Alabama drops to No. 13 in AP Top 25 College Football Poll after shocking loss to Oklahoma
Alabama has fallen from No. 7 to No. 13 in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll after its 24-3 loss at Oklahoma on Saturday night, with the loss knocking the Crimson Tide out of the SEC Championship Game and likely out of the College Football Playoffs.
The Southeastern Conference’s hopes for landing four spots in the 12-team College Football Playoff took a hit. Besides Alabama’s loss to unranked Oklahoma, Ole Miss fell to unranked Florida, dropping the Rebels six spots to No. 15. In addition, Texas A&M fell five places to No. 20 following its 43-41, four-overtime loss at unranked Auburn.
Texas, Georgia and Tennessee are now the only SEC teams with fewer than three losses. Georgia has earned a spot in the SEC Championship Game, where it will face the winner of the Texas-Texas A&M game to be played on Saturday.
Alabama and Mississippi each dropped six spots in the AP poll, the Crimson Tide to No. 13 and the Rebels to No. 15.
Texas A&M was the third SEC team to lose, 43-41 at Auburn in four overtimes. The Aggies tumbled five places to No. 20 but would play Georgia in the SEC championship game if they knock off Texas this week.
Overall, Oregon is No. 1 for the sixth straight week and Ohio State, Texas and Penn State held their places behind the Ducks, who are the last unbeaten team.
The shuffling begins at No. 5, where Notre Dame returned for the first time since Week 2 after beating Army for its ninth straight win.
No. 6 Georgia and No. 7 Tennessee each moved up two spots, No. 8 Miami got a three-rung promotion and No. 9 SMU jumped four places for its first top-10 ranking since 1985. SMU has clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game and would play Miami, if the Hurricanes win at Syracuse this week, or No. 12 Clemson.
Indiana dropped from No. 5 to No. 10 following its first loss, 38-15 loss at Ohio State. The Buckeyes would play Oregon in the Big Ten championship game if they beat Michigan for the first time in four years this Saturday.
Losses by BYU and Colorado created a four-way tie for first in the Big 12.
No. 14 Arizona State, picked to finish last in the conference, handed BYU its second straight loss and is the highest-ranked Big 12 team. No. 17. Iowa State earned a five-rung promotion with its win at Utah. BYU is No. 19 and Colorado, which lost to Kansas, is No. 23.
If the four teams each finish 7-2 in conference play, it’s Iowa State vs. Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game.
No. 11 Boise State is first among the four ranked Group of Five teams. The Broncos got a one-spot bump despite struggling to beat a two-win Wyoming team. Tulane is No. 18, UNLV is No. 21 and Army is No. 25.
No. 24 Missouri, a 39-20 winner at Mississippi State, returned to the Top 25 after a one-week absence.
Washington State’s four-week run in the rankings ended with its second straight loss, 41-38 loss at Oregon State.
AP Top 25 College Football Poll (first-place votes in parentheses, SEC teams in bold):
- Oregon (61)
- Ohio State
- Texas
- Penn State
- Notre Dame
- Georgia
- Tennessee
- Miami
- SMU
- Indiana
- Boise State
- Clemson
- Alabama
- Arizona State
- Ole Miss
- South Carolina
- Iowa State
- Tulane
- BYU
- Texas A&M
- UNLV
- Illinois
- Colorado
- Missouri
- Army
Dropped out: No. 25 Washington State
Others receiving votes: Kansas St. 98, Memphis 46, Syracuse 37, Louisville 24, Washington St. 10, Duke 6, Louisiana-Lafayette 5, Florida 4, LSU 2, Georgia Tech 2.
Ranked vs. ranked games this coming weekend:
— No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: It’s a Top 25 matchup for the first time since 2013. Clemson’s 16-7 victory in Columbia last year was the fourth of five straight wins to end the Tigers’ season.
— No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M: Stakes are high for the first meeting of longtime rivals since both were in the Big 12 in 2011. Winner goes to the SEC title game.
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