Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

AP Top 25: Iowa up to 3 behind Clemson, Alabama; Ohio State eighth

Iowa moved to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll, taking advantage of the first losses by Ohio State and Oklahoma State to slip in behind No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama.

Notre Dame is fourth and Oklahoma is fifth.

The unbeaten Hawkeyes (11-0) have their best ranking since being No. 3 in 2002. They have clinched the Big Ten West and a spot in the conference title on Dec. 5.

Michigan State jumped three spots to No. 6 after upsetting Ohio State 17-14 on Saturday. The Buckeyes, who began the season as a unanimous No. 1 and slipped to No. 2 earlier this month, fell to eighth.

Oklahoma State's 45-35 loss to Baylor dropped the Cowboys from fourth to ninth and pushed Baylor to seventh.

OUT

Four teams dropped out of the rankings after losing, including LSU and Utah, which were both ranked in the top five earlier this season.

The Tigers have lost three straight since topping out at No. 4 on Oct. 31.

The Utes were No. 3 midway through October, but are 2-3 since. Utah lost to UCLA on Saturday after falling in overtime last week to Arizona.

Wisconsin and Southern California also dropped out.

IN

All four teams that moved into the rankings this week have already been there previously this season.

No. 24 Toledo is back in to represent the Mid-American Conference. No. 25 Temple gives the American Athletic Conference three ranked teams, joining No. 16 Navy and No. 21 Houston.

No. 23 Mississippi State and No. 22 UCLA also are ranked again after victories.

CONFERENCE CALL

Big Ten — 5.

Big 12 — 4.

Pac 12 — 4.

SEC — 4.

American — 3.

ACC — 3.

MAC — 1.

Independent — 1.

RANKED vs. RANKED

No. 7 Baylor at No. 15 TCU, Friday. Big 12 championship and playoff implications, and a possible matchup of third-string quarterbacks.

No. 4 Notre Dame at No. 13 Stanford. Elimination game between playoff hopefuls.

No. 5 Oklahoma at No. 9 Oklahoma State. The Sooners can clinch the Big 12 title with a victory, but will they have to play without quarterback Baker Mayfield?

No. 8 Ohio State at No. 12 Michigan. The first meeting of Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh has lost some of its juice.

No. 14 Florida State at No. 10 Florida. The Gators have their spot in the SEC title game locked up, but are dragging into their rivalry game off an overtime win against FAU.

No. 16 Navy at No. 21 Houston. The winner gets the West division title, spot in the American championship game and inside track to New Year's Six bowl.

No. 19 Mississippi at No. 23 Mississippi State. The Rebels can still win the SEC West with a victory and Alabama loss to Auburn.

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