Week 10 AP Poll: What’s right and wrong

No. 1 Clemson Tigers remain undefeated at 7-0 overall even without junior quarterback Trevor Lawrence

HSING-HAN CHEN | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

The newest AP Poll features two Pac-12 teams in the top-25 and four others receiving votes.

KURIA POUNDS, Evergreen reporter

The AP Poll released its rankings for week 10 of the college football season after a weird, yet interesting Halloween weekend of college football.

No. 1 Clemson really struggled against Boston College without junior quarterback Trevor Lawrence because of a positive COVID-19 test, which according to ACC protocols, forces him into quarantine for 10 days. Lawrence will also miss the Tigers upcoming matchup with No. 4 Notre Dame as a result.

The Big 12 has no more undefeated teams and their chances at the CFP have gone up in smoke with No. 14 Oklahoma State losing at home against No. 22 Texas and Kansas State getting beat down on the road against West Virginia.

The top contenders for the SEC and Big Ten looked consistent this weekend, without any major questions or upsets except for No. 23 Michigan.

All that being said, here is what is right and what is wrong with this week’s rankings from the AP Poll.

What is right with the poll:

Michigan dropped 10 spots after losing to Michigan State at home in embarrassing fashion on Halloween. The Wolverines were a 20-point favorite heading into this game, expecting to beat their in-state rival at home, but the complete opposite happened. Michigan State kept this game competitive throughout the first three quarters and then ran away with it in the fourth.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh is now 1-6 against Ohio State and Michigan State at home, as he is definitely on the chopping block after this pathetic performance.

No. 16 Marshall and No. 15 Coastal Carolina keep proving the doubters wrong by climbing more spots. The Herd did not get to play this past weekend against Florida International because of FIU’s shortage of scholarship student-athletes due to positive COVID-19 tests and injuries.

The Chanticleers shut out Georgia State 51-0 on the road on Halloween, proving that the Sun Belt Conference is not to be messed with. Either Marshall or Coastal Carolina could end up making it to a New Year’s Six bowl games if they keep this up.

What is wrong with the poll:

Flip No. 2 Alabama and Clemson immediately. The Crimson Tide shut out Mississippi State 41-0 at home on Halloween and the defense only allowed 200 total yards from Mike Leach’s offense. Alabama looks like a heavy favorite to overtake Clemson this year.

Speaking of Clemson, they should fall a spot after a “trap game” against Boston College fortunately went in their direction. The Tigers didn’t have Lawrence, and the lack of leadership showed. If Clemson wants to keep their spot at the top, they MUST beat Notre Dame.

No. 14 Indiana should not go up four spots after a close game against Rutgers on the road. The Hoosiers haven’t played a ranked team yet, and they haven’t earned my respect as a top 14 team in the country after two shaky games. If they want my respect, they must beat Michigan.

Why are three teams with two losses from the Big 12 somehow in the top 25? I understand why Texas is in the top 25, but No. 17 Iowa State moving up six spots, and No. 19 Oklahoma moving up five spots does not make much sense.

Iowa State played Kansas — arguably the worst football team in the conference — and beat them by 30. Still, Kansas is not a contender in any means, so it should be expected they win big.

Oklahoma routed Texas Tech by 32, who is also arguably the second-worst football team in the conference, but still, an underperforming Spencer Rattler and his Sooners do not deserve to be where they are.

No. 24 Auburn is shaky as well, and I don’t think they deserve to come back in the top 25 just yet. The Tigers need one more solid win like the one on Halloween against LSU to get my trust back in this team.

Notable matchups for this week:

No. 11 Miami plays North Carolina State at 4:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN

No. 9 Brigham Young University faces No. 21 Boise State at 6:45 p.m. Friday on Fox Sports 1

No. 13 Indiana hosts No. 23 Michigan at 9 a.m. Saturday on Fox Sports 1

No. 20 University of Southern California plays Arizona State at 9 a.m. Saturday on FOX

No. 22 Texas faces West Virginia at 9 a.m. Saturday on ABC

No. 25 Liberty plays Virginia Tech at 9 a.m. Saturday on the ACC Sports Network

No. 8 Florida plays No. 5 Georgia at 12:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS

No. 14 Oklahoma State faces Kansas State at 1 p.m. Saturday on FOX

No. 4 Notre Dame hosts No. 1 Clemson at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on NBC