It feels like 2006 again, just without James Blunt or "Hips Don't Lie" on the radio or Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code in the theaters. Now it feels like 2006 in college football because the final full week of regular-season action is upon us, and Ohio State and Michigan are up in the top of the polls.
Unlike 2006, the top spot is occupied by Alabama. The Tide shook off a slow start against Chattanooga and held on for a win to secure No. 1 in the Coaches Poll. But right behind the tide are the Big Ten rivals that will hold the sport's spotlight next Saturday with the Big Ten East hanging in the balance.
Ohio State nearly lost its No. 2 ranking when Mark Dantonio decided to go for two instead of forcing overtime in East Lansing, but a failed conversion and 17-16 win sends the Buckeyes back to Columbus with a winner-take-all mentality heading into Saturday's game against Michigan. The Wolverines had their own survivalist mentality going on Saturday, squeezing two touchdowns in before the snow started falling to beat Indiana 20-10.
USC made a big move up in this week's poll to No. 12. Utah made the biggest drop, down to No. 21 after losing to Oregon. Louisville dropped out of the top 10 following its loss to Houston, and Washington State was able to hold on to its national ranking (now at No. 23) after losing at Colorado.
Here's the full AP Top 25:
- Alabama (61 first-place votes)
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Clemson
- Wisconsin
- Washington
- Oklahoma
- Penn State
- Colorado
- Oklahoma State
- Louisville
- USC
- Florida
- Western Michigan
- Florida State
- Auburn
- Nebraska
- Houston
- West Virginia
- Boise State
- Utah
- Texas A&M
- Washington State
- Tennessee
- LSU
