP and #19 in the Coaches.

Other newcomers this week include the return of the Oklahoma Sooners after a 33-14 win over TCU, and the Boise State Broncos catching the bottom spot in the AP after a 42-13 evisceration of Utah State, and 6-1 Army back in the Coaches thanks to their 42-3 win over Mercer.

Au revoir to the Virginia Tech Hokies (lost to Wake Forest 23-16), Minnesota Golden Gophers (boat raced at home by Michigan 49-24) and NC State Wolfpack (firebombed just across town from their campus by UNC 48-21) who all dropped out of both samples.

Here are the college football rankings for October 25th and heading into Week 9.

AP Poll

Coaches Poll