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1992: AP preseason, postseason college football rankings
Best climber: Alabama, No. 9 to No. 1
The Crimson Tide kept picking up believers every week, but were still sizable underdogs against Miami and Heisman winner Gino Torretta in the Sugar Bowl. After Derrick Lassic ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns, and George Teague returned an interception for a touchdown, Alabama had sufficiently humbled the 'Canes, 34-13, and answered all the skeptics.
Taking a dive: Penn State, No. 8 to unranked
The Nittany Lions unraveled after a 5-0 start, losing four of their final six in the regular season and getting thrashed 24-3 by Bill Walsh's Stanford Cardinal in the Blockbuster Bowl. Adding insult, Walsh would later take a swipe at Joe Paterno and staff, writing in his book that Penn State was laughably vanilla with its schemes.
| Preseason |
Postseason |
| Rank |
Team |
Rank |
Team |
| 1. |
Miami |
1. |
Alabama |
| 2. |
Washington |
2. |
Florida State |
| 3. |
Notre Dame |
3. |
Miami |
| 4. |
Florida |
4. |
Notre Dame |
| 5. |
Florida State |
5. |
Michigan |
| 6. |
Michigan |
6. |
Syracuse |
| 7. |
Texas A&M |
7. |
Texas A&M |
| 8. |
Penn State |
8. |
Georgia |
| 9. |
Alabama |
9. |
Stanford |
| 10. |
Syracuse |
10. |
Florida |
| 11. |
Nebraska |
11. |
Washington |
| 12. |
Colorado |
12. |
Tennessee |
| 13. |
Clemson |
13. |
Colorado |
| 14. |
Georgia |
14. |
Nebraska |
| 15. |
Oklahoma |
15. |
Washington St. |
| 16. |
Iowa |
16. |
Mississippi |
| 17. |
Stanford |
17. |
N.C. State |
| 18. |
UCLA |
18. |
Ohio State |
| 19. |
Ohio State |
19. |
North Carolina |
| 20. |
California |
20. |
Hawaii |
| 21. |
Tennessee |
21. |
Boston College |
| 22. |
Mississippi St. |
22. |
Kansas |
| 23. |
Georgia Tech |
23. |
Mississippi St. |
| 24. |
Brigham Young |
24. |
Fresno State |
| 25. |
Texas |
25. |
Wake Forest |
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