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For the first time since since 2017, Clemson suffered a regular-season loss. The Tigers entered the weekend as the No. 1 team in the country and with an impressive record in these matchups against other ranked teams, but Notre Dame made a statement in one of the biggest games of the college football season in its double-overtime win. 

Clemson's loss opens the door for Alabama to take over at No. 1. The Crimson Tide were off during Week 10 and there will be a temptation to move Notre Dame to the top spot, but there were enough gains for Alabama with first-place votes to think that it won't be jumped in the rankings. But with its undefeated record and the best win of the season, Notre Dame will be moving up in the rankings and should land just behind the Tide at No. 2.

Ohio State is likely to hold its spot with not much adjustment considering it played Rutgers this week, and then Clemson is likely to land back at Notre Dame's spot, No. 4, in the new AP Top 25.  In total we're not expecting too many major adjustments in the back half of the rankings with the pair of results between top 10 teams providing the stage for the most drama in the poll. Michigan is likely to fall out of the top 25, allowing for a new arrival from the group receiving votes in last week's balloting. 

Here's how we think the new AP Top 25 will look on Sunday. Last week's rankings in parenthesis.

1. Alabama (2): The Crimson Tide were off this week, scheduled to be in action next Saturday against LSU in a primetime edition of the SEC on CBS Game of the Week. The move to No. 1 comes thanks to an increased number of first-place votes over the last couple weeks, providing a solid foundation for moving ahead in the rankings despite not playing this weekend. 

2. Notre Dame (4): An undefeated record with a win against Clemson makes for the best profile in the country, and only Alabama's style points separate the top two teams in the country. The challenge ahead for the Fighting Irish is to maintain this high level of "compete" as coach Brian Kelly likes to say, finish the regular season undefeated and get set to face the Tigers again in the ACC Championship Game. 

3. Ohio State (3): Justin Fields had more touchdown passes (five) than incompletions (four), and he continues to put together the kind of season that is likely to get under-appreciated just because we've become so accustomed to the greatness. Ohio State is rolling and won't see a significant challenge unless it plays down to the competition, at least until the College Football Playoff. 

4. Clemson (1): Coach Dabo Swinney's program fell one win short of tying Bobby Bowden's run of 29 straight wins against ACC opponents from 1992-95, but the immediate concern is how the Tigers respond for the ACC and national championship picture. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will take "player availability" into consideration as it rates and ranks teams, so the absence of Trevor Lawrence in a close loss to another contender provide context that will impact the title race. The best way to eliminate doubt or leave it to the committee is to win out and beat the Irish again in the ACC Championship Game. 

5. Florida (8): Outside of Notre Dame, no one had a better win this week than the Gators. There was more room for a rankings adjustment here since Florida was knocked initially for a loss that's looking better with Texas A&M's continued success. 

6. Cincinnati (6): What's the most exciting about the Bearcats right now is how each game seems to be an improvement on the last. It's not only one of the last undefeated teams in the country but one that is peaking at exactly the right time. Saturday's 38-10 win against Houston followed the pattern of victories against Memphis and SMU. The secondary nullifies advantages created by some of the prolific quarterbacks in the American Athletic Conference, letting the defense lead the way in blowout wins. Cincinnati has yet to allow more than 20 points during its 6-0 start, and it's averaging 39.25 points per game in conference play. A Nov. 21 date against UCF looms as we discuss the potential of an undefeated Cincinnati, but it's not premature to have that discussion after seeing how the Bearcats have dominated in three wins against three quality conference foes. 

7. Texas A&M (7): If Cincinnati had not impressed, we could have been eyeing a jump ahead for the Aggies after a similar showing here in Week 10. The Aggies didn't leave any doubt in a 48-3 win at South Carolina. Kellen Mond had five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing), and Texas A&M is putting together its own argument as the best one-loss team in the country. Florida will get a boost for having the best win of the one-loss group, but the Aggies have the head-to-head advantage. It's a debate I think Florida will win, especially in the wake of Saturday's win. 

8. BYU (9): At what point will voters put BYU above the one-loss teams in the rankings? Thumping Boise State on the blue turf is one of the best results in one of the biggest games on the Cougars' schedule. BYU is going to be off until they are scheduled to host FCS Northern Arizona on Nov. 21 then off again until a meeting with San Diego State on Dec. 12. Unless BYU can put another game on the schedule at a late hour or San Diego State jumps into the rankings, it's possible Boise State is the highest ranked team BYU will play. 

9. Georgia (5): The fall in the rankings could be more dramatic considering it's now a two-loss team, but I think the Bulldogs are too good in too many places to get dropped beyond the top 10. The only losses are to other top 10 teams and the Bulldogs have gotten out to early leads in both games, the issue being that they were limited when quarterback play became the differentiator in high-scoring contests. Georgia's defense is good enough on its own to power a win in almost every game on its schedule, but two opponents -- Florida and Alabama -- have exposed the inability to create explosive plays with any kind of consistency. When facing elite teams, it's been the reason the Bulldogs have fallen short. 

10. Indiana (13): The streak-snapping significance of the Hoosiers' first win against Michigan since 1987 really doesn't impact Indiana's stock, but the dominant nature of the 38-21 win sent a message to the rest of the Big Ten. Indiana took control early and defending its lead through several comeback attempts by the Wolverines. This is a team that plays complimentary football, and unlike the Penn State win this was one that showed up in the box score as well. With wins against Michigan and Penn State, the Hoosiers have one of the most impressive resumes through three weeks of Big Ten play. 

11. Wisconsin (10): The Badgers have begun the process of returning to competition with limited on-field conditioning as the COVID-19 case number has decreased. Saturday's scheduled game against Purdue was the second one canceled in as many weeks, and up next is a trip to Michigan.   

12. Miami (11): D'Eriq King deserves all of the player of the week type honors for his 430-yard, five-touchdown performance at NC State. The Wolfpack played well enough to notch the upset, but King, who also added a team-high 105 rushing yards, showed out as the best player on the field and guided the Hurricanes to a 44-41 road win. 

13. Oregon (12): Some key losses for Stanford take some of the shine off a three-touchdown win but the playbook for the Ducks, with a tough defense and elite line play leading the way, is solid enough to keep confidence high after the 35-14 win. 

14. Oklahoma State (14): It was not pretty getting in and out of Manhattan, Kansas, with a 20-18 win, but the victory keeps the Cowboys afloat in the rankings and the Big 12 title race. The best wins for Oklahoma State are probably Iowa State and West Virginia, and both teams lost on Saturday. Up next: Bedlam. 

15. Coastal Carolina (15): An offense that has mostly led the way for the Chanticleers sputtered at times against South Alabama, making the 23-6 result a total team win for the Sun Belt frontrunners. Now at 7-0, Coastal Carolina may slowly bump up in the rankings as other teams lose but the next jump won't be on the table until the regular season finale against Liberty on Dec. 5. 

16. Marshall (16): No one is jumping Marshall in their personal pecking order for dismantling UMass in a 51-10 win. It's a score that pops when voters scan the week's action but the context applied leaves it as a solid win for the 6-0 Thundering Herd. 

17. Iowa State (17): The Cyclones were down 24-10 early in the second half before rolling off four unanswered touchdowns in a game-changing turn of events in Ames, Iowa, against Baylor. Running back Bryce Hall (31 carries, 133 yards and two touchdowns) has emerged as one of the best in the Big 12 this season, and Iowa State should hold its positioning in the rankings. 

18. SMU (18): No major adjustment for the Mustangs. While some voters might have taken note when Temple led at halftime, the 47-23 win checks the box for expectation of the Mustangs right now. 

19. Oklahoma (19): The Sooners rolled through Kansas, winning 62-9 and never leaving much time for doubt. The Sooners are off next week then return to action for one of the biggest games left on the schedule against Oklahoma State on Nov. 21. 

20. USC (20): An overwhelming collection of talent at the wide receiver position comes in handy when you need to stage a two-touchdown comeback in the final minutes of a game. USC doesn't get knocked for the win, but I'd say the one-point win as a double-digit favorite falls short of voters' expectations. 

21. Texas (22): The Longhorns needed its defense to step up and Chris Ash's unit did so in a 17-13 win against West Virginia. Texas has won three in a row and is next scheduled play at Kansas on Nov. 21. With a win against Oklahoma State helping potential tiebreaker scenarios, this is a team that remains in the mix for the Big 12 title. 

22. Auburn (24): The Tigers were off in Week 10, next scheduled to play at Mississippi State on Nov. 14. 

23. Liberty (25): Justin Fuente and Virginia Tech have a stinging feeling about the way it ended, but Liberty fans are focusing more on the football that preceded the final field goal sequence. The Flames showed up to the hallowed ground of Lane Stadium as double-digit underdogs and came away with a win.

24. Northwestern (NR): The Wildcats were the first team on the outside of the top 25 in last week's balloting and improved to 3-0 after beating Nebraska, 21-13. Tom Fornelli argued last week on the Cover 3 Podcast that it was ridiculous to have Michigan ranked ahead of Northwestern, well now the Wildcats will be rightly rated as one of the 25 best teams in the country while the Wolverines are likely to drop out of the rankings. 

25. Boise State (21): I don't think the Broncos will fall from the top 25 for losing to BYU, and it's possible they won't fall less than the four spots we're projecting here. The fact that Boise State was down to its third-string quarterback has to be taken into consideration when viewing the rare home loss, especially as context for the margin on the result.

Projected to drop out: Michigan (23)