Ethermac Exchange-AP Top 25: Oregon a unanimous No. 1 ahead of 1st CFP rankings, followed by Georgia, Ohio State

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Oregon was the unanimous choice for No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, strengthening its bid for the top spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s first rankings of the season.

The Ducks are No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third straight week, and unanimous for the first time, following its 21-point road win against Michigan.

Georgia, which received one No. 1 vote last week, remained No. 2 after overcoming Carson Beck’s three interceptions and pulling away late to beat Florida.

Ohio State earned a one-spot promotion to No. 3 with its win at Penn State, the Buckeyes’ eighth in a row in the series. No. 4 Miami, which beat Duke, and No. 5 Texas, which was idle, each moved up a spot. Penn State, which had been in the top five in the previous four polls, slipped to No. 6.

The CFP’s expansion to 12 teams this season means losses by top teams to other top teams aren’t a certain disqualifier in the race for the national championship. The CFP’s first rankings of the season will be released Tuesday and updated weekly until the bracket is announced Dec. 8.

Tennessee held its place at No. 7 despite scuffling well into the fourth quarter against three-win Kentucky and winning 28-18.

RELATED COVERAGE Bracket Watch: Oregon, Georgia, Miami and BYU are the top seeds ahead of 1st CFP rankings Brashard Smith and No. 20 SMU overwhelm previously undefeated No. 18 Pitt 48-25 Dylan Sampson rushes for 141 yards and 2 TDs to lead No. 7 Tennessee past Kentucky 28-18

Indiana jumped five spots to No. 8, its highest ranking since it was No. 7 in 2020 — and best in a non-pandemic season since the Hoosiers were No. 4 during their 1967 Rose Bowl season. The Hoosiers rolled past Michigan State 47-10 on the road to go 9-0 for the first time in program history; every win this season has been by double digits.

No. 9 BYU and No. 10 Notre Dame were idle.

SMU’s 48-25 win over Pittsburgh earned the Mustangs a promotion from No. 20 to No. 13. — the biggest upward movement this week. They haven’t been ranked so high since they were No. 3 on Oct. 1, 1985, two years before the NCAA levied the “death penalty” that shut down the program in 1987 for egregious rules violations. The school also chose not to field a team in 1988.

Poll points

Clemson and Iowa State, tied for No. 11 last week, took the biggest falls after losing at home. The Tigers plummeted eight spots to No. 19 with their 33-21 loss to Louisville. The Cyclones dropped six spots to No. 17 with their 23-22 loss to Texas Tech. Texas A&M, Kansas State and Pittsburgh each fell five spots.

Army, at No. 18, has its highest ranking since it was No. 10 at midseason in 1960.

Boise State, at No. 12, has its best ranking since it was No. 8 in the 2011 final poll.

Indiana is ahead of Notre Dame for the first time since the final poll in 1979, when the Hoosiers were No. 19 and the Irish were unranked. The schools are separated by 200 miles in Indiana.

In-and-out

Vanderbilt’s 17-7 win at Auburn allowed the Commodores to return to the poll, at No. 24, after a one-week absence.

Louisville, which had been ranked every week in September, is back at No. 25 following its upset at Clemson.

Illinois, 24th last week, saw its seven-week run in the Top 25 end with its 25-17 loss to Minnesota at home.

Missouri, which had been in the poll every week and as high as No. 6, dropped out after an open date. The Tigers hung on at No. 25 last week despite a 34-0 loss to Alabama.

Conference call

SEC — 8 (Nos. 2, 5, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 24).

ACC — 5 (Nos. 4, 13, 19, 23, 25).

Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 1, 3, 6, 8).

Big 12 — 4 (Nos. 9, 17, 21, 22).

AAC — 1 (No. 18).

Mountain West — 1 (No. 12).

Pac-12 — 1 (No. 20).

Independent — 1 (No. 10).

Ranked vs. ranked

— No. 2 Georgia at No. 16 Mississippi: Bulldogs haven’t traveled to Oxford since they lost 45-14 there in 2016. Georgia routed Ole Miss 52-17 at home last year.

— No. 11 Alabama at No. 14 LSU: LSU’s 32-31 overtime win over ‘Bama prompted a field-storming two years ago, the last time the Crimson Tide visited Death Valley. Both teams are coming off open dates.

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