RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer
Oklahoma moved up to No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll behind Alabama after the Sooners scored the most impressive victory of week two.
#We2Deep rings true in win over Buckeyes.
Story via @RohdeOK ➡️ https://t.co/h4BHr79mUI pic.twitter.com/XF47oEingK
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 10, 2017
Three of the top six teams from last week defeated other ranked teams on Saturday, creating an early shake-up near the top of the AP Top 25. The Sooners jumped three spots after winning 31-16 at Ohio State. The last time the Sooners were this close to being No. 1 was 2011.
The Buckeyes slipped from No. 2 to eighth.
FILE – In this July 24, 2017, file photo, Ohio State coach Urban
Meyer speaks at Big Ten football media day in Chicago. Meyer
knows how treacherous early season road games can be as the
Buckeyes found out in a Week 2 loss at Virginia Tech three years
ago. They rebounded from that early slip up to win the national
title. (AP Photo/G-Jun Yam, File)
Clemson held its spot at No. 3 after beating Auburn and Southern California moved up two places to sixth following a victory against Stanford. Penn State is No. 5.
The Crimson Tide received 59 first-place votes. Oklahoma has two and Clemson one.
POLL POINTS
DOWN
The Buckeyes have their lowest ranking November of the 2014 season. Ohio State hopes this season takes a similar path.
In 2014, the Buckeyes lost at home to Virginia Tech and fell from No. 8 to No. 22 in the rankings. The Buckeyes did not lose again and won the national championship in Urban Meyer’s third season as coach in Columbus.
The Buckeyes did extend their streak of 41 polls ranked in the top 10, which dates back to the Nov. 9, 2014.
OUT
Notre Dame’s stay in the Top 25 lasted one week. The Fighting Irish lost 20-19 at home to Georgia, which moved up two spots to No. 13. The Irish were the only team to fall out of the rankings.
IN
UCLA followed up its remarkable comeback victory in week one against Texas A&M with a more routine blowout of Hawaii and landed at No. 25 in the latest rankings. The Bruins moved into the rankings for the first time since starting 2016 at No. 16.
The Bruins stumbled to a four-win season last year, but quarterback Josh Rosen and the offense seem to be blossoming under new offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch.
CONFERENCE CALL
SEC — 6
ACC — 5
Pac-12 — 5
Big 12 — 4
Big Ten — 4
American — 1
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RANKED VS. RANKED
No. 3 Clemson at No. 14 Louisville. Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals nearly beat the eventual national champions in Death Valley last season. Can the Tigers’ ferocious defensive front slow down the Heisman Trophy winner?
No. 23 Tennessee at No. 24 Florida. Assuming this game is played after Hurricane Irma passes through Florida, both the Vols and Gators come in with plenty of questions to answer.
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP
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