The Game of the Season was a mismatch, Ohio State survived a scare and both Alabama and Clemson were seemingly knocked out of the College Football Playoffs – thanks to losses to an LSU team coached by Brian Kelly and one delivered by his former team, Notre Dame, respectively.
If it’s drama and chaos you’re seeking, Saturday delivered. The best news: we’ve got a month of regular season deliciousness to go.
This marks the third season Regions is the sponsor of the AP Top 25. Each week, we’ll share the latest results on Doing More Today. Regions has no role in selecting teams (nor is Doug Segrest a writer for the Associated Press). Instead, a panel of sports journalists from across the nation vote weekly.
MORE FROM RALPH RUSSO OF THE AP
Georgia tightened its hold on No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll Sunday, with TCU climbing up to No. 4 and Alabama dropping all the way to No. 10.
The Bulldogs had their strongest support of the season after manhandling Tennessee in a 1-2 matchup on Saturday. Georgia received 62 of 63 first-place votes from the media panel in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank.
No. 2 Ohio State got the other first-place vote. Michigan moved up a spot to No. 3 and TCU jumped three spots to its highest ranking since late in the 2017 season.
No. 5 Tennessee fell three spots after losing on the road to the defending national champions.
For the first time in the College Football Playoff era, Alabama and Clemson lost on the same day and both tumbled in the rankings. The Crimson Tide (7-2) fell to LSU by a point in overtime to end up at No. 10 — their worst ranking since 2015.
LSU jumped eight spots to No. 7, the Tigers’ best ranking since they started No. 6 in 2020. That was when they stumbled out of the gate a season after winning the national title.
Oregon reached a season-high No. 6 and Pac-12 rivals No. 8 Southern California and No. 9 UCLA finished out the top 10.
Clemson fell seven spots to a season-low No. 12 after losing to Notre Dame. Last year, the Tigers fell all the way out of the Top 25 for the first time since 2011.
Poll Points
Alabama held on to its top-10 ranking and its streak of weeks ranked in the top 10. The Crimson Tide has a streak of 120 straight polls ranked no worse than 10. That is the second longest such streak in the history of AP poll, behind Miami (1985-93).
In
- 18 Texas has yo-yoed back into the rankings this week and still has a chance to win the Big 12.
- 20 Notre Dame went from preseason No. 5 to unranked by Week Three. After taking a circuitous road, the Fighting Irish are back to being ranked.
- 24 Washington had a moment in September, then stumbled on the road. The Huskies are real tough at home and that’s been good enough.
- 25 Florida State was ranked for a week in October before a three-game losing streak. The Seminoles might stick around this time.
Out
- Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Syracuse and Wake Forest departed the rankings after absorbing second straight losses. The Demon Deacons are unranked for the first time this season.
- Oklahoma State is also out of the Top 25 for the first time this season.
- Oregon State had a one-week stay after breaking a nine-season Top 25 drought.
Conference Call
SEC — 5 (Nos. 1, 5, 7, 10, 11).
Pac-12 — 5 (Nos. 6, 8, 9, 13, 24).
ACC — 4 (Nos. 12, 15, 17, 25).
Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 2, 3, 14, 21).
Big 12 — 3 (Nos. 4, 18, 23).
American — 2 (Nos. 16, 22).
Independents — 2 (Nos. 19, 20).
Ranked vs. Ranked
No. 10 Alabama at No. 11 Mississippi.
No. 24 Washington at No. 6 Oregon.
No. 4 TCU at No. 18 Texas.
No. 22 UCF at No. 16 Tulane.
Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com