The Associated Press

The day after earning a spot in the Big Ten championship game, Northwestern is ranked in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time this season.
The Wildcats (6-4) were No. 24 in the Top 25 after beating Iowa to clinch the Big Ten West with two games to play.
The rest of the Top 25 was fairly stable, especially at the top where the only difference in the first 11 teams from last week was No. 8 Washington State moving past No. 9 Ohio State and No. 10 LSU.
Alabama is a unanimous No. 1, followed by Clemson, Notre Dame, Michigan and Georgia. Oklahoma is six and West Virginia seventh. UCF is still No. 11.
Northwestern was ranked 17th at the end of last season, but lost three of four to start 2018.
ADD
The Wildcats have had a strange season, losing early to Duke and Akron and late to Notre Dame, to become the first team in FBS to win a division without winning a nonconference game, according to ESPN Stats and Info. But they are 6-1 in Big Ten play, with only a 20-17 loss against Michigan. Northwestern has won four Big Ten games by four points or less, and beat Michigan State by 10.
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POLL POINTS
The number of teams with at least three losses increased from seven to 10 this week, including two teams (Northwestern and No. 25 Mississippi State) with four losses. Last year, the Top 25 released after week 11 of the regular season included six teams with three losses and none with four.
The last time two four-loss teams were ranked this early in the season was Nov. 7, 1999, when No. 22 Purdue and No. 24 Ohio State were each 6-4.
GETTING CLOSER
Army was to first team in others receiving votes this week, falling five points short of No. 25 Mississippi Stat. The Black Knights (8-2) have not been ranked since 1996.
UP/DOWN
No big jumps into the top 10, but No. 19 Cincinnati moved up six spots and No. 15 Florida, No. 16 Penn State and No. 18 Iowa State all jumped five places.
No. 20 Kentucky had the biggest fall of the weekend among ranked teams. The Wildcats fell eight spots after losing to Tennessee. Kentucky is on a two-game losing streak after reaching No. 9.
OUT
— Fresno State fell out after losing to Boise State. The victory lifted the Broncos back in the rankings for the first time since September.
— North Carolina State is out after losing at home to Wake Forest.
— Michigan State’s fourth loss dropped the Spartans from the rankings.
IN
No. 21 Utah moved back into the rankings after beating Oregon after losing its top quarterback and running back to injuries in the previous week.
CONFERNCE CALL
SEC — 6 teams (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25).
Big Ten — 4 (4, 9, 16, 24).
Big 12 — 4 (6, 7, 13, 18).
ACC — 3 (2, 12, 22).
Pac-12 — 3 (8, 17, 21).
American — 2 (11, 19).
Mountain West — 2 (14, 23).
Independent — 1 (3).
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 Syracuse in New York. The most significant college football game at Yankee Stadium maybe since the 1940s.
No. 19 Cincinnati at No. 11 UCF. ESPN’s “College GameDay” comes to Orlando, Florida. Knights fans can complain about their team’s ranking in person.
No. 18 Iowa State at No. 13 Texas. Both teams can still reach the Big 12 championship game.

AP football poll
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 10, 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 (61) 10-0 1,525 1
2. Clemson 10-0 1,459 2
3. Notre Dame 10-0 1,406 3
4. Michigan 9-1 1,327 4
5. Georgia 9-1 1,288 5
6. Oklahoma 9-1 1,188 6
7. West Virginia 8-1 1,111 7
8. Washington St. 9-1 1,052 10
9. Ohio St. 9-1 1,050 8
10. LSU 8-2 1,019 9
11. UCF 9-0 983 11
12. Syracuse 8-2 787 13
13. Texas 7-3 726 15
14. Utah St. 9-1 689 14
15. Florida 7-3 575 19
16. Penn St. 7-3 542 21
17. Washington 7-3 501 20
18. Iowa St. 6-3 497 23
19. Cincinnati 9-1 344 25
20. Kentucky 7-3 337 12
21. Utah 7-3 307 –
22. Boston College 7-3 254 17
23. Boise St. 8-2 147 –
24. Northwestern 6-4 136 –
25. Mississippi St. 6-4 133 18
Others receiving votes: Army 128, UAB 78, Fresno St. 61, Michigan St. 31, NC State 30, Buffalo 29, Pittsburgh 28, Duke 20, Texas A&M 16, Iowa 8, Arizona St. 6, Stanford 3, Auburn 3, Troy 1.

Coaches’ poll
The Amway Top 25 football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 10, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
1. Alabama (64) 10-0 1624 1
2. Clemson (1) 10-0 1561 2
3. Notre Dame 10-0 1490 3
4. Michigan 9-1 1415 4
5. Georgia 9-1 1369 5
6. Oklahoma 9-1 1273 6
7. West Virginia 8-1 1173 8
8. Ohio State 9-1 1135 7
9. Washington State 9-1 1119 9
10. LSU 8-2 1078 10
11. Central Florida 9-0 1042 11
12. Syracuse 8-2 849 13
13. Utah State 9-1 698 16
14. Texas 7-3 662 19
15. Penn State 7-3 646 20
16. Florida 7-3 604 21
17. Washington 7-3 591 18
18. Iowa State 6-3 403 25
19. Utah 7-3 387 24
20. Cincinnati 9-1 383 23
21. Kentucky 7-3 318 12
22. Boston College 7-3 309 14
23. Mississippi State 6-4 219 15
24. Boise State 8-2 129 NR
25. Alabama-Birmingham 9-1 102 NR
Others receiving votes: Northwestern 87; Fresno State 64; Army 58; Buffalo 56; Virginia 44; Duke 38; North Carolina State 37; Pittsburgh 30; Texas A&M 29; Michigan State 20; Auburn 19; Troy 17; Appalachian State 14; Missouri 13; San Diego State 10; Wisconsin 7; Arizona State 2; Tennessee 1.