Week 16 AP Top 25
The Week 16 AP top 25 college football rankings were released on Sunday. Plenty of movement after a week with multiple top matchups spread out across the title games.
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Auburn was the big winner this week, moving up a spot to No. 2 and earning themselves a spot in the title game against Florida State. Michigan State also moved up from No. 10 to No. 4 and into the Rose Bowl with their big win.
Ohio State’s 24-0 run under head coach Urban Meyer came to an end and at the worst possible time, as the team was dropped from the No. 2 spot in the final week of play before the title game. However, the team did remain in the BCS picture and will get to play in a good bowl game.
Oklahoma State dropped out of the top 10 with a loss to instate rival Oklahoma, and the loss knocked them out of the BCS picture as well.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 teams and take an early look at their chances in their next games.
1. Florida State Seminoles (13-0, previous: 1)
Florida State continued their demolition of all comers, beating up on a good Duke team 45-7 to win the ACC title game. Next up is the national championship game where they’ll be charged with stopping Auburn’s stellar rushing offense. The Seminoles ranked second in the nation in scoring offense and first in scoring defense this season and are installed as 9.5-point favorites in the title game.
2. Auburn Tigers (12-1, previous: 3)
Auburn ran right over Missouri to the tune of an SEC title game record 545 rushing yards in a 59-42 win to claim the SEC title. Some voters were so impressed with the Tigers’ performance that they put Auburn atop their ballots, with the team earning four first place votes.
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3. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1, previous: 4)
Alabama had a week to stew over their loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, and moving up a spot in the AP poll will certainly not serve as consolation. The team surely has some frustration to get out and they’ll get a chance to do it in the Sugar Bowl when they take on Oklahoma as 15-point favorites.
4. Michigan State (12-1, previous: 10)
Michigan State’s defense looked as impressive as ever with the exception of a stumble in the middle of their game with Ohio State, but they did enough to come away with a 34-24 win and the Big Ten title. They’ll take on Stanford as 4-point underdogs in the Rose Bowl.
5. Stanford Cardinal (11-2, previous: 7)
Stanford is the highest ranked of the two-loss teams, moving up two spots to No. 5 after winning the Pac-12 title with a 38-14 win over Arizona State. They’ll face off with one of the few defenses that can match their own in the Rose Bowl.
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6. Baylor Bears (11-1, previous: 9)
Baylor beat Texas to win the Big 12 on Saturday but drew probably the weakest opponent of the BCS field, but Central Florida is better than many give them credit for. The Bears are installed as 16.5-point favorites in the game.
7. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1, previous: 2)
The Buckeyes couldn’t make it 25 in a row in the Big Ten title game and so they’ll be relegated to the Orange Bowl where they’ll play Clemson, but don’t sleep on a good Tigers team against a Buckeyes squad in for a letdown after tasting a spot in the national title game. Ohio State is a 2.5-point favorite in the game.
8. South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2, previous: 8)
South Carolina quietly had a very impressive season, but two road losses knocked them out of national title contention. They’ll play Wisconsin as 2.5-point underdogs in their bowl game.
9. Missouri Tigers (11-2, previous: 5)
Missouri couldn’t close the deal in the SEC title game and so they’ll be forced to face off with another team that dropped on Championship Weekend, facing Oklahoma State as 1.5-point favorites in their bowl game.
10. Oregon Ducks (10-2, previous: 12)
Oregon had national title aspirations at the start of the year, but a two-loss season put an end to those dreams, and now the Ducks will take on the Texas Longhorns as 13-point favorites.
