The SEC doesn’t boast the top team in the country, but it does claim three of the top four and five of the top nine.
While Clemson (2-0) remains the nation’s top team in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll released Sunday, there is a heavy SEC flavor right behind the Tigers.
SEC programs Alabama, Georgia and LSU hold the second, third and fourth spots, respectively. Lurking lower are No. 8 Auburn and No. 9 Florida. All five teams are 2-0.
LSU moved up two spots after posting a 45-38 victory over Texas. The Longhorns (1-1) fell three places to No. 12.
SEC team Texas A&M (1-1) is ranked 16th, down four spots, after losing 24-10 to Clemson on Saturday. But the SEC’s six overall teams in the poll are only second to the Big Ten’s seven.
Clemson received 56 first-place votes. Alabama had the other six.
Oklahoma (2-0) is ranked fifth, followed by Ohio State (2-0) and Notre Dame (1-0). Michigan (2-0), which had to fight off Army for a 24-21 double-overtime win, dropped three spots to 10th.
Utah (2-0) is 11th after moving up two spots due to a 35-17 victory over Northern Illinois. The Utes are one of five Pac-12 teams in the rankings.
Penn State (2-0) is 13th, followed by Wisconsin (2-0) and Oregon (1-1).
Central Florida (2-0) is 17th with Michigan State (2-0), Iowa (2-0) and Washington State (2-0) rounding out the top 20.
Maryland (2-0) moved into the poll at No. 21 after steamrolling former No. 21 Syracuse 63-20. It marks the first time the Terrapins have been ranked since October of 2013.
Boise State (2-0) is No. 22, just ahead of Washington (1-1), which dropped nine spots after losing 20-19 to California.
USC (2-0) defeated Stanford 45-20 to enter the poll at No. 24, and Virginia (2-0) beat William & Mary 52-17 to land the final spot.
Syracuse, Stanford, Iowa State and Nebraska all dropped out of the rankings. Iowa State edged Northern Iowa 29-26 in triple overtime in Week 1 and had a bye in Week 2, while Nebraska lost 34-31 in overtime to Colorado.