In a notable shift in the college football landscape, the Alabama Crimson Tide, usually a mainstay in the top 10 of the AP college football poll, have slipped out of the top 10 for the first time in eight years, per ESPN.com. Meanwhile, the Georgia Bulldogs continue to assert their dominance, maintaining their position as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25.
Georgia received a substantial 57 first-place votes in the AP Top 25 poll, solidifying their status as the top team in the nation. Michigan held firm at No. 2, garnering two first-place votes. The No. 3 spot saw Texas and No. 4 was occupied by Florida State, with both teams switching positions. Texas earned three first-place votes, while Florida State secured one.
Alabama, with a 2-1 record, experienced the end of an impressive streak as their consecutive AP poll appearances in the top 10 were snapped at 128. This streak was the second-longest in the history of the poll, trailing only Miami’s remarkable 137-week run from 1985 to 1993. The Crimson Tide’s absence from the top 10 marks their first since September 27, 2015, though they re-entered the top 10 on October 3 of the same year and went on to secure a national championship.
In contrast, Georgia boasts the longest active streak of top-10 rankings, standing at 37.
Alabama’s recent game against USF, which resulted in a narrow 17-3 victory, underscored the challenge they faced. It marked the first time since 2007 that the Tide had failed to score at least 20 points against a non-Power 5 conference opponent. In their previous 42 matchups against non-Power 5 opponents, Alabama remained unbeaten, often winning by an average margin of 40 points.
The remainder of the top 10 is as follows: No. 5 USC, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Washington, No. 9 Notre Dame, and No. 10 Oregon. One of the most highly anticipated matchups on the horizon is between Ohio State and Notre Dame, set to take place on Saturday and serving as the centerpiece of an exciting weekend featuring ranked vs. ranked games.
While Alabama’s streak of consecutive weeks being ranked continues at 249, second-best in history, it still lags significantly behind the all-time record held by Nebraska, which enjoyed 348 straight weeks of ranking from 1981 to 2002.
Notably, Florida’s return to the AP Top 25 comes after their upset victory against Tennessee, causing the Gators to move back into the rankings for the first time since September 24 of the previous season. This achievement marks a significant moment for Florida, with the state now boasting three ranked teams—Florida, Florida State, and Miami—for the first time since September 17, 2017.
In the Big 12 conference, Texas and Oklahoma are the sole ranked teams this week, even as both schools prepare to leave the conference after this season. However, it’s worth mentioning that Colorado and Utah are set to join from the Pac-12, with the Utes ranked at No. 11 and the Buffaloes at No. 19 following a thrilling double-overtime victory against Colorado State.
