AP Top 25: Utah jumps to No. 6, Big Ten and SEC tie at three in Top 10

The latest AP Top 25 Poll reflects a significant shift in conference power, with the Big Ten and the SEC now holding an equal number of teams in the top 10. Both conferences have three representatives in the top tier of the rankings as of Week 8 of the college football season.

Utah emerged as the week's standout performer, rising to No. 6 in the nation following a late-night victory over Houston that improved the Utes' record to 7-0. The team earned one first-place vote in the poll, signaling a surge in national respect for their unbeaten season. Utah's next challenge comes at Cincinnati, a program that recently defeated No. 8 Texas Tech on Saturday.

The movement at the top of the rankings was driven by road upsets involving three top-10 teams. The BYU Cougars suffered the steepest drop, falling six spots to No. 8 after losing to UCF in double overtime. Texas, conversely, was the week's biggest climber, jumping eight spots to No. 11 after a 34-27 home win over Ole Miss. Despite these shifts, Miami retained the No. 1 position for a second consecutive week, earning 59 first-place votes. Ohio State received 10 first-place votes.

Every team in the top 20, except for Miami, received a new ranking this week. The most surprising placements include UCLA at No. 7 and Kentucky at No. 9, both teams with five weeks remaining in the regular season. The Big 12 conference saw internal movement, but the overall distribution of top-10 teams remains balanced between the Big Ten and SEC.

The upcoming schedule features several high-profile matchups on Halloween. No. 3 Georgia will host No. 17 Florida in Atlanta, while No. 13 Texas Tech faces No. 22 Arizona at home. No. 25 Wisconsin travels to Iowa, and No. 5 Notre Dame plays Navy in New England.