Georgia ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The Bulldogs (6-0) moved up from the second spot after recording a 20-17 victory against Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. This marks the program's first time holding the top ranking since 2024.
The shift in the rankings followed an upset in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday, where previously top-ranked Texas lost to Oklahoma. Texas fell six spots to No. 7 in the poll. Following Georgia in the top four are Notre Dame at No. 2, Miami at No. 3, and Ohio State at No. 4, with each of those teams moving up one position from the previous week.
Several other teams saw significant movement in the Week 7 rankings. UCLA climbed nine spots to No. 12 after defeating Oregon, a game in which the Bruins forced seven turnovers. Kentucky returned to the poll at No. 15 following a 35-34 overtime win against LSU, secured by a successful two-point conversion. Northwestern made its debut in the rankings at No. 25.
The scale of the current shift is highlighted by the removal of long-standing programs from the list. Oregon, previously ranked No. 13, fell out of the Top 25 after suffering its second loss in four games. Florida, which held the No. 16 spot last week, also dropped out of the rankings. LSU experienced a 12-place decline, moving from No. 10 to No. 22.
The updated rankings will define matchups for the upcoming week of play. Georgia will defend its No. 1 position in its next scheduled contest, while programs like Oklahoma and Wisconsin, which are currently among those "others receiving votes," will compete to re-enter the formal Top 25 list in the Week 8 poll.