AP Poll: Biggest Suprises Through Nine Weeks

Florida entered the season ranked No. 15, its highest preseason ranking since 2021. Fast forward 10 weeks, and the Gators are 3-4 and have fired coach Billy Napier. Florida is one of many teams that haven’t lived up to preseason expectations. Here’s a look at other programs in that same category and surprise contenders.

LSU has gone through a similar season to the Gators’. The Tigers opened the season at No. 9 and defeated No. 4 Clemson in Week 1, moving LSU into the top three, its highest placement of the season. 

But after a loss to Ole Miss in Week 5, the Tigers’ season took a complete 180. They went on to lose three out of four games, the most recent being a 49-25 home loss to No. 3 Texas A&M. Following the blowout, coach Brian Kelly was fired, marking the second-largest buyout in college football history of $54 million. With a 5-3 record, LSU appears to have shifted its focus to next season.

Across the conference, South Carolina also hasn’t risen to college football’s bright lights. The Gamecocks finished last season on a six-game winning streak that landed them in the top 20, and the team ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP Poll. Quarterback LaNoris Sellers was in preseason Heisman discussions after his spectacular finish to the 2024 season. 

Unfortunately, the Gamecocks never found their stride, beginning conference play 0-2 and struggling to find the end zone. Their  3-5 record all but eliminated South Carolina from playoff contention, and the team is yet to play some of college football’s best teams: No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 3 Texas A&M.

Speaking of the Aggies, their season has been the best in program history. Starting the season at No. 19, people recognized the talent that Texas A&M had, but never expected the team to be undefeated heading into Week 10. The Aggies’ 8-0 record gives them the top spot in the SEC, and some of their victories include road wins over No. 12 Notre Dame and LSU, as well as a victory over Florida. With just two ranked matchups left, No. 19 Missouri and No. 20 Texas, Texas A&M is poised for its first playoff appearance since the four-team format was introduced in 2014.

The Aggies aren’t the biggest surprise in the SEC because Vanderbilt is having a season that nobody saw coming. Finishing last season with a 6-6 record, the Commodores were unranked in the preseason AP Poll. Quarterback Diego Pavia has improved significantly from last year, leading one of the top offenses in the country and solidifying himself as a Heisman candidate. The Commodores enter Week 10 with a 7-1 record, holding the No. 9 spot in the poll, their highest ranking since 1941.

Penn State and Clemson have also had disappointing seasons, entering the season at No. 2 and No. 4, respectively. Penn State fired former coach James Franklin after back-to-back losses as 20-plus-point favorites, and quarterback Drew Allar is out for the season with an ankle injury. As for Clemson, it ranks 11th in the ACC, one of the weaker Power Five conferences, and would like to put this season in the past.  

See below for the preseason and current AP Top 25:

Category: ACC, College Football, Football, Gators Football, NCAA