Ohio State was No. 1 in the latest Associated Press college football Top 25 poll of the season Tuesday after beat Notre Dame for its first national championship since 2014.
The Buckeyes (14-2) received all of the first-place votes after their mostly dominant run in the College Football Playoff. The Irish (14-2) finished No. 2 for their best end-of-season ranking since 1993.
Oregon (13-1), which had been No. 1 in eight straight polls before the playoffs, lost to Ohio State in the final. Rose Bowl Quarterfinal and finished No. 3. The Ducks’ previous high final ranking was No. 2 in 2014.
Texas (13-3) And Penn State (13-3)who both reached the semi-finals, complete the top five. The Longhorns finished in the top five for a second straight year for the first time since 2008-09. The Nittany Lions finished in the top five for the first time since 2005.
This is the first time the Big Ten has had three teams in the final top five.
No. 6 Georgia (13-3) was followed by Arizona State (11-3), Boise State (12-2), Tennessee (10-3) and Indiana (11-2).
No. 11 Mississippi (10-3), which closed with an impressive Gator Bowl victory against Duke, and No. 13 BYU (11-2), which Colorado in disarray in the Alamo Bowl, were seeded ahead of two ACC playoff teams, SMU and Clemson.
SMU (11-3) remained at No. 12 ahead of No. 14 Clemson (10-4), even though it lost to the Tigers in the ACC championship game and by four touchdowns to Penn State in the first round of the playoffs. The Mustangs’ final ranking was their highest since they were eighth in 1984. Clemson, which lost to Texas in the first round, has been ranked in the final poll every year since 2011.
Alabama had the biggest drop, six spots to 17th. The Crimson Tide have lost two of their last three games under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer, including one 19-13 loss to Michigan. The Tide exit the season with their lowest ranking since Gene Stallings’ 1995 team was No. 21.
Ohio State experienced its lowest ranking of the season, at 7th, after its 13-10 defeat against Michigan, underdog with 21 points on November 30. The Buckeyes entered the playoffs No. 6 and played their best ball of the season, beating Tennessee 42-17, Oregon 41-21, Texas 28-14 and Notre Dame 34-23 in the game. championship in Atlanta. Tuesday evening.
The Buckeyes won their sixth AP national championship. They also won in 1942, 1954, 1968, 2002 and 2014.
Voting points
Ohio State’s five-spot promotion to No. 1 matches the largest in the final poll. Mississippi and No. 16 Illinois (10-3) also moved up five spots.
The seven Southeastern Conference teams in the final Top 25 are the most since 2013.
Big 12 champion Arizona State (11-3) has its highest final ranking since the 1996 Rose Bowl team was No. 4.
Mountain West champion Boise State finished in the top 10 for the first time since 2011.
No. 23 UNLV (11-3), which tied its school record for wins, is ranked for the first time late in the season.
No team ranked in the previous poll on December 8 was eliminated from the Top 25.
Conference call
SEC — 7 (No. 4, 6, 9, 11, 17, 19, 22)
Big Ten – 5 (No. 1, 3, 5, 10, 16).
ACC — 4 (No. 12, 14, 18, 20).
Big 12-4 (No. 7, 13, 15, 25).
AAC — 2 (nos. 21, 24).
Mountain West — 2 (No. 8, 23).
Independent — 1 (No. 2).
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