UCLA Falls To No. 16, Alabama Takes Top Spot In AP Football Poll
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Friday's loss to Stanford not only denied UCLA a chance at the Pac-12 championship, but it also led to voters in The Associated Press College Football Poll dropping the Bruins by seven positions and out of the Top 10.
UCLA (9-3) fell from No. 9 to No. 16 following the 31-10 loss to the Cardinal at the Rose Bowl. With a win, the Bruins would have played in this Friday's Pac-12 championship game, but that honor goes to No. 8 Arizona, which moved up four spots in the poll after defeating Arizona State on Friday. The Wildcats will take on No. 3 Oregon at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Alabama is No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time this season, replacing undefeated Florida State in a vote that was about as close as it could get.
The Crimson Tide (11-1) received 25 of a possible 59 first-place votes from the media panel and 1,426 points. The Seminoles (12-0) have 29 first-place votes and 1,423 points.
The last time the No. 2 team had more first-place votes than the No. 1 team this late in the season was Nov. 25, 1968, when No. 1 Ohio State had 21½ first-places votes to USC's 24½.
Alabama is No. 1 for the 72nd time overall and first since it lost last year's Iron Bowl. The Tide beat Auburn 55-44 on Saturday.
It is also the seventh straight season the Crimson Tide has been No. 1 at some point, the longest such streak since Miami from 1986-92.
Following No. 2 Florida State and No. 3 Oregon is TCU (10-2), which jumped two spots from No. 6 after a 48-10 victory over Texas. Baylor remains at No. 5.
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