By: PETE BETZ
It’s Week 8 of the college football season, and we are heading down the final stretch. After a couple of close losses by Oklahoma and Michigan State, the Top 10 has been re-shuffled, though the top two teams are still on course for their de facto national championship.
We’ve gathered a handful of our esteemed Gator Country members and asked them to pick their own Top 25, so we can put together our very own Top 25 poll!
We have had a change in management for the poll, with the surprise retirement of GatorGrowl. I have volunteered to take over the poll tabulation so that those who are interested can continue. With the small hiccup, there were only 7 pollsters taking part, but the show must go on! Here is our Week 8 poll…
Alabama kept the top spot this week, but it is a very slight lead over LSU, while Oklahoma dropped to No. 8 after its loss. As the Luck sweepstakes continue to grind toward its conclusion with the steady performance from the Cardinal, Stanford moved up to third this week.
Boise State and Oklahoma State moved up to the No. 4 and No. 5 spots this week, flipping again. Clemson and Oregon also bubbled up one step to No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.
Arkansas gained one spot, and Michigan State moved into No. 10 from No. 15 after a thrilling last-second tip drill in the end zone against Wisconsin to round out the Top 10.
South Carolina dropped all the way to No. 18 after a dull escape against Mississippi State, giving the SEC three teams in this week’s GC Top 25. Georgia was the only other ranked SEC team, at No. 20 after a close win against surprising Vanderbilt.
The Gators were not ranked for the third consecutive week.
Here is the complete Gator Country Top 25 for Week 8:
Gator Country’s Top 25 – Week 8 | ||||
RK | Team (1st place votes) | PTS | REC | PR |
1 | Alabama Crimson Tide (4) | 172 | 8-0 | 1 |
2 | LSU Tigers (3) | 170 | 8-0 | 3 |
3 | Stanford Cardinal | 151 | 7-0 | 5 |
4 | Boise State Broncos | 140 | 7-0 | 7 |
5 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 138 | 7-0 | 6 |
6 | Clemson Tigers | 135 | 8-0 | 8 |
7 | Oregon Ducks | 125 | 6-1 | 9 |
8 | Oklahoma Sooners | 119 | 6-1 | 2 |
9 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 113 | 6-1 | 10 |
10 | Michigan State Spartans | 111 | 6-1 | 15 |
11 | Wisconsin Badgers | 102 | 6-1 | 4 |
12 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 93 | 7-1 | 16 |
13 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 92 | 6-1 | 11 |
14 | Kansas State Wildcats | 85 | 7-0 | 14 |
15 | Texas A&M Aggies | 60 | 5-2 | 18 |
16 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 56 | 7-1 | 23 |
17 | Michigan Wolverines | 50 | 6-1 | 17 |
18 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 49 | 6-1 | 22 |
19 | Houston Cougars | 40 | 7-0 | 21 |
20 | Georgia Bulldogs | 36 | 5-2 | NR |
21 | West Virginia Mountaineers | 32 | 5-2 | 13 |
22 | Arizona State Sun Devils | 29 | 5-2 | 22 |
22 | Texas Longhorns | 29 | 4-2 | 25 |
24 | USC Trojans | 25 | 6-1 | NR |
25 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 17 | 5-2 | NR |
Also receiving votes: South Florida (15), Florida State (12), Auburn (10), Missouri (10), Notre Dame (9), Iowa (7), TCU (7), Baylor (6), Illinois (5), Southern Miss (4), Toledo (4), Washington State (4), Miami (3), Georgia Tech (3), Cincinnati (2), SMU (2), Washington (2) | ||||
Dropped from rankings: Georgia Tech, Illinois, Auburn |