Sunday, September 16, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alabama and LSU are back atop The Associated Press college football poll, holding down Nos. 1 and 2 the way they did most of last season.

The Crimson Tide is No. 1 for the third straight week, and it was almost unanimous. Alabama received 58 of 60 first-place votes. LSU got the other two.

The Southeastern Conference rivals were ranked first and second for eight weeks during last season before eventually meeting in the BCS title game. The difference last year was LSU was first and Alabama second -- until the Tide won the national championship game.

LSU moved up to No. 2 this week after Southern California's first loss of the season. USC slipped 11 spots to 13th after losing 21-14 at Stanford.

Georgia moves into the top five (No. 5) for the first time since the September 21, 2008 poll. The Bulldogs were No. 3 at the time before losing to Alabama.

South Carolina is up to No. 7 this week, and Clemson cracks the top ten at No. 10.

Stanford jumped from 21st to ninth.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press