AP Top 25: Washington into top 5 for 1st time in 6 years. Air Force ranked for 1st time since 2019

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In the latest AP Top 25 college football poll, Washington has surged to the fifth position, marking their highest ranking in six years. This remarkable ascent follows their thrilling victory over Oregon. Meanwhile, Air Force has earned a spot in the rankings, a significant achievement for the team, as it is their first appearance since 2019.

The top four teams in the nation have remained unchanged. Georgia maintains its stronghold at No. 1, followed by Michigan at No. 2, Ohio State at No. 3, and Florida State at No. 4. Notably, the Bulldogs garnered 43 first-place votes, while Michigan secured 16, and Ohio State and Florida State each received one.

Washington’s impressive performance earned them two first-place votes, propelling them past Oklahoma (No. 6) and Penn State (No. 7). This achievement marks their highest ranking since October 8, 2017, when they reached the fifth spot. The last time Washington held such a high position late in the season was in 2016 when they participated in the College Football Playoff. This also stands as the last instance of any Pac-12 team making it to the four-team playoff.

Washington’s victory over Oregon, with a score of 36-33, played a pivotal role in their ranking boost. Oregon slipped to No. 9, while Texas moved to No. 8. North Carolina climbed two spots to reach a season-high ranking of No. 10 after defeating Miami 41-31.

However, Southern California faced a setback, dropping eight spots to No. 18 following their first loss of the season against Notre Dame, who, in turn, rose six places to claim No. 15.

Air Force, ranked at No. 22, made a notable entrance into the rankings by securing victory against Wyoming and maintaining an undefeated record.

In other developments, Alabama remains steady at No. 11 after defeating Arkansas, continuing a streak of five weeks outside the top 10. The Crimson Tide had dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since 2015 on September 17, following a less-than-stellar performance against South Florida. Despite winning five consecutive games since their loss to Texas, they have been unable to re-enter the top 10. Alabama faces No. 17 Tennessee in their upcoming match, with the potential to either climb back into the top 10 or fall further.

Notably, Air Force, with a 6-0 record, has achieved its highest ranking since 2002. The last time they were in the Top 25 was in the final three polls of the 2019 season when they concluded at No. 22 with an 11-2 record. Other teams that have re-entered the Top 25 include No. 20 Missouri, No. 23 Tulane, and No. 24 Iowa.

Teams that dropped out of the rankings this week include Washington State, Kansas, Kentucky, and Miami, all of which suffered their second loss of the season.

In terms of conference representation, the Pac-12 leads with six teams in the rankings, followed by the Big Ten with four. The ACC and Big 12 each have four representatives, while the American, Mountain West, and Independent conferences have one each.

Upcoming matches between ranked teams include Penn State vs. Ohio State, Tennessee vs. Alabama, Duke vs. Florida State, and Utah vs. USC, adding excitement to the college football season.

For more updates and information, you can follow Ralph D. Russo on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen to his podcasts at http://www.appodcasts.com.

For comprehensive coverage of college football and the latest AP Top 25 rankings, you can visit https://bigbignews.net/college-football and https://bigbignews.net/ap-top-25-college-football-poll.

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