AP Top 25 poll: How Saturday’s thrilling games impacted the new rankings

For a day featuring six games pitting ranked teams against one another, and one that saw a host of thrilling finishes, the impact on the top of the AP Top 25 poll proved minimal.

That wasn’t the case lower in the poll though as shuffling occurred among teams from 11 through 20.

Ohio State’s 17-14 win at Notre Dame on Saturday night boosted the Buckeyes (4-0) two spots to No. 4.

Notre Dame (4-1) was the only team among last week’s top 10 who lost this week. The Irish fell two spots to No. 11 ahead of their game at No. 17 Duke on Saturday night at Wallace Wade Stadium.

This is Duke’s highest ranking since the 10th week of the 1994 season — the Oct. 25, 1994, poll — when the Blue Devils were No. 16. The last time Duke found itself in the top 15 was during the 1971 season, when the AP voters put the Blue Devils at No. 14 in the season’s fifth week.

With Ohio State moving up, Florida State (4-0) dropped one spot to No. 5 after it’s 31-24 overtime win at unranked Clemson on Saturday.

Southern California (4-0), despite winning 56-10 over Stanford, dropped three spots to No. 8 as No. 6 Penn State and No. 7 Washington (4-0) each moved up a spot. No. 10 Utah (4-0) moved into the top 10 after beating UCLA, 14-7, without injured quarterback Cam Rising.

The Bruins (3-1) and Colorado (3-1) both fell out of the rankings after their Saturday losses. The Buffaloes were blasted 42-6 at Oregon. Iowa also disappeared from the top 25 following its 31-0 loss at Penn State.

Moving into the poll this week are No. 23 Missouri (4-0), No. 24 Kansas and No. 25 Fresno State (4-0).

No. 20 Mississippi and No. 19 Oregon State both fell five spots after taking their first losses, albeit both to ranked teams, on Saturday. Alabama (3-1) beat Mississippi, 24-10, while Washington State outlasted Oregon State, 38-35.

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Steve Wiseman’s ballot

My top three teams remained the same with Georgia, Michigan and Texas. I moved Ohio State past Florida State even though they have the same records. In the long run, FSU’s season-opening win over LSU could age better than Ohio State’s win at Notre Dame. If it does, I’ll reconsider that order.

After Penn State at No. 6, the Pac-12 fills out the rest of my top 10: USC, Washington, Utah and Oregon.

The Huskies and Ducks are worthy of moving up and, I believe, will do so as the season progresses. They are playing dominating football. Utah continues to win despite not having its injured starting quarterback, Cam Rising.

I had Notre Dame No. 8 last week and only dropped the Irish to No. 11. Then comes another intriguing one-loss team, LSU, followed by Alabama. The Crimson Tide were in danger of dropping into the 20s but handled Mississippi on Saturday to serve notice they are still a force in the SEC West.

UNC and Duke, both 4-0, are next in the same positions they were a week ago. Neither has a win over a team currently ranked, which limits their upward mobility at this point. The Blue Devils, which have started a season with four wins by 20 points or more for the first time in program history, play Notre Dame on Saturday, so they’ve got their big chance next.

Oklahoma and Washington State are also teams that shows potential to jump much higher before the season is over. The Cougars have wins over Wisconsin and, on Saturday night, Oregon State. The Sooners get their big chance on Oct. 7 against Texas in Dallas.

Mississippi and Oregon State, despite suffering losses on Saturday to fellow ranked teams, fall but only a few spots. Severe poll punishment is not warranted here.

Colorado does see a major fall on my ballot, all the way out of the top 25. Oregon exposed the Buffaloes in a 42-6 beating on Saturday. Colorado can get back in the poll with a win over USC this Saturday though.

With Colorado out, that created room to put Kansas back on the ballot. The Jayhawks (4-0) handled BYU, 38-27, on Saturday. That’s the same BYU team that owns a win over Arkansas this season.

UCLA lost 14-7 at Utah so, again, not worthy of being dropped out of the top 25.

Steve Wiseman’s ballot