The Associated Press Top 25 poll has produced a set of historic shifts ahead of the first College Football Playoff rankings release. Ohio State has dropped out of the top 10 for the first time in five years, UCLA has entered the top five for the first time in 25 years, and New Mexico has secured the first ranking in program history.
The Buckeyes' exit from the top 10 marks a notable departure for a program that has been a fixture near the top of the poll for half a decade. Ohio State now sits at No. 11 in the AP Top 25, according to the poll.
UCLA's arrival in the top five represents the Bruins' highest placement in the AP poll in a quarter-century. The program's rise comes as the poll reshuffles ahead of the first College Football Playoff rankings, which will provide the first official look at the postseason picture.
New Mexico's first-ever AP ranking adds a historic milestone for a program that had never before appeared in the poll. The Lobos' entry underscores the poll's volatility this season and gives the program a new level of national recognition.
The AP Top 25 is compiled from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters, and its rankings often serve as a benchmark before the College Football Playoff selection committee issues its own rankings. The first CFP release will offer the committee's initial assessment of the season and will carry significant weight in determining the four teams that will compete for the national championship.
For local readers, the poll shifts carry implications for fans tracking the national landscape and for area programs that may be affected by the rankings as the season progresses. The first College Football Playoff rankings release will be closely watched as the postseason picture begins to take shape.
