BYU drops to No. 8 after double-OT loss to UCF as Ohio State, Georgia rise
In college football's latest rankings released Sunday, BYU plummeted six spots to number eight after losing 39 to 31 in double overtime to University of Central Florida on Saturday. The Cougars had been ranked second after defeating number two Notre Dame the previous week. Despite having a bye week, Ohio State moved up one spot to number two, and Georgia climbed to number three, both benefiting from BYU's loss. Miami remains number one. This marks the tenth top-ten team loss in three weeks, tying the record for upheaval set in 2007 and 1959. Three teams ranked number one or two have now lost to unranked opponents this season, making 2026 one of college football's most unpredictable years. BYU, still with just one loss, hosts Arizona State this weekend as the team recovers from the heartbreaking defeat in Florida.
Key facts
- BYU lost 39-31 to UCF in double overtime on Saturday, falling from No. 2 to No. 8 in the AP Top 25
- Ohio State moved up one spot to No. 2 and Georgia advanced to No. 3 during their bye weeks
- This is the tenth top-ten team loss in the past three weeks, tying the record for most losses in a three-week span since 1959
- Three teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2 have now lost to unranked opponents in 2026, the most unpredictable season since 2007
- Miami held the No. 1 spot with 59 of 70 first-place votes from the media panel
How different outlets framed it
Right-leaning coverage: Fox News/OutKick's coverage highlighted the strength differentials and questioned whether all teams deserve their rankings equally, with commentary suggesting that strength of schedule matters in evaluating Notre Dame's credentials after losing to BYU.
Limits of this briefing
This story covers only the immediate ranking changes and does not include perspectives from left-leaning sports outlets or deep analysis of playoff implications. Some sources focused on different weeks of the season were excluded.
Sources
- Yahoo Sports: AP Top 25: BYU tumbles to No. 8 after loss to UCF as Ohio State and Georgia move up on bye weeks Centre
- Fox News/OutKick: Week 8 AP Top 25 Poll sees Big Ten gain equal footing on SEC and unbeaten Utah earn major respect Right
- BYU Athletics: Football lands at No. 8 in AP Top 25 Centre
- Deseret News: BYU falls to No. 8, Utah jumps to No. 6 in latest AP top 25 poll Centre
- University Herald: Ohio State Climbs to No. 2 as College Football Rankings See Major Changes Centre