Ralph RussoThe Athletic (Brooklyn, NY)
Twitter: @ralphDrussoATH
About: Ralph Russo is a Senior Writer for The Athletic, covering college football. Before joining The Athletic, he spent 20 years as the lead national college football writer for The Associated Press. He also previously worked as the AP's Mississippi-based sports writer and did a stint with The Denver Post. Ralph is a native New Yorker and a graduate of Fordham University.


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Oct 25, 2026Week 8 Rankings for Ralph Russo
1Ohio State (10)
6-1Actual: 2
Highest: 1 - 10 Voters
Lowest: 5 - Pat Welter
1681
Points
2Miami (FL) (59)
7-0Actual: 1
Highest: 1 - 59 Voters
Lowest: 4 - 2 Voters
1735
Points
3Georgia
6-1Actual: 3
Highest: 2 - 2 Voters
Lowest: 9 - David Jablonski
1511
Points
4Indiana
7-1Actual: 4
Highest: 3 - 12 Voters
Lowest: 9 - 2 Voters
1459
Points
5Utah (1)
7-0Actual: 6
Highest: 1 - Stephen Means
Lowest: 9 - 2 Voters
1413
Points
6UCLA
7-0Actual: 7
Highest: 2 - Stephen Means
Lowest: 12 - Koki Riley
1398
Points
7BYU
6-1Actual: 8
Highest: 3 - 2 Voters
Lowest: 12 - Cameron Cox
1325
Points
8Notre Dame
6-1Actual: 5
Highest: 2 - Koki Riley
Lowest: 9 - 3 Voters
1458
Points
9Kentucky
7-1Actual: 9
Highest: 5 - Murray Evans
Lowest: 16 - Koki Riley
1185
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
10LSU
6-2Actual: 15
Highest: 9 - Nick Jacobs
Lowest: 25 - Brian Fonseca
813
Points
11Texas
5-2Actual: 11
Highest: 9 - 3 Voters
Lowest: 20 - Nick Jacobs
966
Points
12Ole Miss
5-2Actual: 12
Highest: 8 - Koki Riley
Lowest: 21 - Dylan Sinn
871
Points
13Tennessee
6-2Actual: 16
Highest: 10 - Chris Carter
Lowest: NR - 1 Voters
662
Points
14Alabama
6-2Actual: 10
Highest: 6 - Nick Jacobs
Lowest: 17 - Stephen Means
1063
Points
15Texas Tech
6-1Actual: 13
Highest: 8 - David Jablonski
Lowest: 23 - 2 Voters
861
Points
16Wake Forest
6-1Actual: 14
Highest: 9 - 3 Voters
Lowest: 24 - Chelsie Brown
822
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
17Missouri
5-2Actual: 23
Highest: 15 - 2 Voters
Lowest: NR - 9 Voters
329
Points
18Florida
5-2Actual: 17
Highest: 11 - 2 Voters
Lowest: NR - 2 Voters
556
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
19Oklahoma State
5-2Actual: 24
Highest: 14 - Adam Lichtenstein
Lowest: NR - 19 Voters
180
Points
20Boise State
6-1Actual: 20
Highest: 12 - Ian Kress
Lowest: NR - 4 Voters
422
Points
21Northwestern
6-1Actual: 20
Highest: 11 - Stephen Means
Lowest: 24 - 3 Voters
422
Points
22Arizona
6-1Actual: 22
Highest: 11 - Koki Riley
Lowest: NR - Matt McGavic
400
Points
23SMU
6-1Actual: 19
Highest: 12 - 2 Voters
Lowest: NR - 2 Voters
440
Points
24Wisconsin
5-2Actual: 25
Highest: 17 - Sarah Hughes
Lowest: NR - 22 Voters
125
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
25UTSA
7-1Actual: 33
Highest: 25 - Ralph Russo
Lowest: NR - 68 Voters
1
Point
Ranked Teams Not on Ballot: 18-Houston