Florida St. drops to 10th in AP poll
Florida State slipped all the way to the No. 10 in The Associated Press college football poll after losing to Alabama and losing quarterback Deondre Francois to a season-ending injury.
The Crimson Tide is No. 1 again, securing 60 of 61 first-place votes in the first Top 25 of the regular season. Ohio State remained No. 2 in the media poll and received the other first-place vote. Defending champion Clemson moved up to No. 3 on Tuesday. Penn State is No. 4 and Oklahoma moved up No. 5, meaning for the second straight week there will be a top-five matchup. The Sooners play at Ohio State on Saturday.
Florida State was No. 3 in the preseason poll and lost an opening-week showdown with Alabama, 24-7. Late in the game Francois went down with a knee injury.
Stanford remained at No. 14 and plays No. 6 USC on Saturday at the Memorial Coliseum. IOWA’S FERENTZ FIRES BACK AT CUNNINGHAM ALLEGATIONS >> Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz shot back at former broadcaster Ed Cunningham, saying that allegations that the Hawkeyes would subject a player to possible longterm health issues “surprising and offensive.”
Cunningham said in a story in the New York Times last week that he retired from broadcasting because of his discomfort over the health risks associated with football. Cunningham said his last straw was watching limping Iowa quarterback (now a 49er) C.J. Beathard play in last year’s Outback Bowl until the closing moments, even though the game was a blowout.
Ferentz added that Iowa’s medical staff has the final say about whether a player is fit to compete.
Beathard’s father, Casey, defended the Hawkeyes in a statement, saying that Iowa was “very thorough and diligent in addressing any injury situations.” CAL’S DOWNS HONORED >> Devante Downs was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week for his performance Saturday in Cal’s 35-30 road win over North Carolina. Downs had 13 tackles (eight solo) along with a half-sack, a forced fumble and an interception that he returned 39 yards. TRANSFER GILMAN NOT ELIGIBLE FOR NOTRE DAME >> Navy transfer Alohi Gilman is not eligible to play this season for Notre Dame.
Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday the NCAA denied the school’s final appeal for immediate eligibility instead of Gilman sitting out the usual one year required of transfers. He’ll be eligible to compete next season.
Gilman started as a freshman last season for Navy and made 76 tackles. He’s a versatile defender who lined up as a defensive back and linebacker. DUCKS MOVE PRACTICE >> The Oregon Ducks moved practice to the coast to escape smoky air caused by wildfires across the state.
Players headed by bus to Siuslaw Middle School in Florence, Oregon, about 60 miles west of Eugene. The Ducks, coming off a 7721 victory over Southern Utah last Saturday, host Nebraska this weekend. ALABAMA SET TO PLAY MIAMI IN 2021 >> Alabama will play Miami to open the 2021 season in the Chickfil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, their first meeting since a memorable national title game in 1993. MARYLAND QUARTERBACK TYRRELL PIGROME HAS TORN ACL >> Maryland quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome is out for the season with a torn right ACL, an injury that takes some of the joy out of the Terrapins’ season-opening 5141 upset of Texas last Saturday. CONNECTICUT’S EDSALL APPEALS NEPOTISM RULING >> The University of Connecticut and coach Randy Edsall are appealing a ruling by the state’s ethics office that the school violated Connecticut’s ban on nepotism by hiring Edsall’s son as an assistant coach. TEXAS A&M LOSES QUARTERBACK, SAFETY POSSIBLY FOR SEASON >> Texas A&M quarterback Nick Starkel and senior free safety Donovan Wilson are out for perhaps the rest of the season after having surgery for leg injuries. BAYLOR SETTLES FEDERAL
LAWSUIT >> Baylor University has settled a federal lawsuit filed by a former student who said she was gang raped by two football players and alleged the program at the nation’s largest Baptist school fostered a “culture of violence.”
The settlement is one of several in recent weeks as Baylor moves to close out lawsuits filed in the aftermath of an investigation into how the school handled reports of sexual and physical assaults for years. The probe led to the firing of former coach Art Briles and the departure of former school president Ken Starr.