Kansas State moves up to #16 in both polls

This week’s polls have hit the street, and after their 55-14 shellacking of Kansas yesterday Kansas State has moved up to #16 in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls. It’s a four-spot boost from the writers and three from the coaches; the discrepancy is because K-State was already ahead of Virginia Tech in last week’s Coaches Poll, so they didn’t have the opportunity to pass them after the Hokies 23-16 loss to Wake Forest.

Atop the poll, the only change was Ohio State moving up two spots in both polls to claim the #3 spot ahead of Notre Dame and Georgia. Clemson remains the #1 team in the land with Alabama trailing behind in second. Oklahoma State stayed at #6 after their close win over #17/18 Iowa State, while Cincinnati slid up to #7 after crushing #16 Southern Methodist.

In both polls, K-State is sitting all by themselves; there is a wide gap upward to #15 (which is North Carolina in the AP and Oregon in the Coaches), and a big drop down to #17 (Indiana and Penn State, respectively).

K-State’s climb in the AP Poll was larger than all but four teams, three of whom played their first games this weekend. Wisconsin moved up five spots to #9 after blasting Illinois on Friday. Michigan, now #13, also gained five spots after trashing #21 Minnesota yesterday, as did Coastal Carolina, jumping to #20 after a 28-14 win over Georgia Southern. The biggest move of all, of course, belonged to Indiana, who entered the poll at #17 after their thrilling two-point overtime conversion finally put Penn State away.

Wisconsin, Michigan, and Coastal Carolina only matched K-State’s three-place climb in the Coaches Poll, landing at #11, #14, and #21 respectively. But there were still three teams to exceed that upward motion: Marshall, who leapt to #18 from #25, Indiana, and ...Oklahoma, who clawed their way back into the poll at #24 and are credited with a six-place climb by the Coaches Poll folks.

Oklahoma also returned to the AP Poll at #24, along with Indiana and #25 Boise State. New members of the Coaches Top 25 along with Oklahoma and Indiana: Army, checking in at #25.

The biggest falls in the AP belonged to Penn State (down 10 spots to #18), SMU, and Iowa State (both down 6 to #22 and #23). Virginia Tech, Minnesota, and North Carolina State dropped out of the poll from #19, #21, and #23 respectively. It was much the same story in the Coaches Poll, although SMU’s fall was 7 spots and Iowa State’s only 4 because their positions are reversed in this week’s poll (#23 and #22). The same three teams fell from the rankings.

The only Big 12 teams we haven’t already mentioned to even receive votes were Texas (2 points in the AP, 18 in the Coaches) and West Virginia (6 points in the Coaches Poll).