AP Top 25: No. 2 Alabama closes gap with Clemson; PSU out
Clemson remained No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, but not by much.
Trevor Lawrence’s absence because of COVID-19 and the Tigers’ narrow win over Boston College created a divide among the 62 writers and broadcasters on the voting panel.
Clemson received 33 first-place votes — 19 fewer than last week — and has only a two-point lead over No. 2 Alabama heading into a huge ACC matchup at fourthranked Notre Dame this week.
Alabama, which handed Mike Leach his first shutout as a head coach with a 41-0 victory over Mississippi State, got the other 29 first-place votes.
The rest of the top five remained the same, with Ohio State at No. 3, followed by Notre Dame and Georgia.
Dame either. was unranked was Oct. 16, IN » — No. 22 Texas beat road loss to West Virginia.
Clemson made up an 2016. The next week the Oklahoma State in overCONFERENCE CALL » The 18-point deficit in the secNittany Lions upset Ohio time for its first road win only conference without ond half to beat BC 34-28. State in Happy Valley and against a top-10 team since representation in the Top 25 Five-star freshman D.J. appeared in 63 straight 2010 and is back after a is the Mid-American, which The unbeaten Liberty Uiagalelei made his first polls in which they were three-week absence. begins play Wednesday. Flames, in their third year start and got better as the eligible. (Big Ten teams — No. 24 Auburn reSEC — 5 (Nos. 2, 5, 7, 8, in the Football Bowl Sub-24).gamewentonasClemsonwereremovedfromcon-turnedaftertwoweeksfoldivision, entered the rankpulled off its largest comesideration for two polls lowing its rout of LSU. Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 3, 10, ings for the first time at No. back for a home win in prothis year because of their — No. 25 Liberty’s sched13, 23).
25. Penn State is out for the gram history. coronavirus-delayed seaule gets tougher now, with Big 12 — 4 first time since 2016 followAlabama made easy son.) Virginia Tech, North Caro19, 22). ing consecutive losses. work of Mississippi State Penn State had the lina State and Sun Belt ConACC — 3 (Nos. 1, 4, 11).
Voters had dif fering and has now scored 35 or fourth-longest active streak ference phenom and No. 15 Pac-12 — 2 (Nos. 12, 20). opinions on how to handle more points in 19 straight behind Alabama (205), Ohio Coastal Carolina still to American — 2 (Nos. 6, Clemson. Six voters who games, the longest streak in State (138) and Clemson come. 18). had Alabama No. 1 on their the FBS. (94). OUT » — North Carolina C-USA — 1 (No. 16). ballots had Clemson third POLL POINTS » Liber t y, Cincinnati, at No. 6, has has lost two of three and Mountain West — 1 (No. 21).behindOhioState.whichwasidleSaturday,itshighestrankingsinceitdroppedoutforthefirst
S Lawrence was ruled out beat out Northwestern finished the 2009 regular time this season. un Belt — 1 (No. 15). of the game against Bosfor the No. 25 spot. Hugh season No. 4. — Penn State’s absence Independent — 1 (No. 9, ton College after testing Freeze’s Flames are 6-0 No. 9 BYU is in the top might be temporary, with 25). positive for COVID-19, and against mostly light compe10 for the first time since it winnable games against RANKED VS. RANKED » — coach Dabo Swinney antition. Their biggest test so was No. 7 on Sept. 13, 2009. Maryland and Nebraska No. 9 BYU at No. 21 Boise nounced that his Heisfar comes this week at VirNo. 13 Indiana has its up next. State, Friday: Third-string man Trophy front-runner ginia Tech. best ranking since it was as — Kansas State’s twoQB Baylor Romney orcheswouldn’t play against Notre The last time Penn State high as No. 11 in 1987. week stay ends with an ugly trated BYU’s upset of the (Nos.
Broncos last year. Zach Wilson will be leading the Cougars’ effort to win in Boise for the first time.
— No. 8 Florida vs. No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville, Florida: The Bulldogs will go for a fourth straight win in the series but need to be sharper than they were against Kentucky.
— No. 1 Clemson at No. 4 Notre Dame: Another “biggest game of the year” — until the next one. Uiagalelei takes his show on the road while Lawrence remains in the COVID-19 protocol. The Irish defense has been tough, but the Tigers are a different animal.