Georgia Bulldogs continued their impressive run in the 2023 college football season with a dominant 42-10 win over South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday. The victory extended their winning streak to 28 games and secured their spot at No.1 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll for the ninth consecutive week.
Michigan Rises to No.2 After Thrilling Win Over Ohio State
The biggest mover in the top 10 was Michigan Wolverines, who climbed four spots to No.2 after a thrilling 27-24 win over Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten East showdown. The Wolverines snapped a nine-game losing streak to their archrivals and clinched their first division title since 2016. They will face Illinois Fighting Illini, who remained at No.13, in the Big Ten championship game next week.
Florida State Falls to No.3 After Narrow Escape Against Clemson
Florida State Seminoles dropped one spot to No.3 after a narrow 31-28 escape against Clemson Tigers in the ACC Atlantic clash. The Seminoles trailed by 14 points in the fourth quarter but rallied behind quarterback Malik Henry, who threw two touchdown passes in the final five minutes. The Seminoles improved to 11-0 but lost some ground in the coaches poll.
Alabama and Tennessee Complete Top Five
Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers stayed at No.4 and No.5 respectively after convincing wins over their SEC opponents. Alabama routed Auburn Tigers 45-17 in the Iron Bowl, while Tennessee crushed Vanderbilt Commodores 52-7 in the Battle of Tennessee. Both teams will meet in the SEC championship game next week, with a possible playoff berth on the line.
USC and Ole Miss Join Top 10
The other two teams that joined the top 10 this week were USC Trojans and Ole Miss Rebels, who moved up two spots each to No.9 and No.10 respectively. USC defeated UCLA Bruins 34-27 in the Pac-12 South decider, while Ole Miss edged out Mississippi State Bulldogs 23-20 in the Egg Bowl. Both teams will play for their conference titles next week, with USC facing Oregon Ducks and Ole Miss facing Georgia.
Liberty and UCF Enter Top 25
The new entrants in the top 25 this week were Liberty Flames and UCF Knights, who ranked at No.23 and No.25 respectively. Liberty won its 10th game of the season with a 38-35 victory over Army Black Knights, while UCF clinched the AAC East title with a 41-38 win over Cincinnati Bearcats.
