Connect with us

Published

on

Oregon became the fourth team this season to hold the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press college football poll, moving into the top spot Sunday for the first time in 12 years after Texas lost at home to Georgia.

Vanderbilt made its first appearance since the 2013 season, at No. 25, and defending national champion Michigan fell out after a second straight loss dropped it to 4-3.

Unbeaten Oregon followed its one-point home win over Ohio State with its first road shutout in 32 years, a 35-0 rout of Purdue, and received 59 of 61 first-place votes.

Georgia, which has won three straight games since its loss to Alabama, made a three-spot jump to No. 2 on the strength of its 30-15 win at previously No. 1 Texas. The Bulldogs got the other two first-place votes.

No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State were idle Saturday and held their spots. Texas dropped to No. 5 after Georgia held the Longhorns to 28 points under their scoring average.

Miami prevailed in a wild game at Louisville and remained No. 6, and Tennessee rose four spots to No. 7 following its win over Alabama. LSU, Clemson and Iowa State rounded out the top 10.

No team this season has held the No. 1 spot for more than three straight weeks. Georgia topped the poll in the preseason, but a one-point win at unranked Kentucky in Week 3 bumped the Bulldogs out. Texas took over for two weeks then gave way to Alabama following the Crimson Tide’s win over Georgia.

Alabama lasted one week at No. 1, getting upset at Vanderbilt after its win over Georgia. That allowed Texas to return to the top for two weeks.

Chip Kelly coached the only other Oregon teams to reach No. 1. The 2012 Ducks, led by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, were in the top spot for one week in November after following a 10-0 start with a loss to Stanford. The 2010 team, which lost to Auburn in the BCS title game, spent six weeks at No. 1.

POLL POINTS

This marks the first time since 2012 that four teams will play a game as the No. 1 team in the same season. In addition to Oregon, the others were USC, Alabama and Notre Dame. The other seasons since 2000 with four or more No. 1 teams were 2007 (4), 2008 (6) and 2010 (4).

Tennessee’s 24-17 win over Alabama produced the biggest moves in the poll. The Volunteers jumped from No. 11 to No. 7. The Crimson Tide dropped eight spots to No. 15, their lowest ranking since 2010.

Texas’ loss to Georgia was the first by a No. 1 team at home against a top-five opponent since Miami beat Florida State 17-16 in 1991.

WHO’S IN; WHO’S OUT

Vanderbilt’s previous ranking was No. 24 in the final poll of the 2013 season. The Commodores, who beat Ball State to improve to 5-2, are off to their best start since opening 5-0 in 2008. That also was the last time Vanderbilt was ranked in the regular season.

Michigan, which scored its fewest points in a game since 2014 in its 21-7 loss at Illinois, had been ranked in 54 consecutive polls since 2021.

CONFERENCE CALL

SEC: 9 (Nos. 2, 5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 18, 21, 25)
Big Ten: 5 (Nos. 1, 3, 4, 13, 20)
ACC: 4 (Nos. 6, 9, 19, 22)
Big 12: 3 (Nos. 10, 11, 16)
American: 2 (Nos. 23, 24)
Mountain West: 1 (No. 17)
Independent: 1 (No. 12)

RANKED VS. RANKED

No. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon: The Illini play the top-ranked team for the first time since 2007. They won 28-21 at Ohio State that year.

No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt: First matchup since these teams met 12 times from 1899 to 1928. The Commodores haven’t beaten two Top 25 opponents in the same season since 2008.

No. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M: This has become one of the SEC’s better series lately. The teams have split their past six meetings.

No. 12 Notre Dame at No. 24 Navy: This will be the 11th time in 97 meetings, and first since 2019, that both teams are ranked when they meet.

No. 21 Missouri at No. 15 Alabama: Nothing comes easily for either team this season. The two-loss Crimson Tide haven’t dropped three games before November since 2006.

Continue Reading

Sports

Army to allow alcohol sales at football games

Published

on

By

Army to allow alcohol sales at football games

WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army will begin selling alcoholic beverages at football games at Michie Stadium beginning with its game Friday against Tarleton State, athletic director Tom Theodorakis announced Wednesday.

Army was the last service academy to not sell alcohol at football games. Air Force began sales in 2017 and Navy in 2021.

“The opportunity to purchase alcohol has become common practice at college athletic venues across the country, and we’re pleased to introduce it here at West Point as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the gameday experience,” Theodorakis said, adding that Army is committed to ensuring a safe and family-friendly environment for fans.

Fans will be able to purchase beer and ready-to-drink cocktails with a limit of two drinks per transaction. A portion of the revenue from alcohol sales will help support Army’s other 29 sports.

Continue Reading

Sports

Harvard-Yale rivalry to return to Fenway in 2026

Published

on

By

Harvard-Yale rivalry to return to Fenway in 2026

BOSTON — Harvard and Yale will play The Game at Fenway Park next season, the second time the rivalry has moved to the historic home of the Boston Red Sox.

The Nov. 21, 2026, game will be the 142nd meeting between the Ivy League schools — the third most-played rivalry in college football. Yale leads the series 71-61-8, including the last three years.

Harvard won the 2018 game 45-27 at Fenway, the first time The Game was played off campus since an 1894 meeting that was so violent the Harvard faculty voted to disband the football program.

Fenway has hosted football since its opening year in 1912, and it served as the home of the AFL’s Boston Patriots from 1963-68. More recently, the ballpark has hosted some Boston College and high school football games and the Fenway Bowl.

Fenway also has hosted concerts, Shakespeare in the Park, big air skiing, Irish hurling and pickleball.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: Tide DL Keenan (ankle) out for opener

Published

on

By

Sources: Tide DL Keenan (ankle) out for opener

Alabama will be without team captain and starting defensive tackle Tim Keenan III for Saturday’s opener against Florida State after he suffered a high ankle sprain Tuesday in practice, sources told ESPN.

Keenan was scheduled to undergo a tightrope surgical procedure Wednesday and is expected to miss multiple games, but sources said Alabama expects him back at some point this season. The Crimson Tide face UL Monroe in Week 2, Wisconsin in Week 3 and then have a bye week before traveling to Georgia for the SEC opener on Sept. 27.

Coach Kalen DeBoer said earlier Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference that Keenan was still being evaluated after suffering a lower-body injury and would “probably not” be full go for the game.

Keenan, a fifth-year senior, is one of the anchors of an Alabama defensive line that should be one of the strengths of the team. He’s a two-year starter and one of the strongest leaders on the team. Redshirt freshman Jeremiah Beaman and true freshman London Simmons are next in line to step in for Keenan, who was second on the team a year ago with 7.5 tackles for loss.

Offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts‘ status for Saturday’s opener remains uncertain, according to DeBoer. The fifth-year senior, who has started 21 games over the past two seasons, has been “very limited” in recent practices as he works his way through the NCAA concussion protocol.

The Crimson Tide were already going to be without starting running back Jam Miller, who dislocated his collarbone in a scrimmage and will miss multiple games. DeBoer told ESPN last week he expected Miller to be back for the Georgia game.

On3.com was the first to report the news of Keenan’s surgery and the expectation he would miss multiple games.

Continue Reading

Trending