The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Longhorns up to No. 4 in AP poll after upsetting Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa
Texas jumped seven spots to No. 4 in The Associated Press poll Sunday after beating Alabama, and the Pac12 became just the second conference to place as many as eight teams in an AP Top 25.
Georgia received 55 first-place votes to remain a clear No. 1. Michigan was No. 2, with two-first place votes. No. 3 Florida State moved up a spot and received three first-place votes. Texas received two-first place votes after its biggest regular-season victory in years.
The Longhorns are in the top five for the first time since starting the 2010 season at No. 5 and have their highest ranking since finishing No. 2 after losing the BCS championship game to Alabama in 2009.
Behind quarterback Quinn Ewers, Texas became the first team to beat Alabama by double-digits on its home field under coach Nick Saban. The loss dropped Alabama seven spots to No. 10, its lowest ranking since early last November, when the Crimson Tide also were 10th.
USC moved up a spot to No. 5, giving the top five representation from each Power Five conference. But no conference has more teams than the Pac-12, which is in its last season with its current membership before 10 of its schools depart for other leagues in 2024. Only the Southeastern Conference had ever placed as many as eight teams in single AP Top 25, doing it 21 times with a record 10 in September 2015. In this week’s AP
Top 25, Washington is No. 8, Utah is 12th, Oregon is 13th and Oregon State is No. 16. Moving into the rankings are Washington State at No. 23 and UCLA at No. 24. No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Penn State and No. 9 Notre Dame round out the top 10.
Alabama’s streak of top-10 rankings is at 128, which dates to the 2015 season. The Crimson Tide’s streak is second-longest in AP poll history behind Miami’s 137 from 1985-93.
UCLA and Washington State were two of four teams to move into the rankings this week. No. 22 Miami is ranked for the first time since last September. No. 25 Iowa slipped back in after falling out last week. Falling out along with Texas A&M were Wisconsin and Tulane. Clemson also slipped out of the rankings, ending a streak of 21 straight appearances.
Coach Tucker faces hearing
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker is facing a hearing next month over allegations that he sexually harassed activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy during a phone call, according to USA Today. Michigan State hired an outside attorney to investigate the complaint and the investigation concluded in July, according to the report published Sunday. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5-6 to determine if Tucker violated the school’s sexual harassment and exploitation policy.