Cincinnati moved to No. 2 in the latest AP Top 25 released on Sunday, after the Bearcats received a boost from Purdue’s upset of previous No. 2 Iowa. The Hawkeyes fell to No. 11, while the Boilermakers moved in at No. 25. It’s Purdue’s first poll appearance since Sept. 30, 2007, ending the longest Top 25 drought among Power 5 teams.
With Purdue in, Kansas (Oct. 18, 2009) is now the Power 5 team that has gone the longest without being ranked. Purdue has a history of success against AP top-two teams, as its 13 all-time wins rank fifth behind only Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC and Oklahoma. Saturday’s win, however, was their first road win against a ranked team since 2003, which also ended the longest drought among the Power 5.
Georgia, which dominated previously unbeaten Kentucky, remains a unanimous No. 1 in the poll. Cincinnati, which blew out UCF, is next, followed by Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio State to round out the top five. Michigan is No. 6, and Penn State, Oklahoma State, Michigan State and Oregon make up the rest of the top 10.
Seven ranked teams were idle in Week 7, but ranked teams that did play went just 11-7, with five losses to unranked teams. BYU (to Baylor), Arizona State (Utah), Arkansas (Auburn) and Florida (LSU) all fell out of the rankings after losses to unranked teams, and Texas dropped out after its loss to Oklahoma State. Auburn (19), Baylor (20), Pitt (23), UTSA (24) and Purdue (25) moved in. It’s UTSA’s first appearance in the Top 25 after its football program began play in 2011.
(Photo: Matthew Holst / Getty Images)
