TOP RISERS

Joining TCU in rising five spots is No. 12 Oklahoma, led by freshman star Trae Young. No. 9 Virginia is up four spots.

LONGEST SLIDES

Four ranked teams took big slides after losses to unranked opponents last week.

Miami and Kentucky both fell nine spots to Nos. 15 and 16 in the biggest slides of the week after the Hurricanes lost to New Mexico State in the Diamond Head Classic and the Wildcats lost to UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic in New Orleans.

Reigning nat ional champion North Carolina fell eight spots to No. 13 after its home loss to Wofford , snapping a 23-game home winning streak. Now-No. 20 Gonzaga also fell eight spots after its loss to San Diego State .

STANDING PAT

In addition to the four teams at the top, four more teams — No. 18 Baylor, No. 23 Seton Hall, No. 24 Florida State and No. 25 Creighton — stayed in the same spot as last week.

NO NEWFACES

There were no newcomers or departures from this week’s poll, with 11 teams climbing and six falling in addition to the eight staying in the same slot.

Initially Benjamin was ruled to have gotten both feet down while in possession of the ball. After looking at replays, officials ruled that he was juggling the ball when his first foot hit the turf.

“It was clear and obvious that he did not have control of the ball until he brought it all the way down into his chest,” referee CraigWrolstad said in a pool report after the game.

“The (officials) always seem to get it right for the Patriots, but that’s not why we lost,” said running back LeSean McCoy, who finished with 71 yards on 17 carries. “It sure would have helped out in the game. We battled hard. We have to do a better job finishing. ... It’s just crazy because we put so much into it, to get robbed like that. Come on, that was a touchdown.”

Coach Sean McDermott was perplexed.

Franchise passing leader Tony Romo conceded the job to Prescott last year when he was ready to return from a preseason back injury and theCowboyswere in themiddle of a franchise-record 11game winning streak. Then Romo retired to the broadcast booth when the season ended.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones is all in with Prescott despite a big increase in interceptions (13

“Yeah, I’m at a loss,” he said. “A loss as to, I saw it as a touchdown. Andother than that, all I cansay right now is I am at a loss for how a play like that can get overturned.”

The play was met with almost immediate criticism across social media.

The list included former NFL officiating VP Mike Pereira.

“Regarding the Buffalo no touchdown, nothing more irritating to an official than to make a great call and then someone in a suit in an office in New York incorrectly reverses it,” he posted on Twitter .

Bills team owner Terrence Pegula’s daughter, Jessie Pegula, also chimed in.

“Does anyone even know what a catch is anymore? I definitely don’t afterwatching that,” she wrote on Twitter .

Butnothingabout thatplay had anything to do with Buffalo’s shortcomings in the second half.

It managed just 133 yards of offense in the final two compared to four last season, with four returned for touchdowns).

The Seattle loss was the second time in six games the Dallas offense didn’t score a touchdown, all the more alarming with Elliott back.

“I’m excited about our future with Dak at quarterback,” Jones said. “I’m extremely excited about our future. We’ve just got to get it done better.”

As good as Prescottwas as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, he lost his only playoff game for the top-seeded Cowboys — the same thing Romo had done quarters, while going 1 for 6 on third down and 0 for 4 in the red zone.

The Bills have not scored an offensive touchdown in their last two games against New England. Buffalo managed just a field goal in its 23-3 loss at home on Dec. 3.

“I guess they had good schemes, you know what I’m saying?” Benjamin said. “We’ve definitely got to do better when we get down in the red zone, punching it in. It’s just something we’ve got to work on moving forward as a team.”

Cornerback Tre’Davious White said the Bills are ready for next week’s finale at Miami, and they still have several scenarios to make the playoffs.

“We know we’ve got to have, you know, some things have to happen (to make the playoffs),” White said. “But if we can go out there and control what we can control and go out there and beat Miami, you know we’ll just see where the chips fall.” nine years earlier, when he was forging a reputation as a good, but not clutch, quarterback.

After throwing the most interceptions for a Dallas quarterback since Romo’s 19 in 2012, Prescott will face questions about his staying power in his third season.

“The future is bright,” said Prescott, who will have significant drops in completion percentage and passer rating.

“We are not giving up on this team. We are not giving up on ourselves. We know we are not making the postseason, but hopefully it will motivate us.”