Each week, the Sports' editorial team selects its Top 25 Football Bowl Subdivision college football teams for the Student Media Poll.
The SMP is a nationwide poll featuring 25 student journalists from schools nationwide.
The Post sports staff will break down its ballot each week. Here is a breakdown of the top five, those dropped from the Top 25 and those added.
Top 5
1. Ohio State (8-0)
The preseason top-five matchup between Ohio State and Penn State had gone downhill due to Penn State's lackluster season, which has already led to the firing of former head coach James Franklin. Under Franklin, Penn State had lost the last eight against the Buckeyes entering Saturday, but without him at the helm this weekend was more of the same, with the Buckeyes winning 38-14 at home.
Ohio State allowed 14 points in the first half Saturday, but then blanked Penn State in the second half. The Buckeyes put up 21 in the final 30 minutes, led by quarterback Julian Sayin, who bolstered his Heisman candidacy with 316 yards and four touchdown passes. He continued to utilize his star receivers. Jeremiah Smith had 123 yards and two touchdown catches, and Carnell Tate had 124 yards and one touchdown of his own.
2. Indiana (9-0)
The Hoosiers are undefeated and are looking for their first Big Ten title since 1967, and this might be the year. They have been the most complete team over the past number of weeks, and their 55-10 win over Maryland certainly backs it up. Indiana saw a down day from quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but the slack was picked up all over the field as six offensive players scored a touchdown, plus its defense scored one too.
3. Texas A&M (8-0)
The Aggies sat on the couch this weekend as the SEC championship picture continues to become clearer, and they still sit at the top of it. Now, Texas A&M, which lost all three conference games in November last season, will look to rewrite the narrative, and it starts Saturday at Missouri. For the Aggies to win, they will need to stick to what’s been working, and that starts with quarterback Marcel Reed staying hot.
4. Alabama (7-1)
Just like Texas A&M, Alabama had a bye week. After its week one loss, Alabama has rattled off seven straight wins and is in the thick of the national title conversation. The Crimson Tide has been led by Heisman hopeful quarterback Ty Simpson, who has 2,184 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns and just a lone interception. Simpson’s play has powered Alabama, and it will look for more from him when LSU comes to visit Tuscaloosa this week.
5. Oregon (7-1)
Three weeks and no changes to the top five. The top teams may be coming into form, but that doesn’t mean that chaos hasn’t been occurring around the nation. These five teams are very disciplined and have grown from losses and battled through tough wins. The Ducks are a great example, rebounding with two strong wins after their loss to Indiana, proving they belong in the title discussion.
Oregon will now head east in what looks to be a trap game against Iowa. The Hawkeyes have been good this season, but the ultra-talented Ducks should lean on quarterback Dante Moore and the aggressiveness of Dan Lanning to get the win on the road.
Who I Added: 23 Washington and 24 Pittsburgh
The Huskies reenter the rankings after a short hiatus due to a loss at Michigan. The Wolverines exposed that a slow-paced grind is not the kind of game Washington thrives in. Thankfully for the Huskies, they have picked up the pace, and the scoring numbers resemble those after a 42-25 victory over Illinois a couple of weeks back.
The ACC had a bad week; however, the one bright spot is the Panthers. They have won five straight matchups to progressively creep up the polls and find themselves comfortable in the heart of the conference title race heading into their bye week.
The Rest of the Top 25
6. Georgia (7-1)
7. BYU (8-0)
8. Ole Miss (8-1)
9. Texas Tech (8-1)
10. Oklahoma (7-2)
11. Virginia (8-1)
12. Louisville (7-1)
13. Georgia Tech (8-1)
14. Utah (7-2)
15. Texas (7-2)
16. Michigan (7-2)
17. Vanderbilt (7-2)
18. Miami (FL) (6-2)
19. Notre Dame (6-2)
20. Missouri (6-2)
21. Iowa (6-2)
22. USC (6-2)
23. Washington (6-2)
24. Pittsburgh (7-2)
25. Cincinnati (7-2)
Who I Dropped: Tulane and Houston
The Green Wave lost in a big way Saturday, getting blown out 48-26 by UTSA. They now have two losses on the season, and their résumé does not stack up to power conference foes, resulting in the drop.
The Big 12 is very competitive, with 11 of the teams over .500, and seven of them are within two games of first place. A problem has arisen throughout the season. When teams jump into the poll, they are tested soon after and fall flat on their face. I hate to make an example of it, but Houston was the most recent example of this, getting upset by West Virginia at home, which I felt warranted a big drop.
