Associated Press releases latest poll with top five shake up

There was at least one College Football Playoff-shaking result on a Saturday when all the contenders were big favorites. As of now, anyway. Michigan, Clemson and Washington all lost last week, but the Wolverines and Tigers, who beat U of L at home, stayed ahead of the Cards.

The Ohio State-Michigan game is the biggest wild-card game of the remaining regular-season contests. MI (9-1) 4. Clemson (9-1) 5. Jim Harbaugh’s squad fell to Iowa 14-13 this past weekend.

If Alabama remains ranked No. 1 on December 4, it would play in the Peach Bowl because the selection committee’s guidelines call for the top seed to generally be assigned to the semifinal nearest its campus. In this case, it would be No. 8 Penn State.

There continues to be a significant debate over Louisville, which is ranked No. 5, behind Clemson.

The argument behind USC’s generous ranking is simple, as the Trojans boast victories over two Top 10 squads while their losses have also come against three ranked teams. Their 26-13 loss to a ranked USC team was tough to swallow, but they still have the inside track to win the Pac-12. Pitt averaged 6.5 yards per play, went four-for-four in red zone trips and scored on back-to-back drives late in the fourth quarter to leave Death Valley with the victory.

But all three remain inside this week’s top seven.

But the Big 12 is set up for a terrific finish, starting Saturday when the Sooners travel to West Virginia. Colorado (8-2) round out the top 10.

Washington State (8-2), Florida (7-2), Stanford (7-3) and Texas A&M (7-3) rounded out the top 25.

“We evaluate the complete resume”, Hocutt said. A&M, meanwhile, after two consecutive losses to the MS schools, just barely made the cut as they rank 25th. Still, it would be a surprise if the Cardinals didn’t win their last two games. No. 24 San Diego State is in the rankings for the second time this season. MI beat Penn State 49-10 earlier this season and holds that tiebreaker. However, I doubt that happens because their opponents are Rutgers and Michigan State.

But under most of the likely ways in which the season plays out, every scenario ends with 3-4 teams having a strong claim for either the final spot or one of the final two spots. Louisville 6. Washington 7. 2, 3 and 4 teams all were upset on the same day. The two will play in a massive showdown next Saturday in Morgantown with the victor planting themselves firmly in the driver’s seat of the Big 12.

Stock up: Oklahoma State.