Alabama Poised To Earn No. 1 Spot in AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll After Clemson Loss

There will be a new No. 1 in the college football ranks on Sunday.

Clemson, which had won 34 straight ACC games, lost to No. 4 Notre Dame, 47-40 in a double-overtime thriller on Saturday night in South Bend, Ind.

Dabo Swinney's squad had won 36 regular-season contests dating back to 2017. It was the fourth-longest streak in FBS history.

The Tigers' loss meant that Alabama would almost certainly move up in the AP Top 25 and coaches poll to No. 1.

It would mean that every season since 2008 the Crimson Tide has been ranked No. 1, the longest string in college football history.

All of those rankings have been under coach Nick Saban.

Alabama had already been closing in on the top spot.

Last weekend's AP Top 25 saw the Crimson Tide earn 29 first-place votes, while the Tigers had 33, In the coaches poll, Clemson had 43, and Alabama recorded 17.

Alabama was off this weekend, preparing for a date with the reigning national champions, LSU Tigers, next Saturday at 5 p.m (CT) on CBS.

"I think the purpose of the bye week this week, at least for us, is number one we need to get some guys healthy, we’ve had some guys who’ve been playing a little bit banged up, so this is an opportunity for them to get rest," Saban said. "I think secondly, it’s an opportunity for everybody on the team who is healthy and can practice to make significant improvement."

Meanwhile, Florida took care of Georgia, 44-28, in the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville, to take the lead in the Southeastern Conference East Division title race.

The Gators would have to lose two more times for the Bulldogs to have a chance at a trip to Atlanta, and remember, due to a COVID-19 outbreak, Florida has to play LSU on Dec. 12, a week before the league's title game. Alabama has another bye weekend.

Alabama holds a two-game lead in the SEC West over Texas A&M, which obliterated South Carolina this weekend, 48-3.

The AP Top 25 and coaches poll are expected to be released between noon and 1 p.m (CT) Sunday.