Alabama and Michigan top final AP poll before first CFP rankings
Alabama, Michigan, Clemson and Washington are at the top of The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, and the Big 12 was left without a top-10 team after a weekend during which four unbeaten teams lost.
Two days before the College Football Playoff selection committee unveils its first rankings of the season, the AP Top 25 provided a likely preview.
Alabama is No. 1, receiving all but one of the 61 first-place votes from the media panel. Michigan received a first-place vote. Both No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Washington won road games against ranked teams Saturday.
West Virginia and Baylor from the Big 12 were not so fortunate. The Mountaineers slipped to No. 14 after their first loss. The Bears dropped to 13th after losing to Texas.
This is the first time in the history of the Big 12 -- which started in 1996 -- that it enters November with no top-10 teams in the AP poll. No. 12 Oklahoma is the highest-ranked of four Big 12 teams in the Top 25.
No. 8 Wisconsin moved up three spots after 23-17 victory in overtime against previously unbeaten Nebraska.
No. 9 Nebraska slipped only two spots after its first loss.
No. 19 Florida State dropped seven spots after a 37-34 loss. The Seminoles' other two losses are to No. 5 Louisville and No. 18 North Carolina.
No. 24 Boise State fell 11 spots after its first loss of the season. The Broncos lost 30-28 at Wyoming.
No. 22 Oklahoma State is back in the ranking for the second time this season after beating West Virginia.
No. 25 Washington State is ranked for the first time this season and did it after starting 0-2 with a loss to Eastern Washington of the FCS. The Cougars and rival Huskies were last ranked at the same time Sept. 28, 2003, when Washington was 18th and Washington State was 14th.
Tennessee fell out of the rankings for the first time this season after losing at South Carolina.
Navy dropped out after losing to USF, leaving the American Athletic Conference with no ranked teams for the first time this season.
