USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg breaks down the latest Amway Coaches Poll.
USA TODAY
Ohio State remains No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-130 while two fellow Big Ten contenders, Wisconsin and Michigan, tumbled in the Top 25.
The Badgers are down eight spots to No. 14 after losing 24-23 at Illinois. Michigan is down six to No. 24 after a competitive loss on Saturday day to No. 6 Penn State, which moved up one spot in making a case to join the previously established top group of the Buckeyes, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 LSU and No. 5 Oklahoma.
Losses by Wisconsin and Michigan wouldn’t have a profound impact on Ohio State’s chase for the College Football Playoff, for example. The Buckeyes are in the national semifinals by running the table, an event that seems increasingly likely — though the Nittany Lions may have something to say about that.
The larger impact involves the overall perception of the Big Ten, and how that could impact seeding and rankings in early December should Ohio State lose a game but still capture the conference championship.
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Oregon is up to No. 9 after winning at Washington, and the Ducks are aligning themselves to make a run at the semifinals with a strong close to the second half. With only one loss, to No. 8 Auburn, and a strong chance to cement its place as the top team in the Pac-12, Oregon will be in position to take advantage of a spot that may open should one of the perceived conference front-runners — Ohio State, Clemson in the ACC, Oklahoma in the Big 12 and Alabama or LSU in the SEC — stumble between now and the end of the regular season.
New to the Top 25: No. 22 Wake Forest, No. 25 Memphis
Out of the Top 25: No. 26 Arizona State, No. 37 Missouri
