Georgia now No. 1 after Alabama’s stunning loss
Georgia was the new No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll Sunday by a unanimous vote, taking the top spot during the regular season for the first time since November 1982.
The Bulldogs (62 firstplace votes) moved up one spot in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank, a day after preseason No. 1 Alabama lost at Texas A&M. The defending national champion Crimson Tide slipped four spots to No. 5 after its first loss of the season.
Seth Small made a 28yard field goal as time expired and Texas A&M stunned Alabama 41-38 to end the Crimson Tide’s winning streak at 19 games.
The victory came on Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher’s 56th birthday and is certainly Texas A&M’s biggest win since Fisher took over in 2018. Fisher, a former Alabama assistant under Nick Saban, had vowed this spring to beat the Crimson Tide one day.
Alabama (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) had scored 21 straight points — capped by a TD reception and 2-point conversion grab by Jameson Williams — to take a 38-31 lead with five minutes to go. Texas A&M (4-2, 1-2) tied it at 38 when Zach Calzada connected with Ainias Smith for a 25-yard touchdown with three minutes left.
Alabama hadn’t lost since falling 48-45 to Auburn on Nov. 30, 2019.
“Everyone needs to remember how they feel and not forget it,” Saban said.
It’s the first time Saban has lost to one of his assistants after entering the
game a perfect 24-0 in those games. He’d beaten Fisher four times, the most of any of his former staffers.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me,” Fisher said about ending the former assistants streak. “Our football team is learning to play against other great football teams and have success. That’s what matters to me.”
Texas A&M also ended Alabama’s streak of 100 wins over unranked teams.
After falling out of the rankings last week for the first time this season, the Aggies are back in at No. 21.
Alabama was one of two top-five teams to lose Saturday, opening the door for several teams to rise to rare heights.
Iowa is No 2, up one spot after winning a top-five matchup with Penn State. The Hawkeyes have their best ranking since they reached No. 1 in 1985.
No. 3 Cincinnati has its best ranking ever. No. 4 Oklahoma moved up two spots after a comefrom-behind victory against Texas in the Red River Rivalry.
The Big Ten dominates the back half of the top 10 with Ohio State at No. 6, Penn State at No. 7, Michigan at eighth and Michigan State 10th. The Big Ten has five top-10 teams for the first time in the history of the AP poll, which dates to 1936.
Oregon slipped in at No. 9. Kentucky moved up five spots to No. 11 for the Wildcats’ best ranking since 2011.
UTAH BEATS USC IN FIRST GAME SINCE LOWE’S DEATH >>
Cameron Rising threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as Utah defeated USC 42-26 on Saturday night.
It was the first game for the Utes since safety Aaron Lowe was killed in a shooting at a post-game party on Sept. 26, nine months after running back Ty Jordan died of an accidental gunshot wound to the abdomen on Christmas night 2020.
“To see just their sheer enjoyment, and that’s the best way to describe it, and they obviously had Ty and Aaron on their mind, and it’s gonna be a constant the rest of the season,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Utah won a road game against the Trojans for the first time since 1916.