The Bulldogs received 45 first-place votes from the media panel Sunday. Saturday’s 38-23 victory over Auburn was Mississippi State’s third consecutive win against a top-10 team.
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The Bulldogs are the first team in the poll’s 78-year history to go from unranked to No. 1 in five weeks. The previous mark was six weeks by Ohio State in 1954.
The Bulldogs were No. 3 last week, tied with Ole Miss, for their best ranking. Ole Miss stayed at No. 3 this week, two points behind No. 2 Florida State, which beat Syracuse on Saturday.
The defending champion Seminoles had been No. 1 since the preseason. Florida State received 12 first-place votes and Ole Miss three.
Baylor and Notre Dame round out the top five. The Fighting Irish play at Florida State on Saturday. Auburn fell four spots to No. 6.
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 11, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
