Alabama Football: Discussing latest AP and Coaches Polls

The new AP and Coaches Polls have basically one constant. It is Alabama Football on top at No. 1. Across the range of 24 more ranked teams, movement prevailed. Early in a season changes should be expected, especially after less than two weeks of play.

As UCLA Head Coach, Chip Kelly said after his Bruins dispensed with LSU – rankings don’t matter yet, at least not as coaches rate their own teams. Fans think differently. Alabama Football fans and others know CFB Playoff rankings matter. The first of those is weeks away, so the AP and Coaches polls are the clues to how good are teams.

Almost no change for Alabama Football

The Alabama Crimson Tide picked up an additional first-place vote in the Coaches Poll, going from 63 votes to 64. Georgia got one first-place vote in the Coaches Poll. The Crimson Tide held steady with 59 first-place votes in the AP Poll, while Georgia received four, first-place votes.

New Teams in the Polls

• UCLA entered both polls at No. 16 after taking down LSU
• Utah is No. 18 in the Coaches Poll and No. 21 in the AP Poll
• Virginia Tech made the AP Poll at No. 19 and No. 21 in the Coaches Poll
• Arizona State is at No. 23 in the AP Poll and No. 25 in the Coaches Poll
• Ole Miss made an entry into the AP Poll at No. 22
• Auburn entered the AP Poll at No. 25

Teams out of Top 25

• Dropped out of the Coaches Poll were LSU, Indiana, Washington and Louisiana
• The same four teams dropped out of the AP Poll

Biggest Slides by Ranked Teams

• North Carolina dropped 15 places in the AP Poll to No. 24 and 13 places in the Coaches Poll to No. 22
• Alabama Football opponent, the Miami Hurricanes, dropped eight places in both polls – to No. 22 the AP and No. 24 by the Coaches
• After losing to Georgia, Clemson dropped by four spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 6 and three spots in the AP Poll to No. 6

Ranked teams with the biggest upward moves

• PennState moved up seven spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 13, and eight spots in the AP Poll to No. 11
• Iowa moved up eight spots in the AP Poll to No. 10, and six spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 12
• Texas moved up six spots in the AP Poll to No. 15, and four spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 15

Coaches Poll results for 11 SEC teams including those outside the Top 25

• No. 1 Alabama Football
• No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs
• No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies
• No. 9 Florida Gators
• No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels
• No. 26 Auburn Tigers
• No. 28 LSU Bengal Tigers
• No. 37 Kentucky Wildcats
• No. 45 Arkansas Razorbacks
• No. 47 Tennessee Vols
• No. 54 Missouri Tigers

One more item of note for Alabama Football fans

• SEC teams in the Top 10 – Coaches (4) and AP (3)
• Alliance teams in the Top 10 – Coaches (3) and (4)

If the Alliance conferences want protection from the SEC, they should start by fielding better football teams.

Coaches Poll link here.

AP Poll link here.

For added perspective on the new polls check out this Bama Hammer Top 25 Power Rankings and our latest SEC Power Rankings.

The first CFB Playoff rankings will be released on Nov. 2. Until then, the AP and Coaches polls are good substitutes.