Indiana is the new No. 1 team in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time in program history, completing a perfect 13-0 regular season with a 13-10 victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.
The win ended Ohio State’s 14-week run atop the rankings, secured a unanimous No. 1 selection for the Hoosiers, and locked up the top overall seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff for their second consecutive appearance.
Georgia rose one spot to No. 2—its highest ranking of the season—after a commanding three-touchdown victory over Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game. Defending national champion Ohio State dropped two spots to No. 3.
Texas Tech, a 27-point winner over BYU in the Big 12 championship, climbed one place to No. 4, also reaching its highest ranking this season. Oregon held at No. 5, followed by Mississippi, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Miami, which returned to the top ten for the first time since mid-October.
Among notable Group of Five programs, Tulane jumped four spots to No. 17 after winning the American Athletic Conference, while Sun Belt champion James Madison held steady at No. 19.
The final AP Top 25 will be released on January 20, the day after the College Football Playoff national championship.
By James Kisoo
