Following a heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame, Duke football dropped to No. 19 in the AP poll. The Blue Zone breaks down the movement in the poll after a tumultuous weekend of football:
Blue Devil heartbreak
A packed crowd at Wallace Wade Stadium and a ferocious second-half comeback couldn’t prevent a game-winning touchdown by Notre Dame running back Audric Estime to hand the Blue Devils their first loss of the season Saturday. Even worse, junior quarterback Riley Leonard may miss time with an apparent leg injury that occurred on the team’s final possession of the game.
The 21-14 loss saw Duke fall to No. 19 in the AP poll, while the Fighting Irish were bumped up to No. 10. Despite the loss and potential implications for the rest of the season, Duke extended its streak in the top-25 this season to five weeks, its longest since 2013. After a bye week, the Blue Devils play N.C. State at home Oct. 14.
SEC brawls
The SEC is no stranger to intense, heart-pounding college football moments, and Saturday delivered on this trend. No. 1-ranked Georgia narrowly skated by Auburn 27-20 thanks to a 157-yard day by star tight end Brock Bowers. Meanwhile, Kentucky earned a No. 20 spot on this week’s AP poll after a dominant win against then-No. 20 Florida, who slipped out of the poll.
Perhaps the best game of the weekend was an offensive cornucopia featuring LSU at Ole Miss. The two teams combined for 104 points and over 1,300 yards, while both quarterbacks threw for four touchdowns and no picks. In the end, it was Rebel signal-caller Jaxson Dart who led his team to victory, rushing for a score and throwing another one in the last 5:06 to win, 55-49. Ole Miss skyrocketed up to No. 16 this week, while LSU fell to No. 23.
Red Rage is back?
Amid ACC squads like Florida State, North Carolina and Duke earning time in the national media spotlight, Louisville has quietly been making a name for itself. The Cardinals currently sit at the top of the ACC, with their most recent win a 13-10 nailbiter over conference foe N.C. State.
Following the win, Louisville earned a No. 25 placement on this week’s AP poll, the first time the Cardinals have been ranked since 2017. That season, Heisman winner Lamar Jackson was leading their roster. The Cardinals hope to stay undefeated heading into a tough back half of the year that features opponents like Notre Dame and Duke.
Full rankings:
1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Texas
4. Ohio State
5. Florida State
6. Penn State
7. Washington
8. Oregon
9. Southern California
10. Notre Dame
11. Alabama
12. Oklahoma
13. Washington State
14. North Carolina
15. Oregon State
16. Ole Miss
17. Miami
18. Utah
19. Duke
20. Kentucky
21. Missouri
22. Tennessee
23. LSU
24. Fresno State
25. Louisville
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