College Football AP Top 25: Week 9

There are certain charms emphasized in college football that truly make it the special game that it is: small towns, proud communities, boisterous university bands and of course, the AP Top 25.

Dating back to the 1930s, the AP poll is a timeless American tradition that typically releases every Sunday afternoon during the season. Ranking best FBS schools in the nation, respected college football broadcasters and writers collectively assemble the list, keeping in mind whole bodies of work.

In some seasons (or entire epochs, even), the AP Top 25 does not offer much parody. Still, 2023 has already shown to be a year where the competition feels a little closer together.

Entering this Saturday's slate (CFB Week 9), let's have a look at the currernt college football AP poll, along with which universities stand out at their spots.

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*Denotes team unranked in previous week

The top-six teams in the AP Top 25 are unchanged heading into October's final full week. In order, it still shows the Georgia Bulldogs, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes and Florida State Seminoles -- all undefeated so far. Of course, UGA is in its 19th consecutive week pacing the poll (third-longest streak all-time).

Between last week and this, two of pop culture's most beloved universities served as the most substantial droppers in the poll. The North Carolina Tar Heels were previously ranked No. 10 here before losing at the Virginia Cavaliers last Saturday; UNC subsequently fell seven spots to No. 17.

At Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the USC Trojans lost their third straight head-to-head meeting versus the Utah Utes. As such, Utah moved up to No. 13 while SC dropped to No. 24. Also, that put a solid dent in Caleb Williams back-to-back Heisman Trophy campaign; at FanDuel Sportsbook, Williams' Heisman odds inflated from +3000 to 100-to-1 where they currently sit.

Not too many notable risers this week; the LSU Tigers and Missouri Tigers each hopped up four spots after big wins.

Underrated

(#8) Oregon Ducks

Leaping up one spot to No. 8, the Oregon Ducks now hold their best ranking of the 2023 season -- so far. Oregon did well last Saturday to get back in the win column after losing narrowly at the No. 5 Washington Huskies a week prior. A couple days ago, the Ducks leaned on the experience of quaterback Bo Nix and the explosiveness of halfback Bucky Irving to vanquish the Washington State Cougars.

With a current clip of 47.0 PPG, Oregon is still the second-best scoring program in FBS. Along with Nix and Irving, the Fighting Ducks have quite the offensive skill cast, such as Jordan James, Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson. All players mentioned there have scored at least four touchdowns this season.

Looking forward, the Ducks next have a make-or-break contest on the schedule, traveling to face No. 13 Utah. There is plenty of buzz elsewhere in the conference, but let's not forget that the Utes are currently back-to-back Pac-12 champions. Still, I think Oregon has the kind of defense right now that can stand up to a tall task in Salt Lake City.

Overrated

(#7) Texas Longhorns

The No. 7 Texas Longhorns put their recent loss to the rival Oklahoma Sooners behind them by outlasting the Houston Cougars over the weekend. The 'Horns started fast in H-Town before the Cougs whittled back into contention. However, a fourth-quarter touchdown run from Texas tailback C.J. Baxter sealed the victory for UT.

Seemingly, the Longhorns have looked a little sluggish over the past two weeks. Both of those games have come down to a single score (with Texas splitting the pair), but it should cause some concern that UT quarterback Quinn Ewers is going to miss the next few weeks with a sprained AC joint to his throwing shoulder. Up next for Texas at signal-caller is Maalik Murphy. Of course, behind Murphy is Arch Manning.

It's worth mentioning that Texas is not scheduled against another team currently in the AP Top 25 for the remainder of the regular season. Their next contest sees them hosting the Brigham Young Cougars; can the 'Horns still run the table from here?

The Baby Bear's Porridge

(#4) Florida State Seminoles

Like Goldilocks eventually discovered, the baby bear's porridge is just right, and so too is this team's ranking in my opinion.

With a dazzlingly display in Tallahassee, No. 4 Florida State did well to trounce an ACC foe that was one of their biggest threats to a conference title: the No. 20 Duke Blue Devils. In that game, star quarterback Jordan Travis was electric, passing for 268 yards and 2 scores while adding 62 yards and a touchdown with his legs.

In the Heisman odds market at FanDuel Sportsbook, Travis now has the fourth-shortest odds (+800) to win college football's most prestigious individual award. Additionally, it certainly does not hurt that the Seminoles are an undefeated 7-0. They could easily take the streak into the College Football Playoff -- FSU's toughest remaining test is against the rival Miami (FL) Hurricanes.

Right now, Florida State is tied (with No. 3 Ohio State) for the third-shortest price to win the 2023-24 CFP National Championship. As they are continually building momentum, I think the 'Noles will be a scary team to matchup with in the postseason.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.