AP Poll Prediction: Projecting Top 25 ranking after Week 14 of college football

The final weekend of the regular season carried some huge stakes and the upsets started early, as Texas toppled Texas A&M on Black Friday. That was just one of a few particularly noteworthy top 25 games.

The slate in general had a few interesting matchups, despite the fact that only a few would play into the likely playoff picture. Many will induce moves in the latest AP Poll.

There was a lot to digest. Today, On3 stops to break down some of the changes anticipated in this week’s AP Top 25. Let’s dig into our projections for the new edition of the top college football poll below.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0)

RESULT: 27-9 win at Michigan
Ohio State opened up a small first-half lead, then went on to coast with a stifling defensive effort in the second half. Michigan gained only 163 yards total in the contest. That made for an easy finish for the Buckeyes.

At 12-0 now, Ohio State should remain as the No. 1 team in the country heading into conference championship weekend. And given that Indiana is all but certain to be No. 2, there’s a scenario where both teams lock up a playoff bye even with one losing in the conference title game.

2. Indiana Hoosiers (12-0)

RESULT: 56-3 win at Purdue
It took a quarter for Indiana to really get rolling, then it opened things up on Purdue with a 21-point second quarter. Fernando Mendoza wasn’t needed for long, throwing only 15 passes as Indiana leaned on the ground game to the tune of 355 yards.

Coach Curt Cignetti now has his team in definite position to earn a playoff berth this season, one of the most consistent top 25 teams out there. The real question is whether the team can earn a bye at this point.

3. Georgia Bulldogs (11-1)

RESULT: 16-9 win at Georgia Tech
Any time you can beat a top 25 rival on the road it’s a good win, and Georgia secured a good win on Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs scored 13 points in the second quarter and then simply let the defense go to work the rest of the day.

Neither team was able to pile up huge yardage totals, and it certainly wasn’t Georgia’s cleanest game of the year. Still, it’s a win. Now the SEC Championship Game is up for a team that has designs on a first-round bye.

4. Oregon Ducks (11-1)

RESULT: 26-14 win at Washington
Few playoff-contending teams had as challenging a final game as Oregon did going on the road to Washington. But Dan Lanning‘s squad was locked in from jump. The team built an early lead and then simply choked the life out of the game.

Quarterback Dante Moore threw for 286 yards and a touchdown in the win, while the defense picked off Washington quarterback Demond Williams twice. Now Oregon waits to see if it can get into position for a first-round bye.

5. Ole Miss Rebels (11-1)

RESULT: 38-19 at Mississippi State
Ole Miss was consistent throughout the game at Mississippi State, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and the fourth quarter to take charge and then put the game on ice. Trinidad Chambliss was simply superb, throwing for 359 yards and four touchdowns.

While the Lane Kiffin saga has added plenty of drama for the top 25 Rebels, the team hasn’t let it affect its play so far. Can that continue going forward? We’ll see.

6. Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1)

RESULT: 49-0 win at West Virginia
Few teams put as emphatic a stamp on the regular season finale as Texas Tech did on the road at West Virginia. The Red Raiders scored 21 points in the first quarter to take a commanding lead and never looked back.

West Virginia totaled less than 200 yards in the contest and never really had a chance. Now Texas Tech is onto conference championship weekend, where it will be looking to make a statement, potentially inching its way into the territory of earning a first-round bye.

7. Texas A&M Aggies (11-1)

RESULT: 27-17 loss at Texas
Texas A&M handled the road environment well early on Friday night but seemed to let it affect it late. The Texas defense was the story of the second half, limiting the Texas A&M ground game outside of quarterback Marcel Reed for the most part.

The question now is where the Aggies will fall. They certainly won’t fall out of playoff range with their first loss, to a top 25 team, at that, though they’re probably out of the mix for a first-round bye at this point. Still, even that’s not a total given.

8. Oklahoma Sooners (10-2)

RESULT: 17-13 win vs. LSU
Oklahoma got everything it could handle against LSU, but the Sooners managed to clutch up down the stretch to pull out the win. John Mateer found Isaiah Sategna for a 58-yard touchdown pass with five minutes to play to take the lead, and the defense did the rest from there.

The win preserved Oklahoma’s playoff chances and almost certainly ensures that the Sooners will be in the final playoff field. A loss would have made for some super nervy last days ahead of the final selections for the playoff.

9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-2)

RESULT: 49-20 win at Stanford
Notre Dame took an early lead to take some of the hype away from the home crowd, then turned it into a blowout with a 21-point second quarter. It was a comfortable win for the Fighting Irish in every sense of the word.

Now the focus turns toward the College Football Playoff conversation. The status of Jeremiyah Love will also be worth watching after he was banged up during Saturday’s game.

10. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2)

RESULT: 27-20 win at Auburn
Alabama took a 17-0 lead in the contest at Jordan-Hare Stadium, at least temporarily quieting the crowd. But Auburn would fight its way back into the contest by scoring 13 unanswered points between the second and third quarters, cutting the deficit to just four.

The Crimson Tide buckled down from there and started to play their brand of ball again. The team rallied to win, sending Alabama to the SEC Championship Game for a meeting with Georgia. That result will be important given how close Alabama is to the playoff cut line.

Rest of the AP Top 25 Projections

11. BYU Cougars (11-1)
12. Vanderbilt Commodores (10-2)
13. Miami Hurricanes (10-2)
14. Texas Longhorns (9-3)
15. Utah Utes (10-2)
16. Virginia Cavaliers (10-2)
17. USC Trojans (9-3)
18. James Madison Dukes (11-1)
19. Michigan Wolverines (9-3)
20. North Texas Mean Green (11-1)
21. Tulane Green Wave (10-2)
22. Arizona Wildcats (9-3)
23. Tennessee Volunteers (8-4)
24. Navy Midshipmen (9-2)
25. UNLV Rebels (10-2)