Florida State (16-2-4) surged from No. 6 to claim the top spot in the latest rankings, displacing Stanford (21-2-2), which slipped to No. 2 after holding the pole position. The Seminoles' climb is the headline, but the real story is the carnage below them.
Duke (17-5-1) rocketed from No. 11 to No. 3 — an eight-spot surge that announces the Blue Devils as a legitimate title contender. Washington (13 to 6) and Vanderbilt (8 to 5) also climbed with authority. Meanwhile, three former top-five programs cratered: Memphis fell from No. 3 all the way to No. 18, Arkansas dropped from No. 4 to No. 17, and Notre Dame tumbled from No. 2 to No. 11.
Three newcomers crashed the poll — Ohio State and Georgetown at No. 9, plus North Carolina and Kansas tied at No. 13 — signaling that the race for a national title has blown wide open with just weeks remaining.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
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