Redshirt junior quarterback Mike Bercovici throws the game-winning touchdown pass to Jaelen Strong as time expired in a game against USC on Oct. 4 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)Not only did the "Jael-Mary" give ASU football an upset win over USC in Los Angeles, it also helped the Sun Devils get back in the AP top 25 and move up in the USA Today Amway Coaches Poll.
After exiting the AP poll last week, following a 62-27 home loss to UCLA, the Sun Devils reenter it this week at No. 20. In the coaches poll, ASU is ranked the same, four spots higher than last week.
Before the UCLA loss, ASU had its highest ranking of the season in both polls. It was at 15 in the AP and 12 in the coaches. After it, however, the Sun Devils dropped 11 spots in the AP and 12 in the coaches.
USC, which was No. 20 in the coaches poll, fell out of the top 25 following the loss to ASU. It was No. 16 in the AP and dropped out of the top 25 in that poll, too.
The Sun Devils have three more opponents currently ranked in the top 25 of both polls: Notre Dame (No. 6 AP/No. 5 coaches), UA (10/13) and Stanford (25/22). Utah, which ASU plays Nov. 1, is ranked in the AP but is just out of the coaches top 25.
Pac-12 conference foe UCLA, which ASU already played, dropped to No. 18 in the AP and No. 17 in the coaches, following its home loss to the Utes, who moved into the AP top 25, at No. 24, and received 80 votes in the coaches, two spots out of the top 25. Other Pac-12 schools receiving votes in the coaches poll were USC (28), Washington (12) and Cal (four).
Oregon is ranked No. 12 in the AP and No. 11 in the coaches, following its home loss to UA. The Wildcats made their biggest jump in school history, going from unranked to the top 10 in the AP poll.
AP top 10:
1. Florida State (35 first-place votes)
2. Auburn (23)
3. Mississippi State (two)
4. Ole Miss
5. Baylor
6. Notre Dame
7. Alabama
8. Michigan State
9. TCU
10. UA
Coaches top 10:
1. Florida State (44 first-place votes)
2. Auburn (16)
3. Baylor (1)
4. Ole Miss
5. Notre Dame
6. Mississippi State
7. Alabama
8. Michigan State
9. Oklahoma
10. Georgia
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
