Despite win, Cal drops in AP poll; first BCS poll ranks Cal #10

Despite yesterday’s 21-3 win over WSU, Week 8’s polls have Cal gaining votes, but moving down a spot in the AP and staying the same in the Coaches poll. Cal dropped to #11 in the AP this week, as Auburn jumped back up to #8 after their win over Florida. Cal also dropped from #9 to #11 this week in the ESPNU rankings, while FoxSports has ranked Cal #6, one ahead of USC.

Despite dropping in the AP, in the first release of the BCS rankings, Cal is ranked #10, slightly edging out Tennessee. With the AP pulling their poll out of the BCS last year, the new BCS rankings are now based off the Coaches Poll and Harris poll, both of which have Cal ranked at #11, and the computer rankings, which also factor in strength of schedule. With USC ranked at #2, Tennessee at #11, and Oregon at #14, Cal’s computer ranking this week was ranked at 0.760 out of a maximum 1.000, making it #6 in the computer rankings behind USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, and Auburn.