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AP College Football Poll 2023: Week 14 Top 25 Rankings Announced

Tyler Conway@@jtylerconwayX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVNovember 26, 2023

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 25: Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum (2) breaks free up the middle for a long touchdown run during the Michigan Wolverines versus the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday November 25, 2023 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

And then there were five.

Michigan's narrow 30-24 win over Ohio State this weekend leaves just five undefeated teams remaining in college football, with the Wolverines now sitting at No. 2 behind top-ranked Georgia. Washington moves into the No. 3 slot, while Florida State moves up to No. 4.

Interestingly, Oregon sits at No. 5, while Ohio State dropped to No. 6.

Here is how the entire Top 25 played out:

  1. Georgia
  2. Michigan
  3. Washington
  4. Florida State
  5. Oregon
  6. Ohio State
  7. Texas
  8. Alabama
  9. Missouri
  10. Penn State
  11. Ole Miss
  12. Oklahoma
  13. LSU
  14. Arizona
  15. Louisville
  16. Notre Dame
  17. Tulane
  18. Iowa
  19. Oklahoma State
  20. Liberty
  21. NC State
  22. Oregon State
  23. Toledo
  24. James Madison
  25. SMU

Michigan pulled off its third straight win in the matchup between the top two programs in the Big Ten when Kyle McCord threw an interception deep in Wolverines territory with time running down.

While the Wolverines led by as many as 10 points in the second half, the game was largely the narrow back-and-forth contest most expected. Blake Corum rushed for two touchdowns; J.J. McCarthy managed the game well under center; Marvin Harrison Jr. continued to be with the best receiver in the country; every star showed up and showed out.

"We know what this game means to so many people, and so to come up short is certainly crushing," Ohio State head coach Ryan Day told reporters. "Not only because you invest your whole year in it, at Ohio State, what this game means and so, there's a locker room in there that's devastated. It wasn't a lack of effort, but again, we didn't win the rushing yards, we didn't win the turnover battle, so you're not going to win this game."

Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida State are the only four unbeatens remaining in the country. On paper, that would make the selection process straightforward for the selection committee.

However, Jordan Travis' season-ending leg injury gives the committee something to consider if they're attempting to put the four best teams in college football on the field.

Florida State managed to escape Saturday's rivalry game against Florida with a 24-15 victory, but it was anything but pretty. The Seminoles trailed 12-0 deep into the first half, scoring their first points with just 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker was not impressive in his first start, throwing for just 134 yards, and the Florida State offense sputtered its way to only 224 total yards. It would not be a surprise to see a one-loss Ohio State team ranked ahead of Florida State after the committee convenes this week.

A win over Louisville in the ACC championship game might convince the committee to give the Seminoles the nod, but that potential victory became significantly less impressive over the weekend. Louisville, which entered the weekend ranked ninth in the AP poll, dropped a 38-31 thriller to unranked Kentucky and dropped all the way to No. 15.

Kansas State was the only other Top 25 team to lose to an unranked opponent in what was largely a straightforward weekend of results—even if the way the final scores got there was unconventional.

The most thrilling game of the weekend happened in Auburn, when Alabama converted a miracle 4th-and-goal from the 31-yard line to earn a 27-24 win over their in-state archrival. The victory kept the Crimson Tide's playoff hopes alive as they head into next weekend's SEC championship game showdown with Georgia.