Texas Tech, Irish in top 10 before 1st CFP ranking

The Big 12 had two teams -- BYU and Texas Tech -- in the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time in two years Sunday, while Notre Dame was back in the top 10 after a two-month absence.

Oklahoma and Texas made the biggest upward moves in this week's poll, rising seven spots to No. 11 and No. 13, respectively.

The top seven teams were unchanged in the final poll before the College Football Playoff committee releases its first rankings Tuesday night to kick off the run-up to the CFP bracket release Dec. 7.

No. 1 Ohio State, which pulled away in the second half to beat Penn State on Saturday, is at the top of the AP poll for a 10th straight week. Indiana, which scored 50-plus points against a Big Ten opponent for the third time while hammering Maryland, is No. 2 for a third straight week.

The Buckeyes and Hoosiers again were followed by Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and Ole Miss.

Losses by Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and Miami shuffled the Nos. 8, 9 and 10 spots, now held by BYU, Texas Tech and Notre Dame.

Miami's losses to two then-unranked opponents in three weeks have caused a 16-spot plummet, from No. 2 to No. 18.

The distribution of first-place votes was the same as last week. Ohio State received 54, Indiana got 11 and Texas A&M one.

The Buckeyes are in the Top 25 for a 90th straight poll, third most on the active list. Notre Dame is in a 50th straight time, fifth on the active list. Texas, meanwhile, made its 800th appearance in the poll, seventh all time.

No. 8 BYU and No. 9 Texas Tech gave the Big 12 two teams in the top 10 for the first time since Oct. 29, 2023. The Cougars, who were idle, have their highest ranking of the season. The Red Raiders won at Kansas State and reentered the top 10 for the first time in three weeks. The two teams face each other this weekend.

BYU has risen in the poll six straight weeks since making its debut Sept. 21. The Cougars have gone from No. 25 to No. 8 over that span.

Notre Dame, a winner of six straight, was pushed by one-win Boston College on the road before winning 25-10, helping the Irish move up two spots to No. 10. The Irish were last in the top 10 in Week 3, at No. 8, before a home loss to Texas A&M dropped them to 0-2 and to No. 24.

No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 13 Texas received seven-spot promotions for their wins Saturday. The Sooners beat Tennessee on the road, and the Longhorns knocked off Vanderbilt at home. Tennessee took the biggest fall, dropping nine spots to No. 23.

No. 24 Washington, which was idle, is in the poll for the first time since it finished the 2023 season at No. 2 following its loss to Michigan in the national championship game. The Huskies' only losses are to No. 1 Ohio State at home and to a then-unranked Michigan on the road.

Houston, whose No. 22 ranking last week was its first Top 25 appearance since 2022, dropped out after losing at home to West Virginia.

CONFERENCE CALL

SEC (9): Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15, 19, 23
Big Ten (6): Nos. 1, 2, 6, 20, 21, 24
Big 12 (4): Nos. 8, 9, 17, 25
ACC (4): Nos. 12, 14, 16, 18
American (1): No. 22
Independent (1): No. 10

RANKED VS. RANKED

No. 8 BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) at No. 9 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1): The game of the year in the Big 12. The Red Raiders have lost 16 straight against top-10 teams.

No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC) at No. 19 Missouri (6-2, 2-2): The Aggies embarrassed Missouri in College Station last year, jumping out to a 34-0 lead and winning 41-7.