TIGERS STAND PAT IN NATIONAL RANKINGS …
Clemson University‘s football team stayed put in the national rankings this week, remaining at No. 3 in the Amway Coaches’ poll and No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25.
Head coach/ hype man Dabo Swinney‘s Tigers (3-0, 0-0 ACC) rolled past NCAA Division II foe S.C. State 59-0 on Saturday afternoon – their final non-conference tilt before embarking on eight straight conference games.
Clemson began the season ranked No. 2 – but slipped in the polls following a lackluster home opener a week ago against Troy.
Defending national champion Alabama remained No. 1 following its come-from-behind win on the road against Ole Miss, while No. 2 Florida State plunged all the way to No. 13 in the AP poll and No. 14 in the coaches’ poll after getting eviscerated on the road by No. 10 Louisville.
The Cardinals (3-0, 1-0 ACC) soared to No. 3 in the AP poll – moving in behind the Crimson Tide and 2014 national champion Ohio State. In the coaches’ poll they climbed to No. 4 – behind Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson.
Michigan rounded out the top five in the coaches’ poll – and ranked No. 4 (one spot ahead of Clemson) in the AP Top 25.
Alabama dominated both polls in terms of first-place votes received (50 in the AP poll and 59 in the coaches’ poll). Ohio State received four first-place votes in the AP survey and three from the coaches, while Louisville received six first-place votes in the AP poll and none in the coaches’ survey.
Clemson received one first-place vote in the coaches’ poll (Dabo?), yet none from the AP. Meanwhile Michigan got one from the AP and none from the coaches.
To the rankings …
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2016 ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
1. Alabama (50) 3-0, 1510
2. Ohio State (4) 3-0, 1442
3. Louisville (6) 3-0, 1406
4. Michigan (1) 3-0, 1277
5. Clemson 3-0, 1258
6. Houston 3-0, 1245
7. Stanford 2-0, 1195
8. Michigan State 2-0, 1084
9. Washington 3-0, 1040
10. Texas A&M 3-0, 890
11. Wisconsin 3-0, 828
12. Georgia 3-0, 726
13. Florida State 2-1, 722
14. Tennessee 3-0, 707
15. Miami 3-0, 565
16. Baylor 3-0, 529
17. Arkansas 3-0, 528
18. LSU 2-1, 517
19. Florida 3-0, 479
20. Nebraska 3-0, 420
21. Texas 2-1, 196
22. San Diego State 3-0, 183
23. Ole Miss 1-2, 172
24. Utah 3-0, 154
25. Oklahoma 1-2, 139
Dropped from rankings: Iowa 13, Notre Dame 18, Oregon 22.
Others receiving votes: TCU 132, North Dakota State 74, UCLA 74, Boise State 69, Iowa 47, California 44, Oklahoma State 42, Notre Dame 32, Oregon 23, Georgia Tech 17, North Carolina 17, Central Michigan 16, South Florida 7, Toledo 6, Western Michigan 6, Arizona State 3, Maryland 3, Virginia Tech 1.
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2016 AMWAY COACHES’ POLL
1. Alabama (59) 3-0, 1571
2. Ohio State (3) 3-0, 1482
3. Clemson (1) 3-0, 1405
4. Louisville 3-0, 1331
5. Michigan 3-0, 1302
6. Stanford 2-0, 1273
7. Houston 3-0, 1235
8. Michigan State 2-0, 1156
9. Washington 3-0, 1065
10. Wisconsin 3-0, 872
11. Georgia 3-0, 847
12. Tennessee 3-0, 805
13. Texas A&M 3-0, 791
14. Florida State 2-1, 742
15. Baylor 3-0, 658
16. Florida 3-0, 598
17. LSU 2-1, 522
18. Arkansas 3-0, 500
19. Miami 3-0, 441
20. Nebraska 3-0, 373
21. Ole Miss 1-2, 166
(tie) TCU 2-1, 166
23. Utah 3-0, 155
24. Texas 2-1, 143
25. Iowa 2-1, 140
Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma 14, Notre Dame 18, Oregon 21.
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma 106, North Carolina 95, San Diego State 87, UCLA 81, Boise State 62, Oregon 50, Oklahoma State 46, Arizona State 34, South Florida 32, Georgia Tech 28, Notre Dame 23, West Virginia 19, Western Michigan 16, Minnesota 11, Navy 10, Toledo 6, Central Michigan 6, California 6, Maryland 4, Memphis 4, Kansas State 4, Army 2, Auburn 2, Western Kentucky 2.
(Banner image via Travis Bell Photography)