NCAA Football Rankings: New AP Top 25 And Coaches Polls Released — Not Much Change At Top, Some Drop Out At Bottom

Week 7 of the 2015 NCAA football season has come and gone, and there was a lot of excitement to be had around the country. Michigan suffered a heartbreaking loss to Michigan State. LSU outlasted Florida on a fake field goal for a touchdown. Not a lot of movement in the NCAA rankings this week, but the new Coaches Top 25 Poll and Associated Press (AP) Top 25 Poll are both out and show some flip-flopping.

Michigan’s last-second loss to Michigan State dropped them in the AP Poll, according to MLIVE. After moving up to No. 12 last week, the Wolverines dropped to number 15. Michigan State stood steadfast at No. 7 in the AP Poll.

Six teams received No. 1 votes this week in the Associated Press Poll, but the Buckeyes of Ohio State still have the most, with 28. Baylor received 12, while Utah got 16 and TCU received three. LSU and Clemson each received one first place vote.

After Week 7 action, the AP Top 25 Poll hasn’t had a lot of change up top, but LSU has now jumped into the top five after the win over Florida. Baylor is gaining on Ohio State in both polls, as SB Nation shows, and the No. 1 votes are being spread around a good bit.

Check out the AP Top 25 Poll after Week 7.

1. Ohio St. (28)
2. Baylor (12)
3. Utah (16)
4. TCU (3)
5. LSU (1)
6. Clemson (1)
7. Michigan St.
8. Alabama
9. Florida St.
10. Stanford
11. Notre Dame
12. Iowa
13. Florida
14. Oklahoma St.
15. (Tie) Michigan
15. (Tie) Texas A&M
17. Oklahoma
18. Memphis
19. Toledo
20. California
21. Houston
22. Temple
23. Duke
24. Mississippi
25. Pittsburgh

The LSU Tigers are looking like the team to beat in the SEC, as they are the lone undefeated in the conference. Alabama is coming back around, though, and Florida is still looking very strong, but the loss later in the season for the Gators is going to hurt them more than the Crimson Tide.

Utah is shocking the world right now, but their shaky play against Arizona State dropped them a little in the Coaches Poll. If the Utes and Horned Frogs don’t have more impressive victories, the LSU Tigers could easily end up jumping them and into one of their playoff spots.

Here is the Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings after Week 7.

1. Ohio State (45)
2. Baylor (12)
3. TCU (4)
4. Michigan State
5. LSU (1)
6. Clemson
7. Utah (1)
8. Alabama
9. Florida State
10. Notre Dame
11. Stanford
12. Oklahoma State
13. Iowa
14. Florida
15. Oklahoma
16. Texas A&M
17. Memphis
18. Michigan
19. California
20. Toledo
21. Duke
22. Houston
23. Ole Miss
24. Temple
25. Georgia

UCLA, Northwestern, and Boise State all ended up dropping out of this week’s Coaches Poll due to losses. With those teams out, their three spots were taken over by Houston, Georgia, and Temple. After Stanford absolutely steamrolled UCLA this week, it’s no big surprise that the Bruins ended up falling out of both polls in the NCAA rankings.

It’s getting to the point in the season where losses are a lot harder to recover from than if they would have happened earlier in the year. Time is already getting to the point of running out, and every single game counts.

After Memphis defeated Ole Miss this weekend, both the Tigers and Iowa are on their way to undefeated seasons. Their strength of schedule and divisions may keep them a little further down in the polls, though, and they would need some big losses by teams up top in order to get near the playoffs.

The new NCAA rankings show that some of those at the top are fighting with every ounce that they have. Midway through the season, the Coaches Poll and Associated Press Top 25 Poll show the teams that have essentially separated themselves from the pack, but the battles up top also show that Ohio State, Baylor, LSU, Utah, and TCU are going to fight to the very end.

[Images via Getty Images — Mark A. Cunningham / Ronald Martinez / Jonathan Daniel]