How Far Did Alabama Fall in the Polls?
The University of Alabama football fans need to start rooting for some help.
Although the Crimson Tide still has the College Football Playoff within its reach, Saturday's 46-41 loss to LSU almost makes the SEC Championship Game a lock for the Tigers, giving Alabama one less chance to impress the selection committee.
The problem isn't now, per se, but with what the committee may do regarding the teams that win out and then capture their league titles.
Even though Georgia (8-1) is currently behind Alabama, the Crimson Tide definitely needs another loss by the Bulldogs. Should they win out during the regular season (at Auburn, Texas A&M, at Georgia Tech) and upset the Tigers in the SEC Championship Game, both teams would stay ahead of Alabama -- knocking it out of the top four.
Then there's Oregon, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah, Baylor, and Penn State if it can win at Ohio State in two weeks.
• Oregon (8-1): Arizona, at Arizona State, Oregon State.
• Minnesota (9-0): at Iowa, at Northwestern, Wisconsin
• Oklahoma (8-1): at Baylor, TCU, at Oklahoma State
• Utah (8-1): UCLA, at Arizona, Colorado
• Baylor (9-0): Oklahoma, Texas, at Kansas
• Penn State (8-1): Indiana, at Ohio State, Rutgers
As for the three frontrunners:
• LSU (9-0): at Ole Miss, Arkansas, vs. Texas A&M
• Ohio State (9-0): Rutgers, Penn State, at Michigan
• Clemson (10-0): Wake Forest, at South Carolina
AP Top 25
Three of the top five teams are from the SEC, again.
LSU received 54 first-place votes, Ohio State landed five and Clemson three.
Although Alabama fell to No. 4, the Crimson Tide did extend its record for consecutive weeks in the top five to 66 weeks.
The streak started on Nov. 8, 2015. The second-longest streak of top-five appearances is Miami, which had 55 from Oct. 8, 2000-Oct. 26, 2003.
Rank, Team (record), Previous, Points
1 LSU (9-0) 1 SEC 1,542
2 Ohio State (9-0) 3 Big Ten 1,480
3 Clemson (10-0) 4 ACC 1,441
4 Alabama (8-1) 2 SEC 1,312
5 Georgia (8-1) 6 SEC 1,267
6 Oregon (8-1) 7 Pac-12 1,224
7 Minnesota (9-0) 13 Big Ten 1,164
8 Utah (8-1) 8 Pac-12 1,099
9 Penn State (8-1) 5 Big Ten 1,003
10 Oklahoma (8-1) 9 Big 12 1,000
11 Florida (8-2) 10 SEC 934
12 Baylor (9-0) 11 Big 12 932
13 Auburn (7-2) 12 SEC 871
14 Michigan (7-2) 14 Big Ten 744
15 Wisconsin (7-2) 16 Big Ten 657
16 Notre Dame (7-2) 15 IA Independents 593
17 Cincinnati (8-1) 17 American Athletic 567
18 Memphis (8-1) 19 American Athletic 510
19 Boise State (8-1) 21 Mountain West 371
20 SMU (9-1) 23 American Athletic 346
21 Navy (7-1) 25 American Athletic 228
22 Texas (6-3) Big 12 199
23 Iowa (6-3) 18 Big Ten 197
24 Indiana (7-2) Big Ten 108
25 Oklahoma State (6-3) Big 12 77
Others receiving votes: Appalachian State 73, Kansas State 67, Texas A&M 42, Wake Forest 38, Louisiana Tech 25, Virginia 12, San Diego State 7, Iowa State 4, Virginia Tech 4, Washington 3, Pittsburgh 2, UCF 2, Air Force 2, USC 1, Illinois 1
USA Today Coaches Poll
The Tigers received 55 of 64 first-place votes and assumed the coaches’ No.-1 ranking for the first time since the 2012 preseason poll.
Ohio State received five first-place votes and leapfrogged No. 3 Clemson, which retained four No. 1 nods.
Rank, Team, Record, Points
1 LSU 9-0 1591
2 Ohio State 9-0 1523
3 Clemson 10-0 1491
4 Alabama 8-1 1356
5 Georgia 8-1 1327
6 Oregon 8-1 1269
7 Minnesota 9-0 1154
8 Oklahoma 8-1 1128
9 Utah 8-1 1096
10 Baylor 9-0 1028
11 Penn State 8-1 942
12 Florida 8-2 937
13 Auburn 7-2 863
14 Michigan 7-2 731
15 Wisconsin 7-2 670
16 Notre Dame 7-2 659
17 Cincinnati 8-1 590
18 Memphis 8-1 517
19 Boise State 8-1 452
20 SMU 9-1 326
21 Navy 7-1 249
22 Iowa 6-3 187
23 Texas 6-3 163
24 Appalachian State 8-1 133
25 Indiana 7-2 123
Dropped out: No. 20 Wake Forest; No. 22 Kansas State; No. 24 San Diego State.
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 49; Wake Forest 45; Louisiana Tech 43; Kansas State 38; San Diego State 32; Texas A&M 31; Air Force 25; Virginia Tech 17; Virginia 12; Wyoming 1; UL Lafayette 1; Central Florida 1.
FWAA-NFF Super 16
1. LSU (9-0) 732 42 1
2. Ohio State (9-0) 688 3 3
3. Clemson (10-0) 648 1 4
4. Alabama (8-1) 571 2
5. Georgia (8-1) 521 6
6. Oregon (8-1) 457 7
7. Minnesota (9-0) 436 13
8. Oklahoma (8-1) 382 8
9. Utah (8-1) 359 9
10. Penn State (8-1) 321 5
11. Baylor (9-0) 310 11
12. Florida (8-2) 289 10
13. Auburn (7-2) 202 12
14. Michigan (7-2) 138 14
15. Wisconsin (7-2) 87 16
16. Notre Dame (7-2) 66 15
Others receiving votes: Cincinnati (29), Memphis (11), Boise State (4), Texas A&M (4), SMU (1).