Oregon, Iowa enter top 5; Arkansas has 1st ranking since ’16
Oregon and Iowa were the big movers in The Associated Press college football poll after road wins over top-10 opponents.
The Ducks’ victory over Ohio State earned them a promotion from No. 12 to No. 4.
Another impressive defensive performance by Iowa in the Cy-Hawk Trophy game pushed the Hawkeyes from No. 10 to No. 5.
Arkansas, coming off a home win over old Southwest Conference rival Texas, was rewarded with its first appearance in the AP Top 25 in five years, coming in at No. 20.
Alabama remained No. 1 in the AP Top 25, which is presented by Regions Bank. The Crimson Tide received 60 of the 63 first-place votes. Georgia, which picked up the other three first-place votes, stayed at No. 2.
Oklahoma was No. 3 and followed by Oregon, Iowa, Clemson, Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Ohio State and Penn State.
Oregon’s eight-rung leap came after its 35-28 win in the Horseshoe. It marks the biggest jump for a team entering the top five since LSU went from No. 13 to No. 5 after it knocked off second-ranked Georgia in October 2018.
The Ducks have their highest ranking since they finished the 2014 season No. 2 as the national runner-up to Ohio State.
Iowa, a 27-17 winner at Iowa State, allowed a total of 23 points while beating two ranked teams in succession for the first time since 1960. The Hawkeyes’ defense is always stout. The question about this team is whether it can elevate its offensive play with quarterback Spencer Petras.
As it is, the Hawks have their highest ranking since they were No. 3 on Nov. 22, 2015, after a 12-0 start.
Ohio State dropped from No. 3 to No. 9 and Iowa State from No. 9 to No. 14.
INDYCAR
PORTLAND, Ore. — Alex Palou recovered from firstlap trouble at Portland International Raceway to win for the third time this season and reclaim the IndyCar points lead.
The victory put the Spaniard back on top of the standings for the ninth time in 14 races this season. The second-year IndyCar driver had lost a 42-point lead in back-to-back races and came to Portland down 10 points to Pato O’Ward.
But Palou won the pole to earn a point and start the race down just nine to O’Ward. But the start was nearly disastrous as Palou and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon hurtled toward the first turn on the permanent road course.
Felix Rosenqvist appeared to clip Dixon, causing Dixon to lock his brakes as he and Palou rode side-byside. Neither Ganassi car was going to make the turn and both followed Rosenqvist through a runoff to avoid crashing.
FORMULA ONE
Championship leader Max Verstappen and defending champion Lewis Hamilton crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix, which was won by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo.
It was McLaren’s first win in nearly nine years, since Jenson Button took the chequered flag in Brazil in 2012.
It was also Ricciardo’s first win since Monaco in 2018. He finished 1.747 seconds ahead of teammate Lando Norris and 4.921 ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who turned in a strong performance after starting from the back of the grid after a penalty for taking a new engine.
But the biggest talking point of the race came on lap 26.
Hamilton had pitted from the lead and returned to the track just in front of Verstappen. The Red Bull driver tried to come up the inside on a turn as the seven-time champion defended his position.
As the two made contact, Verstappen’s car catapulted on to the top of the Mercedes as both slid into the gravel. The protective halo ring at the front of F1 car cockpits may have saved Hamilton from serious injury.
Both drivers were able to walk away from their cars though Hamilton took a long time getting out of his, only clambering out after Verstappen had long gone.