The Oregon Ducks are still sitting pretty in the USA Today Coaches Poll, but they have a new team chasing them. Though the Auburn Tigers got close to passing Boise State for No. 2 in the AP Poll, the Tigers did it in the USA Today poll, leapfrogging what are sure to be some very unhappy Bronco fans. Oregon gathered 51 first-place votes, one more than last week. Auburn picked up four, Boise State three and the TCU Horned Frogs had one first-place vote.
Oregon won — and won convincingly down the stretch —in the Coliseum against USC last night. The Ducks moved to 8-0 for the first time since 1933 and may find themselves at No. 1 in the BCS rankings later tonight.
Around the rest of the Pac-10, Stanford checks in at No. 12, up two spots from last week. The Cardinal came to Seattle and shut out the Washington Huskies, 41-0. The Arizona Wildcats also jumped up after surviving a scare at UCLA, picking up the No. 13 ranking, three spots higher than last week. The Ducks, Cardinal and Wildcats are the clear class of the Pac-10 and are the only teams from the conference ranked.
Nevada found itself in the USA Today Coaches Poll, sliding in at No. 23 after a bounce-back win over Utah State. Baylor also moved up two spots to No. 22 after a win over Texas in a Big 12 shocker.
The BCS Rankings will be unveiled later tonight, but with Auburn moving up to No. 2 in the Coaches Poll and Oregon keeping their No. 1 spot, the Tigers and Ducks should still hold the inside track to the BCS National Championship Game. Oregon, however, may leapfrog the Tigers tonight and cement themselves as the No. 1 team in the nation in all polls.