Texas climbed 8 places to No. 11 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 after beating Ole Miss 34-27. BYU, meanwhile, fell from No. 2 to No. 8 after suffering its first loss of the season against unranked UCF.
The contrasting results highlighted a turbulent Week 8 in college football. Texas strengthened its résumé with a win over a top-10 opponent, while UCF delivered a program-defining victory by defeating BYU 39-31 in double overtime.
The AP released its updated rankings on Sunday, Oct. 25, confirming the changes. Although Texas moved closer to the top 10, BYU remained in the top 10 despite its defeat, leaving both teams with opportunities to shape their seasons.
Texas rebounds with a statement win over Ole Miss
Texas entered its Oct. 24 matchup against Ole Miss after consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Florida. Playing at home in Austin, the Longhorns responded with a 34-27 victory over the No. 7 Rebels, improving their record to 5-2.
Quarterback Arch Manning completed 18 of 30 passes for 212 yards and 1 touchdown. He also scored twice on the ground, helping Texas regain control after Ole Miss erased much of the Longhorns’ halftime advantage.
The victory gave Texas another important result against a highly ranked opponent. The Longhorns had already beaten Ohio State 24-23 earlier in the season, and their win over Ole Miss provided a timely boost after consecutive defeats.
BYU suffers its first loss of the season
BYU entered its road game against UCF on Oct. 24 with a perfect record and the No. 2 AP ranking. The Cougars had climbed into that position after defeating Notre Dame, but their winning streak ended with a 39-31 double-overtime defeat in Orlando, Florida.
The teams were tied 24-24 at the end of regulation before trading touchdowns in the first overtime. UCF then scored in the second extra period and converted a 2-point attempt to establish an 8-point lead.
BYU had one final opportunity to extend the game, but quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass to Walker Lyons fell incomplete in the end zone. The result dropped the Cougars to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play.
The official AP Top 25 confirms Texas’ rise
Texas moved from No. 19 to No. 11 in the AP poll released Oct. 25. The 8-place jump followed its win over Ole Miss and left the Longhorns just outside the top 10, behind Alabama at No. 10.
BYU experienced a different movement, falling 6 places from No. 2 to No. 8. Despite losing to an unranked opponent, the Cougars remained among the nation’s top teams, reflecting their unbeaten record before the UCF game and their results earlier in the season.
The official rankings also placed Ole Miss at No. 12, down from No. 7, and Texas Tech at No. 13 after its loss to Cincinnati. UCF did not enter the Top 25, although the Knights received recognition for their upset.
Texas must build on its momentum
The win over Ole Miss improved Texas’ position, but the Longhorns still have work ahead with a 5-2 record. Their victories over Ohio State and Ole Miss demonstrate their ability to beat highly ranked opponents, while their losses remain part of their overall résumé.
Texas built a 24-3 lead by halftime against Ole Miss, but the Rebels responded with 14 points in the third quarter and 10 in the fourth. Texas also scored 10 points in the final quarter, including Manning’s go-ahead rushing touchdown.
The late-game sequence showed why maintaining a lead remains important. Texas ultimately secured the victory, but its next games will provide another test of consistency. The Longhorns are positioned to climb further if they continue winning, though their ranking will depend on future results across college football.
UCF makes program history against BYU
UCF entered the game with a 3-3 record and no AP ranking. Beating the No. 2 Cougars therefore delivered more than a winning record for the Knights: it marked the first time in program history they had defeated an AP top-five opponent.
Quarterback Keyone Jenkins played a central role in the result, throwing 3 touchdown passes. The Knights also limited BYU’s rushing attack to 116 yards, well below the Cougars’ average of 223.8 rushing yards per game entering the matchup.
UCF improved to 4-3 with the win, earning a memorable result against one of the country’s highest-ranked teams. The Knights did not enter the official Top 25 afterward, but their performance gave the program a major milestone to build on.
Other results shake up the rankings
BYU was not the only ranked team to lose in Week 8. Cincinnati defeated No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24, pushing the Red Raiders down to No. 13 in the latest AP poll. The result added to a weekend in which several ranked teams lost.
Ole Miss also dropped in the rankings after its defeat against Texas, moving from No. 7 to No. 12. The Rebels’ loss and Texas Tech’s setback created room for other teams to rise, while the poll reflected the results of a crowded slate of games.
Utah was among the weekend’s biggest movers, climbing from No. 10 to No. 6 after beating Houston 21-13. The Utes remained unbeaten at 7-0 and became the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the latest poll, ahead of BYU and Texas Tech.
What comes next for Texas and BYU
Texas now turns its attention to Mississippi State, which visits Austin on Oct. 31. The Longhorns will look to carry their Ole Miss performance into another conference game and continue improving their record as the season moves toward its decisive stretch.
BYU returns home to face Arizona State on Oct. 31. The Cougars will have an opportunity to respond to their first defeat in front of their home crowd, while working to improve their standing in the Big 12 race.
Neither team’s season will be decided by a single ranking update. Texas has shown it can defeat a top-10 opponent, while BYU remains a one-loss team with a strong start behind it. Their upcoming results will provide a clearer picture of how far each can go.
Fun fact: UCF’s 39-31 double-overtime victory over No. 2 BYU marked the first time the Knights had beaten an AP top-five opponent. The result gave UCF its highest-ranked win in program history.
TL;DR
- Texas beat Ole Miss 34-27 and climbed from No. 19 to No. 11 in the AP Top 25.
- BYU lost 39-31 to UCF in double overtime, falling from No. 2 to No. 8.
- UCF improved to 4-3 and earned its first victory over an AP top-five opponent.
- Texas Tech fell to No. 13 after losing 37-24 to Cincinnati, while Ole Miss dropped to No. 12.
- Utah rose to No. 6 after defeating Houston 21-13 and remained unbeaten at 7-0.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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