Michigan is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time since it won its last national championship in 1997, while Georgia slipped to No. 6 on Sunday after its 29-game winning streak was snapped by Alabama.
Michigan received 51 first-place votes. No. 2 Washington had 11 first-place votes, and the Huskies were followed by Texas at No. 3 and Florida State at No. 4. All four are conference champions, and all but the Longhorns are unbeaten.
Alabama moved up three spots to No. 5 after beating Georgia 27-24 in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday. The Bulldogs had their string of 24 straight weeks at No. 1 snapped. It is the second-longest run in AP poll history behind Southern California’s 33 straight from 2003 to ’05.
The poll was released shortly before the College Football Playoff rankings, with Alabama, Texas, Florida State and Georgia vying for the final two spots.
Ohio State was seventh, with Oregon, Missouri and Penn State rounding out the top 10.
Michigan is the first No. 1 team from outside the SEC since Clemson in 2020 and the first No. 1 from outside the South since Big Ten rival Ohio State held the top spot in 2015.
Washington has its best ranking since reaching No. 2 in 1997 and Texas its best ranking since it finished No. 2 in 2009.