Michigan, Michigan State football both finish in AP top 10 for first time since 1999
Indianapolis — Georgia is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll, earning their second national title by beating Alabama on Monday night.
Michigan (12-2), which lost to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, was No. 3, the Wolverines best final ranking since winning the national championship in 1997 and their first top-10 finish since 2006.
Michigan State (11-2) moved up two spots to No. 9 in the final rankings, after defeating Pittsburgh, 31-21, in the Peach Bowl.
It's the Spartans' first top-10 finish since a string of three straight from 2013-15. The two Big Ten schools from the state of Michigan last both finished the season ranked in the top 10 in 1999.
Georgia received all 61 first-place votes to be a unanimous No. 1 for the ninth time this season. Georgia’s only other time finishing No. 1 was 1980.
The Tide finished No. 2, giving the Southeastern Conference the top two teams in the final rankings for the third time since 2011.
No. 4 Cincinnati, which became the first team from outside the Power Five conferences to reach the playoff, finished with its best final ranking.
As did No. 5 Baylor. The Bears previous best finish in the AP poll was No. 7 in 2014.
Ohio State was No. 6 and Oklahoma State finished seventh. The Cowboys had their best finish in the poll since they were third in 2011.
Notre Dame was eighth, Michigan State was ninth and Oklahoma was 10th, giving the Big 12 three top 10 teams.
Utah was No. 12, BYU was 19th and Utah State was No. 24, marking the first time the Beehive State has had all three of its major college football teams finish the season ranked.
Clemson finished 14th, snapping a string of six straight seasons in which the Tigers were no worse than fourth in the final Top 25.
Associated Press Top 25
1. Georgia (61 first-place votes), 14-1, 1525 (last ranking: 3)
2. Alabama, 13-2, 1464 (1)
3. Michigan, 12-2, 1361 (2)
4. Cincinnati, 13-1, 1349 (4)
5. Baylor, 12-2, 1259 (6)
6. Ohio State, 11-2, 1247 (7)
7. Oklahoma State, 12-2, 1177 (9)
8. Notre Dame, 11-2, 1039 (5)
9. Michigan State, 11-2, 1026 (11)
10. Oklahoma, 11-2, 966 (14)
11. Mississippi, 10-3, 926 (8)
12. Utah, 10-4, 851 (10)
13. Pittsburgh, 11-3, 741 (13)
14. Clemson, 10-3, 538 (19)
15. Wake Forest, 11-3, 533 (20)
16. Louisiana-Lafayette, 13-1, 517 (16)
17. Houston, 12-2, 513 (21)
18. Kentucky, 10-3, 446 (25)
19. BYU, 10-3, 435 (12)
20. NC State, 9-3, 382 (18)
21. Arkansas, 9-4, 371 (22)
22. Oregon, 10-4, 364 (15)
23. Iowa, 10-4, 171 (17)
24. Utah State, 11-3, 163 (NR)
25. San Diego State, 12-2, 137 (NR)
Others receiving votes: Texas A&M 115, Wisconsin 97, Minnesota 47, Purdue 44, UTSA 9, Army 6, Fresno St. 2, Coastal Carolina 2, Air Force 1, UAB 1.