ESPN shakes up FPI Top 25 rankings after wild Week 4 of college football

ESPN shook up its FPI Top 25 rankings after a wild Week 4 of college football that featured some crazy results! This is an every week occurrence isn’t it?

Conference play got underway for most teams, or continued, and we had some interesting clashes. Just wait til you see where some of these teams ended up this week!

Without further ado, let’s dive into the latest ESPN FPI rankings. We’ll start at the top with some familiar faces.

1. Oregon

The Ducks just keep winning and winning by a lot! This time, they beat Oregon State 41-7 in the Civil War to improve to 4-0.

Oregon tops the FPI once again and now gets to play Big Ten foe Penn State. That’ll be the game of the week next weekend. Get your popcorn ready.

2. Ohio State

Jeremiah Smith-Ohio State-Ohio State football-Buckeyes — Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Ohio State had the week off before preparing for Washington in the Big Ten opener. The Buckeyes didn’t budge in the FPI either.

The defending national champions have only proven they are contenders for another crown in 2025. They don’t get a ranked opponent, as it stands, until October 11th at Illinois.

3. Alabama

The Crimson Tide also had a bye week following the domination of Wisconsin. Like the two teams before them, and the next one, they stayed put in the FPI.

Next up, Alabama hits the road to take on Georgia in must-see TV. Kalen DeBoer was on the hot seat from fans following a loss to Florida State, but if he beats Georgia, we can bet they’ll be pretty quiet.

4. Georgia

Georgia also stayed in the top four of the FPI this week. The Bulldogs had an epic win over Tennessee last weekend and went into the bye week smiling.

They get to host Alabama this time around after losing last year’s thriller in Tuscaloosa. Gotta wonder what the SEC hierarchy will be after this coming weekend.

5. Texas (+1)

Sep 20, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) and defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) celebrate after Manning ran for a touchdown during the first half against the Sam Houston Bearkats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. — © Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

This was a get-right game for the Longhorns and they moved up a spot in the FPI as a result. Texas beat Sam Houston State 55-0 on Saturday night.

It wasn’t the best opponent, but Arch Manning got a little swagger back too. He had 309 yards passing and was responsible for five total touchdowns.

6. Indiana (+10)

Jeez Hoosiers, did you have to be so mean? Well, it wasn’t as mean as it was a statement. Curt Cignetti and Indiana are for real.

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After making the College Football Playoff last year, many expected them to take a step back. Well, they just blasted an AP Poll top 10 Illinois squad 63-10. This might be a darn Big Ten contender and not just a wild card!

7. USC (-2)

USC won a late night affair vs. Michigan State to open Big Ten play, 45-31. The defense wasn’t at its best, but the Trojans won a shootout for the first time this season.

So this just goes to show that Lincooln Riley’s offense is for real, once again. Jayden Maiava had 234 yards passing and had three touchdowns through the air with two on the ground. What a night. However, they dropped two spots in the FPI after Indiana’s rise.

8. Ole Miss

austin-simmons-injury-update-play-vs-tulane-or-will-injury-sideline-him-trinidad-chambliss — Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss dominated Tulane from the get-go, winning 45-10. Lane Kiffin said Jon Sumrall will coach in the SEC someday, but not with a game like that.

Austin Simmons dealt with an injury so it was Trinidad Chambliss at QB again and he threw for 307 yards, two touchdowns and ran for 112 yards. The Rebels stood firm in the FPI this week.

9. Tennessee

Tennessee took out some frustrations on UAB this weekend, winning 56-24. It wasn’t enough to rise in the FPI, but they’re now 3-1 on the season.

Joey Aguilar threw for 218 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Tennessee’s run defense was elite, limiting the Blazers to 23 yards and forcing them to throw virtually all game.

10. Penn State (-3)

The Nittany Lions dropped three spots in the FPI after some movement from others. But, they’ll have a chance to vault up the rankings if they can beat Oregon this coming weekend.

The Ducks will visit State College in what we’ll call the game of the week. We’ll see who’s more national championship ready.

ESPN shakes up FPI Top 25 after Week 4

11. Miami
12. Michigan (-2)
13. Notre Dame (+1)
14. Missouri (-2)
15. Vanderbilt (+6)
16. Texas A&M (-1)
17. Oklahoma (-4)
18. BYU (+4)
19. LSU
20. Texas Tech (+6)
21. Nebraska (-4)
22. Florida State (+5)
23. Auburn (-3)
24. Washington (+5)
25. Arkansas (-1)