AP still has Oregon No. 2 – but Ducks slip to 4th in BCS

Alabama has run its streak of weeks at No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll to eight, the longest stay atop the rankings by the Crimson Tide.

Alabama received 59 of 60 first-place votes from the media panel in the poll released Sunday. The Tide has twice previously been No. 1 for seven consecutive weeks — in 1979 when Bear Bryant coached ‘Bama to a national title and in 1980 when the Tide finished sixth.

Oregon, which defeated Arizona State 43-21 Thursday night, is No. 2 for the fifth consecutive week, though the gap between the Ducks and No. 3 Florida, which received the other first-place vote, narrowed after the Gators beat South Carolina 44-11 on Saturday .

Alabama had gone three straight weeks as unanimous No. 1.

The rest of the top six was also unchanged after No. 4 Kansas State, No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 6 LSU all won. But Oregon State moved up a spot, to No. 7, after Saturday’s 21-7 home win over Utah.

South Carolina dropped from ninth to No. 17.

Only in the BCS standings does Oregon get passed. Kansas State moved ahead of the Ducks and up to No. 3 on Sunday behind SEC rivals Alabama and Florida.

The Wildcats’ big victory Saturday at West Virginia was enough to nudge them past the Ducks, who are No. 2 in both polls but are getting held back by computer ratings that lag behind the other highly ranked teams.

The Crimson Tide (.9625) is still solidly in first, and Florida (.9310) grabbed a firmer grip on second with a 44-11 victory over South Carolina on Saturday.

The Gators are tops in the computer ratings and Kansas State is second. The Wildcats (.9111) beat West Virginia 55-14 for their third Big 12 road victory.

Fourth-place Oregon (.8966), coming off a 43-21 win at Arizona State, is sixth in the computer ratings.

Notre Dame is fifth in the standings heading into its game at Oklahoma. The Sooners are eighth. LSU is sixth and unbeaten Oregon State is seventh.

The Ducks aren’t likely to gain any ground this week unless the teams in front of them lose. Oregon plays Colorado (1-6) at home, while the rest of the teams ahead of the Ducks play ranked opponents.

Oregon should be able to start making up ground Nov. 3. The Ducks play USC that day, then go to Cal. They finish with Stanford at home and Oregon State in Corvallis. Oregon would also have to play in the Pac-12 championship game if it gets that far.