AP Top 25 College Football Poll Shake-Up Looms After Oregon Scare and Michigan Miracle

POLICY WIRE — Baton Rouge, La. — The upcoming release of the first regular-season Associated Press Top 25 college football poll on Monday could feature major shifts following a dramatic opening...

Editorial Desk

September 8, 2026 2 Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Baton Rouge, La. — The upcoming release of the first regular-season Associated Press Top 25 college football poll on Monday could feature major shifts following a dramatic opening weekend of action.

No. 2 Oregon struggled to secure a closer-than-expected victory against Boise State, while No. 11 LSU delivered a lopsided blowout win over Clemson.

Voters on the 69-member panel of sports writers and broadcasters will also need to evaluate No. 16 Michigan’s narrow 13-12 escape against Western Michigan.

That contest in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, was decided after one second was restored to the game clock in the final moments.

The adjustment provided just enough time for quarterback Bryce Underwood to launch a second Hail Mary attempt that found JJ Buchnan in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown.

Should Michigan fall completely out of the rankings, it would mark the first time in at least two decades that a squad ranked that high plummeted out of the Top 25 following a victory.

Last season, Kansas State dropped from No. 17 to unranked after escaping with a win against North Dakota from the Football Championship Subdivision.

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At the top of the leaderboard, Ohio State is expected to hold the No. 1 spot after handling Ball State.

No. 5 Texas likewise positioned itself to remain inside the top five following a dominant rout of Texas State in Austin, Texas.

The Buckeyes and Longhorns are now set to collide in Austin on Saturday for the premier matchup of Week 2.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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