College football rankings reactions heading into Week 11

For the first this season, the Clemson Tigers aren’t on top of both the AP and Coaches Poll after their double overtime loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday night. The media and the coaches both ended up in the same place relative to the outcome in what was the game of the year so far in college football.

Both polls moved up the Alabama Crimson Tide to #1, Notre Dame from #4 to #2, kept the Ohio State Buckeyes in the #3 slot, and put Clemson in the #4 hole.

Because the game was so incredibly close, Clemson didn’t have the best player in America in Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, and since it was in South Bend, you can make several arguments for how it should be accounted. But no matter the order you choose, it seems very clear cut these are the best four teams in college football this season. And with Notre Dame and Clemson potentially meeting again in the ACC Championship Game, it might not be the last time things change here.

There is a split below the top four, as the Texas A&M Aggies are #5 in the AP Poll, while that position goes to Florida from the Coaches. Considering beat the A&M beat UF this season in College Station that’s odd, but it was a very close game, and the Gators schedule has been tougher overall. They did beat their rivals the now-#11 Georgia Bulldogs 44-28 on Saturday on a neutral field, dropping UGA six spots this week from the coaches seven from the AP.

The other big mover is the Liberty Flames, who are now 7-0, and 2-0 against the ACC with wins at Syracuse and Virginia Tech. They’re in the #22 slot, and would have an argument for the Group of Five spot in the New Years Eve Six if they were a member of a conference. But it will be hard for them to earn a big bowl berth considering the rest of their schedule and lack of a league title.

Here are the college football rankings for November 8th and heading into Week 11.

AP Poll

Coaches Poll