Brief

AP College Football Poll Week 5: Florida Rises, Ole Miss Falls, Big Ten Shakes Up

The AP Top 25 poll released on September 27 saw Florida move up to eighth, Ole Miss slide to ninth, and several Big Ten teams exit the rankings.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:11:25 GMT

The Associated Press released its Week 5 college football rankings on September 27, moving Florida up to eighth after a 52‑28 victory over Ole Miss and sending the Rebels down to ninth. The poll also saw USC fall to 18th, and Penn State and Michigan exit the Top 25 entirely.

Florida’s Surge

Florida’s win over Ole Miss was its highest AP ranking since 2020. Gators coach Jon Sumrall expressed surprise at the team’s performance, noting that the Vegas oddsmakers had underrated the home side. Running back Jadan Baugh rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns, with the final score coming in the last four minutes.

Ole Miss Decline

Ole Miss’ run in the top five was short‑lived; the Rebels dropped five spots from fourth to ninth. Their 24‑point victory over Pete Golding’s squad earlier in the week had catapulted them, but the recent loss to Florida has tempered the hype surrounding quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who had led the team to a win over LSU.

Big Ten Shake‑Up

In the Big Ten, Oregon moved closer to challenging Ohio State and Indiana for the conference title after a road win over USC. Oregon’s backup quarterback Dylan Raiola went 19‑of‑25 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, while starting quarterback Dante Moore left the game with a concussion. Penn State was upset by unranked Wisconsin, and Michigan gave up a last‑second touchdown to Iowa in a 20‑19 loss, both causing the teams to fall out of the Top 25.

Other Conference Moves

Texas edged Tennessee 20‑17 in Knoxville, keeping its playoff hopes alive, while Wake Forest upset Louisville reshaped ACC dynamics. Missouri’s loss highlighted defensive challenges in the SEC.

Key facts

Florida moved to eighth in the AP Top 25 after a 52‑28 win over Ole Miss (bleacherreport.com)
Ole Miss fell to ninth, dropping five spots from fourth (bleacherreport.com)
Penn State and Michigan exited the Top 25 (bleacherreport.com)
Oregon beat USC on the road, moving closer to conference title contention (bleacherreport.com)
Texas edged Tennessee 20‑17 in Knoxville (bleacherreport.com)

Background

Earlier Felo coverage highlighted Florida’s dominant win over Ole Miss and Texas’s narrow victory over Tennessee, both of which reshuffled the top‑25 and set the stage for conference battles.