AP Top 25 poll preview: Alabama edges Missouri in SEC thriller, Florida State's slump worsens
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11:19 PM on Friday, October 10
By MAURA CAREY
Week 7 of college football features marquee matchups from coast to coast, with playoff hopes and conference races at stake.
The first wave of results from Friday night and Saturday afternoon games promises fluctuation in the AP Top 25. Alabama edged out Missouri in a Southeastern Conference thriller, Florida State’s slump worsened with a loss to Pitt and South Florida put up 63 points against North Texas.
No. 24 South Florida improved to 5-1 on Friday with a 63-36 win, handing North Texas its first loss of the season. The Bulls returned to the rankings last week after a 54-26 win against Charlotte. It’s the third consecutive outing South Florida has scored 50 or more points.
No. 8 Alabama scraped out a 27-24 victory over No. 14 Missouri, sealing the deal with a fourth-quarter interception from Dijon Lee Jr. with 37 seconds left. It’s Alabama’s third straight SEC win, sending the Crimson Tide to 5-1 on the season and emerging as a true contender.
No. 25 Florida State’s 3-0 start and top-10 days are long gone. The Seminoles lost their third straight game on Saturday, dropping 34-31 to an unranked Pitt team. After losses to Virginia, Miami and now Pitt, Florida State’s immediate future in the poll appears bleak.
No. 4 Mississippi pulled out a 24-21 victory over Washington State in a game that shouldn’t have been close to begin with. The Rebels got off to a slow start, with their first three drives resulting in a turnover on downs, a missed field goal and a fumble. Ole Miss went on a 10-0 run in the second quarter before a back-and-forth contest in the second half. The Rebels secured the win, but it wasn’t top-five caliber play.
If Missouri drops in the rankings, it likely won’t be far. The Tigers were every bit in the game for all four quarters. A close loss to a top-10 Alabama team could cause some movement, but it shouldn’t set the Tigers back too far in the rankings.
Cincinnati improved to 5-1 on Saturday with a 20-11 win over UCF. The Bearcats received the most votes of any unranked team last week, finishing 18 points shy of No. 25 Florida State. Another win paired with Florida State's loss could do the trick.
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