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2000: AP preseason, postseason college football rankings
Best climber: Oklahoma, No. 19 to No. 1
This was some kind of Sooner Magic, because no team in the past decade had started out so far back to win the national title. Oklahoma went unnoticed until spanking Texas, Kansas State and Nebraska in October, sweeping into the national title Orange Bowl and humbling heavily favored Florida State, 13-2, for a perfect season.
Taking a dive: Alabama, No. 3 to unranked
Coach Mike DuBose made a mess in his fourth season, as the Tide took the biggest header of the past decade (yes, Notre Dame fell to the unranked after starting No. 2 in 1994, but at least the Irish still went to a nice bowl game). Alabama went nowhere, losing its final five -- including one at home to Central Florida (!) -- but the school did send DuBose packing.
| Preseason |
Postseason |
| Rank |
Team |
Rank |
Team |
| 1. |
Nebraska |
1. |
Oklahoma |
| 2. |
Florida State |
2. |
Miami |
| 3. |
Alabama |
3. |
Washington |
| 4. |
Wisconsin |
4. |
Oregon State |
| 5. |
Miami |
5. |
Florida State |
| 6. |
Michigan |
6. |
Virginia Tech |
| 7. |
Texas |
7. |
Oregon |
| 8. |
Kansas State |
8. |
Nebraska |
| 9. |
Florida |
9. |
Kansas State |
| 10. |
Georgia |
10. |
Florida |
| 11. |
Virginia Tech |
11. |
Michigan |
| 12. |
Tennessee |
12. |
Texas |
| 13. |
Washington |
13. |
Purdue |
| 14. |
Purdue |
14. |
Colorado State |
| 15. |
USC |
15. |
Notre Dame |
| 16. |
Ohio State |
16. |
Clemson |
| 17. |
Clemson |
17. |
Georgia Tech |
| 18. |
Mississippi |
18. |
Auburn |
| 19. |
Oklahoma |
19. |
South Carolina |
| 20. |
TCU |
20. |
Georgia |
| 21. |
Illinois |
21. |
TCU |
| 22. |
Penn State |
22. |
LSU |
| 23. |
Southern Miss |
23. |
Wisconsin |
| 24. |
Colorado |
24. |
Mississippi State |
| 25. |
Michigan State |
25. |
Iowa State |
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