The new AP Top 25 college football poll is out. There was not a titanic upset, but the No. 1 Oregon Ducks held on to sneak past the Wisconsin Badgers while the No. 3 Texas Longhorns survived a trip to face the rival Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Georgia Bulldogs faced off in the top-ranked matchup of the week. Quarterback Carson Beck returned to vintage form, throwing for 346 yards and two touchdowns in UGA's 31-17 win.
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let's break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern
1. Oregon Ducks
Previous ranking: 1
2024 record: 11-0
Week 12 result: Defeated Wisconsin 16-13
Stat to know: Oregon is 11-0 for just the second time in school history. It last reached that mark in 2010 when the Ducks reached the BCS title game.
What's next: Nov. 30 vs. Washington
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous ranking: 2
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Defeated Northwestern 31-7
Stat to know: Will Howard has thrown a touchdown pass in 16 consecutive games, dating back to his time at Kansas State.
What's next: Saturday vs. Indiana, noon, Fox
3. Texas Longhorns
Previous ranking: 3
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Defeated Arkansas 20-10
Stat to know: Texas has shut out each of its past three opponents in the first half, the longest such streak for the Longhorns since 2019.
What's next: Saturday vs. Kentucky, 3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+
4. Penn State Nittany Lions
Previous ranking: 4
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Defeated Purdue 49-10
Stat to know: In the game, Tyler Warren became the first Penn State player with 100 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown in a game in the past 25 years.
What's next: Saturday at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m., CBS
5. Indiana Hoosiers
Previous ranking: 5
2024 record: 10-0
Week 12 result: Idle
What's next: Saturday at Ohio State, noon, Fox
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Previous ranking: 8
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Defeated Virginia 35-14
Stat to know: Since losing to Northern Illinois in Week 2, Notre Dame has outscored teams 195-41 in the first half (plus-19.3 points per game).
What's next: Saturday vs. Army (in New York), 7 p.m., NBC
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
Previous ranking: 9
2024 record:8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Mercer 52-7
Stat to know: In the game, Jalen Milroe became the fifth SEC QB with 15 rushing scores and 15 passing touchdowns. He joins Nick Fitzgerald (Mississippi State, 2016), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M, 2012), Cam Newton (Auburn, 2010) and Tim Tebow (Florida, 2007).
What's next: Saturday at Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+
What's next: Saturday at Florida, noon, ABC/ESPN+
8. Georgia Bulldogs
Previous ranking: 11
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Tennessee 31-17
Stat to know: Georgia won its 13th game against an AP top-10 opponent by double digits since Kirby Smart took over 2016, which is the most in the FBS over that span.
What's next: Saturday vs. UMass, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
9. Ole Miss Rebels
Previous ranking: 10
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Idle
10. Tennessee Volunteers
Previous ranking: 6
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Lost to Georgia 31-17
Stat to know: Tennessee has not beaten both Georgia and Alabama in the same season since 2006.
What's next: Saturday vs. UTEP, 1 p.m., ESPN+
11. Miami Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 12
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Idle
What's next: Saturday vs. Wake Forest, noon, ESPN
12. Boise State Broncos
Previous ranking: 13
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Defeated San Jose State 42-21
Stat to know: Ashton Jeanty is the first player with 10 or more consecutive games with at least 125 rushing yards within a season since Iowa State's Troy Davis did it in 11 straight in 1996.
What's next: Saturday at Wyoming, 7 p.m., CBSSN
13. SMU Mustangs
Previous ranking: 14
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Defeated Boston College 38-28
Stat to know: SMU is 6-0 in ACC play after going 8-0 in conference play in the American last season. Dating back to 2022, the Mustangs have won 14 straight games in conference play, the second-longest active streak in the FBS.
What's next: Saturday at Virginia, noon, ESPN2
14. BYU Cougars
Previous ranking: 7
2024 record: 9-1
Week 12 result: Lost to Kansas 17-13
Stat to know: BYU has not reached 10-0 since 2001.
What's next: Saturday at Arizona State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
15. Texas A&M Aggies
Previous ranking: 15
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated New Mexico State 38-3
Stat to know: The Aggies had 273 yards in the first quarter. That's the second most in a quarter for Texas A&M in the past 20 seasons.
What's next: Saturday at Auburn, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
16. Colorado Buffaloes
Previous ranking: 18
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Utah 49-24
Stat to know: Shedeur Sanders had his eighth straight game with 250 passing yards and multiple passing touchdowns, the longest such streak by a Big 12 QB within a single season since Baker Mayfield (12 straight) and Will Grier (10 straight) each did this in the 2017 season. Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy that season.
What's next: Saturday at Kansas (in Kansas City), 3:30 p.m., Fox
17. Clemson Tigers
Previous ranking: 17
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Pittsburgh 24-20
Stat to know: This was Cade Klubnik's fourth game this season with at least two passing touchdowns and one rushing score, the most by a Clemson QB in a single season since Trevor Lawrence had four such games in 2020.
What's next: Saturday vs. The Citadel, 3:30 p.m., CW Network
18. Army Black Knights
Previous ranking: 16
2024 record: 9-0
Week 12 result: Idle
What's next: Saturday vs. Notre Dame (in New York), 7 p.m., NBC
19. South Carolina Gamecocks
Previous ranking: 23
2024 record: 7-3
Week 12 result: Defeated Missouri 34-30
Stat to know: LaNorris Sellers had five passing touchdowns, tied for the second most in a game in South Carolina history.
What's next: Saturday vs. Wofford, 4 p.m., ESPN+
20. Tulane Green Wave
Previous ranking: 25
2024 record: 9-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Navy 35-0
Stat to know: This was Tulane's first shutout of an FBS team since 1997, snapping a 310-game streak, which the longest-active streak in FBS).
What's next: Nov. 28 vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
21. Arizona State Sun Devils
Previous ranking: NR
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Kansas State 24-14
Stat to know: The last time ASU beat a team ranked in the top 20 was Nov. 23, 2019 vs. No. 6 Oregon.
What's next: Saturday vs. BYU, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
22. Iowa State Cyclones
Previous ranking: NR
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated Cincinnati 34-17
Stat to know: In the win, Rocco Becht had his fourth game this season with at least one passing TD and one rushing score.
What's next: Saturday at Utah, 7:30 p.m., Fox
23. UNLV Rebels
Previous ranking: NR
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Defeated San Diego State 41-20
Stat to know:
What's next: Friday at San Jose State, 10 p.m., FS1
24. Illinois Fighting Illini
Previous ranking: NR
2024 record: 7-3
Week 12 result: Defeated Michigan State 38-16
Stat to know: Illinois recorded six home wins in a season for the first time since 2001.
What's next: Saturday at Rutgers, noon
25. Washington State Cougars
Previous ranking: 19
2024 record: 8-2
Week 12 result: Lost to New Mexico 38-35
Stat to know: This was QB John Mateer's fourth game this season with four passing scores and a rushing TD, tied for the most by an FBS player in a season over the past 25 years.
What's next: Saturday at Oregon State, 7 p.m., CW Network
