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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:38 a.m., Sunday, November 30, 2008

CFB: No. 1 Tide vs. No. 2 Gators for SEC title

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS

AP Top 25

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 29, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

Record Pts Pvs

1. Alabama (62) 12-0 1,620 1

2. Florida (3) 11-1 1,516 2

3. Texas 11-1 1,488 4

4. Oklahoma 11-1 1,480 3

5. Southern Cal 10-1 1,355 5

6. Penn St. 11-1 1,257 6

7. Utah 12-0 1,216 8

8. Texas Tech 11-1 1,197 7

9. Boise St. 12-0 1,103 9

10. Ohio St. 10-2 1,069 10

11. TCU 10-2 885 14

12. Ball St. 12-0 834 15

13. Cincinnati 10-2 824 16

14. Oklahoma St. 9-3 798 11

15. Georgia Tech 9-3 708 18

16. Oregon 9-3 630 19

17. Georgia 9-3 495 13

18. Boston College 9-3 482 20

19. Missouri 9-3 479 12

20. BYU 10-2 385 20

21. Michigan St. 9-3 312 22

22. Mississippi 8-4 280 25

23. Pittsburgh 8-3 241 —

24. Northwestern 9-3 190 24

25. Oregon St. 8-4 122 17

Others receiving votes: Iowa 66, Virginia Tech 47, Tulsa 13, Florida St. 12, California 7, West Virginia 4, Connecticut 3, Nebraska 3, Rice 3, North Carolina 1.

USA Today Top 25 Poll

The Top 25 teams in the USA Today college football coaches poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 29, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

Record Pts Pvs

1. Alabama (58) 12-0 1521 1

2. Oklahoma (2) 11-1 1397 2

3. Texas 11-1 1396 4

4. Florida (1) 11-1 1385 3

5. Southern California 10-1 1298 5

6. Penn State 11-1 1176 6

7. Utah 12-0 1153 7

8. Texas Tech 11-1 1116 8

9. Boise State 12-0 1044 9

10. Ohio State 10-2 999 10

11. TCU 10-2 836 14

12. Cincinnati 10-2 770 16

13. Ball State 12-0 765 15

14. Oregon 9-3 658 18

15. Oklahoma State 9-3 613 12

16. Georgia Tech 9-3 590 23

17. Missouri 9-3 470 11

18. Brigham Young 10-2 461 19

19. Georgia 9-3 440 13

20. Boston College 9-3 435 22

21. Michigan State 9-3 414 21

22. Northwestern 9-3 333 20

23. Pittsburgh 8-3 154 —

24. Oregon State 8-4 127 17

25. Mississippi 8-4 126 —

Others receiving votes: Virginia Tech 41, Iowa 31, Tulsa 21, Florida State 15, Nebraska 11, Kansas 10, Connecticut 5, North Carolina 5, Rice 5, California 4.

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NEW YORK — To earn a national championship, Alabama or Florida will have to win two games matching No. 1 vs. No. 2.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide and second-ranked Gators held their spots in the AP Top 25 Sunday, setting up the 41th game matching the highest ranked teams in the AP Top 25.

Alabama (12-0) and Florida (11-1) will play Saturday at the Georgia Dome in the Southeastern Conference title game. The winner is virtually guaranteed a spot in the BCS national championship game in Miami on Jan. 8.

No. 3 Texas slipped past No. 4 Oklahoma in the latest rankings, a week after the Sooners had jumped over the Longhorns.

The Crimson Tide received 62 first-place votes and 1,620 points from the media panel. The Gators received three first-place votes, up one from last week, and 1,516 points.

Texas had 1,488 points, eight more than Oklahoma.

There was little movement throughout the poll after a weekend when most ranked teams either won and were off.

No. 5 Southern California and No. 6 Penn State held their spots. No. 7 Utah jumped a spot ahead of No. 8 Texas Tech, after the Red Raiders had to rally to beat Baylor 35-28 at home.

No. 9 and unbeaten Boise State and Ohio State round out the top 10.

The 1 vs. 2 matchup in Atlanta will be the fourth in which Alabama has been involved, but the first not played in a bowl game and the first in which the Tide will be No. 1. The Tide are 2-1 in games matching the top two teams in the AP poll.

Florida has also appeared three times in a 1 vs. 2 matchup, going 2-1.

In 1 vs. 2 games, the top-ranked team is 23-15-2.

No. 11 is TCU in the poll, followed by unbeaten Ball State, Big East champion Cincinnati, and Oklahoma State, which slipped three spots after losing 61-41 at home to Oklahoma.

No. 15 is Georgia Tech and No. 16 is Oregon. Both the Yellow Jackets and Ducks had big wins against their in-state rivals on Saturday.

No. 17 Georgia lost to Georgia Tech 45-42.

No. 18 Boston College will play unranked Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday.

No. 19 Missouri dropped seven spots after losing 40-37 to Kansas and will have to wait for the BCS standings to come out later Sunday to find out what team it will play for the Big 12 title in Kansas City, Mo.

Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech finished tied atop the Big 12 South standings and the spot in the conference championship game will go to the highest rated team in the BCS standings. The BCS uses the coaches and Harris polls, along with computer ratings, to rank teams.

No. 20 BYU is followed by Michigan State, Mississippi, Pittsburgh, Northwestern and Oregon State, which dropped eight spots after losing 65-38 to Oregon.

Florida State was the only team to drop out of the rankings.