Projecting Sunday’s AP Top 25: SEC field muddled in wild, wild West
The SEC’s shot at two teams in the College Football Playoff is still very much in play.
Alabama’s thrilling win in Death Valley and Texas A&M’s shocker on the Plains were two poll-altering wins on Saturday, epic finishes that are sure to change the selection committee’s final four on Tuesday.
Ohio State’s emphatic victory at Michigan State will likely keep the Big Ten out of the Playoff.
Here’s our best guess at how Sunday’s new Associated Press Top 25 will look. We’ve included last week’s rankings as a guide.
PROJECTING SUNDAY’S WEEK 12 AP TOP 25
1. Mississippi State (9-0) beat UT-Martin, 45-16. Next: at Alabama, Saturday
2. Florida State (9-0) beat Virginia, 34-20. Next: at Miami, Saturday
3. Alabama (8-1) beat LSU, 20-13. Next: vs. Mississippi State, Saturday
4. Oregon leads Utah.
5. TCU (8-1) beat Kansas State, 41-20. Next: at Kansas, Saturday
6. Arizona State (8-1) beat Notre Dame, 55-31. Next: at Oregon State, Saturday
7. Baylor (8-1) beat Oklahoma, 48-14. Next: BYE
8. Auburn (7-2) lost to Texas A&M, 41-38. Next: at Georgia, Saturday
9. Ohio State (8-1) beat Michigan State, 49-37. Next: at Minnesota, Saturday
10. Ole Miss (8-2) beat Presbyterian, 48-0. Next: BYE
11. Nebraska (8-1) BYE. Next: at Wisconsin, Saturday
12. Michigan State (7-2) lost to Ohio State, 49-37. Next: at Maryland, Saturday
13. Notre Dame (7-2) lost to Arizona State, 55-31. Next: vs. Northwestern, Saturday
14. Kansas State (7-2) lost to TCU, 41-20. Next: BYE
15. Georgia (7-2) beat Kentucky, 63-31. Next: vs. Auburn, Saturday
16. UCLA (8-2) beat Washington, 44-30. Next: BYE
17. Clemson (7-2) beat Wake Forest, 34-20, Thursday. Next: at Georgia Tech, Saturday
18. Utah trails Oregon.
19. Arizona (7-2) beat Colorado, 38-20. Next: vs. Washington, Saturday
20. Duke (8-1) beat Syracuse, 27-10. Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Saturday
21. LSU (7-3) lost to Alabama, 20-13. Next: at Arkansas, Saturday
22. Marshall (9-0) beat Southern Miss, 63-17. Next: vs. Rice, Saturday
23. Wisconsin (7-2) beat Purdue, 34-16. Next: vs. Nebraska, Saturday
24. Colorado State (9-1) beat Hawaii, 49-22. Next: BYE
25. Georgia Tech (8-2) beat N.C. State, 56-23. Next: vs. Clemson, Saturday
Dropped out: West Virginia, Oklahoma