NC State and Wake Forest swap spots in latest AP poll. UNC remains just outside top 25
Winning only matters so much as the Associated Press Top 25 voting panel shuffled things up and down the rankings on Sunday.
All of the top five teams in last week’s poll won, but some more impressively than others. Wake Forest and N.C. State both won on Saturday but flipped places in the rankings nevertheless.
After blasting Auburn, 42-10, Georgia (6-0) returned to the No. 1 spot, where it was prior to last week when it escaped with a 26-22 win at Missouri.
Last week’s No. 1 team, Alabama (6-0), dropped to No. 3 after it narrowly defeated Texas A&M, 24-20, while playing without starting quarterback Bryce Young.
Ohio State (6-0) moved up to No. 2. Clemson (6-0) jumped past Michigan (6-0) into the No. 4 spot.
Wake Forest (5-1) moved up a spot to No. 14, switching places with the now-No. 15 Wolfpack (5-1).
Both Wake (5-1) and N.C. State have dispatched Florida State the last two weeks, stunting the Seminoles’ attempt to rise back up in the Atlantic Division standings. Both Wake and N.C. State have only lost to Clemson.
A fourth ACC Atlantic Division team, Syracuse (5-0), moved up four spots to No. 18.
James Madison (5-0) entered the poll at No. 25, joining another poll newcomer this season in No. 23 Illinois (5-1).
North Carolina (5-1) had the most poll points of any team not to crack the top 25 this week.
Latest AP Top 25 rankings
Rk. | Team |
1 | Georgia |
2 | Ohio State |
3 | Alabama |
4 | Clemson |
5 | Michigan |
6 | Tennessee |
7 | USC |
8 | Oklahoma State |
9 | Mississippi |
10 | Penn State |
11 | UCLA |
12 | Oregon |
13 | TCU |
14 | Wake Forest |
15 | N.C. State |
16 | Mississippi State |
17 | Kansas State |
18 | Syracuse |
19 | Kansas |
20 | Utah |
21 | Cincinnati |
22 | Texas |
22 | Kentucky |
24 | Illinois |
25 | James Madison |
Steve Wiseman’s latest AP poll ballot
| 1 | Georgia |
| 2 | Alabama |
| 3 | Ohio State |
| 4 | Clemson |
| 5 | Michigan |
| 6 | USC |
| 7 | Oklahoma State |
| 8 | Penn State |
| 9 | Mississippi |
| 10 | Tennessee |
| 11 | N.C. State |
| 12 | Wake Forest |
| 13 | Oregon |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Kansas State |
| 16 | TCU |
| 17 | Mississippi State |
| 18 | Utah |
| 19 | Kansas |
| 20 | Cincinnati |
| 21 | BYU |
| 22 | James Madison |
| 23 | Syracuse |
| 24 | Tulane |
| 25 | Coastal Carolina |
This story was originally published October 9, 2022 at 11:35 AM with the headline "NC State and Wake Forest swap spots in latest AP poll. UNC remains just outside top 25."