The Associated Press has dropped its rankings in the AP Top 25 poll ahead of Week 12 of the college football season. With the home stretch of the season upon us, it’s more important than ever for the nation’s top teams to put on a strong showing to make their case for the College Football Playoff.
In the marquee matchup of the weekend, the LSU Tigers were able to upend the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa to earn the No. 1 ranking in the country.
Ohio State sits at No. 2, while the Clemson Tigers moved to No. 3.
Alabama, meanwhile, fell to the No. 4 spot in the rankings while the Georgia Bulldogs round out the top five which is loaded with talent from the SEC.
Where does your favorite team stand entering the upcoming weekend in the eyes of the Associated Press voters?
The complete AP Top 25 poll for Week 12 can be seen below.
AP Top 25 College Football Rankings — Week 12
- LSU
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Minnesota
- Utah
- Penn State
- Oklahoma
- Florida
- Baylor
- Auburn
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Notre Dame
- Cincinnati
- Memphis
- Boise State
- SMU
- Navy
- Texas
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Oklahoma State
Others receiving votes: Appalachian State 73, Kansas State 67, Texas A&M 42, Wake Forest 38, Louisiana Tech 25, Virginia 12, San Diego State 7, Iowa State 4, Virginia Tech 4, Washington 3, Pittsburgh 2, UCF 2, Air Force 2, USC 1, Illinois 1
The Associated Press rankings carry more weight than polls like the Coaches Poll and FWAA Poll, as they are part of the deciding factor on which teams reach the College Football Playoff. The Coaches Poll, which is not part of the College Football Playoff selection committee’s formula to determine the four teams that will compete for the College Football Playoff National Championship, is voted on by 65 FBS head coaches.
Longtime college football writers who vote in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll include Ben Jones, Bill Landis, Brett McMurphy, Brian Howell, Rece Davis, Rob Long, Robert Gagliardi, Steve Layman, Steve Virgen, Tom Murphy, and Tony Parks.
The Associated Press began its college football poll on Oct. 19, 1936, and it is now the longest-running poll of those that award national titles at the end of the season. The preseason poll was started in 1950. A panel of 62 sports writers and broadcasters from around the country votes on the poll weekly.