AP Poll: Texas Jumps to 4, Alabama Tumbles to 10

**Texas Surges to No. 4 in AP Poll After Stunning Upset of Alabama; Crimson Tide Tumble**

NEW YORK (AP) — The college football landscape saw a dramatic reshuffling in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, released Sunday, September 10th, following a Week 2 slate highlighted by a monumental upset in Tuscaloosa. The Texas Longhorns surged seven spots to No. 4 nationally after a dominant 34-24 victory over No. 3 Alabama, sending the Crimson Tide tumbling to No. 10.

Texas’s win at Bryant-Denny Stadium marked a significant moment for the program, not only being their first victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa but also the first time Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide had lost a regular-season non-conference home game in his tenure. The Longhorns’ impressive performance has immediately thrust them into the national championship conversation, climbing from their previous No. 11 ranking.

Despite the seismic shift in the top five, the top three spots remained unchanged. Two-time defending national champion Georgia held firm at No. 1, followed by Michigan at No. 2, and Florida State, fresh off its Week 1 win over LSU, securing the No. 3 position.

Rounding out the remainder of the top 10 were USC at No. 5, Ohio State at No. 6, Penn State at No. 7, and Washington moving up to No. 8. Notre Dame slipped two spots to No. 9, despite a 45-24 victory over NC State. Voters appeared less impressed with the Fighting Irish’s performance, particularly a shaky first half against the Wolfpack.

Other teams experiencing upward mobility included Tennessee, which climbed to No. 11, and Utah, who advanced to No. 12 after a gritty 20-13 road win over Baylor.

On the downside, LSU continued to feel the impact of their Week 1 loss to Florida State, falling further to No. 14. That opening weekend 45-24 defeat proved costly for the Tigers in early season perception.

Perhaps the most significant departure from the poll was Clemson, which completely fell out of the Top 25. The Tigers, who started the season at No. 9, have struggled, including a Week 1 loss to Duke, and voters decided their early season form didn’t warrant a ranking.

In other notable mentions, Vanderbilt, which had garnered some early season attention with a 2-0 start, saw its unbeaten run end with a 36-20 loss to Wake Forest and remained unranked.

The volatility of Week 2 has set an intriguing tone for the rest of the college football season, with several traditional powerhouses facing early questions and new contenders emerging in the championship race.