Huskies Drop in AP Poll, But Don't Leave Rankings

Five Pac-12 teams draw Top 25 accolades this week, with WSU next up to joining them.

A Rose Bowl loss dropped the University of Washington football team a handful of slots down the Associated Press poll but not out of it, with the Huskies sliding from 15th to No. 21.

The UW showed up three slots behind UCLA, which took a 40-32 victory over Kalen DeBoer's squad, entered the rankings for the first time and became the fifth Pac-12 team to join the Top 25 all at once this season — though the Bruins and sixth-ranked USC naturally are short-timers.

Following USC, Utah ranks No. 11, Oregon is at 12, UCLA slides into 18 and the UW again turns up at 21.

On top of that, Washington State drew the most votes of any of those teams not entering the rankings, poised to advance ... if the Cougars can somehow win at USC next week. 

While the Pac-12 is in surprisingly good shape overall, the Huskies (4-1 overall, 1-1 Pac-12) are left to regroup after their first loss of the season. They play at Arizona State next weekend. 

The first 10 teams in this AP poll are unbeaten, with Alabama replacing Georgia this weekend in the top spot though the Crimson Tide drew fewer first-place votes than the Bulldogs, 25 to 28.

---

AP TOP 25

1. Alabama (5-0), 1,523 votes (25 first place)

2. Georgia (5-0), 1,521 votes (28)

3. Ohio State (5-0), 1,488 (10)

4. Michigan (5-0), 1,348

5. Clemson (5-0), 1,345

6. USC (5-0), 1,233

7. Oklahoma State (4-0), 1,182

8. Tennessee (4-0) 1,129

9. Ole Miss (5-0), 1,068

10. Penn State (5-0), 959

11. Utah (4-1), 884

12. Oregon (4-1), 872

13. Kentucky (4-1), 832

14. North Carolina State (4-1), 691

15. Wake Forest (4-1), 627

16. BYU (4-1), 604

17. TCU (4-0), 514

18. UCLA (5-0), 510

19. Kansas (5-0), 476

20. Kansas State (4-1), 417

21. WASHINGTON (4-1), 180

22. Syracuse (5-0), 173

23. Mississippi State (4-1), 164

24. Cincinnati (4-1), 134

25. LSU (4-1), 108

Others receiving votes: Washington State 91, Baylor 88, Florida State 78, Arkansas 76, James Madison 39, Florida 37, Maryland 25, Coastal Carolina 17, Minnesota 14, Tulsa 9, Illinois 6, North Carolina 5, Texas A&M 4, Purdue 2, Oklahoma 2.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @UWFanNation