Junior running back D.J. foster celebrates a touchdown with redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly at the home game against Weber State on Aug. 28. The football team moved up to No. 15 in the AP Poll. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez)The ASU football team escaped Colorado with a win, despite it coming with two key injuries. The win was enough for voters to rank the Sun Devils 13th in the Amway Coaches Poll and 15th in the AP Poll.
ASU moved up from No. 14 last week in the Coaches' Poll and No. 16 in the AP Poll.
The Sun Devils have four remaining opponents, and one other Pac-12 conference mate, in the top 25 of both polls: Oregon (No. 3 Coaches/No. 2 AP), Notre Dame (9/9), UCLA (10/12), Stanford (15/16) and USC (21/17). Washington and UA received votes in both polls, while Oregon State also received votes in the Coaches Poll.
USC was the biggest dropper in each poll this week. After defeating Stanford on the road, USC was ranked ninth in the AP and 10th in the Coaches. This week, after losing to Boston College on the road, USC dropped to No. 21 in the Coaches Poll and No. 17 in the AP Poll.
ASU didn't reach the AP top 15 last season until Nov. 24, after beating UCLA on the road. Sept. 14 is the earliest ASU has entered the top 15 in a season since it was ranked No. 15 the first three weeks of 2008.
By getting rid of the BCS system, neither the AP nor the Coaches polls have an effect on the NCAA championship. This year, the College Football Playoff selection committee will select its top four teams for the two-weekend tournament. It will release its first set of weekly rankings on Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m. Arizona time on ESPN.
2014 season in photos
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Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
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