LSU’s manhandling of Texas A&M was enough to boot the Aggies from both major top 25s, but not help its own poll positioning heading into October.
The Tigers (3-1, 1-1) slotted at No. 11 in Sunday’s latest editions of both the AP and Coaches polls, actually losing a spot in the former and holding steady in the latter, after their 35-6 victory in the pivotal early-season matchup.
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AP voters weren’t ready to return coach Lane Kiffin and company ahead of his former program after Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1) edged LSU in Oxford, Miss., just a week earlier.
The Coaches list dropped the Rebels further after their own first loss this week, allowing the Tigers to hold steady despite the surge of another locally relevant SEC program.
Florida (4-0, 2-0), in former Tulane coach Jon Sumrall’s first season, headlined this week’s major rankings changes with its double-digit leaps to No. 8 on both lists after dismantling Ole Miss, 52-28, in the Swamp on Saturday.
Mississippi State (4-0, 2-0) joined the Gators among the nation’s biggest risers at No. 16 this week, up eight spots in the AP and debuting in the Coaches.
No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0) and No. 2 Georgia (4-0, 2-0) continues to lead strong SEC contingents in each set of rankings.
Four of the Coaches’ top eight, six of the top 12 and nine of the top 25 hail from the conference, which now has an even stronger positioning in the AP with five of the top 10, six of the top 11 and 10 of the top 25.
Kentucky (3-1, 1-1), where former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan now holds the same position, joined the AP list this week at No. 24.
Texas A&M (2-2, 0-2) — with back-to-back tough-to-swallow losses to those Wildcats and now the Tigers — were again one of the most significantly tumblers in a particularly fluid back half of the top 25.
The Aggies have fallen from top-10 team to well outside of the top 25 in a span of 10 days.
LSU remains home this week for a non-conference matchup against in-state McNeese State (2-3) before returning to SEC action against now another back-to-back pair of top-25 opponents at No. 24 Kentucky on Oct. 10 and home against No. 16 Mississippi State on Oct. 17.
AP POLL — WEEK 5 (SEPT. 27)
1. Texas (4-0) — Steady
2. Georgia (4-0) — Steady
3. Notre Dame (4-0) — Steady
4. Miami (4-0) — Up 2
5. Ohio State (3-1) — Up 2
6. Indiana (4-0) — Down 1
7. Alabama (4-0) — Up 1
8. Florida (4-0) — Up 13
9. Ole Miss (3-1) — Down 5
10. BYU (3-0) — Down 1
11. LSU (3-1) — Down 1
12. Texas Tech (4-0) — Down 1
13. Utah (4-0) — Up 2
14. Iowa (4-0) — Up 3
15. Oregon (3-1) — Up 5
16. Mississippi State (4-0) — Up8
17. Tennessee (3-1) — Down 3
18. USC (4-1) — Down 6
19. Oklahoma State (3-1) — Previously unranked
20. Houston (3-1) — Up 5
21. SMU (3-1) — Up 1
22. Boise State (3-1) — Previously unranked
23. UCLA (4-0) — Previously unranked
24. Kentucky (3-1) — Previously unranked
25. Missouri (3-0) — Down 6
COACHES POLL — WEEK 5 (SEPT. 27)
1. Texas (4-0) — Steady
2. Georgia (4-0) — Steady
3. Notre Dame (4-0) — Steady
4. Miami (4-0) — Up 1
5. Indiana (4-0) — Down 1
6. Ohio State (3-1) — Up 1
7. Alabama (4-0) — Up 1
8. Florida (4-0) — Up 14
9. BYU (3-0) — Steady
10. Texas Tech (4-0) — Steady
11. LSU (3-1) — Steady
12. Ole Miss (3-1) — Down 6
13. Utah (4-0) — Up 2
14. Iowa (4-0) — Up 2
15. Oregon (3-1) — Up 1
16. Mississippi State (4-0) — Previously unranked
17. Tennessee (3-1) — Down 4
18. USC (4-1) — Down 6
19. SMU (3-1) — Up 6
20. Houston (3-1) — Previously unranked
21. Duke (4-0) — Previously unranked
22. Penn State (3-1) — Down 8
23. UCLA (4-0) — Previously unranked
24. Michigan (3-1) — Down 6
25. Missouri (3-1) — Down 4
