A pair of unbeatens suffering their first loss of the season for the second weekend in a row notwithstanding, the top fifth of the USA Today coaches’ poll has taken on a very similar look to last week’s release.
As expected with both teams on their bye weekend, LSU and Alabama held serve in the top two spots, officially setting the stage for the SEC’s first-ever No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular season matchup next Saturday night. Those two teams were the only to receive first-place votes, with the Tigers pulling in 41 and the Tide 18, the same totals as the week before.
The triple-overtime win over USC did little to affect the coaches’ opinion of Stanford, with the Cardinal remaining at No. 3, although the gap from No. 4 closed from 27 points down to nine. Oklahoma State (No. 4) and Boise State (No. 5), mirrored last weekend’s positions in the rankings. Despite being on their bye, the Broncos actually closed the point gap with the Cowboys -- 88 last week, 77 this week.
Losses by No. 6 Clemson and No. 12 Kansas State, however, caused some understandable shakeup below the Top 5. Oregon moved up one spot to replace Clemson at No. 6, while Oklahoma leapfrogged Arkansas to move up two spots to No. 7. The Razorbacks, taken to the limit by Vanderbilt, held steady at No. 8, while Nebraska’s thumping of then-No. 11 Michigan State pushed them up four and into the No. 9 slot. South Carolina also moved up four spots to round out the Top 10.
Virginia Tech (No. 11), Michigan (No. 13), undefeated Houston (No. 14) and Penn State (No. 15) all climbed four spots from last week.
Kansas State took the biggest tumble of the week, falling seven spots to No. 19. Clemson and Wisconsin each dropped six positions, checking in at No. 12 and No. 17, respectively.
Texas A&M (then-No. 16) and Texas Tech (No. 22) fell out of the rankings, replaced by No. 23 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Texas.
