Duke jumps to No. 1 in AP poll

Duke changed everything about who AP Top 25 voters considered to be the nation’s best team with a single dominating performance against a marquee opponent.

It also gave the Blue Devils yet another milestone under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski: a record number of appearances at No. 1.

The Blue Devils jumped from fourth to first Monday in the first regularseason poll, leapfrogging Kansas at the top after a blowout win against thenNo. 2 Kentucky last week. That allowed Duke to set a record with its 135th week at No. 1, breaking a tie with UCLA for the most top rankings in poll history.

The 34-point win against the Wildcats in the Champions Classic to open the season marked the program’s most lopsided win against a top-5 opponent. Duke was practically flawless behind star freshmen RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish, and that created a buzz about the team’s already lofty potential being somehow even higher than anyone anticipated.

Granted, it was one game. And Duke (20) didn’t look nearly so dazzling Sunday at home against Army . But that one performance caused a major voting shift, even with now-No. 2 Kansas earning a quality win of its own against then-No. 10 Michigan State in the first game of the Champions Classic.

Kansas was a solid preseason No. 1 by earning 37 of 65 first-place votes, followed by 19 for Kentucky and four for Duke. But Duke now has 48 first-place votes, claiming the top spot for all 19 voters who had Kentucky as preseason No. 1 while also causing 23 voters to switch from Kansas in the preseason Duke this week.

NFL

RAMS RECEIVER OUT>> Los Angeles receiver Cooper Kupp is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee, depriving the Rams’ offense of a major contributor heading into a showdown with Kansas City.

Coach Sean McVay on Monday confirmed the ACL injury for Kupp, who led the Rams in yards receiving last season. Kupp is likely to have surgery this week.

“It’s a huge loss for our football team,” McVay said. “He’s such an important part of what we do, and a great football player, great person. It’s tough, but fortunately we’ve got guys that are ready to step up.”

Kupp has 40 catches for 566 yards and six touchdowns this season, providing reliable hands in the slot and a knack for big catches. The former third-round pick from Eastern Washington has been a key contributor to McVay’s highoctane passing offense in both of his NFL seasons.

His absence will be felt right away by the Rams (9-1), who will be without one of Jared Goff’s most familiar targets when they face the Chiefs (9-1) in Mexico City next Monday night in one of the biggest games of the NFL’s regular season.

“He’s been a valuable piece of our team, and a guy we’ll miss,” Goff said. “He’s a tough guy (with) a tough family, and I know he’ll come out stronger through it all.”

Kupp was hurt on a play with minimal contact Sunday in in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 36-31 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. An MRI exam confirmed a torn ligament for Kupp, who already missed two games last month with a sprained left knee after going down awkwardly on a horse-collar tackle by Darian Stewart in Denver.

NHL

KINGS GOALIE OUT >> Los Angeles Kings goalie Jack Campbell will be out for at least a month after surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee, dealing another blow Monday to the NHL’s last-place team.

Los Angeles (510-1) is without its top two goalies after Campbell’s injury followed Jonathan Quick’s surgery last month to repair a meniscus tear in his own knee.

Campbell will be out for four to six weeks after getting hurt in a 1-0 loss to Calgary last Saturday. Quick is two weeks into his own recovery period, which is also estimated at four to six weeks by the Kings.