1 in Associated Press top 25

The defending national champions have been first since the preseason, when they became the first team to be a unanimous preseason No. 1 in the 79-year history of the AP rankings. Clemson already impressed the committee with its résumé last week, still the group unquestionably took notice of the Tigers’ 23-13 win over No. 16 Florida State, which didn’t drop despite the loss Sat.at Death Valley.

The American Athletic Conference has something in common with the Southeastern Conference and Big 12 this week.

Who will join Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State in the Top Four?

Clemson is the new No. 1 team, and Stanford moved up two spots to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday.

The Midshipmen (7-1) ended Memphis’ unbeaten run with a 45-20 road victory. The Tigers are No. 25.

Alabama running back Derrick Henry (2) is hit by LSU linebacker Duke Riley (40) in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, November 7, 2015, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Second straight huge AAC West game for the Tigers.

Emmanuel Ogbah and Oklahoma State shook up the Big 12 title race.

The last time the SEC had only four ranked teams was the final poll of the 2009 season.

Baylor, a team playing without star quarterback Seth Russell, still has to beat the No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners, the Cowboys and the Horned Frogs over the next three weeks.

Clemson is also starting to make a charge at Ohio State’s control of the spot, now holding 21 first-place votes to Ohio State’s 34. The Spartans looked all the more beatable after being upset by an unranked Nebraska Cornhuskers team on Saturday, 39-38. The Tide have the No. 22 Mississippi State Bulldogs next and the No. 10 Florida Gators in the SEC Championship Game-barring a loss in one of Bama’s final two regular-season conference games.

The Big Ten leads all conferences with six ranked teams. A 42-30 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers moved them to 8-1 this season.