Alabama is now unanimously number 1 in an Associated Press College football poll, and Northwestern climbed to 11th on Sunday for its best ranking in 24 years.
For the second week in a row, the top eight teams in the survey took their positions. The Crimson Tide garnered 62 first place votes after beating Kentucky 63-3, making Alabama their first consensus No.1 this season and the first team to do so in a regular season since 2018.
Notre Dame ranked second, followed by Ohio, Clemson and Texas A&M. Florida is ranked sixth, while Cincinnati is ranked seventh and No. 8 BP University their center.
The rest of the top ten were No. 9 in Miami and Oregon.
Northwestern took eight places after defeating Wisconsin 17-7 to take a 5-0 lead. The Badgers team slipped eight places to 18th.
Wildcats were last ranked high in 1996. In the year after their surprise career at the Rose Bowl, coach Gary Barnett’s team reached the top 10.
No. 12 Indiana dropped three points after setting a panic in Ohio in the other Big Ten match in Saturday’s Top 25. Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers 42-35 with a 35-7 lead.
Poll points
This is the 80th time in the history of the AP poll, which dates back to 1936, there was consensus # 1.
It was a rare event in the early days of poll, when college football was more regional. From 1936 to 1966, there were only twice Consensus No. 1.
Southern California was unanimously No. 1 during the 1967 season, but until the 1990s, the No. 1 consensus became a popular event.
From 1992, when Alabama finished the season with all first-place votes in the poll, to last season, when LSU did the same, AP Top 25 has been unanimously ranked No. 1 in 67 occasions.
Unanimously No. 1 in Alabama is No. 22 overall, mostly from any school, and 21 since 2012.
Inside and outside
Four ranked teams lost on Saturday, but three of those defeats came against other ranked teams. Because of this, only one team came out of the ranking.
Liberty suffered their first loss this season, falling 15-14 in North Carolina, and no longer rated.
North Carolina replaced Flames, who reverted to number 25.
A conference call
SEC – 5 (Figures 1, 5, 6, 13, 22).
ACC – 4 (No. 2, 4, 10, 25).
Big Ten – 4 (No. 3, 11, 12, 18).
Big 12-4 (numbers 14, 15, 20 and 21).
American – 2 (No. 7, 24).
Pac-12 – 2 (No. 9, 19).
Sun Belt – 2 (No. 16, 23).
C-USA – 1 (No. 17).
Independents – 1 (No. 8).
Rank vs Rank
No. 22 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama. The 24 Iron Bowl that will match the ranked teams.
No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 25 North Carolina. Tar Heels have almost no chance of winning the ACC title with two losses already, but they will have a say in who does with this game and Miami is still to come.
No. 15 Iowa State No. 20 Texas. The Cyclones could clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship game, but the Longhorns would be in a prime position with their victory.
