Record number of Pac-12 teams in AP college football top 25 rankings
Sep 10, 2023, 11:51 AM

Southern California wide receiver Dorian Singer (15) and wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) celebrate after a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Stanford in Los Angeles, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Texas jumped seven spots to No. 4 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday after beating Alabama, and the Pac-12 became just the second conference to place as many as eight teams in an AP Top 25.
Georgia received 55 first-place votes to remain the clear No. 1. Michigan was No. 2, with two-first place votes. No. 3 Florida State moved up a spot and received three first-place votes.
Texas received two-first place votes after its biggest regular-season victory in years. The Longhorns are in the top five for the first time since starting the 2010 season at No. 5 and have their highest ranking since finishing No. 2 after losing the BCS championship game to Alabama in 2009.
Behind quarterback Quinn Ewers, Texas became the first team to beat Alabama by double-digits on its home field under coach Nick Saban.
The loss dropped Alabama seven spots to No. 10, its lowest ranking since early last November, when the Crimson Tide also were 10th.
Southern California moved up a spot to No. 5, giving the top five representation from each Power Five conference.
But no conference has more teams than the Pac-12, which is in its last season with its current membership before 10 of its schools depart for other leagues in 2024.
Only the Southeastern Conference had ever placed as many eight teams in single AP Top 25, doing it 21 times with a record 10 in September 2015.
In this week’s AP Top 25, Washington is No. 8, Utah is 12th, Oregon is 13th and Oregon State is No. 16. Moving into the rankings are Washington State at No. 23 and UCLA at No. 24.
The Pac-12’s previous high was six ranked teams, achieved multiple times including last week.
Oregon State and Washington State are the only members of the conference committed to it beyond this school year.
College football rankings: AP top 25 poll – Week 3
1 |
(55)
|
2-0 | 1540 |
–
|
2 |
(2)
|
2-0 | 1458 |
–
|
3 |
(3)
|
2-0 | 1413 |
↑2
|
4 |
(2)
|
2-0 | 1338 |
↑7
|
5 |
|
3-0 | 1269 |
↑1
|
6 |
|
2-0 | 1265 |
↓2
|
7 |
|
2-0 | 1204 |
–
|
8 |
|
2-0 | 1102 |
–
|
9 |
|
3-0 | 1015 |
↑2
|
10 |
|
1-1 | 953 |
↓7
|
11 |
|
2-0 | 929 |
↓2
|
12 |
|
2-0 | 847 |
–
|
13 |
|
2-0 | 827 |
–
|
14 |
|
1-1 | 667 |
–
|
15 |
|
2-0 | 636 |
–
|
16 |
|
2-0 | 605 |
↑2
|
17 |
|
2-0 | 505 |
↑3
|
18 |
|
2-0 | 481 |
↑7
|
19 |
|
2-0 | 453 |
↓2
|
20 |
|
2-0 | 444 |
↓4
|
21 |
|
2-0 | 421 |
↑3
|
22 |
|
2-0 | 230 |
NR
|
23 |
|
2-0 | 129 |
NR
|
24 |
|
2-0 | 107 |
NR
|
25 |
|
2-0 | 106 |
NR
|
Dropped from rankings: Wisconsin 19, Clemson 21, Tulane 22, Texas A&M 23