The week four AP Top 25 Poll released Sunday featured dramatic shifts in the SEC, with the Florida Gators jumping 13 spots to No. 8 following a 52-28 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels. The Gators gained ground after rushing for over 300 yards and forcing two turnovers to contain the Ole Miss offense. This win placed Florida one spot ahead of the Rebels in the rankings.
Other significant movers included the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who climbed 11 spots to No. 19 after defeating the Oregon Ducks, and the UCLA Bruins, who entered the top 25 at No. 23 following a 54-3 win over the Maryland Terrapins. The Mississippi State Bulldogs also moved up eight spots to No. 16 after holding on to defeat the Missouri Tigers.
The poll drew criticism for its handling of the Missouri Tigers, who remain at No. 25 despite a 31-24 loss to Mississippi State. The Tigers entered that game ranked at No. 19 after three wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kansas, and Troy. Critics noted that Missouri’s retention of a ranking despite recent poor performance highlights perceived biases in the voting process. The team has not beaten an SEC opponent with a winning record since 2024, with previous wins over Arkansas and Vanderbilt.
Conversely, several teams dropped out of the rankings following losses. The Michigan Wolverines fell from No. 18 to unranked after a last-second touchdown loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes, who moved up three spots. The Penn State Nittany Lions dropped from No. 13 to unranked after losing to Wisconsin on a late touchdown pass, while the USC Trojans fell six spots after a loss to Oregon.
The Kentucky Wildcats moved up three spots to No. 24, even as their win over Texas A&M was viewed less favorably after the Aggies showed improvement. Meanwhile, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons remain unranked despite a road win over No. 16 Louisville and a single loss to Miami, a top-five team. Advanced metric systems currently place the Nebraska Cornhuskers at No. 16 based on performance, though they are unranked in the AP Poll because they began the season unranked.
The inconsistencies in the poll have sparked debate about its influence on the College Football Playoff selection committee. Rankings are often used to inform deliberations regarding strength of schedule and resume wins. For instance, Texas A&M is considered a "ranked win" for Kentucky and LSU due to preseason expectations, despite currently sitting at No. 39 in computer-based rankings, just ahead of UCF. With a full slate of major games scheduled for week five, further volatility in the AP Top 25 is expected.