AP Top 25: Alabama drops to No. 10 as North Texas enters poll for first time since 1959

Alabama dropped to No. 10 within the AP Prime 25 on Sunday and No. 22 North Texas moved into the rankings for the second time in class historical past and first since 1959.

Ohio State is No. 1 for the twelfth straight week, receiving 57 first-place votes, and Indiana is No. 2 with eight first-place votes. The Buckeyes (10-0) and Hoosiers (11-0) from the Large Ten have held the highest two spots within the ballot for 5 straight weeks.

North Texas (9-1) is certainly one of 4 American Convention colleges to be ranked sooner or later this season, and for the Imply Inexperienced, it’s historic. The final time North Texas was ranked, it was generally known as the Eagles. That season, below coach Odus Mitchell, UNT was ranked for 2 weeks in early November, with a excessive of No. 16.

Texas A&M (10-0) remained No. 3 and acquired a first-place vote after the Aggies rallied from 27 factors down within the second half to beat South Carolina on Saturday. Georgia (9-1) moved up a spot to No. 4 after routing Texas, and Ole Miss (10-1) moved up one to No. 5. Texas Tech (10-1) moved up two spots and is now tied with Oregon (9-1) at No. 6.

Oklahoma’s highway upset of Alabama moved the eighth-ranked Sooners up three spots, previous Notre Dame at No. 9. The Tide (8-2) slipped six spots after shedding 23-21 to the Sooners.

No. 17 Texas continued its wild swings by the rankings this season after shedding 35-10 at Georgia. The Longhorns went from preseason No. 1 to unranked after which popped again up all the best way to No. 10 final week earlier than falling seven spots this week.

Others receiving votes: Navy 61, Illinois 31, SMU 28, Arizona State 19, Louisville 17, Iowa 14, Pittsburgh 12, San Diego State 12, Arizona 9, UNLV 9, Washington 8, South Florida 6, East Carolina 4, UConn 1

Additionally thought of by Ralph: Iowa, Washington, Arizona State, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Navy

How I voted

I did it, everybody. I lastly did it. I moved Indiana forward of Texas A&M. I used to be one of many few holdouts who had the Aggies second and Hoosiers third behind Ohio State within the rankings.

It’s been a reasonably shut name for some time, particularly the previous couple of weeks. However the extra the season performs out, the extra obvious it turns into that IU’s top-end resume is best than A&M’s.

The Aggies needing the most important comeback in class historical past to dig out of a gap at dwelling towards South Carolina was the tipping level. A minimum of Indiana’s miraculous fourth-quarter comeback towards a proficient underachiever was at Penn State. As unhealthy because the Nittany Lions’ season has gone, I’m assured they’re higher than the Gamecocks.

As my colleague Stewart Mandel identified this weekend, Texas A&M has not performed a workforce presently higher than seventh within the SEC standings. I even gave some thought to transferring Georgia forward of A&M.

I wouldn’t argue a lot with any of my fellow voters who caught with Aggies over Hoosiers, however I’m a convert now.

And since it appears to set readers off each week, let’s do some additional explaining of my working Miami-Notre Dame challenge.

I stay steadfast in having Miami ranked forward of Notre Dame as a result of the Hurricanes beat the Preventing Irish. I used to be particularly open-minded to altering it this week, with the Irish taking part in at Pitt and the Canes internet hosting NC State.

Notre Dame was spectacular in smothering the Panthers, who had been outclassed from the bounce. However then Miami performed perhaps its finest recreation of the season towards the Wolfpack. I don’t wish to make an excessive amount of of NC State, however that’s a legitimately good offense Miami locked down.

To offer slightly deeper perception into that call, I, just like the choice committee, am not beholden to head-to-head outcomes, but when I deem the groups shut, then head-to-head it’s. The choice committee takes the identical strategy however doesn’t view Miami and Notre Dame as comparable sufficient. I do.

There are two energy rankings amongst these I like that publish early sufficient Sunday morning for me to seek the advice of them earlier than I submit my poll: ESPN’s SP+ and FPI. Each produce an influence rating (ahead wanting) and a energy of document/resume rating (aka most deserving).

In SP+, Notre Dame is fifth and Miami is tenth, however the uncooked numbers have the 2 groups about 2.5 factors aside, with the Irish favored. Miami gained by three at dwelling. Resume SP+ has Notre Dame eighth and Miami eleventh.

FPI has Notre Dame fifth and Miami eleventh with a couple of 3.5-point differential. FPI energy of document has Notre Dame twelfth and Miami sixteenth.

There are others I verify in on all through the week once they do publish, like FEI (final week Notre Dame sixth, Miami tenth, separated by about three factors).

This appears to be the very definition of shut and adequate for me to not rely a lot on hypotheticals and proceed to lean into what occurred when the groups performed.

Out and in

Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and South Florida — all ranked nineteenth or decrease final week — misplaced and fell out of the rankings.

For Pitt, it turned out to be a one-week keep.

Shifting in to exchange these groups together with North Texas had been the Imply Inexperienced’s convention rival Tulane, which can be ranked for the primary time this season, and Missouri and Houston, each of which beforehand spent a while within the rankings.

Subsequent week

No. 16 USC at No. 6 Oregon. The previous Pac-12 (and 10 and eight) rivals have performed 11 instances with each ranked, all since 1988. This would be the first since 2015.

No. 23 Missouri at No. 8 Oklahoma. That is an previous Large 8 matchup that has moved to the SEC. It’ll be their first recreation matching ranked opponents since 2010, and their sixteenth ranked matchup total.