College football poll: Oklahoma closes gap on USC; WVU retains sixth place
Southern California’s hold on No. 1 loosened after the Trojans struggled against Stanford. USC received 46 first-place votes in The Associated Press poll released Sunday, eight fewer than last week.
The team that benefited most from Southern California’s come-from-behind 31-28 victory on Saturday was idle Oklahoma.
The second-ranked Sooners got 18 first-place votes and narrowed the gap between them and the Trojans to 35 points (1,605-1,570).
USC trailed 28-17 at the half to Stanford, but never panicked.
“It was fun,” USC quarterback Matt Leinart said. “We haven’t had too many close games.”
The Trojans’ defense came alive in the second half, shutting out the Cardinal and allowing just 36 yards. Meanwhile, Leinart and tailbacks Reggie Bush and LenDale White made key plays offensively to secure the Trojans’ 13th straight victory.
“I know people wonder how you have games like this,” Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. “It ain’t going to be easy. It’s hard to do this week after week.”
And it’s going to get harder for the Trojans.
USC is off next week before hosting California on Oct. 9. Cal was the last team to beat the Trojans, winning 34-31 in triple overtime last season.
USC’s close call was part of another perfect weekend for ranked teams. The 19-0 performance – 17-0 in Saturday’s games – left the Top 25 virtually unchanged.
Georgia was No. 3 followed by Miami, Texas, West Virginia and Ohio State. No. 8 Auburn and No. 9 Florida State flip-flopped – the teams are separated by only 19 points – and California and Tennessee tied for No. 10 with 1,033 points each.
No teams fell out of the rankings or moved more than two spots in either direction. No. 23 Boise State, which needed a late missed field goal by BYU to extend its winning streak to 15 games, fell two spots.
The USA Today/ESPN coaches poll had the same top five teams as the AP.
The perfect weekend for poll members was the second this season.
On Sept. 4, the first full day of games this season, ranked teams also went 17-0. Before this season, the last time teams in the poll had a perfect record on a day in which 10 or more played was Aug. 31, 1996.
Don’t plan on another perfect weekend from ranked teams this season. Conference play has begun and championship contenders will start going head to head more frequently. Next week, Auburn is at Tennessee and LSU goes to Georgia.
Virginia was No. 12 this week followed by LSU, Utah, Purdue, Florida, Fresno State, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin at No. 20.
Arizona State, Louisville, Boise State, Maryland and Oklahoma State round out the Top 25.