With a 48-45 loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, No. 5 Alabama will fall. The question is how far the Crimson Tide will fall. Will UA be the top two-loss team or will head-to-head resume comparisons hurt Nick Saban’s squad?

The AP voters have an interesting opportunity on their hands. With the AP Top 25 coming out before the selection committee, the media can make a statement about “Bama Bias” and the power of the Bama Brand. With no current Top 25 wins (Texas A&M was ranked at the time), it’s fair to say that the Crimson Tide was coasting on preseason ranking and reputation. The committee will likely be deciding whether Alabama or Florida goes to a New Year’s Six bowl game considering the SEC-rankings tie ins to the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl. UF’s win over Auburn is better than any win on UA’s resume, but UF is counting two FCS wins among its 10 victories and the committee has appeared to be holding scheduling against the Gators. The committee will ultimately decide the rankings that matter, but the AP voters get to weigh in first and should take advantage of that opportunity. Where the AP ranks Alabama is sure to be one of Sunday’s biggest college football stories.

Here’s how we project the new AP Top 25 after the Week 14 games:

  1. LSU (12-0) vs. Texas A&M, 50-7
  2. Ohio State (12-0) def. Michigan, 56-27
  3. Clemson (12-0) def. South Carolina, 38-3
  4. Georgia (11-1) def. Georgia Tech, 52-7
  5. Utah (11-1) def. Colorado, 45-15
  6. Oklahoma (10-1) def. No. 21 Oklahoma State, 34-16
  7. Florida (10-2) def. Florida State, 40-17
  8. Wisconsin (10-2) def. No. 9 Minnesota, 38-17
  9. Alabama (10-2) lost to Auburn, 48-45
  10. Baylor (11-1) def. Kansas, 61-6
  11. Penn State (10-2) def. Rutgers, 27-6
  12. Oregon (10-2) def. Oregon State, 24-10
  13. Notre Dame (10-2) def. Stanford, 45-24
  14. Auburn (9-3) def. No. 5 Alabama, 48-45
  15. Memphis (11-1) def. No. 18 Cincinnati, 34-24
  16. Michigan (9-3) lost to No. 2 Ohio State, 56-27
  17. Minnesota (10-2) lost to No. 13 Wisconsin, 38-17
  18. Iowa (9-3) def. Nebraska, 27-24
  19. Boise State (11-1) def. Colorado State, 31-24
  20. App State (11-1) def. Troy, 48-13
  21. Virginia (9-3) def. No. 23 Virginia Tech, 39-30
  22. Navy (9-2) def. Houston, 56-41
  23. Cincinnati (10-2) lost to No. 17 Memphis, 34-24
  24. Kansas State (8-4) def. Iowa State, 27-17
  25. USC (8-4, off Week 14)

Projected to fall out of the AP Top 25: No. 21 Oklahoma State (8-4) lost to No. 7 Oklahoma, 34-16; No. 23 Virginia Tech (8-4) lost to Virginia, 39-30