AP Top 25 released following conference championship games

On3 imageby:Simon Gibbs12/05/21

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The Georgia Bulldogs have long held the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 poll, as Kirby Smart inherited the position after Alabama’s Oct. 9 loss to Texas A&M. But Smart on Saturday was unable to beat Nick Saban, preserve Georgia’s perfect season or carry that No. 1 distinction into the College Football Playoff.

Alabama, typically atop the college football world, found itself as the underdog to Smart and the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship. Vegas oddsmakers pinned Georgia as a 6.5-point favorite, ending a historic streak, as Alabama had previously been favored in 92 consecutive games. Saban made it clear after the game that the AP Top 25 poll was merely giving the Crimson Tide a taste of some “yummy rat poison,” because that doubt only led to added motivation. Alabama put together a terrific performance, knocking Georgia off the No. 1 spot in the previous AP Poll and winning the SEC Championship by a 41-24 final.

With the win, Alabama was able to put to rest any speculation that they’d be left off the College Football Playoff, as no top four team has ever finished with two losses. The same applied for both Michigan and Cincinnati, which won the Big Ten and AAC Championship games, respectively, and will play for in their programs’ first College Football Playoff. In defeating Iowa, Michigan was also able to claim its first Big Ten title of the Jim Harbaugh era, as well as its first conference championship since 2004, placing them firmly at No. 2 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

Utah, which was previously seen as the Pac-12 underdog behind Oregon, defeated the Ducks 38-7 on Nov. 20 and ended Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes. It wasn’t close; yet Oregon was favored once again over Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game. Utah won — again — by a 38-10 final and jumped up to No. 10 in the AP Top 25 poll, bumping Oregon down to No. 15. Meanwhile, in the Big 12, Oklahoma State was unable to polish off a College Football Playoff resume, losing to Baylor in the conference title game and falling down to No. 9 in the AP Top 25.

Now that conference title games have passed, it’s officially bowl season. Here’s a look at the latest AP Top 25 following conference championship games.

AP Top 25 Poll following conference championship games

  1. Alabama (12-1)
  2. Michigan (12-1)
  3. Georgia (12-1)
  4. Cincinnati (13-0)
  5. Notre Dame (11-1)
  6. Baylor (11-2)
  7. Ohio State (10-2)
  8. Ole Miss (10-2)
  9. Oklahoma State (11-2)
  10. Utah (10-3)
  11. Michigan State (10-2)
  12. BYU (10-2)
  13. Pitt (11-2)
  14. Oklahoma (10-2)
  15. Oregon (10-3)
  16. Louisiana-Lafayette (12-1)
  17. Iowa (10-3)
  18. NC State (9-3)
  19. Clemson (9-3)
  20. Wake Forest (10-3)
  21. Houston (11-2)
  22. Arkansas (8-4)
  23. UTSA (12-1)
  24. Kentucky (9-3)

Others receiving votes: Utah State, Wisconsin, San Diego State, Minnesota, Purdue, Louisiana Tech, Appalachian State, Army, Mississippi State, Penn State, Northern Illinois