Stakes heightened, playoff paths sharpened and AP Top 25 ballots became even tougher to perfect as the dust settled on Week 3 of college football.
No. 6 Georgia outlasted No. 15 Tennessee in a 44-41 overtime thriller on Saturday. The Volunteers controlled long stretches of the game before Georgia rallied late, dodged a missed field goal by Tennessee as time expired in regulation and sealed the deal on a 1-yard TD run in OT by Josh McCray, handing a talented Tennessee team its first loss of the season.
Unranked Georgia Tech outplayed No. 12 Clemson for the bulk of the game and won 24-21 on a buzzer-beating 55-yard field goal. Clemson (1-2) is is at risk of suffering a fate similar to Florida, which fell out of the Top 25 last week after losing to South Florida.
No. 2 Penn State, No. 5 Miami, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 21 Texas Tech, No. 22 Indiana, No. 23 Michigan and No. 25 Missouri moved past opponents with ease and will be safe in this week's poll.
Look for them to move up
After falling just short of the Top 25 last week, Georgia Tech should enter the rankings after beating Clemson.
Crimson Tide fans can begin to forget about a nightmare Week 1 loss to Florida State after Alabama's second straight convincing win. The 19th-ranked Crimson Tide beat Wisconsin 38-14, making a strong case for a higher ranking.
Look for them to drop
While Georgia Tech is poised to move up, Clemson’s future isn’t as bright. The Tigers are at risk of falling out of the poll.
Knocking on the door
Mississippi State earned 52 votes last week after beating Arizona State 24-20. The Bulldogs bolstered their campaign for a Top 25 ranking this week with a 63-0 blowout of Alcorn State that moved them to 3-0.
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