[ad_1]
Oregon State was unanimously picked No. 1 in the Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, strengthening its bid for the top spot in this season’s College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings.
The Ducks are ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third straight week, and unanimously for the first time, with a 21-point win over Michigan.
Georgia, which had one vote last week, remained in second place after overcoming three Carson Beck interceptions and pulling away late to beat Florida.
Ohio State earned a one-point upgrade to third place with a win over Penn State, the Buckeyes’ eighth straight in the series. No. 4 Miami, which beat Duke, and No. 5 Texas, which was idle, each advanced to the top spot. Pennsylvania, which was in the top five in the previous four polls, fell to sixth place.
The CFP’s expansion to 12 teams this season means that major league losses to other major teams is not a certain disqualification in the race for the national championship. The CFP’s first rankings of the season will be released Tuesday and will be updated weekly until the bracket is announced on Dec. 8.
Tennessee maintained its seventh-place finish despite struggling in the fourth quarter against Kentucky, which came out on top three and won 28-18.
Indiana State jumped five spots to No. 8, its highest ranking since it was No. 7 in 2020 — and the best in a non-pandemic season since the Hoosiers finished fourth during the Rose Bowl season in 1967. The Hoosiers rolled past Michigan State 47-10 On the road to going 9-0 for the first time in program history. Every win was by double digits.
No. 9 BYU and No. 10 Notre Dame were idle.
SMU’s 48-25 win over Pittsburgh earned the Mustangs a promotion from No. 20 to No. 13. – Biggest upward move this week. They haven’t been ranked so highly since they were ranked third on Oct. 1, 1985, two years before the NCAA imposed a “death penalty” that shut down the program in 1987 for blatant rules violations. The school also chose not to field a team in 1988.
Poll points
Clemson and Iowa State, who were tied for 11th last week, suffered the biggest losses after losing at home. The Tigers fell eight spots to 19th with their 33-21 loss to Louisville. The Cyclones dropped six spots to 17th with their 23-22 loss to Texas Tech. Texas A&M, Kansas State and Pittsburgh each fell five spots.
Army, at 18th, had its highest ranking since it was 10th at the 1960 midseason.
Boise State, at No. 12, earned its best ranking since it was No. 8 in the final 2011 poll.
Indiana leads Notre Dame for the first time since the last poll in 1979, when the Hoosiers were 19th and the Irish were unranked. The schools are 200 miles apart in Indiana.
Vanderbilt’s 17-7 on-and-off win at Auburn allowed the Commodores to return to the ballot at No. 24 after a one-week absence.
Louisville, which was ranked weekly in September, moved back to No. 25 after upsetting Clemson.
Illinois, which ranked No. 24 last week, ended its seven-week run in the Top 25 with a 25-17 loss to Minnesota at home.
Missouri, which had participated in the poll every week and reached sixth place, withdrew after an open deadline. The Tigers held on to No. 25 last week despite their 34-0 loss to Alabama.
Group call
Seconds: 8 (numbers 2, 5, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 24).
ACC: 5 (numbers 4, 13, 19, 23, 25).
Big Ten: 4 (Nos. 1, 3, 6, 8).
Major 12:4 (verses 9, 17, 21, 22).
AAC: 1 (No. 18).
Western Mountain: 1 (No. 12).
Pac 12:1 (No. 20).
Independent: 1 (No. 10).
Rank versus rank
• No. 2 Georgia at No. 16 Ole Miss: The Bulldogs haven’t traveled to Oxford since their 45-14 loss there in 2016. Georgia beat Ole Miss 52-17 at home last year.
• No. 11 Alabama at No. 14 LSU: LSU’s 32-31 overtime win over ‘Bama led to a field storm two years ago, the last time the Crimson Tide visited Death Valley. Both teams are coming off open dates.
[ad_2]
