Following Ohio State’s closer-than-expected win against an unranked Illinois team and Oregon’s second-half shellacking of a Top-Ten Stanford squad, it was thought that the Buckeyes might slip from their season-long perch at No. 2 in the major polls. While it remains to be seen what happens in the coaches’ poll, the media has kept the status quo.
Barely.
With Alabama tightening it’s grip on the top spot in the Associated Press poll -- they picked up one first-place vote and now hold 58 of 60 -- the Ducks inched closer to the Buckeyes, and leapfrogged Boise State in the process.
Oregon jumped from No. 4 to No. 3 following their impressive home win, and come in just 22 points behind Ohio State. The Buckeyes came into the weekend with a 75-point lead on Boise State, which fell to No. 4.
TCU remains at No. 5, while both Oklahoma and Auburn moved up two spots to No. 6 and No. 8, respectively. Nebraska fell one to No. 7, and Arizona jumped up five to No. 9. Utah rounds out the top ten with a three-spot move to No. 10.
Both Florida and Stanford fell seven spots, the Gators to No. 14 and the Cardinal to No. 16. Wisconsin fell even further, dropping from No. 11 to No. 20.
Michigan State made the largest jump of the week, going from No. 24 to No. 17 -- ahead of in-state rival Michigan (No. 18) incidentally -- on the strength of their win over the Badgers. Nevada, which made it’s first poll appearance since 1948 last week, moved up four spots to No. 21.
By far the biggest news in the latest release of the rankings, however, is who’s not included. Both Texas (then-No. 21) and USC (No. 18) tumbled out of the rankings following losses this past weekend; it’s the first time in nearly a decade that neither school has appeared in an in-season AP poll.
The Longhorns are unranked for the first time since Oct.15, 2000, a streak of 162 weeks in the rankings. Ohio State now owns the longest such streak at 90 straight appearances.
Replacing the Longhorns and Trojans, as well as Penn State and North Carolina State, were Oklahoma State (No. 22), Florida State (No. 23), Missouri (No. 24) and Air Force (No. 25).
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