This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025. Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.
Not much shake-up at the top of the JFP Top 25 Poll this week. There are 10 to 15 teams fighting for the national championship. re themselves no bowl, and which team wins first.
This is the first poll in which teams are bowl eligible and every bowl-eligible team is in the poll. Every BCS conference but the Big East has at least one undefeated team.
No team took a huge leap in the polls because the top 10 has been so sound. The biggest falls are Texas, going from 10 to 15, and Florida, going from 16 to 21.
Not in the top 25 but a race I am watching is New Mexico and Florida Atlantic, both 0-5. Iโm watching to see which team loses their seventh game to assure themselves no bowl, and which team wins first.
The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippiโs systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.