ShareThisAfter a suffocating defensive performance in the BCS championship game, Alabama is the top team once again in the final Scripps Legends Poll.
The legendary voting panel was high on Alabama all year. The Crimson Tide held the No. 1 spot for six consecutive weeks, before being unseated after LSU beat them, 9-6, in overtime on Nov. 5.
But after Alabama blanked LSU, 21-0, Monday night, Alabama received all 19 first-place votes from the Legends Poll coaches, swapping spots with No. 2 LSU.
"Alabama's defense was just outstanding," said former Crimson Tide coach Gene Stallings. "Even after LSU won the first game this year, I wasn't so sure Alabama wasn't the better team. I think they proved they were the better team (Monday) night."
Oklahoma State remained third in the rankings, just behind LSU. The Cowboys finished with just one loss this season and outlasted Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl, winning 41-38 in overtime.
No. 4 Oregon moved up a spot after its 45-38 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. The Badgers fell four spots to No. 12.
Despite the Fiesta Bowl defeat, Stanford rounded out the top five.
No. 6 Arkansas moved up three spots, followed by Boise State, Houston, USC and Michigan State.
Sugar Bowl champion Michigan finished the season at No. 13, and Orange Bowl champs West Virginia moved up three spots to No. 20.
The SEC finished with the most teams in the final top 25 with five, followed by the Big 12 and Big Ten, which each had four.
Rank Team Record Points Prev Rank
1. Alabama (19) 12-1 475 2
2. LSU 13-1 450 1
3. Oklahoma State 12-1 443 3
4. Oregon 12-2 411 5
5. Stanford 11-2 392 4
6. Arkansas 11-2 361 9
7. Boise State 12-1 359 6
8. Houston 13-1 321 20
9. USC 10-2 307 7
10. Michigan State 11-3 305 12
11. South Carolina 11-2 268 11
12. Wisconsin 11-3 250 8
13. Michigan 11-2 246 14
14. Oklahoma 10-3 225 22
15. Georgia 10-4 201 15
16. Baylor 10-3 176 18
17. Virginia Tech 11-3 175 17
18. TCU 11-2 169 16
19. Kansas State 10-3 160 10
20. West Virginia 10-3 159 23
21. Florida State 9-4 85 25
22. Southern Miss 12-2 81 21
23. Clemson 10-4 57 13
24. Nebraska 9-4 28 19
25. Cincinnati 10-3 20 -
Others Receiving Votes: Auburn 16, Brigham Young 11, Texas 9, Northern Illinois 6, Penn State 4, Missouri 3, Texas A&M 2
Teams Dropped Out From Most Recent Poll: Penn State
(For more information, go to legendschannel.com)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
