Halloween provided plenty of scares for a few college football teams, including the No. 1 team in the ESPN rankings over the last couple of weeks.

In all, seven AP ranked teams lost their games to close out October, and as the selection committee prepares to meet this week, there’s plenty to consider in a 2026 season that has been full of surprises and upsets.

ESPN Updates the Top 25 College Football Rankings for Week 10

25. South Carolina

Rankings change: Up 1

The Gamecocks started 0-3 in SEC competition, but are now on a three-game win streak that includes victories against ranked Tennessee and Florida, and just pounded Oklahoma on the road by piling up more than 500 yards on a good Sooner defense. Now they head into winnable games against Texas A&M and Arkansas.

24. Northwestern

Rankings change: Down 4

Chip Kelly’s offense seemed to have his old Oregon team on the ropes, building a 20-6 lead at Autzen, but the Wildcats couldn’t do enough to hold it, succumbing to a Ducks comeback and dropping to 6-2 with a date against Iowa next.

23. Texas A&M

Rankings change: Down 1

Apparently, the Aggies are really efficient at something, because they’re still in these rankings despite winning just one game in SEC play. They play at South Carolina next.

22. Florida

Rankings change: Down 5

The Gators needed their run game to play up to its potential to even compete with Georgia. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t. Florida was outrushed 217-48 and got clocked in the Cocktail Party game. Playoff hopes? Dashed.

21. Iowa

Rankings change: Up 14

The biggest positive mover in the ESPN rankings this week, the Hawkeyes pounded ranked Wisconsin by a 30-0 count, covering over 200 yards in the air and holding the Badgers scoreless for a second-straight year. Now they go to Northwestern as a 6-2 football team.

20. Houston

Rankings change: Down 2

The loss to Utah last week combined with one to Texas Tech in September puts the Cougars on the wrong side of the list of real Big 12 contenders now. They face a winnable schedule going forward, but need considerable help from the league’s better teams.

19. Missouri

Rankings change: Up 9

Ahmad Hardy returned for the first time this season after recovering from a gunshot wound, but the rest of the Mizzou offense carried the load this time to put away SEC bottom-feeder Arkansas. It gets tougher against Texas, Georgia, and Kentucky next.

18. Louisville

Rankings change: Up 3

ESPN’s algorithm really likes the idle Cardinals despite their 5-3 record that puts them behind the leaders in the ACC. Now after beating Stanford, they head into a pair of road dates at Georgia Tech and then North Carolina to stay anywhere near contention.

17. Nebraska

Rankings change: Down 1

The Cornhuskers led Washington 7-3 with 1:31 left, but allowed two touchdowns in the final frame, including a pick-six. Nebraska has now lost 3 straight games by 13 combined points. But they’re still efficient enough in the process to warrant an ESPN ranking this week.

16. BYU

Rankings change: Up 1

Bear Bachmeier had 236 passing yards and a touchdown and the Cougars shut out Arizona State in the fourth quarter to escape with a 27-20 victory, setting up a massive Holy War matchup at Utah next Saturday.

15. USC

Rankings change: Up 10

Coming off a disheartening loss at Wisconsin a week ago, the Trojans redeemed themselves with a gutsy and dominant win against national title hopeful Ohio State. It’s definitely the biggest win for Lincoln Riley in his embattled tenure, and up to him to build on it going forward.

14. Tennessee

Rankings change: Down 2

The idle Volunteers dropped to 3-2 in SEC competition after a surprise loss at South Carolina last weekend. Next weekend they host resurgent rival Kentucky, which sits in first place in the SEC.

13. Texas Tech

Rankings change: Up 1

For a while, the Red Raiders looked like they were about to take a second-straight loss, but they stormed back in the second half to put away ranked Arizona, saving their season and College Football Playoff ambitions, and staying near the top of the Big 12 standings and facing a winnable schedule going forward.

12. Oregon

Rankings change: Down 1

Dylan Raiola hit over 300 yards and had 3 touchdowns to help lead the Ducks’ comeback win against ranked Northwestern. That doesn’t save Oregon’s season, but they stay above water at 5-3 and with some confidence going to Ohio State next.

11. Wake Forest

Rankings change: Up 5

The Demon Deacons did most of their damage on the ground, powering for over 300 rushing yards to pound Virginia and move to 7-1 going into cupcake week against Merrimack next time out.

10. Utah

Rankings change: None

Still atop the Big 12, the Utes built a strong 42-6 first-half lead at Cincinnati before coasting in the second, but stayed undefeated at 8-0 heading into next week’s home tilt against rival BYU that will further sort things out in this conference.

9. Ole Miss

Rankings change: None

The Rebels played a little close against Auburn early on, leading by just two in the third quarter, but the offense was resurrected after that, piling on 28 unanswered points to pull away in a 45-15 rout. Now 6-2, they host Georgia next in a marquee clash.

8. Indiana

Rankings change: Down 2

Moments after surrendering a 60-yard field goal, the Hoosiers raced into position to kick their own to force overtime, and then beat Minnesota in extra time. That avoids a costly second loss and keeps their Big Ten title and playoff hopes intact. But what does this offense look like if the change at quarterback becomes permanent?

7. Texas

Rankings change: Up 1

Arch Manning was a crisp 16 of 20 passing with 3 touchdowns and no turnovers to help the Longhorns put away Mississippi State. That’s despite rushing for just 60 yards. Something to work on looking ahead to consecutive road dates at Missouri and LSU.

6. Alabama

Rankings change: Down 1

Off on Saturday, the Crimson Tide stopped a two-game slide by beating Texas A&M, albeit closer than expected in a 31-20 result. Sitting third in the SEC, they go to LSU next with their playoff ambitions hanging by a thread.

5. LSU

Rankings change: Up 2

Idle this past weekend, the Tigers are on a two-game win streak, outscoring Mississippi State and Auburn 69-17, but now come into a critical home test against Alabama with a metric ton of College Football Playoff implications.

4. Georgia

Rankings change: None

Gunner Stockton didn’t score, but the Bulldogs ran for 217 yards and held the Gators’ backfield to 1.7 yards per carry heading into a massive road trip to Ole Miss next weekend.

3. Miami

Rankings change: None

Despite giving away a couple of leads on the road at North Carolina, including one in the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes stormed back and withstood another late UNC score to stay undefeated. But this defense needs to tighten things up going to Notre Dame next.

2. Ohio State

Rankings change: Down 1

Suddenly, the Buckeyes are in trouble. Not having Julian Sayin did end up costing them in a surprise loss at USC, but so did a defense that couldn’t stop the Trojans when it counted. Oregon visits Columbus next with OSU’s playoff hopes in genuine peril going into November.

1. Notre Dame

Rankings change: Up 1

It was a little close against Navy early on, but the Irish stacked up 28 unanswered points to pull away, improving to 7-1 and setting up a clash of the titans against undefeated Miami. A loss there could poke a hole in the Golden Domers’ fragile playoff hopes. They still have that loss to BYU and the rest of their schedule is not all that impressive.

More: College Football AP Top 25 Teams Moving Up, Down in Rankings