A weekend that featured six top-25 match-ups, including three head-to-head showdowns within the top 10, was bound to shake up the Amway Coaches Poll. The changes didn’t quite reach the top, though the No.-1 team was in a fourth-quarter fight.
Alabama rallied in the second half to get past Mississippi State on the road and remains atop the poll. The Crimson Tide is again unanimous with all the first-place votes after the ranks of the unbeaten were reduced.
Miami (Fla.) vaults to the No. 2 spot after the Hurricanes’ decisive victory against Notre Dame. Clemson, which staved off Florida State and is now set to meet the ‘Canes for the ACC title in three weeks, climbs back up to No. 3 ahead of unbeaten Wisconsin. The Badgers slip a spot despite beating Iowa handily. Oklahoma, which took charge of the Big 12 race by dispatching TCU, rounds out the top five.
Stock up: Auburn. On the strength of their big win against Georgia, the Tigers hop up to No. 6. Their winner-take-all Iron Bowl clash with Alabama for the SEC West crown looms in two weeks.
Stock down: Georgia. The Bulldogs fall five spots to No. 7 after their first loss. But they’re guaranteed either a rematch with Auburn or a date with the Crimson Tide and are still very much in the playoff mix.
Stock up: Ohio State. The Buckeyes got off the deck in a big way, dominating Michigan State to climb back into the top 10 at No. 8.
Stock down: Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish slide four places to fifth after falling to the ‘Canes. They have a chance for a 10-win campaign that would almost certainly result in a New Year’s Six bowl invitation, but their playoff hopes are have likely gone by the boards.
Stock up: Southern California. The Trojans edge back up four spots to No. 10 after their win at Colorado clinched the Pac-12 South.
Stock down: Michigan State. The Spartans tumble eight places to No. 24 after their encounter with the Buckeyes.
New kids on the block: No. 23 Stanford, No. 25 West Virginia.
College dropouts: Virginia Tech, Iowa State.
