Projecting Sunday’s AP Top 25: Rivalry Weekend hits the SEC hard
The SEC East — along with Mississippi State — took a few serious shots to body from rivals on Saturday, damaging the league’s chances at multiple teams in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Ole Miss provided payback in the Egg Bowl against the fourth-ranked Bulldogs while Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Louisville all knocked off SEC competition from the East.
Alabama, the committee’s top-ranked team, survived Auburn’s best shot in the Iron Bowl with a masterful performance from Amari Cooper.
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 15 AP TOP 25
1. Alabama (11-1) beat Auburn, 55-44. Next: vs. Mizzou, Saturday (SEC Championship)
2. Florida State (12-0) beat Florida, 24-19. Next: vs. Georgia Tech, Saturday (ACC Championship)
3. Oregon (11-1) beat Oregon State, 47-19. Next: vs. Arizona, Friday (Pac-12 Championship)
4. TCU (10-1) beat Texas, 48-10 (Thursday). Next: vs. Iowa State, Saturday
5. Ohio State (11-1) beat Michigan, 42-28. Next: vs. Wisconsin, Saturday (Big Ten Championship)
6. Baylor (10-1) beat Texas Tech, 48-46. Next: vs. Kansas State, Saturday
7. Michigan State (10-2) beat Penn State, 34-10. Next: BOWL
8. Mississippi State (11-1) lost to Ole Miss, 31-17. Next: BOWL
9. Arizona (10-2) beat Arizona State, 42-35 (Friday). Next: vs.Oregon, Friday (Pac-12 Championship)
10. Georgia Tech (10-2) beat Georgia, 30-24 (OT). Next: vs. Florida State, Saturday (ACC Championship)
11. Kansas State (9-2) beat Kansas, 51-13. Next: at Baylor, Saturday
12. Wisconsin (10-2) beat Minnesota, 34-24. Next: vs. Ohio State, Saturday (Big Ten Championship)
13. Mizzou (10-2) beat Arkansas, 21-14 (Friday). Next: vs. Alabama, Saturday (SEC Championship)
14. Ole Miss (9-3) beat Mississippi State, 31-17. Next: Bowl
15. UCLA (9-3) lost to Stanford, 31-10 (Friday). Next: BOWL
16. Oklahoma (8-3) BYE. Next: vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday
17. Clemson (9-3) beat South Carolina, 35-17. Next: BOWL
18. Arizona State (9-3) lost to Arizona, 42-35 (Friday). Next: BOWL
19. Georgia (9-3) lost to Georgia Tech, 30-24 (OT). Next: BOWL
20. Louisville (9-3) beat Kentucky, 44-40. Next: BOWL
21. Auburn (8-4) lost Alabama, 55-44. Next: BOWL
22. Nebraska (9-3) beat Iowa, 37-34. Next: BOWL
23. Utah (8-4) beat Colorado, 38-34. Next: BOWL
24. Boise State (9-2) leads Utah State
25. USC (8-4) beat Notre Dame, 49-14. Next: BOWL
Dropped out: Marshall (11-1); Minnesota (8-4); Colorado State (10-2)