Barely: Arkansas hangs on in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
In and around Fayetteville, doom and gloom have been common the last 24 hours. That isn’t the case elsewhere.
The Arkansas football team fell to Alabama on Saturday, 49-26, but didn’t fall out of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Hogs checked in at No. 25 after being beaten by the now-No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide.
Alabama took the top spot from Georgia, which needed a fourth-quarter rally to get past Missouri on Saturday night. The Bulldogs dropped to No. 2 while the Hogs fell from No. 19.
The SEC was everywhere in the poll. Arkansas’ opponent in Week 6, Mississippi State, cracked the rankings for the first time this season. The Bulldogs beat Texas A&M, which fell out of the poll, and are ranked 23rd. Tennessee moved up two spots despite having a bye week and is now No. 8 and Ole Miss jumped two spots after knocking off Kentucky. The Wildcats fell from No. 8 to No. 13.
Another Arkansas opponent, Brigham Young, went up four spots to No. 16 and Cincinnati, the team the Razorbacks beat in Week 1, were a de facto No. 26. LSU was No. 27.
See the whole Top 25 below.
1. Alabama (2 last week)
Oct 1, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Roydell Williams (5) rushes in the second quarter as Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Drew Sanders (42) makes a tackle at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Arkansas, 49-26
2. Georgia (1)
Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton (2) carries the ball against the Oregon Ducks in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Missouri, 26-22
3. Ohio State (3)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes awaits the snap against the Utah Utes during the first half of the Rose Bowl game at Rose Bowl on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Beat Rutgers, 49-10
4. Michigan (4)
Michigan running back Blake Corum runs for a touchdown against Maryland during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
Beat Iowa, 27-14
5. Clemson (5)
Jan 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2016 CFP National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Beat North Carolina State, 30-20
6. USC (6)
Apr 15, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans helmets on the field before the start of the annual 2017 Spring Game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum . Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Arizona State, 42-25
7. Oklahoma State (7)
Sep 17, 2022; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys fans hold up their children to a Lion King theme during a game against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at Boone Pickens Stadium. OSU won 63-7. Mandatory Credit: Nathan J. Fish-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Baylor, 36-25
8. Tennessee (9)
Sep 24, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers offensive lineman RJ Perry (70) does the gator chomp after the game against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Bye week
9. Ole Miss (11)
Mississippi Head Coach Lane Kiffin returns to Neyland Stadium before an SEC football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.
Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football
Beat Kentucky, 22-19
10. Penn State (12)
Penn State freshman running back Nicholas Singleton (10) lines up to be recognized with his fellow members of the 2022 recruit class at the 2022 Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 23, 2022, in State College.
Hes Dr 042322 Bluewhite
Beat Northwestern, 17-7
11. Utah (13)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – SEPTEMBER 25 : Cam Rising #7 of the Utah Utes throws a pass during warmups before their game against the Washington State Cougars September 25, 2021 at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Beat Oregon State, 42-16
12. Oregon (15)
Jan 2, 2021; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an Oregon Ducks helmet during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Stanford, 45-27
13. Kentucky (8)
Sep 18, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis (7) lines up a pass during the fourth quarter against the Chattanooga Mocs at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Lost to Ole Miss, 22-19
14. North Carolina State (10)
Sep 17, 2022; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Demie-Sumo-Karngbaye (0) reacts after making a first down during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Lost to Clemson, 30-20
15. Wake Forest (21)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman (10) gets ready to celebrate during the fourth quarter Friday, Dec. 31, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced each other in the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Wake Forest defeated Rutgers 38-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Beat Florida State, 31-21
16. Brigham Young (20)
Nov 27, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; BYU Cougars players celebrate after a game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Utah State, 38-26
17. Kansas (NR)
Kansas redshirt running back Torrey Locklin (12) recovers a muffed punt by Iowa State during the third quarter of Saturday’s game inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Beat Iowa State, 14-11
18. Texas Christian (NR)
Oct 23, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs running back Zach Evans (6) runs the ball while being tackled by West Virginia Mountaineers linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo (7) during the third quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Oklahoma, 55-24
19. UCLA (NR)
Sep 30, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) goes for a first down in the second half against the Washington Huskies at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Washington, 40-32
20. Kansas State (NR)
Oct 1, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Nate Matlack (97) tries to tackle Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Donovan Smith (7) during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Texas Tech, 37-28
21. Syracuse (25)
Oct 1, 2022; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Dino Babers shakes hands with Wagner Seahawks head coach Tom Masella after defeating the Wagner Seahawks at JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Beat Wagner, 59-0
22. Baylor (14)
WACO, TEXAS – OCTOBER 16: Wide receiver Gunner Romney #18 of the Brigham Young Cougars carries the ball against the Baylor Bears in the second half at McLane Stadium on October 16, 2021 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Lost to Oklahoma State, 36-25.
23. Mississippi State (NR)
Quarterback Will Rogers throws a pass as the LSU Tigers take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.
Lsu Vs Miss State Football 0453
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Beat Texas A&M, 42-24
24. Washington (18)
Sep 17, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) looks to pass against the Michigan State Spartans during the first quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Lost to UCLA, 40-32
25. Arkansas (19)
Oct 1, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) runs in the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Alabama won 49-26. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Lost to Alabama, 49-26
