5-0 Knights crack top 10 in AP, coaches’ polls

UCF cracked the top 10 in both the Associated Press and coaches’ top 25 polls released Sunday.

The Knights (5-0) moved up two spots to No. 10 in this week’s AP poll after defeating SMU 48-20 Saturday. UCF extended the nation’s longest win streak to 18 games.

It’s also the 18th consecutive week the program has been ranked in the AP poll dating to last season and the highest the program has been ranked since finishing No. 6 in the final poll in 2017.

The team also moved up four spots to No. 9 in the coaches’ poll.

UCF travels to Memphis to take on the Tigers this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

Elsewhere, Florida moved up eight spots to No. 14 in this week’s AP poll following a 27-19 win over LSU Saturday. It’s the highest the Gators have been ranked since 2016.

Miami moved up one spot following a 28-27 win over rival Florida State Saturday. The Hurricanes remain the second-highest ranked team from the ACC in the poll after Clemson.

UCF was one of three American Athletic Conference teams to earn spots in the polls. The Knights were joined in the rankings this week by No. 23 USF (5-0) and No. 25 Cincinnati (6-0), who remained undefeated. The Knights are scheduled to play both teams later this season during a late stretch that will likely determine which team earns the American Athletic Conference championship and an Access Bowl bid.

The highest ranked conference champion from the Group of 5 leagues in the final College Football Playoff rankings, which will debut on Oct. 30, earns a New Year’s Six bowl bid.

The top four spots remained unchanged in the polls: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Georgia, No. Ohio State and No. 4 Clemson.