Loss sends Buckeyes into unfamiliar territory
Ohio State dropped to No. 11 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 after a 30-18 defeat at USC, ending the Buckeyes' five-year run among the nation's top 10 teams. The move was one of the sharpest changes in Sunday's poll and reflected a second loss for Ohio State during the 2026 season.
The Buckeyes fell from No. 2 to No. 11, a nine-place slide that puts the program outside the poll's highest tier at a critical point in the season. Ohio State had remained in the top 10 for 86 consecutive polls before Sunday's update. The last time the Buckeyes were ranked lower than No. 10 was Sept. 26, 2021.
The defeat also continued an unusual national trend. For the fourth consecutive week, either the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the AP poll lost to an unranked opponent. Ohio State's setback came on the road at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where USC built an early advantage and held the Buckeyes away from the end zone for most of the game.
USC controls the game early
USC scored on the second play from scrimmage with a 69-yard touchdown, immediately putting Ohio State under pressure. The Trojans added another touchdown before the second quarter was over, while the Buckeyes settled for field goals and fell behind 17-6.
Ohio State managed another field goal before halftime, but USC answered with three points of its own as the second quarter ended. The Buckeyes' offense continued to struggle after the break, and their first touchdown at the Coliseum since 1949 came only in the fourth quarter, after the game had effectively moved beyond reach.
The loss followed a difficult stretch on the road. Ohio State previously lost at Texas and narrowly defeated Indiana by four points, with a victory at Iowa between those games. The sequence has left the Buckeyes with less margin for error as the season enters its final stretch, even though the team remains ranked and still has opportunities ahead.
How the AP rankings changed
| Team | AP rank | Change or distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | No. 1 | Held the top spot for a third straight week |
| Georgia | No. 2 | Moved up one place |
| Utah | No. 3 | Moved into the top three |
| Notre Dame | No. 4 | Entered the top four |
| UCLA | No. 5 | Reached its highest ranking since 2001 |
| Ohio State | No. 11 | Fell nine places after losing to USC |
Miami remained No. 1 after a 38-35 escape against North Carolina. The Hurricanes received 62 of 70 first-place votes from the media panel. Georgia collected seven first-place votes, while Utah received one. Miami's next game is a top-five matchup at Notre Dame, giving the top of the poll another immediate test.
UCLA reaches a quarter-century milestone
UCLA climbed to No. 5 after improving to 8-0 for the first time since 2005. The Bruins shut out Nevada 27-0 and reached their highest AP position since they were No. 4 after opening the 2001 season 6-0.
The rise gives the poll a reshaped top five: Miami, Georgia, Utah, Notre Dame and UCLA. Indiana fell two spots to No. 6 despite a 23-16 overtime victory over Minnesota. BYU, Kentucky, Alabama and Texas completed the top 10, leaving Ohio State just outside that group.
USC returns while New Mexico makes history
USC re-entered the rankings at No. 18 after its victory over Ohio State. The result was described as the largest win of coach Lincoln Riley's five seasons and put the Trojans back into the playoff conversation.
New Mexico also reached a program milestone, earning its first AP ranking since the program began playing football in 1892. The Lobos moved to No. 22 after defeating San Jose State 21-16 and starting 7-1 for the first time since 1982. They are the only Mountain West team unbeaten in conference play and are identified as a contender for the Group of Six playoff spot.
What the shift means for Ohio State
For Ohio State, the ranking is a measure of both the immediate damage from the USC loss and the pressure surrounding the remainder of the schedule. The Buckeyes are no longer positioned as one of the poll's two leading teams, but their standing remains substantially stronger than that of an unranked program.
The developments to watch in the coming weeks include:
- Whether Ohio State can recover from its second loss and rebuild momentum late in the season.
- How the Buckeyes' road performance affects their national evaluation after setbacks at Texas and USC.
- Whether USC can sustain its return to the rankings after defeating a team that had been No. 2.
- How the Big Ten's ranked teams perform as the national playoff picture continues to shift.
The poll's volatility has opened space for programs across the country, from UCLA's unbeaten start to New Mexico's first appearance in the rankings. In Ohio, however, the immediate focus will remain on whether the Buckeyes can turn a historically significant ranking drop into a late-season recovery.
