Oct 27, 2025, 07:30 AM ET

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It seems almost quaint to remember the apoplexy that followed Notre Dame’s 0-2 start and the abysmal pass defense that helped create it. Two weeks into the season — against two teams that are a combined 14-1, by the way — Notre Dame was allowing nearly 8 yards per dropback. Since then, the Irish have figured things out — and gotten Leonard Moore healthy — and the defense has turned it around. In its past five games, Notre Dame is surrendering just 5.8 yards per dropback and has picked off a best-in-FBS 12 passes in that span. The Irish were off in Week 9, but the remaining schedule (Boston College, Navy, Pitt, Syracuse, Stanford) doesn’t look likely to challenge that pass defense much either. — Hale

Previous ranking: 16

Virginia’s defense struggled to defend the middle of the field in the first half of Saturday’s 17-16 win over North Carolina, but in a credit to the coaching staff, the halftime adjustments were nearly flawless. UNC threw for just 35 yards on 11 attempts in the second half, giving the Hoos a chance to escape in overtime. The secondary has not been a strength for Virginia this year, but defensive coordinator John Rudzinski’s ability to scheme around some weaknesses has given the Cavaliers a shot in every game, and the offense has — often barely — made enough plays to come away with the win all but once. The challenge gets a bit bigger next week against talented freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Cal, and even bigger still in three weeks against Darian Mensah and Duke. Virginia’s playoff hopes are alive, but the margin for error is thin, and that puts extra pressure on Rudzinski & Co. to continue to find answers on the back end. — Hale

Previous ranking: 18

Any improvement would be welcome for Tennessee’s defense. The Volunteers came into Saturday’s game at Kentucky having allowed at least 24 points against every FBS opponent to date (plus 17 against ETSU), and they allowed 34 points and 476 yards to a shaky UK attack. The offense scored 56, thanks to Joey Aguilar‘s 396 yards and three touchdowns, and Tennessee moved to 6-2 overall. But defense is an obvious Achilles heel. Kentucky’s Cutter Boley threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns, and the Vols’ pass rush, a strength to date, managed just one sack. If there was a bright spot, however — besides the win — it’s that an inefficient run defense stepped up, allowing just 3.7 yards per carry to Kentucky running backs. And hey, it’s always better to talk about what needs improvement after a win. — Bill Connelly

Previous ranking: 20

There’s a lot to like about this Cardinals defense and the improvements it has made through seven games. The unit is a top-25 defense in a ton of categories and ranks second in the ACC with 16 takeaways after nabbing three more in a 38-24 win over Boston College on Saturday. Last year, the defense finished with 17 through 13 games. Louisville has allowed only one rush of 20-plus yards this season and is getting stops on 67% of third downs. The Cardinals’ defense got stuck on the field for most of the first half against Boston College and had to defend 82 plays, but five three-and-out drives and three fourth-down stops helped seal the win. — Max Olson

Previous ranking: 19

As great as Brendan Sorsby and the Bearcats’ offense have been over their seven-game win streak, defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt deserves some credit for how his unit is stepping up in Big 12 play. Cincinnati held Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson to just 137 passing yards, his fewest as a starter against a Big 12 defense, in a 41-20 rout Saturday. The Bearcats have made good progress on defense over the past month since winning a 37-34 shootout at Kansas and are finding ways to get timely stops. Cincinnati’s defense still ranks last in the Big 12 in interceptions (one) and tackles for loss (17) in conference play. As this squad gets into more high-stakes ballgames the rest of the way, it will need bigger plays in big moments. — Olson

Previous ranking: 15

It’s hard to critique Mizzou’s defense, considering the Tigers gave up 17 points and 265 yards to Vanderbilt, which came in averaging 41.4 points and 457.7 yards per game. Despite losing starting quarterback Beau Pribula to an ankle injury, and blowing a couple of prime scoring opportunities in the third quarter, the Tigers came within inches of forcing overtime, falling 17-10 after a completed Hail Mary came up short. The defense was the primary reason this went down to the wire. If we’re nitpicking, though, big plays have been an occasional issue, and Makhilyn Young‘s 80-yard touchdown for Vandy in the third quarter was a pivotal play in such a tight game. Still, the Commodores averaged only 4.2 yards per play, otherwise. Mizzou’s defense did its job. And if Pribula is out long term, the Tigers will have to lean on said defense all the more. — Connelly

Previous ranking: 13

For the first time this fall, Brent Venables’ defense looked vulnerable during the first half of the Sooners’ 34-26 defeat to Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. Still, there’s only so many critiques to be made of a unit that entered Week 9 tied for first in sacks nationally while leading the SEC in pass defense, run defense and points allowed. Oklahoma rebounded mightily after halftime Saturday, and upcoming trips to Tennessee and Alabama present its defense with high-visibility chances to get back on track. One problem the Sooners need to fix: missed tackles. Oklahoma averaged 16 of them across its initial three SEC games and entered Saturday ranked 84th nationally in the category (13th in the SEC). Missed tackles aren’t a perfect metric for measuring a defense — aggressive units like Venables’ are bound to produce more missed tackles — but among the nation’s top-10 scoring defense leaders, Oklahoma is one of only three that rank lower than 30th in the state. — Lederman

Previous ranking: 25

The Midshipmen’s defense is about to face a gauntlet with North Texas, Notre Dame, South Florida and Memphis up next. Navy is going on the road for three of these next four, too. Can this unit get enough stops to survive this challenging stretch? The Midshipmen’s defense got the job done when it mattered most in the fourth quarter of close wins over Air Force and Temple. Navy was firmly in control against FAU on Saturday, leading 42-19 with three minutes left, before giving up a late scoring run in a 42-32 win. Now, the Midshipmen’s No. 117-ranked pass defense must find answers for slowing down North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker after he just threw for 608 yards vs. Charlotte. — Olson

Previous ranking: 24

In its two biggest games — and only two losses — the Wolverines struggled to tackle. On Sept. 6 at Oklahoma, Michigan had 15 missed tackles. In the Oct. 11 defeat at USC, the Wolverines missed 12 tackles. At 6-2 and 4-1 in the Big Ten, Michigan remains on the fringes of the conference championship and playoff conversations. But the Wolverines have to tackle better down the stretch, especially when they face high-powered Ohio State at the Big House in the regular-season finale. — Trotter

Previous ranking: 21

The Longhorns haven’t made it easy on themselves over the past month. On Saturday, they picked a heck of a time for their worst defensive showing of the season in Starkville, giving up 38 points to a Mississippi State team that had lost 16 straight SEC games before overcoming a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and pulling out a win in overtime. This time, the offense — and Oklahoma hero Ryan Niblett, once again — saved the day. Arch Manning had his best game of the season with 346 yards and three TDs before leaving because of a possible concussion in overtime. Texas has three top-10 teams remaining on the schedule — Vanderbilt in Austin this weekend, followed by Georgia in Athens on Nov. 15, then closes with a dangerous Arkansas team and a surging Texas A&M team that seems to be getting stronger by the week. The Horns will need to hit their stride here soon or the final stretch could get tough. — Wilson

Previous ranking: NR

Willie Fritz, the ultimate builder, has done a masterful job at Houston in Year 2, getting the Cougars to 7-1 and beating Arizona State for their first road win versus an AP-ranked opponent since 2017. Much of that has to do with their offense, led by Texas A&M transfer Conner Weigman, who had 201 passing yards, 111 rushing yards and 2 TDs. But the Cougars have also been great at complementary football. Their defensive numbers aren’t stellar across the board, ranking 45th in yards per game (357.4) but what’s most important is that they’re allowing just 21.3 points per game, 28th nationally. This weekend’s upset at ASU, the Sun Devils’ first home loss in two years, was a great example: The Cougars allowed 426 yards of offense, but zero points through three quarters. — Wilson

Previous ranking: NR

What a way to earn your place back into the rankings. The Utes, playing with backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin, stitched together one of the most dominant performances of the season, beating Colorado 53-7. The final score does not do the blowout justice; Utah was up 43-0 at halftime, having gained 398 yards on offense and held the Buffs to minus-18 total yards. The second half was not as ugly, but the final result was indicative of what the Utes’ defense is capable of — holding Colorado to only 38 rushing yards and 102 passing yards while forcing two turnovers. It was total domination. — Uggetti

Previous ranking: 22

The bye week was welcome for the Trojans’ defense, which is coming off its worst performance of the season against Notre Dame, allowing 306 rushing yards. It’s never a good sign when your offense is ranked No. 1 in the country, per SP+ and in average yards per game, and there is still disappointment regarding the season. Sloppiness against Illinois cost them that game, while the defense, which had already been struggling and ranks 50th in SP+, got exposed against the Irish. USC will continue to be tested — Nebraska, Iowa and Oregon still await — as it attempts to salvage this season and gives itself a shot at making the 12-team playoff field. — Uggetti