11 Top 10 Losses in Three Weeks

College football has entered its most erratic period in nearly two decades. According to ESPN Research, eleven teams ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll lost their games over the past three weeks. This figure ties the record for the most top ten losses in any three week span of the regular season. The previous time this occurred was in 2007.

The current cycle of instability began in early October. Teams that previously held secure positions in the rankings have faced sudden defeats. The volatility has forced analysts to reevaluate the depth of the playoff field. The AP Top 25 has shifted dramatically in response to these results.

Miami held the number one ranking before the weekend and maintained it after the fact. The Hurricanes defeated Pitt 52 to 23. Malachi Toney set a school record with 16 catches for 194 yards. Miami will play at North Carolina next week. They face Notre Dame on November 7.

Ohio State, ranked third, is without starting quarterback Julian Sayin indefinitely due to an elbow injury. True freshman Luke Fahey is expected to start. The Buckeyes will test their new offense in a Saturday game at USC. Georgia, ranked fourth, took a bye week to recover from a 27 to 24 loss to Auburn. The Bulldogs will play Florida in Atlanta on Saturday.

BYU fell from number two to fourth place after losing to UCF in double overtime. The Cougars averaged 3.2 yards per carry in that defeat. Notre Dame, ranked fifth, took a bye week to regroup following its loss to BYU. UCLA, ranked sixth, defeated Michigan State 28 to 10. The Bruins recorded 245 rushing yards and held their opponent to 156 total yards.

Indiana, ranked seventh, defeated Michigan 13 to 6 in overtime. The Hoosiers limited the Wolverines to 54 rushing yards. Kentucky, ranked eighth, beat Vanderbilt 34 to 17. The Wildcats have won six straight games. Utah, ranked ninth, defeated Houston 21 to 13 to extend its winning streak. Alabama, ranked tenth, beat Texas A&M to reach the bye week with a 6 and 2 record.

Texas, ranked thirteenth, defeated Ole Miss after trailing late in the game. The Longhorns built a 24 to 3 halftime lead but faced a third quarter surge by the Rebels. Arch Manning threw three turnovers during the contest. Steve Sarkisian noted the team's resilience after two previous losses to unranked opponents.

Ole Miss, ranked fourteenth, scored only three points in the first half against Texas. The Rebels entered the game ranked eighth. The drop in the rankings reflects the inconsistent performance across the division. The next round of games will determine which teams can stabilize their records before the conference title races conclude.