Ohio State drops eight spots to No. 10 after 30-18 loss to unranked USC
The Buckeyes’ defensive struggles cost them top-five standing in the Coaches Poll, while Georgia and Indiana climbed in the latest rankings.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
Ohio State fell eight positions in the Coaches Poll released Sunday, sliding from No. 2 to No. 10 following a 30-18 defeat at unranked USC. The loss marked the fourth consecutive week a top-two team dropped in the rankings. The Buckeyes now sit with two losses but remain in the College Football Playoff conversation.
While attention has focused on the offense under backup quarterback Luke Fahey, the defense’s inability to limit scoring proved decisive. USC gained eight spots to reach No. 17, bolstering its own playoff prospects.
Miami retained the top spot after defeating North Carolina 38-35. The Hurricanes secured their first road victory as the No. 1 team since 2002. They face No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday night.
Georgia rose from third to No. 2 after a 27-8 win over Florida in Atlanta. Florida fell out of the poll after previously holding the No. 20 position.
Indiana moved up one place to No. 3 following an overtime victory over Minnesota. The game featured the first instance in FBS history of two 60-yard field goals being converted. Indiana’s Grant Wilson threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Becker to win the contest. The Hoosiers had averaged just 17.8 points over their previous four games but have secured wins despite offensive struggles.
Texas Tech climbed one spot to No. 13 after a 34-26 home win against Arizona. The Red Raiders had dropped nine positions the prior week. SMU fell from No. 16 to No. 24 after losing at Syracuse, effectively ending its playoff run. New Mexico entered the poll at No. 25, jumping four spots from the others receiving votes list.
South Carolina received the most votes among unranked teams with 91, followed by Florida with 81 and UTSA with 76.
