Thoughts on the AP Poll: Week 13

Guess Who’s Back

http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2013/11/17/duke-football-ranked-latest-national-polls

For the first time since 1994, the Blue Devils (8-2) are ranked in the AP Poll. After receiving votes each of the past two weeks, Duke finally cracked the top-25 after its 48-30 victory over Miami at Wallace Wade Stadium and is now No. 25.

With their third consecutive loss by more than 15 points, the Hurricanes (7-3) fell out of the rankings after being ranked 24th last week and in the top-10 three weeks ago. They are now one of three ACC Coastal Division teams (Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech) with three conference losses at the mercy of the Blue Devils, who control their own destiny in the race for the ACC Championship because of their win and losses by the Hokies and Yellow Jackets. If No. 7 Clemson (9-1) loses at No. 12 South Carolina (8-2—kept their BCS Bowl hopes alive with a comeback victory against Florida) in the last game of the season for the Tigers, Duke could also have an outside chance of receiving an Orange Bowl berth if the Blue Devils win their last two games and lose in the ACC Championship to No. 2 Florida State (10-0).

Lane who?

USC (8-3) is now No. 23 after pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the season under interim head coach Ed Orgeron, shocking Stanford (8-2) 20-17 at the Coliseum in Los Angeles on a 47-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the game. With the loss, the Cardinal fell to No. 10 after being ranked fifth last week, and failed to take advantage of their upset of No. 5 Oregon (9-1) a week ago. Stanford is now at the mercy of the Ducks in the race for the PAC-12 North crown. The Trojans likely need No. 19 Arizona State (8-2) to lose twice and need to beat No. 14 UCLA in their final game, but are still mathematically alive in the PAC-12 South.

Play of the Year

No. 6 Auburn (10-1) rose one spot after its 43-38 victory which was decided when quarterback Nick Marshall completed a 73-yard Hail Mary touchdown on 4th-and-18 because two Georgia defenders somehow managed to both deflect the ball upwards into the waiting arms of a sprinting Ricardo Louis. Georgia (6-4) fell out of the rankings after being ranked 25th last week and has given up many disheartening offensive plays in their four losses this season after losing many of its top players to injury. Senior quarterback Aaron Murray might be regretting his decision to come back to school, even with the career records he has broken. Murray took off his hat and started beating the turf with it after the Hail Mary was completed. An Iron Bowl showdown with No. 1 Alabama (10-0) looms large for Auburn to end the season.

No. 17 Central Florida (8-1) and No. 13 Michigan State (9-1) remained unbeaten in their respective conferences and have been two of the biggest surprises in college football this season. J.J. Worton made an incredible one-handed touchdown catch late in the game to tie the game for the Knights before they kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to beat Temple 39-36; the Knights are the only unbeaten team in AAC play.

The Spartans dispatched another Legends Division foe, winning 41-28 at Nebraska to give themselves a two-game lead in the division with just games at Northwestern and against Minnesota remaining. A Big-10 Championship game appearance against No. 4 Ohio State (10-0) looks inevitable.

A third top-20 team that could have their eye on a BCS Bowl berth is No. 15 Fresno State (9-0). The Bulldogs have rolled through the Mountain West and will likely get a berth even with a weak strength of schedule if they finish the season unbeaten.