LDN - Sports

NCAAF notebook: USC plummets in Top 25 poll

[October 02, 2017] The Sports Xchange

The top four teams remain the same in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday but last week's No. 5 team plummeted.

Southern California fell from fifth to 14th, stemming from Friday's 30-27 loss to Washington State. The defeat halted the Trojans' 13-game winning streak. USC's loss opened the door for Georgia to move up two spots to No. 5. The Bulldogs routed Tennessee 41-0 on Saturday.

Alabama remained atop the poll, followed by Clemson, Oklahoma and Penn State. The Crimson Tide slipped from 52 first-place votes last week to 44 despite demolishing Mississippi 66-3. Clemson received the other 17 first-place votes.

Washington State moved up five spots to No. 11 after its victory over USC. The outcome marked the Cougars' first win over a Top 10 team since 2003. Washington State's 5-0 start is also its best since winning its first seven games in 2001.

--Oregon sophomore quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a broken left collarbone in Saturday night's 42-24 victory over California, according to The Oregonian.

The injury to Herbert's non-throwing shoulder could possibly be season-ending though Oregon coach Willie Taggart told reporters after the game that he did not have an update on Taggart's status and that he needed to talk with doctors.

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Herbert and running back Royce Freeman both left the game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on the same drive in the first quarter. Freeman also appeared to suffer a shoulder injury.

--UTEP coach Sean Kugler, whose team is off to a 0-5 start, announced his resignation in his fifth season after his hiring in 2013.

Kugler's resignation is the first coaching change involving FBS schools this season. A successor has not been named. The school indicated an announcement will be made Monday.

Kugler, 51, was 18-36 as UTEP's coach. He was 9-20 since 2014, when he coached the Miners to a 7-6 record and a New Mexico Bowl appearance. Among Kugler's coaching stops were NFL stints with the Detroit Lions (2001-05), Buffalo Bills (2007-09) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2010-12).

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