Clemson is the new No. 1 team in The Associated Press college football poll, knocking Ohio State from the top spot for the first time this season.
The Tigers are top-ranked in the AP media poll for the first time since the final poll of the 1981 season, when Clemson won its only AP national title.
The Tigers (9-0) received 31 first-place votes and 1,489 points after beating Florida State 23-13 on Saturday. Ohio State (9-0) had 26 first-place votes and 1,460 points. 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.
No. 3 Alabama (8-1) climbed four spot and got two first place votes. No. 4 Baylor also received two first-place votes.
A team dropping from the top spot in the AP Top 25 after winning, as Ohio State did Sunday, is not uncommon. Last year, Florida State slipped twice after wins, once in October and again in November.
This is Clemson’s third time overall as the No. 1 team in the AP poll. The Tigers were top-ranked in the final regular season poll of the 1981 season, as well as in the final post-bowl poll.
The American Athletic Conference has something in common with the Southeastern Conference and Big 12 this week. All have four teams ranked in the Top 25. The last time the SEC had only four ranked teams was the final poll of the 2009 season. After the first week of the season, there were 10 SEC teams ranked.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with six ranked teams.
Oklahoma State made the biggest jump in the rankings, moving up seven spot to No. 5 after beating TCU 49-29. The Cowboys had been the lowest ranked unbeaten team from a Power Five conference.
TCU, which began the season No. 2, dropped eight spots to No. 13.
No. 22 Navy is ranked for the first time since the final 2004 and ranked in the regular season for the first time since October 1979. The Midshipmen (7-1) ended Memphis’ unbeaten run with a 45-20 road victory. Memphis dropped to No. 25.
Unbeaten Houston (9-0) is the highest ranked AAC team at No. 16. Temple (8-1) is No. 21.
Also moving back into the rankings this week were No. 23 Wisconsin (8-2) and No. 24 Northwestern (7-2).
Dropping out of the rankings after losses were Mississippi, Toledo and Texas A&M.
Irish’s Prosise enters concussion protocol
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Coach Brian Kelly says running back C.J. Prosise is undergoing concussion protocol after being injured in No. 6 Notre Dame’s win over Pittsburgh.
He will go through a physical conditioning test today, and is hopeful Prosise will be play against Wake Forest.
Prosise appeared to injure his left shoulder when he landed on it hard late in the first quarter and his helmet also hit the ground. Kelly said Sunday it was more the neck, describing it as a “whiplash effect.”
Prosise finished with 28 yards rushing and 29 yards receiving. He leads Notre Dame (8-1) with 975 yards rushing on 148 carries, an average of 6.6 yards.
With Prosise out, freshman Josh Adams ran for 147 yards on 20 carries. Kelly said even if Prosise is healthy, Adams likely will get some carries against Wake Forest (3-6) Saturday.
