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Mizzou moved up to 21st in this week's AP and coaches polls, primarily due to natural selection. Teams ahead of you lose, and you move up.
The big story line here is obvious: in the AP poll, the SEC claims teams ranked second (Alabama), sixth (Auburn), 10th (Georgia), 14th (LSU), 16th (Texas A&M), 17th (Ole Miss), 18th (Arkansas), 21st (Missouri), 23rd (Tennessee), and 25th (Mississippi State). The only unranked teams are from the SEC East, and two of them (Florida, South Carolina) are receiving votes. That's awfully impressive.
| AP | Coaches | |
| 1 | Ohio State (61) | Ohio State (63) |
| 2 | Alabama | Alabama (1) |
| 3 | TCU | TCU |
| 4 | Baylor | Baylor |
| 5 | Michigan State | Oregon |
| 6 | Auburn | Michigan State |
| 7 | Oregon | Auburn |
| 8 | USC | Florida State |
| 9 | Notre Dame | Georgia |
| 10 | Georgia | USC |
| 11 | Florida State | Notre Dame |
| 12 | Clemson | Clemson |
| 13 | UCLA | UCLA |
| 14 | LSU | Ole Miss |
| 15 | Georgia Tech | LSU |
| 16 | Texas A&M | Georgia Tech |
| 17 | Ole Miss | Oklahoma |
| 18 | Arkansas | Arkansas |
| 19 | Oklahoma | Texas A&M |
| 20 | Boise State | Arizona |
| 21 | Missouri | Missouri |
| 22 | Arizona | Boise State |
| 23 | Tennessee | Tennessee |
| 24 | Utah | Wisconsin |
| 25 | Mississippi State | Utah |