By james art 
ERIC OLSON Associated Press
Oregon was the unanimous No. 1 pick in the Associated Press College Football Poll on Sunday, bolstering its bid for the top spot in the College Football Playoff Selection Committee’s first rankings of the season.
The Ducks are No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third straight week and unanimity for the first time since their 21-point road win against Michigan.
Georgia, which received one No. 1 vote last week, remained No. 2 after overcoming three Carson Beck interceptions and pulling away late to beat Florida.
Ohio State earned a one-spot promotion to No. 3 with its win at Penn State, the Buckeyes’ eighth straight in the series. No. 4 Miami, which beat Duke, and No. 5 Texas, which was idle, each moved up one spot. Penn State, which was in the top five in the previous four polls, slipped to No. 6.
The expansion of the CFP to 12 teams this season means that losses of top teams to other top teams are not a sure-fire disqualifier in the race for the national championship. The first CFP rankings of the season will be released on Tuesday and will be updated weekly until the Dec. 8 bracket announcement.
Tennessee maintained its No. 7 spot despite struggling mightily in the fourth quarter against Kentucky with a three-and-out 28-18 victory.
Indiana jumped five spots to No. 8, its highest ranking since No. 7 in 2020 — and its best in a non-pandemic season since the Hoosiers were No. 4 during the 1967 Rose Bowl season. Michigan State 47-10 on the road to go 9-0 for the first time in program history; every win this season has been by double digits.
Notre 9 BYU and Notre Dame Notre Dame was idle.
SMU’s 48-25 win over Pittsburgh earned the Mustangs a promotion from No. 20 to No. 13. – the biggest move up this week. They haven’t been ranked that high since they were No. 3 on Oct. 1, 1985, two years before the NCAA imposed the “death penalty” that shut down the program in 1987 for egregious rules violations. The school also chose not to field a team in 1988.
Survey points
Clemson and Iowa State, tied for No. 11 last week, posted the biggest drops after a home loss. The Tigers fell eight spots to No. 19 with their 33-21 loss to Louisville. The Cyclones fell six spots to No. 17 with their 23-22 loss to Texas Tech. Texas A&M, Kansas State and Pittsburgh each dropped five spots.
Army, at No. 18, has its highest ranking since it was No. 10 at midseason in 1960.
Boise State, ranked No. 12, has its best ranking since No. 8 in the final poll in 2011.
Indiana is ahead of Notre Dame for the first time since the last poll in 1979, when the Hoosiers were No. 19 and the Irish were unranked. Schools are separated by 200 miles in Indiana.
In and out
Vanderbilt’s 17-7 win at Auburn moved the Commodores back into the poll at No. 24 after a one-week absence.
Louisville, which was ranked every week in September, dropped back to No. 25 after its upset at Clemson.
Illinois, No. 24 last week, ended its seven-week run in the Top 25 with a 25-17 loss to Minnesota at home.
Missouri, which was in the poll every week and as high as No. 6, fell after an open date. The Tigers stayed at No. 25 last week despite a 34-0 loss to Alabama.
Conference call
SEC — 8 (Nos. 2, 5, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 24).
ACC — 5 (Nos. 4, 13, 19, 23, 25).
Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 1, 3, 6, 8).
Large 12 — 4 (Nos. 9, 17, 21, 22).
Mountain West — 1 (No. 12).
Independent — 1 (No. 10).
Ranked vs. Ranked
- No. 2 Georgia at No. 16 Mississippi: The Bulldogs haven’t traveled to Oxford since losing there 45-14 in 2016. Georgia beat Ole Miss 52-17 at home last year.
- No. 11 Alabama at No. 14 LSU: LSU’s 32-31 overtime win over ‘Bama sparked a field storm two years ago, the last time the Crimson Tide visited Death Valley. Both teams are coming off open dates.