**Ohio State Secures Longest Top-10 Streak as Rankings Shuffle Dramatically**

Ohio State now holds the current longest streak of top-10 appearances with 55 consecutive weeks, a number that arguably extends to 80 weeks when including the peculiarities of the 2020 season. Meanwhile, Georgia, which started 2024 as the preseason No. 1 for the second consecutive year, has fallen after fluctuating dramatically in 2020.

The latest rankings see a mix of familiar and new faces in the top slots. Texas, not from the Big Ten, holds the No. 3 position. Climbing up the ranks are Tennessee, now at No. 6, BYU at No. 7, and Notre Dame at No. 8, with Alabama coming in at No. 9 following a decisive victory over LSU. Notably, Ole Miss has surged six places to secure the No. 10 spot.

No. 4 Penn State has sparked considerable debate, with its ranking questioned due to its lack of wins against ranked teams and a home loss to Ohio State. Critics argue that this ranking reflects favoritism towards historically dominant programs, contrasting with unbeaten teams like Indiana and BYU, which have demonstrated strong performances albeit with arguably weaker schedules.

Indiana, achieving 10 wins thus far, edged out Michigan on Saturday. Despite criticism over its schedule strength, Indiana has consistently posted double-digit wins. On the other hand, BYU’s unbeaten record includes dramatic wins over ranked teams such as Kansas State and SMU, bolstering their case for a higher ranking.

In a related shake-up, Pittsburgh exits the rankings after back-to-back losses, joining Iowa State, which also dropped out following consecutive defeats. Vanderbilt's loss to South Carolina led to another exit from the Top 25, while South Carolina's season debut at No. 23 marks their comeback since 2022.

Missouri has re-entered the rankings at No. 24, with coach Eli Drinkwitz emphasizing their continued Playoff pursuit. Tulane, now at No. 25, joins Boise State and Army from Group of 5 conferences in the rankings, each vying for an automatic Playoff bid.

Ole Miss' climb is particularly notable after their dominant 28-10 victory over Georgia, marking their most significant win against an AP Top-10 team since 1969. This victory, coupled with other strong performances, has justified their top-10 position.

With Indiana continuing to win impressively, they have been ranked ahead of one-loss teams like Texas, Tennessee, and Penn State, highlighting the tight competition from No. 1 to No. 15 this season.

Next Saturday features two key matchups in the SEC: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Georgia, and No. 24 Missouri vs. No. 23 South Carolina. Meanwhile, the top-four teams—Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, and Penn State—will all face road challenges as they aim to maintain their dominance.