Fans looking at this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll might think they are viewing last week’s poll. For the most part, they would be correct.
The same teams in the top 20 this week are the same teams in last week’s top 20. There was only a slight shuffling among those teams.
Notre Dame moves up to Number 8 from Number 9, switching places with Stanford. Both teams won narrow victories on the road Saturday night against Number 23 Temple and Washington State, respectively.
The Memphis Tigers moved up from Number 16 to Number 15, switching with Michigan. Memphis rolled over Tulane while Michigan needed a goal line stand on the final play to survive Minnesota.
With the lack of movement, the Florida Gators remain at Number 11 after their 27-3 rout of Georgia on Saturday. Florida State keeps the Number 17 spot after disposing of Syracuse 45-21.
Ohio State retains the top spot they have held since the preseason earning 39 first place votes. Second-ranked Baylor and Number 3 Clemson each have 6 first place votes while Number4 LSU has 5 and Number 5 TCU has 4. Seventh-ranked Alabama has the other first place vote.
There was plenty of movement in positions 21-25. Crashing the top 25 for the first time is the North Carolina Tar Heels, winners of 7 straight. Texas A&M returns to the rankings at the Number 25 slot.
If anyone should feel slighted, it might be the Number 10 Iowa Hawkeyes from the Big 10. They are 8-0, yet trail three one-loss teams; Alabama, Notre Dame and Stanford.
Among the Big 5 power conferences, the SEC is back to having 6 teams represented in the top 25. The Big 10 and Big 12 each have four while the Pac 12 and ACC have three each.
Perhaps a new football power conference is developing. The American Conference has 3 members in the top 25 with Memphis, Houston and Temple.
The complete AP Top 25 poll can be found here.
