AP Top 25 poll: Where Auburn will be ranked after beating Arkansas

The No. 9 Auburn football team defeated Arkansas, 34-3, on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

With the win, the Tigers improve to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC. Every team in the top 10 of the AP Top 25 poll won this weekend — some had easier times than others — and there shouldn’t be much, if any movement, in the top 10 of the poll when it’s released Sunday.

Auburn has another home game this week, playing a non-conference game against Southern Miss, before going on the road for the first time for an Oct. 6 matchup at Mississippi State.

Here’s our projection for the poll after the weekend games.

Where Auburn will be ranked in AP Top 25 poll

1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Oklahoma
6. LSU
7. Stanford
8. Notre Dame
9. Auburn
10. Penn State

This is exactly what the top 10 looked like last week except that Penn State and Washington were tied for 10th. With the Nittany Lions routing Illinois (they should have) and the Huskies having a tougher time with Arizona State (they should), we’re guessing that voters will inch Penn State ahead by a nose.

Alabama should get every first-place vote. Someone likely votes for Clemson or Ohio State, but there’s little debate which team is No. 1. Georgia didn’t look like a team ready to go toe-to-toe with Alabama (but still won by a couple touchdowns). Clemson and Ohio State had easy days.

Oklahoma could drop after needing overtime to beat Army. In fact, the Sooners should drop. But who jumps them? LSU was blah in its win over Louisiana Tech. Stanford picked up a nice win against No. 20 Oregon, but had to rally to do it. Maybe the Cardinal make a move?

So that leaves Auburn right where it is, at No. 9. Notre Dame won big in front of the Tigers and Penn State won big behind them. Washington won’t jump Auburn as long as both teams have a single loss.

Expect movement in the top 10 next week though: Ohio State plays Penn State and Stanford and Notre Dame meet.

11. Washington
12. West Virginia
13. UCF
14. Michigan
15. Wisconsin
16. Miami
17. Michigan State
18. Kentucky
19. Texas
20. Boise State
21. Oregon
22. Oklahoma State
23. Mississippi State
24. Colorado
25. Texas Tech

Now, Nos. 11 through 25, that’s a whole different story. Seven teams lost and some in ugly ways. None more than Virginia Tech, which lost by two touchdowns to Old Dominion. We predict the Hokies drop out of the poll.

The big story will be Kentucky leaping into the poll after roughing up Mississippi State, 28-7, and improving to 4-0. Are the Wildcats for real? For now they are. Is No. 18 too high? Maybe, but they benefit from so much loss on the back end of the poll.