Upsets cause shuffle in college polls

Published 3:19 pm Sunday, October 14, 2018

The Associated Press

After four of the top eight teams lost, The Associated Press college football poll had a new look behind No. 1 Alabama, with Ohio State reaching No. 2, LSU jumping back to No. 5 and Michigan moving into the top 10 for the first time this season.
The Crimson Tide received all but one of the 61 first-place votes from the media panel Sunday, with Ohio State receiving the other. No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Notre Dame also moved up a spot. LSU jumped eight after handing Georgia its first loss of the season. The Bulldogs slipped from No. 2 to No. 8.
No. 6 Michigan has its best ranking of the season after blowing out Wisconsin and Texas is up two spots to No. 7.
No. 9 Oklahoma moved back into the top 10 while it was idle and Central Florida remained No. 10.
POLL POINTS
Eight ranked teams overall lost Saturday, including three previously unbeaten teams. Joining Georgia among the previously undefeated on Saturday were West Virginia and Colorado.
UP
All the losses up and down the rankings meant plenty of movement. Joining LSU and Michigan as teams that gained at least four spots were:
— No. 12 Oregon jumped five after beating Washington in overtime.
— No. 17 Texas A&M moved up five after edging South Carolina on the road.
— It was a good week to be idle and watch teams plummet. No. 14 Kentucky and No. 16 North Carolina State each gained four spots in an idle week, and No. 20 Cincinnati moved up five.
DOWN
— No. 13 West Virginia lost at Iowa State and fell seven spots after reaching a season high last week.
— No. 15 Washington dropped eight spots after losing at Oregon.
— No. 18 Penn State’s second straight close home loss, this time to Michigan State, dropped the Nittany Lions 10 spots.
— No. 23 Wisconsin, which started the season ranked fourth, dropped eight spots after its second loss.
OUT
— Colorado reached No. 19, racking up wins against a weak schedule, but USC manhandled the Buffaloes in Los Angeles and now they are unranked.
— Miami, which started the season at No. 8, is out altogether after losing at Virginia.
— Auburn, which started the season ninth, is out and no longer receiving votes after getting beat at home by Tennessee and falling to 4-3.
IN
— Iowa surged into the rankings for the first time this season at No. 19.
— No. 24 Michigan State is back in after a week out.
— No. 25 Washington State moved in just in time to host ESPN’s “College GameDay” for the first time ever with Oregon coming to town. Getting to Pullman, Washington, is notable for the show because for years it has been followed around by Wazzu fans waving the ‘Ol Crimson school flag.
CONFERENCE CALL
A week after the Southeastern Conference placed a season-high eight teams in the poll, the SEC lost one and the Big Ten gained two. The ACC has only two ranked team for the first time since Oct. 4, 2015, when Clemson was No. 6 and Florida State was No. 12. The Tigers played for in the national championship game that season.
SEC — 7 teams.
Big Ten — 6.
American — 3.
Big 12 — 3.
Pac-12 — 3.
ACC — 2.
Independent — 1.
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 16 North Carolina State at No. 3 Clemson. The ACC’s only ranked and unbeaten teams meet in a game that will likely go a long way toward settling the Atlantic Division.
No. 22 Mississippi State at No. 5 LSU. This will be the fourth ranked team the Tigers have faced — though two (Miami and Auburn) are no longer.
No. 6 Michigan at No. 24 Michigan State. Another chance for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines to flipped the narrative.
No. 12 Oregon at No. 25 Washington State. The Ducks look to make it an Evergreen State sweep.

AP football poll
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 13, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
1. Alabama (60) 7-0 1,524 1
2. Ohio St. (1) 7-0 1,457 3
3. Clemson 6-0 1,392 4
4. Notre Dame 7-0 1,355 5
5. LSU 6-1 1,244 13
6. Michigan 6-1 1,146 12
7. Texas 6-1 1,144 9
8. Georgia 6-1 1,085 2
9. Oklahoma 5-1 999 11
10. UCF 6-0 979 10
11. Florida 6-1 931 14
12. Oregon 5-1 917 17
13. West Virginia 5-1 700 6
14. Kentucky 5-1 678 18
15. Washington 5-2 640 7
16. NC State 5-0 592 20
17. Texas A&M 5-2 551 22
18. Penn St. 4-2 523 8
19. Iowa 5-1 266 –
20. Cincinnati 6-0 243 25
21. South Florida 6-0 242 23
22. Mississippi St. 4-2 231 24
23. Wisconsin 4-2 226 15
24. Michigan St. 4-2 199 –
25. Washington St. 5-1 136 –
Others receiving votes: Stanford 71, San Diego St. 53, Southern Cal 53, Appalachian St. 51, Colorado 49, Utah St. 38, Miami 38, Utah 33, Duke 17, Texas Tech 8, Fresno St. 7, Houston 3, Maryland 2, Virginia 2.

Email newsletter signup

Coaches’ poll
The Amway Top 25 football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 13, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
1. Alabama (61) 7-0 1597 1
2. Ohio State (1) 7-0 1518 3
3. Clemson (2) 6-0 1484 4
4. Notre Dame 7-0 1408 5
5. LSU 6-1 1303 12
6. Georgia 6-1 1163 2
7. Michigan 6-1 1149 13
8. Texas 6-1 1138 14
9. Central Florida 6-0 1034 9
10. Oklahoma 5-1 1019 11
11. Oregon 5-1 927 17
12. Florida 6-1 918 16
13. West Virginia 5-1 768 6
14. Washington 5-2 682 7
15. North Carolina State 5-0 637 19
16. Penn State 4-2 604 8
17. Kentucky 5-1 589 20
18. Texas A&M 5-2 501 22
19. Wisconsin 4-2 399 10
20. South Florida 6-0 346 23
21. Cincinnati 6-0 248 25
22. Iowa 5-1 218 NR
23. Washington State 5-1 211 NR
24. Stanford 4-2 147 24
25. Colorado 5-1 141 18
Others receiving votes: Miami (Fla.) 124; Mississippi State 110; Michigan State 98; San Diego State 71; Duke 60; Appalachian State 55; Utah State 33; Utah 32; Southern California 25; Houston 7; Fresno State 6; South Carolina 5; Army 4; Auburn 4; Virginia 4; Iowa State 3; North Texas 3; Virginia Tech 3; Alabama at Birmingham 1; Boston College 1; Buffalo 1; Texas Tech.