Tennessee unanimously maintained its place atop the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll
for the eighth consecutive week, the association announced Wednesday.
Tennessee, 33-2 on the year, leads a group of three SEC teams in the top 10 this week, matching the Pac-10 with the most among all conferences. A week after relinquishing the second spot, Alabama re-claimed the position after previous No. 2 Texas A&M dropped to fourth. Conference foe LSU remained at No. 6 again this week.
Oklahoma jumped Big 12 foe Texas A&M this week, moving up one place into the No. 3 slot. Arizona stayed at No. 5, while Arizona State remained at No. 7. Oregon gave the Pac-10 a third squad in the top 10 this week as the Ducks leaped three places to No. 10.
The Big Ten placed a pair of teams in the top 10 with Northwestern coming in at No. 8, immediately ahead of a Michigan squad that advanced a notch to No. 9.
Texas dropped two slots this week to 11th, while UCLA fell into a tie with conference foe Washington at No. 12. Stanford followed its Pac-10 opponents as it stayed at No. 14 again this week.
Louisiana-Lafayette, Baylor and Oregon State remained unchanged this week, filling the Nos. 15-17 slots, respectively. Hawaii and DePaul both leaped into the top 20 this week, with the Rainbow Wahine vaulting three places to 18th while the Blue Demons advanced four spots to No. 19.
Southern Illinois fell two places to 20th this week, but remained ahead of Missouri Valley Conference foe Illinois State after the Redbirds slipped one spot to 21st.
North Carolina advanced three places to 22nd despite having its school-record 28-game win streak halted. The Tar Heels rank ahead of Florida, who dropped four places to 23rd this week.
Fresno State and Georgia Tech both returned to the poll this week, capping the rankings at Nos. 24 and 25, respectively.
