Georgia strengthened its hold on No. 1 in the Week 12 Coaches Poll, while Wake Forest climbed into the top 10 for the first time since 2022 after routing SMU. The top 12 otherwise held steady, but losses and new entries reshaped the lower half of the rankings.

By the Numbers
  • Georgia received 58 first-place votes; Utah received 11.
  • Wake Forest rose 1 spot to No. 10; Oregon climbed 5 spots to No. 14.
  • Louisville, Duke and Florida entered the poll at Nos. 22, 24 and 25.
  • 11 ranked teams have at least 3 losses, compared with 3 at this point last year.
Yes, But

Georgia’s lead grew, but No. 2 Utah had to rally late against No. 20 Arizona, surviving on a 70-yard touchdown pass. Its win ended a streak of 5 straight weeks in which a top-two team lost.

State of Play
  • Wake Forest’s 49-7 win over SMU moved the Demon Deacons ahead of Texas Tech.
  • Kentucky and USC each fell 5 spots after losses.
  • SMU, South Carolina and New Mexico dropped out of the top 25.
Bottom Line

Georgia remains the team to beat, but the crowded, high-loss rankings and late-season movement leave room for major shifts before the season ends.