ASU coach Todd Graham directs his defense in a game against USC in Los Angeles on Oct. 4. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)While ASU football was on a bye, more chaos ensued throughout college football. Staying out of it might have been best for the Sun Devils, who moved up to No. 18 in the USA Today Amway Coaches Poll and No. 17 in the AP poll.
This sets up a showdown between two top 25 teams in Tempe on Saturday, when the Stanford Cardinal come to town. Stanford, after a close road loss to Notre Dame, nearly fell out of the polls last week but moved up this week, thanks to a 34-17 win over Washington State.
There are three more opponents on ASU's schedule ranked in both the AP and coaches polls. Notre Dame, which ASU plays Nov. 8, is ranked fifth in both the AP and coaches. UA, the final opponent on ASU's schedule, lost to USC and dropped from No. 10 in the AP to No. 16and from No. 13 in the coaches to No. 17. Finally, Stanford, which ASU faces this week, moved up to No. 23 in the AP and No. 20 in the coaches.
USC and UCLA, whom the Sun Devils have already played, are both on the edge of the top 25. In the coaches poll, USC is the last one in, at No. 25, and UCLA is the last one out, receiving 117 votes. USC reentered the AP poll at No. 22, while UCLA fell out of that one, too.
The Sun Devils miss Oregon in the conference schedule this year, but the Ducks give the Pac-12 its fifth team in the rankings. Oregon, after dominating UCLA on the road, moved up from 12th in the AP and 11th in the coaches to ninth in both polls this week.
Utah, after jumping into the AP poll at No. 24 last week, entered the coaches top 25 this week. The Utes are No. 23 in the coaches and No. 20 in the AP. Washington has received votes every week of the season, but still has yet to enter the top 25, even after a 31-7 win at Cal. The Huskies received the 30th most votes, 70, while Oregon State picked up 10 votes, too, in the coaches poll.
Outside of the Pac-12, there's a new No. 1 in each poll. Florida State had held the top spot in both polls, despite an unimpressive undefeated record, but Mississippi State overtook the Seminoles this week after a win over No. 2 Auburn.
AP top 10:
1. Mississippi State (45 first-place votes)
2. Florida State (12)
3. Ole Miss (three)
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Michigan State
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
Coaches top 10:
1. Mississippi State (26 first-place votes)
2. Florida State (31)
3. Ole Miss (five)
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan State
7. Alabama
8. Auburn
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
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