Ohio State Spends Ninth Week at No. 1

By The Associated Press

Ohio State's run at No. 1 is now one week short of the Buckeyes' longest to start a season. Ohio State was on top of The Associated Press Top 25 for the ninth consecutive week when the poll was released Sunday. In 1969 under coach Woody Hayes, Ohio State started the season No. 1 and stayed there for 10 weeks. A loss to Michigan dropped the Buckeyes from the top spot.

The 1998 Buckeyes also spent nine weeks at No. 1 to start the season before being upset by unranked Michigan State on Nov. 7.

The Wolverines were No. 2 in the latest media poll, which had few changes after a weekend with far more close calls than upsets.

Southern California was No. 3, followed by West Virginia and Texas. The Mountaineers received two first-place votes. Ohio State got the other 63.

No. 5 Texas needed a late field goal by backup kicker Ryan Bailey to beat Nebraska 22-20 in Lincoln.

No. 6 is Louisville, which struggled for a half before beating Syracuse 28-13. The Cardinals and West Virginia, both 7-0 and among seven remaining unbeaten teams, are off until their Big East showdown Nov. 2 in Louisville.

Three Southeastern Conference teams followed Louisville. Auburn was No. 7, Tennessee was No. 8 and Florida No. 9.

The Volunteers got a scare from rival Alabama, scoring the go-ahead TD with 3:28 remaining to win 16-13.

Clemson, coming off a 31-7 rout of Georgia Tech, moved up two spots to No. 10. The Tigers are in the top 10 for the first time since October 2000.

No. 11 Notre Dame needed a late touchdown pass from Brady Quinn to Jeff Samardzija with 27 seconds left to beat UCLA 20-17.

No. 12 California allowed Washington to tie the game with a 40-yard desperation pass into the end zone as time expired in regulation, but the Golden Bears won 24-17 in overtime.

Two more SEC teams, No. 13 Arkansas and No. 14 LSU, followed Cal and were just ahead of the two other undefeated teams.

No. 15 was Boise State (8-0) and No. 16 was Rutgers (7-0). For the Scarlet Knights, it's their highest ranking since a No. 15 finish in the final 1961 poll.

Wisconsin was No. 17, followed by Boston College, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Georgia Tech dropped eight spots to No. 21. Texas A&M, Missouri, Wake Forest and Oregon, which fell nine spots to 25 after losing 34-23 at Washington State, complete the Top 25.

There were no new teams in the poll this week.

Dating to the final regular-season AP poll of 2003, there have been only three No. 1 teams. USC was No. 1 for a record 33 consecutive polls before Texas beat the Trojans in the Rose Bowl to finish No. 1 last season. Ohio State began this season top-ranked.


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