AP Top 25 Reality Check: Fallout from rare Alabama loss - messenger-inquirer

Alabama loses truthful infrequently it seems to displacement the signifier of the play erstwhile it happens.

The Crimson Tide took an L connected Saturday astatine Tennessee that pushed the Volunteers to No. 3 successful the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank. The Vols received 15 first-place votes, the astir they person gotten since 1999.

After falling connected a tract extremity arsenic clip expired, the Crimson Tide slipped 3 spots to No. 6, snapping a streak of 40 consecutive polls successful the apical five. Alabama is the highest ranked squad that has lost.

The Tide has won a mates of games decided successful the last seconds this play earlier letting 1 get distant truthful it's understandable immoderate AP voters — and fans — are seeing a inclination that could pb to much losses.

But Alabama has lone mislaid aggregate regular-season games (excluding league championships) successful a play doubly (2010 and 2019) since 2008.

Maybe adjacent much awesome is conscionable however hard it has been to enactment the Tide distant successful the regular season. In 13 regular-season losses implicit that span, the mean borderline has been 5.4 points.

There person been 2 double-digit losses, nary by much than 14, and 3 connected walk-off tract goals, including the past two.

Reality Check cautions against making immoderate expansive proclamations astir the Alabama dynasty's semipermanent wellness and is good with the Tide's abbreviated fall.

No. 1 Georgia (7-0)

Next: vs. Florida, Oct. 29 successful Jacksonville, Florida.

Reality check: Been a quiescent mates of weeks for TE Brock Bowers (six catches for 51 yards). Expect that to alteration arsenic the games get much challenging down the stretch.

Ranked: Just right.

No. 2 Ohio State (6-0)

Next: vs. Iowa, Saturday.

Reality check: C.J. Stroud has relinquished Heisman front-runner presumption (for immoderate that's worthy successful October) to Tennessee's Hendon Hooker, but plentifulness of clip and bigger challenges are near for the Buckeyes' quarterback.

Ranked: Too high.

No. 3 Tennessee (6-0)

Next: vs. Tennessee-Martin, Saturday.

Reality check: The Vols' violative style, up-tempo and tons of explosive plays, puts other unit connected its defense. It's vulnerable, but holds up good against the tally (2.93 yards per transportation against) and won't look galore much opponents built to exploit the weaknesses.

Ranked: Should beryllium 2.

No. 4 Michigan (7-0)

Next: vs. Michigan State, Oct. 29.

Reality check: Wolverines violative enactment is gunning for a 2nd consecutive Joe Moore Award, led by Virginia transportation C Olu Oluwatimi.

Ranked: Good lawsuit for the Wolverines to beryllium up of the Buckeyes.

No. 5 Clemson (7-0)

Next: vs. No. 14 Syracuse, Saturday.

Reality check: Tigers person yet to get the moving crippled cranking, but RB Will Shipley had his champion crippled (120 yards connected 20 carries) this play against a Power Five hostile vs. Florida State.

Ranked: Just right.

No. 6 Alabama (6-1)

Next: vs. No. 24 Mississippi State, Saturday.

Reality check: Penalties (9.4 per game, 129th successful the nation) and turnovers (minus-5 margin) hurt. The Tide has been sloppy but has besides outgained its hostile successful each game.

Ranked: Just right.

No. 7 Mississippi (7-0)

Next: astatine LSU, Saturday.

Reality check: Can the Rebels' spectacular and versatile moving crippled — 3 100-yard rushers against Auburn — support them unbeaten until Alabama comes to Oxford connected Nov. 12?

Ranked: Little high.

No. 8 TCU (6-0)

Next: vs. No. 17 Kansas State, Saturday.

Reality check: Horned Frogs get a 4th consecutive ranked hostile and each crippled has gotten progressively difficult. Can they support up the intensity?

Ranked: Little low.

No. 9 UCLA (6-0)

Next: astatine No. 10 Oregon, Saturday.

Reality check: Duke transportation WR Jake Bobo (five touchdowns and 16 yards per catch) has been 1 of the champion portal additions successful the Pac-12.

Ranked: Feels high, but we'll cognize for definite this week.

No. 10 Oregon (5-1)

Next: vs. No. 9 UCLA, Saturday.

Reality check: Since allowing 9.2 yards per play to Georgia, the Ducks person held their adjacent 5 opponents beneath 6.0. That's a agelong mode from dominant, but solid.

Ranked: About right.

No. 11 Oklahoma State (5-1)

Next: vs. No. 20 Texas, Saturday.

Reality check: QB Spencer Sanders got disconnected to a promising commencement this season, but has completed less than fractional his passes successful the past 2 games.

Ranked: Too high.

No. 12 Southern California (6-1)

Next: astatine Arizona, Oct. 29.

Reality check: Without sacks and turnovers, the Trojans' walk defence had nary solutions against Utah. And present USC has to interest astir the wellness of WR Jordan Addison (lower body).

Ranked: About right.

No. 13 Wake Forest (5-1)

Next: vs. Boston College, Saturday.

Reality check: A so-so touchdown conversion complaint successful the reddish portion (64%) needs to amended erstwhile the Deacs get into a pugnacious November schedule.

Ranked: This is fine.

No. 14 Syracuse (6-0)

Next: astatine No. 5 Clemson, Saturday.

Reality check: Oronde Gadsen II mightiness beryllium the astir invaluable receiver successful the state to his team. Son of the erstwhile NFL receiver has much than doubly arsenic galore receiving yards (507) arsenic adjacent champion for Syracuse.

Ranked: Little high.

No. 15 Utah (5-2)

Next: astatine Washington State, Oct. 27.

Reality check: Massive games by QB Cam Rising and TE Dalton Kincaid against USC gave the defending Pac-12 champion Utes power of their way to a 4th league rubric quality successful the past 5 years.

Ranked: Little low.

No. 16 Penn State (5-1)

Next: vs. Minnesota, Saturday.

Reality check: Nittany Lions got manhandled by Michigan successful a mode that makes fans question the absorption of the program. Not needfully fair, but aft 2 consecutive lackluster seasons patience is thin.

Ranked: Little high.

No. 17 Kansas State (5-1)

Next: astatine No. 8 TCU, Saturday.

Reality check: DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah is tied for the nationalist pb successful sacks per crippled (1.08), but is inactive underrated nationally portion being 1 of the apical players successful the Big 12.

Ranked: About right.

No. 18 Illinois (6-1)

Next: vs. Nebraska, Oct. 29.

Reality check: Two teams person allowed lone 5 touchdowns successful 7 games: Georgia and Illinois. The Illini defence has been a force.

Ranked: Little low.

No. 19 Kentucky (5-2)

Next: astatine No. 3 Tennessee, Oct. 29.

Reality check: Having some QB Will Levis and RB Chris Rodriguez successful the lineup and steadfast led to the Wildcats' champion violative crippled of the play against Mississippi State.

Ranked: Hard to archer if Wildcats are over-ranked oregon under.

No. 20 Texas (5-2)

Next: astatine No. 11 Oklahoma State, Saturday.

Reality check: QB Quinn Ewers has 7 touchdown passes and 1 interception successful 2 games since returning from a enarthrosis injury.

Ranked: Little low.

No. 21 Cincinnati (5-1)

Next: astatine SMU, Saturday.

Reality check: Best linebacker successful the country? Maybe Ivan Pace Jr., who leads the federation successful tackles for nonaccomplishment astatine 2.25 per game.

Ranked: Just right.

No. 22 North Carolina (6-1)

Next: vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 29.

Reality check: QB Drake Maye is tied for the nationalist pb with 24 touchdown passes and mightiness beryllium the champion backmost successful the ACC arsenic a first-year starter.

Ranked: Just right.

No. 23 North Carolina State (5-2)

Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Oct. 27.

Reality check: QB Devin Leary volition miss the remainder of the play aft enarthrosis surgery. The Wolfpack's discourtesy was inconsistent with him and was successful truly atrocious signifier without him astatine Syracuse.

Ranked: Without Leary, this is excessively high.

No. 24 Mississippi State (5-2)

Next: astatine No. 6 Alabama, Saturday.

Reality check: Bulldogs person flashed the signifier of a top-15 team, but can't prolong it.

Ranked: This is fine.

No. 25 Tulane (6-1)

Next: vs. Memphis, Saturday

Reality check: A stingy defence ranked 11th successful the state successful yards per play (4.68) has the Green Wave ranked for the archetypal clip successful 24 years.

Ranked: Sure, welcome.