Georgia's hold on AP's No. 1 ranking loosens up a little
Georgia's hold on No. 1 in The Associated Press col- lege football poll loosened Sunday as the Bulldogs received a season-low 35 firstplace votes out of possible 62 while extending their streak atop the rankings to 16 straight weeks.
The Bulldogs needed a late touchdown to escape with a win at Auburn on Saturday and that sent many in the media panel looking for a new No. 1 team. Georgia had 55 firstplace votes and 1,562 points last week but was down to 1,501 points in this week's AP Top 25.
“I just think there's a lot more parity in college football. I don't think there's a great separation between anybody,” George coach Kirby Smart said. “The pro scouts that come to our place — I always trust their opinion — and they're like, 'Well, we've been to this place, that place, that place. And everybody's pretty similar. There's not this great margin.'”
No. 2 Michigan got 12 first-place votes and 1,436 points but nearly was passed by No. 3 Texas, which received 10 firstplace votes and 1,426 points. Both the Wolverines and Longhorns won big on Saturday.
Ohio State kept its spot at No. 4 and received one first-place vote. No. 5 Florida State received four firstplace votes. Neither the Buckeyes nor Seminoles played this weekend.
No. 6 Penn State and No. 7 Washington also held their spots. Oregon moved up a place to No. 8 and USC dropped one to No. 9.
No. 10 Notre Dame moved back into the top 10 after a dramatic victory at Duke. The Blue Devils dropped two places to No. 19.
Before declaring Georgia vulnerable, it should be noted that it was right around this time last year when the Bulldogs needed a second-half comeback to escape Missouri with a victory.
After that result, the Georgia slipped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the rankings behind Alabama.
A week later on Oct. 9, the Bulldogs regained the top spot — and haven't relinquished it since — but it took a while to convince a lot of voters.
Georgia didn't receive more than 32 first-place votes until it pounded Tennessee in a 1-vs.-2 matchup. On Nov. 6, Georgia received 62 of 63 first-place votes and there was never really a serious question again about who was No. 1. RANKED VS. RANKED THIS WEEK >> No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas in Dallas. The 43rd Red River Rivalry with both teams ranked.
No. 23 LSU at No. 21 Missouri. Only the fourth meeting between the two Tigers, and the first with both ranked.
No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia. Third time in the last six years the SEC East rivals have met as ranked teams, and only the fifth time in 77 total games.
No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 25 Louisville. Another firsttime ranked-on-ranked matchup. The Irish and Cardinals have played just three times previously. threw for 363 yards, Dillon Johnson ran for two touchdowns and Washington picked apart Arizona in Tucson on Saturday night.
Penix completed 30 of 40 passes for the Huskies (50, 2-0 Pac-12) in their 12th straight victory over two seasons.
Coming off a one-point win at Stanford, Arizona (32, 1-1) had few answers for Washington's offense and didn't do enough when it had the ball to pull.
Noah Fifita threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns with an interception in his first career start. He hit Tetairoa McMillan on a 10-yard touchdown pass to pull Arizona to 31-24 with 1:11 left, but Washington recovered the onside kick.
NO. 11 NOTRE DAME 21, NO. 17 DUKE 14 >>
Audric Estime sneaked through a crowd and broke free for a 30yard touchdown run with 31 seconds left, capping a clutch long drive by Notre Dame, leading the Fighting Irish past Duke on Saturday night.
Estime's run capped a 95-yard drive, one pushed by transfer quarterback Sam Hartman making multiple big plays with the Fighting Irish (5-1) trailing 14-13. That included on a fourth-and-16 play in the final minute, with Hartman unable to find anyone downfield as he scrambled to his right before taking off and getting just enough — 17 yards, with a hard collision at the end of it — to keep Notre Dame alive.
Estime followed with the winning score two plays later, then Hartman hit Rico Flores on the 2-point conversion to make it a seven-point game.
Duke (4-1) had a final chance to tie it, but quarterback Riley Leonard was stripped of the ball by Howard Cross III while trying to throw, leading to a loose ball recovered by the Irish. NO. 12 ALABAMA 40, MISSISSIPPI STATE 17 >> Jalen Milroe was efficient at quarterback for Alabama (4-1, 2-0 SEC) and the Crimson Tide scored touchdowns off two first-half interceptions in a victory over Mississippi State on Saturday.
Milroe completed his first eight passes and ended up 10 of 12 for 164 yards. He ran 11 times for 69 yards and two TDs to help Alabama to its 16th straight victory over the Bulldogs (2-3, 0-3).