Utah Jumps to No. 3 in Furlong's AP Ballot After 42-6 Lead

Josh Furlong of KSL.com ranked Utah third in his individual ballot for the Associated Press Top 25, submitted on the day the list was published. The move places the Utes ahead of UCLA and Notre Dame. Furlong noted that Utah’s performance on the road Saturday was decisive, with the team building a 42-6 lead over Cincinnati by halftime. The opponent had recently defeated a top-10 team, making the margin of victory a key factor in the ranking decision.

Miami retained the number one spot despite a narrow victory over North Carolina. Furlong described the Hurricanes as a shaky leader, citing a resume that lacks a strong marquee win. He pointed to the upcoming matchup with Notre Dame as the next major test for Miami’s standing. The result against the Tar Heels was enough to keep them at the top, but the analyst suggested the team remains vulnerable to upsets.

Georgia sits at number two in the ranking. Furlong called the Bulldogs the surest bet in college football, even after an unexplained loss to Auburn earlier in the season. Georgia defeated rival Florida with little trouble over the weekend. The analyst viewed the team as one of the best currently playing, though he acknowledged the difficulty in determining the true hierarchy at this stage of the season.

UCLA holds the fourth position. The Bruins remained undefeated in a nonconference game against Nevada. Furlong stated that the result did not reveal much about the team’s capabilities, but he maintained that UCLA remains a viable threat in the Big Ten. The team’s winning record provides a strong foundation for a potential postseason run.

Notre Dame moved to number five, overtaking BYU. Furlong admitted that moving the Fighting Irish ahead of the Cougars was not his preferred choice given the recency of their results. He observed that the two schools have been trending in opposite directions over the last two weeks. Saturday’s game against Miami will serve as a significant indicator for both programs.

Indiana is ranked sixth. The Hoosiers won again on Saturday, securing a victory that relied heavily on a 60-yard field goal by Paddy McAteer in the final moments. Furlong described the team as playing with fire, noting that they are not at the level of their previous championship season but are still competitive. Coach Curt Cignetti continues to maximize the team’s personnel.

Kentucky is seventh on the ballot. The Wildcats were on a bye this week, allowing them to rest without adding to their record. Their resume includes victories over LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. Furlong praised head coach Will Stein for a solid job, acknowledging that some of those wins are more impressive than others. Alabama is eighth, having also been on a bye, while Texas is ninth after a blowout win over Mississippi State.

BYU dropped to eighth place. Furlong explained that he had been generous in keeping the Cougars higher after their loss to UCF, but recent performance has forced a further drop. He noted that the team has been inconsistent and has not played great football lately. The inconsideration list for this week includes Northwestern, SMU, UTSA, and Virginia Tech.