AP Top 25: Alabama on top again; Notre Dame up to No. 2

Associated PressNov 8, 2020, 3:35 PM EST

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time this year, extending its record of consecutive seasons with at least one week on top of the rankings to 13.

Notre Dame moved up two spots to No. 2 on Sunday after upsetting Clemson in a dramatic double-overtime game Saturday night. Ohio State remained No. 3. Clemson gave up the top spot for the first time this season and landed at No. 4.

The Crimson Tide, who had an open date, received 59 of 62 first-place votes. Notre Dame, which has its best ranking since it was No. 1 at the end of the 2012 regular season, received two first-place votes. Ohio State got one.

Texas A&M moved up two spots to No. 5, the Aggies’ best ranking since they finished fifth to end the 2012 season.

Florida jumped two spots to No. 6 after beating Georgia to snap a three-game losing streak against its SEC East rival. The Bulldogs fell eight spots to a season-low 13th.

No. 8 BYU, No. 9 Miami and No. 10 Indiana round out the top 10.

The Hoosiers moved up three spots after beating Michigan to receive their best ranking since they were No. 10 in 1969.

POLL POINTS

It’s no surprise when Alabama reaches No. 1, but it’s always historic.

The Crimson Tide’s streak of seasons with at least one appearance at No. 1 started in Nick Saban‘s second year as coach in Tuscaloosa. The Tide reached the top of the poll for the first time under Saban on Nov. 2, 2008, the day after beating Arkansas State.

No. 1 Texas lost that week at Texas Tech – Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree in the final seconds as the Red Raiders shocked the Longhorns – to open the door for Alabama to ascend.

The second-longest streak of consecutive years appearing at No. 1 in AP poll history belongs to Miami, which went seven seasons from 1986-92.

This No. 1 appearance is the 92nd under Saban and Alabama’s record 123rd overall. Take away Alabama’s other No. 1 appearances and just Saban’s appearances at No. 1 would rank as the fourth-most in college history behind Ohio State’s (105), Oklahoma’s (101) and Notre Dame’s (98). That’s also one more than Southern California (91) has ever had.

– No. 23 Northwestern is ranked for the first time since the Wildcats finished the 2018 season at No. 21.

– No. 25 Louisiana-Lafayette returns to the rankings after cracking them earlier this season for the first time in almost 80 years.

OUT

– Boise State dropped out after getting run over by BYU on Friday night.

– Michigan is out for the first time this season after falling to 1-2. The Wolverines were last unranked while eligible for the poll at the end of 2017. Earlier this season, Big Ten teams were ineligible for the AP Top 25 because the conference was not planning to play a fall schedule.

CONFERENCE CALL

SEC – 5 (Nos. 1, 5, 6, 13, 24).

Big Ten – 4 (Nos. 3, 10, 12, 23).

Big 12 – 4 (Nos. 14, 17, 18, 21).

ACC – 3 (No. 2, 4, 9).

American – 2 (Nos. 7, 19).

Pac-12 – 2 (Nos. 11, 20).

Sun Belt – 2 (Nos. 15, 25).

C-USA – 1 (No. 16).

Independents – 2 (Nos. 8, 22).

RANKED vs. RANKED

After four Top-25 matchups this past weekend, there is none next week.

Blame LSU. The defending national champions have stumbled to 2-3, meaning for the first time since 2001, the Tigers will face Alabama as an unranked team.

Vick, Fitzgerald and Suggs among stars on College Football Hall of Fame ballot for 1st time

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 9:04 PM EDT

RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Vick, Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Suggs are among the college football stars who will be considered for induction to the Hall of Fame for the first time this year.

The National Football Foundation released Monday a list of 78 players and nine coaches from major college football who are on the Hall of Fame ballot. There also are 101 players and 32 coaches from lower divisions of college football up for consideration.

Vick, who led Virginia Tech to the BCS championship game against Florida State as a redshirt freshman in 1999, is among the most notable players appearing on the ballot in his first year of eligibility.

Vick finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1999. He played one season of college football before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. Vick’s professional career was interrupted when he served 21 months in prison for his involvement in dog fighting.

Fitzgerald was the Heisman runner-up in 2003 to Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. He scored 34 touchdowns in just two seasons at Pitt.

Suggs led the nation in sacks with 24 in 2002 for Arizona State.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class will be chosen by the National Football Foundation’s Honors Court and announced in January. Induction into the Atlanta-based hall is the following December.

Alabama freshman DB Mitchell says he wasn’t sure he’d get to play again after arrest

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 8:59 PM EDT

Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama defensive back Tony Mitchell said he feared his football career was over after his arrest on a drug charge.

The Crimson Tide freshman said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he knew “something much bigger could have happened.”

A judge in Holmes County, Florida, sentenced Mitchell to three years of probation with a fine and community service on May 24 after Mitchell pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis.

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to play football again, but I continued to work out and stay close with the Lord and those who love me unconditionally,” Mitchell said. “During those times, it helped me to keep my mind off it. But when I was by myself looking at social media, what everybody had to say about it, it just felt like it happened again.

“I didn’t sleep at night.”

He was suspended from the Alabama team following the arrest, but Mitchell’s father, Tony Sr., posted on Facebook last week that the defensive back had been reinstated. An Alabama spokesman declined to comment on Mitchell’s status.

Tony Mitchell Sr. shared his son’s video on Facebook, saying it was filmed during a talk to youth.

“I was doing things I knew I shouldn’t to try to fit in,” the younger Mitchell said, “but not everybody’s your friend.”

Mitchell, who is from Alabaster, Alabama, was a four-star prospect and the 15th-rated safety in the 247Composite rankings.

He had been charged in March with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell after a traffic stop when authorities said he drove over 141 mph (227 kph) while trying to evade deputies in the Florida Panhandle. A deputy had spotted Mitchell’s black Dodge Challenger traveling 78 mph (125 kph) in a 55 mph (88 kph) zone on a rural highway north of Bonifay.

He also received 100 hours of community service and paid a fine of $1,560.

Mitchell and a passenger were both charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, according to a Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. The other man also was charged with carrying a concealed gun without a permit.