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AP Top 25: Michigan rises to No. 2; Michigan State up to 11th

Ryan Hayes, Erick All, Hassan Haskins Ohio State Michigan Football
Posted at 8:46 AM, Nov 29, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-29 08:46:31-05

Michigan jumped to No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday and Oklahoma State joined the top five for the first time since 2015.

Georgia was a unanimous No. 1 in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank for the eighth consecutive week. For the fourth straight week, there is a different No. 2 team behind the Bulldogs.

Michigan has its highest ranking since it peaked at No 2. in 2016. The Wolverines moved up four spots after emphatically beating Ohio State on Saturday to break an eight-game losing streak in the rivalry.

Cincinnati moved up to No. 3, flip-flopping with Alabama at No. 4. The Crimson Tide slipped after beating Auburn in overtime.

Oklahoma State moved up two spots after beating Oklahoma for the first time since 2014. The Sooners fell three places to No. 13.

Notre Dame dropped a spot to No. 6 and Ohio State tumbled five spots to No. 7 a week after it peaked at second last week.

The week before the Buckeyes were No. 2, Alabama held that spot. The Tide had replaced Cincinnati the week before.

Mississippi, Baylor and Oregon rounded out the top 10.

POLL POINTS

The longest streak of weeks as unanimous No. 1 was Alabama’s run of nine in 2018.

There are two more polls left this season, after next week’s championship games and then after the College Football Playoff national title is decided on Jan. 10.

If Georgia can beat Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game next weekend and make a run through the playoff, it could break Alabama’s record.

But something to keep in mind for the Bulldogs: Alabama’s run of unanimous No. 1 rankings ended in a national championship game loss to Clemson and the Crimson Tide finished No. 2.

IN

— No. 22 Clemson (9-3) is back in the Top 25 after falling out after the last weekend of September. The Tigers have climbed back, winning seven of their final eight games.

— No. 25 Kentucky returns after routing rival Louisville on Saturday. The Wildcats had a run of five weeks in the rankings.

OUT

Wisconsin dropped out after its seven-game winning streak was snapped by Minnesota.

— UTSA tumbled out of the rankings after its first loss of the season. The Roadrunners were thumped by North Texas on Saturday to end their unbeaten regular season, but they will still host the Conference USA title game next week.

CONFERENCE CALL

SEC — 6 (Nos. 1, 4, 8, 23, 24, 25).

ACC — 4 (Nos. 17, 18, 21, 22).

Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 2, 7, 11, 15).

Big 12 — 3 (Nos. 5, 9, 13).

American — 2 (Nos. 3, 16).

Pac-12 — 2 (Nos. 10, 14).

Mountain West — 1 (No. 19).

Sun Belt — 1 (No. 20).

Independents — 2 (Nos. 6, 12).

RANKED vs. RANKED

No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Alabama, SEC championship.

No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Iowa, Big Ten championship.

No. 3 Cincinnati vs. No. 16 Houston, American Athletic Conference championship.

No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Baylor, Big 12 championship.

No. 10 Oregon vs. No. 14 Utah, Pac-12 championship.

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 27, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

Record Pts Prv
1. Georgia (62) 12-0 1550 1
2. Michigan 11-1 1449 6
3. Cincinnati 12-0 1422 4
4. Alabama 11-1 1388 3
5. Oklahoma St. 11-1 1291 7
6. Notre Dame 11-1 1264 5
7. Ohio St. 10-2 1147 2
8. Mississippi 10-2 1105 8
9. Baylor 10-2 1066 9
10. Oregon 10-2 932 11
11. Michigan St. 10-2 877 12
12. BYU 10-2 839 13
13. Oklahoma 10-2 837 10
14. Utah 9-3 667 16
15. Iowa 10-2 662 17
16. Houston 11-1 603 19
17. Pittsburgh 10-2 589 20
18. Wake Forest 10-2 485 21
19. San Diego St. 11-1 416 22
20. Louisiana-Lafayette 11-1 317 23
21. NC State 9-3 310 24
22. Clemson 9-3 269 -
23. Arkansas 8-4 214 25
24. Texas A&M 8-4 117 14
25. Kentucky 9-3 82 -

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 68, UTSA 58, Appalachian St. 50, Minnesota 37, Purdue 21, Mississippi St. 7, Penn St. 5, Army 5, Fresno St. 1.