Clemson holds spot in AP Top 25 ahead of playoff decision
Alabama heads into the postseason with a chance to become the third wire-to-wire champion in the history of The Associated Press college football poll.
The Crimson Tide was No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 of the regular season Sunday, just as it has been since the preseason. Ohio State is No. 2, Clemson is No. 3 and Washington is No. 4.
Clemson (12-1, 7-1) topped Virginia Tech (9-4, 6-2) 42-35 Saturday night in the ACC Championship game to clinch its second consecutive ACC title. The Tigers are widely expected to receive a second consecutive College Football Playoff berth. The pairings were to be released later Sunday.
In Sunday’s AP poll, Penn State was fifth, followed by Michigan, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
The Crimson Tide enters the postseason looking to win back-to-back championships and to join Florida State in 1999 and Southern California in 2004 as the only teams to be AP No. 1 from start to finish.
Alabama would be the 12th team to win two straight AP championships.
AP Top 25
Record | Pts | Pv | |
1. Alabama (61) | 13-0 | 1525 | 1 |
2. Ohio St. | 11-1 | 1444 | 2 |
3. Clemson | 12-1 | 1396 | 3 |
4. Washington | 12-1 | 1329 | 4 |
5. Penn St. | 11-2 | 1252 | 8 |
6. Michigan | 10-2 | 1249 | 5 |
7. Oklahoma | 10-2 | 1173 | 7 |
8. Wisconsin | 10-3 | 1054 | 6 |
9. Southern Cal | 9-3 | 1040 | 10 |
10. Florida St. | 9-3 | 889 | 12 |
11. Colorado | 10-3 | 886 | 9 |
12. W. Michigan | 13-0 | 871 | 13 |
13. Oklahoma St. | 9-3 | 800 | 11 |
14. West Virginia | 10-2 | 788 | 14 |
15. Louisville | 9-3 | 542 | 16 |
16. Stanford | 9-3 | 508 | 17 |
17. Auburn | 8-4 | 493 | 18 |
18. Virginia Tech | 9-4 | 372 | 19 |
19. LSU | 7-4 | 351 | 21 |
20. Florida | 8-4 | 331 | 15 |
21. Iowa | 8-4 | 272 | 22 |
22. Pittsburgh | 8-4 | 237 | 24 |
23. Temple | 10-3 | 229 | NR |
24. Nebraska | 9-3 | 196 | 23 |
25. South Florida | 10-2 | 173 | 24 |
Others receiving votes: Houston 101, Utah 99, Boise St. 95, Washington St. 31, Texas A&M 26, Air Force 20, Navy 15, Tennessee 12, San Diego St. 8, W. Kentucky 7, Miami 6, Georgia Tech 3, Kansas St. 2.
This story was originally published December 4, 2016 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Clemson holds spot in AP Top 25 ahead of playoff decision."