Highest ranking since 1994
After Saturday’s 27-10 win against Syracuse, Duke is ranked No. 19 in this week's AP Poll. It is the Blue Devils' highest ranking since 1994 and sets them up nicely for a top-15 finish if they win out. With a three game home-stand against Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Wake Forest to finish out the season, the Blue Devils could very well find themselves playing Florida State for the ACC title in Charlotte Dec. 6. Duke rose three spots from No. 22 to No. 19 after its convincing win against the Orange.
Shuffling in the top 10
As yet another big weekend in college football comes to a close, the College Football Playoff picture is as muddied as ever. For the fifth straight week, Mississippi State and Florida State are top the two teams in the nation. Auburn fell to Texas A&M 41-38, dropping the Tigers from third to ninth. The nation’s longest home winning streak (14) came to an end with Auburn's loss. The Tigers were losing 35-17 at halftime, and although they outscored the Aggies 21-6 in the second half, two late fumbles doomed their comeback hopes.
With Auburn's loss, then-No. 3 Oregon and then-No. 5 Texas Christian each jumped a spot and Alabama remained at No. 4 after holding on in overtime against then-No. 20 Louisiana State, 20-13. After the Tigers kicked a perceived game-winning field goal with 40 seconds left, the Crimson Tide recovered a squib kick and drove to kick the game-tying field goal before prevailing in overtime.
Baylor took a big leap from No. 10 to No. 6 after blowing out Oklahoma 48-14 in Norman. Arizona State and Ohio State also helped themselves immensely this weekend. Arizona State moved from No. 11 to No. 7 after holding off a late rally from then-No. 8 Notre Dame, 55-31. The young Buckeyes cracked the top 10 after a statement win Saturday night against Michigan State. Quarterback J.T. Barrett passed for 300 yards and added 86 rushing yards to go along with five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). Ezekiel Elliot led the ground attack with 154 yards and two touchdowns, including a 17-yard run with seven minutes left in the game that made it a three-score game. Rounding out the top 10 this week is No. 10 Ole Miss, which coasted to a 48-0 win against Presbyterian.
New entries to the Poll
No. 24 Georgia Tech re-entered the pol this weekl after handling N.C. State 56-23. The Blue Devils' Oct. 11 win against the Yellow Jackets looks better to voters now that Georgia Tech has won three in a row since losing to Duke and North Carolina in successive weeks. If the Yellow Jackets beat No. 18 Clemson, the Blue Devils' body of work will look much more impressive. Georgia Tech is the only team with a winning record that Duke has beaten.
No. 23 Colorado State also entered the top 25, the Rams' first appearance in the rankings since the preseason poll in 2003. The Rams are 9-1 (5-1 MWC) and have won eight straight games. Colorado State is 21-15 since former Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain became head coach in 2012.
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