Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2 SEC) was off the schedule in Week 8, and their absence understandably carried over into the US LBM Coaches Poll following this weekend’s slate of action. That’s not to say there was no shortage of shakeups in the latest rankings.
The US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of 63 head coaches at Football Bowl Subdivision schools. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on, down to one point for 25th.
The Aggies were absent in this week’s update after receiving four votes in total following Week 7. That doesn’t mean we should sound the alarm in Aggieland based on the Maroon and White’s absence.
A massive bout this weekend against South Carolina, which could very well determine the future of the likes of Jimbo Fisher and Steve Addazio, will prove impactful as to whether A&M finds themselves back in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
Elsewhere in the poll, there was inevitable chaos after multiple top-10 teams were handed losses over the weekend. Following Alabama‘s miraculous second-half comeback against Tennessee, the Vols dropped five spots to No. 20 in the coaches poll. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide stayed put at No. 8.
Penn State dropped four spots to No. 10 after a 20-12 loss to Ohio State, in what was more or less a snoozefest through four quarters. USC suffered the biggest drop, falling six spots to No. 22 after a 34-32 loss to Utah, who climbed up one spot to No. 13. Meanwhile, in the Big Ten, Iowa dropped out of the top 25 completely following their hapless 12-10 defeat to Minnesota.
Here is a look at the full US LBM Coaches Poll following Week 8:
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Change |
| 1 | Georgia | 7-0 | 1,586 (58) | – |
| 2 | Michigan | 8-0 | 1,522 (4) | – |
| 3 | Ohio State | 7-0 | 1,459 (2) | – |
| 4 | Florida State | 7-0 | 1,426 | – |
| 5 | Washington | 7-0 | 1,333 | – |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 7-0 | 1,283 | +1 |
| 7 | Texas | 6-1 | 1,150 | +1 |
| 8 | Alabama | 7-1 | 1,141 | – |
| 9 | Oregon | 6-1 | 1,089 | +2 |
| 10 | Penn State | 6-1 | 1,056 | -4 |
| 11 | Ole Miss | 6-1 | 931 | +1 |
| 12 | Oregon State | 6-1 | 892 | +1 |
| 13 | Utah | 6-1 | 866 | +1 |
| 14 | Notre Dame | 6-2 | 688 | +4 |
| 15 | LSU | 6-2 | 677 | +4 |
| 16 | Missouri | 7-1 | 604 | +4 |
| 17 | UNC | 6-1 | 574 | -7 |
| 18 | Louisville | 6-1 | 451 | +3 |
| 19 | Air Force | 7-0 | 374 | +3 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 5-2 | 356 | -5 |
| 21 | Duke | 5-2 | 350 | -4 |
| 22 | USC | 6-2 | 269 | -6 |
| 23 | Tulane | 6-1 | 202 | +1 |
| 24 | UCLA | 5-2 | 195 | +1 |
| 25 | JMU | 7-0 | 101 | +1 |
Schools dropped out:
No. 23 Iowa
Others Receiving Votes:
Florida 52; Miami (FL) 27; Kansas State 25; Iowa 24; Fresno State 23; Oklahoma State 13; Kentucky 10; Wyoming 9; SMU 8; Liberty 8; Arizona 7; UNLV 6; Maryland 4; Kansas 4; Wisconsin 2; Toledo 2; Clemson 1;
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