Crain & Cone College Football Week 9 AP Poll Top-25 REACTION | LIVE from Blain's Wedding
Oct 25, 2026
Live from a wedding day, the latest AP Top 25 sparks heated debate over Notre Dame’s ranking, brand bias, and whether the poll’s top teams truly deserve their spots. The discussion dives into LSU’s playoff path, SEC chaos, Big Ten contenders, underrated Utah and UCLA, Boise State’s chances, and the postseason impact of key matchups.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Brand Bias Shapes The AP Poll
- The AP Poll appears heavily influenced by brand reputation rather than résumés and current performance.
- David Cone argued undefeated UCLA, six-win Northwestern, and similar teams would rank much higher with USC or Michigan branding.
Notre Dame Creates A Ranking Paradox
- BYU’s modest drop after losing to UCF reflects the poll’s earlier decision to keep Notre Dame highly ranked.
- The circular logic rewards BYU for beating Notre Dame while excusing Notre Dame for losing to BYU.
College Football Has No Clearly Great Team
- Miami’s undefeated record makes it the clearest top team, but the hosts still question whether anyone is truly elite.
- They cited Wake Forest’s lone loss to Miami and skepticism surrounding Ohio State, Georgia, Indiana, Utah, and UCLA.