Call it Shakeup Saturday in college football

14.11.2016 07:31

Ohio State and Louisville moved up behind No. 1 Alabama in the Associated Press poll after the most surprising Saturday of the season gave the rankings a major makeover.

Three of the top four (Michigan, Clemson and Washington), five of the top 10 and seven teams overall in last week’s rankings lost to unranked opponents.

On Sunday, Alabama was a unanimous No. 1 for the first time this season, receiving all 61 votes.

Ohio State is No. 2, a season best for the Buckeyes, and Louisville is No. 3, matching its best ranking ever.

No. 4 Michigan (which lost to Iowa 14-13 on Saturday) and No. 5 Clemson (which lost 43-42 to Pitt) each dropped two spots and No. 7 Washington fell three after losing for the first time, 26-13 at home to USC.

Wisconsin moved up a spot to No. 6.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Utah moved up two spots to No. 11 after Thursday night’s 49-26 win at Arizona State, and Colorado is up four spots to No. 12 — its highest ranking since it was No. 12 on Dec. 1, 2002 — after Saturday’s 49-24 win over Arizona.

[...] No. 15 USC is back in the rankings for the first time since the preseason.

The Trojans started the season 1-3 but have won six straight behind redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Darnold.

No. 20 Washington State moved up three spots after beating Cal 56-21 for its best ranking since the Cougars finished the 2003 season at No. 9.

Ramifications from a big weekend:

The Pac-12’s biggest game Saturday isn’t the Big Game — it’s Washington State at Colorado.

First place in the Pac-12 North against first place in the Pac-12 South.

Who would have guessed that?

Stanford’s 52-27 shellacking of Oregon means the Ducks, at 3-7, will miss a bowl for the first time since 2004.

Or does it?

There are now 58 teams bowl eligible, with 80 slots available.

If all 80 slots can’t be filled with .500 or better teams, sub-.500 teams will be needed needed to fill open spots.

Ohio State fans were lapping up Michigan’s loss to Iowa — but that could come back to haunt them.

By stunning the Wolverines, the Hawkeyes took away the Buckeyes’ straight shot into the Big Ten championship game.

If Ohio State beats Michigan (9-1, 6-1) on Nov. 26, Penn State (8-2, 6-1) — assuming it beats lowly Rutgers and Michigan State at home — would win the East.

No. 25 Troy is ranked for the first time in school history.

The Trojans (8-1) won a matchup of unbeaten Sun Belt Conference teams Saturday against Appalachian State and their only loss was by six points at Clemson.

With first-place votes in parentheses, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote:

Rec.

Pts

Ohio State

Clemson

Penn State

West Virginia

Oklahoma State

Western Michigan

USC

LSU

Florida State

Auburn

Washington State

San Diego State

Others receiving votes:

Houston 49, North Carolina 40, Virginia Tech 36, Tennessee 21, Navy 20, Stanford 16, W. Kentucky 11, Pittsburgh 9, South Florida 8, Arkansas 7, Iowa 4, Mississippi 2, Minnesota 1.

Pac-12 standings

Oregon State

USC

Arizona State

UCLA

Saturday’s games

USC at UCLA, 7:30 p.m.

Washington St. at Colorado, TBA