The latest Associated Press Top 25 poll dropped on Sunday, and the college football world is up in arms. After a chaotic Week 4 that saw Texas edge Tennessee, Iowa stun Michigan, Florida demolish Ole Miss, and Ohio State handle Illinois, the new rankings have sparked a firestorm of criticism from fans and analysts alike.
Texas holds firm at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami, and Ohio State to round out the top five. Indiana, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, and BYU complete the top 10. But it's the rest of the poll—and a few notable snubs—that have everyone talking.
Missouri Mystery and SEC Skepticism
Perhaps the biggest head-scratcher for fans is Missouri's continued presence in the Top 25 at No. 25. The Tigers haven't exactly faced a gauntlet, and their resume is thin. Meanwhile, Wake Forest knocked off No. 16 Louisville and still can't crack the rankings, though the Demon Deacons did receive 88 votes.
"Are we really going to do that thing where Missouri stays ranked all season despite not beating anyone?" one fan vented. "Wake goes to Louisville and beats No. 16 and they can't crack the poll?"
The SEC bias argument also gained traction, with six of the top 12 teams hailing from the conference. As one fan put it: "Why is Missouri ranked??? Why??? 6 of the top 12 teams are SEC teams. Impossible for them to fail. If they lose, can't punish them too badly. If they win, then big win. BYU moved down after a bye? Why is USC still that high?"
Even ESPN's Kevin Clark couldn't hold back: "I will defend journalists 99 percent of the time. The AP Poll is unfortunately terrible, sorry to say."
Michigan and Ole Miss: Double Standard?
The handling of Michigan and Ole Miss also raised eyebrows. The Wolverines fell from No. 18 to unranked after a last-second loss to No. 17 Iowa, while Ole Miss dropped five spots after a blowout loss to now-No. 8 Florida. Fans were quick to point out the inconsistency.
"Michigan going from 18th to unranked for losing to #17 at the buzzer while Ole Miss drops 5 spots after losing to the now #8 by 3+ touchdowns," one fan noted.
Florida, on the other hand, seems to be surging. The Gators moved up to No. 8, and some believe they're still underrated. "Too low. Underrated. Florida is a top 5 team in the NATION," one fan declared.
Who's In, Who's Out?
The full Top 25: Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State, Indiana, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, BYU, LSU, Texas Tech, Utah, Iowa, Oregon, Mississippi State, Tennessee, USC, Oklahoma State, Houston, SMU, Boise State, UCLA, Kentucky, Missouri.
Others receiving votes: Wisconsin (102), Duke (101), Penn State (98), Wake Forest (88), Virginia Tech (86), Michigan (54), Pittsburgh (52), Nebraska (36), Louisville (25), Cincinnati (20), James Madison (10), Arizona (8), Minnesota (7), North Dakota State (6), Northwestern (1).
The debate over the AP Poll is nothing new, but this week's edition has certainly poured gasoline on the fire. With conference play heating up, the rankings will only get more contentious. For now, fans are left wondering if the voters are watching the same games they are.
