College Football Rankings: Hits and Misses in Week 4 Top 25

Sep 19, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) celebrates after a touchdown against the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss and LSU on the Rise

Interestingly enough, the SEC was close to being shut out of the top five of the AP Top 25 for the first time since October 2010. But, a strong showing by Ole Miss helped the Rebels catapult into the national championship discussion. 

Thanks to a 43-36 victory over Alabama on the road, the Rebels made the biggest jump in the polls over the weekend. Ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and No. 11 by the coaches, Ole Miss picked up 11 first place votes from the media and climbed into a tie for third with TCU. Ole Miss jumped six spots in the Coaches Poll, to No. 5.

RELATED: SEC Power Rankings, Week 4: Ole Miss, LSU and Georgia Vie for Top Spot

With what appears to be their toughest test of the season behind them (playing No. 2 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium) the Rebels now have the inside track in the SEC West. Ole Miss doesn’t play another ranked team until October 24, when they host Texas A&M, and the Rebels travel to Auburn, play Arkansas at home and have an incredibly well-timed bye week before LSU travels to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium November 21.

Like Ole Miss, LSU made a big jump in this week’s college football rankings, climbing from No. 13 to No. 8 in the AP Top 25 (and picking up one first place vote), and from No. 14 to No. 9 in the Coaches Poll. The Tigers were arguably the most impressive team in the nation last week, and dominated Auburn 45-21 with the help of 228 rushing yards from Leonard Fournette and a defense that held Auburn to just 260 total yards.

Speaking of Auburn – how exactly are they still ranked in the Coaches Poll?

Next: Too High?