LSU remains in the doldrums of the Associated Press poll following its second bye week, languishing at No. 18 for the second consecutive week. The Tigers received votes ranging from No. 11 to No. 25, including lower-than-average votes from the AP Poll’s two Louisiana voters. Glenn Guilbeau, an LSU beat writer for Gannett News Services ranked the Tigers No. 19, and Scott Rabalais of The Advocate voted the Tigers at No. 21.
As has been the case for several weeks, voters in California continue to spurn undefeated teams from the Big Ten and Big 12. The same voters who kept a one-loss Stanford team ranked ahead of undefeated teams one week ago shunned the darlings of the Big Ten and Big 12 again, with Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury voting one-loss Oregon ahead of undefeated No. 3 Baylor and No. 4 Ohio State.
No. 1 Alabama received 55 first-place votes with five second-place votes. All five voters who ranked the Crimson Tide second awarded No. 2 Florida State top honors.
Alabama has not earned less than 52 first-place votes yet this season and has held down the nation’s top spot in every 2013 AP Poll this season, including the AP’s Preseason Top-25. The Crimson Tide has two games remaining, hosting FCS opponent Chattanooga this week before traveling to No. 7 Auburn the following week for a showdown that could decide the Southeastern Conference’s West Division champion.
Six undefeated FBS teams remain, including Alabama, Florida State, Baylor, Ohio State, No. 15 Fresno State and No. 20 Northern Illinois.