AP Top 25: UW Huskies finally convince voters they’re CFP material
Nov 19, 2023, 11:24 AM | Updated: Nov 20, 2023, 11:46 am
UW Huskies WR Rome Odunze celebrates his touchdown catch with QB Michael Penix Jr. on Nov. 18, 2023. (Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
(Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
The undefeated UW Huskies have finally convinced the voters for the weekly Associated Press college football poll that they are College Football Playoff material.
Now we’ll see if the CFP rankings follow suit.
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Washington moved to No. 4 in the latest top 25 reveal by the AP on Sunday morning, boosted by a 22-20 Saturday night win over then-No. 10 Oregon State in rainy conditions at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.
Even though the jump by the Dawgs is just one spot – UW had been No. 5 ever since its Oct. 14 win over Oregon – it’s as big as a one-spot jump can get. At least in the eyes of the AP voters, it means the 11-0 Huskies are worthy of playing in the four-team, season-ending CFP, which will determine the national champion for the 2023 season.
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What the CFP rankings say is what really matters, though. The new rankings will be released at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
In Sunday’s AP poll, Washington moved ahead of Florida State, which now has the distinction of being the only of college football’s five unbeaten teams to not be in the top four. The Huskies received 1,367 points in the voting, up from 1,322 the week before. The Seminoles received 1,324 points, down from 1,366 last week. FSU blew out North Alabama 58-13 on Saturday.
With Saturday’s win at Oregon State, the Huskies not only clinched a spot in the Pac-12 Championship in Las Vegas on Dec. 1, but they picked up their fourth victory over a ranked opponent, including three straight. The first of those ranked opponents that Washington defeated, Oregon, remains No. 6 in the AP poll after rolling to a 49-13 win Saturday over Arizona State.
See this week’s AP college football poll
Did the AP voters get it right? Someone who thinks so is Brock Huard, a former Washington quarterback who is now a FOX college football analyst and co-host of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. He hopes the CFP rankings reflect the same later this week, as after Saturday’s win over the Beavers, he tweeted: “(Washington) should be third or fourth in the CFB rankings come Tuesday. Just like it’s hard to hold a candle In the cold November rain, this committee can’t hold onto preconceived notions any longer.”
Oregon is the favorite to meet the UW Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship. The Ducks can clinch their spot with a win over Oregon State next Friday.
Arizona, the only other team still in Pac-12 title contention, is No. 16 in the new AP rankings following a 42-18 win over Utah, which dropped from No. 22 to out of the top 25.
More: Undefeated UW Huskies clinch spot in Pac-12 Championship
Oregon State fell six spots to No. 16.
Ahead of Washington, Georgia is still No. 1, while Ohio State jumped rival Michigan to overtake the No. 2 spot ahead of their annual rivalry clash. That meeting between the Buckeyes and Wolverines be a big game for the CFP picture, as it means one of those teams won’t make it out undefeated, leaving a maximum of four unbeaten squads in the country.
The UW Huskies now prepare for the Apple Cup against the rival WSU Cougars (5-6) at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 at Seattle’s Husky Stadium. Radio coverage will be carried on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app beginning at 11 a.m. with the pregame show.
More on the UW Huskies and Pac-12
• WSU, OSU working to keep Pac-12 open, align with Mountain West
• How can UW Huskies keep coach Kalen DeBoer as jobs open up?
• Why aren’t No. 5 UW Huskies in the top four of CFP rankings?
