Army football avoided a potential end to its national playoff hopes on Saturday and remained in favor with the poll voters.

The Black Knights improved to 8-0 with a 20-3 victory over rival Air Force. Army did so with backup quarterback Dewayne Coleman as all-star candidate Bryson Daily was sidelined with an undisclosed illness or injury. The offense saw its worst production of the season, with just 255 total yards and only 207 on the ground, but the defense made sure the Falcons didn't stage an upset with six sacks and three interceptions.

Army moved up three spots in the AP Top 25 to No. 18. A week earlier, the Black Knights had moved from No 23 to No. 21.

The Black Knights are the only team from the American Athletic Conference in the AP Top 25. Navy had a spot two weeks ago but has since fallen to Notre Dame and Rice.

The top two AP teams remain Oregon and Georgia. Ohio State, Miami and Texas each slid up one spot, to 3-4-5, after Penn State lost to Ohio State, dropping the Nittany Lions to No. 6.

Army moved up two spots in the AFCA coaches poll, from No. 21 to No. 19, the second week in a row the Black Knights moved up two spots. No. 21 Kansas State (7-2) lost to Houston 24-19 and No. 23 Pittsburgh lost to SMU 48-25, both dropping six spots to clear the way for Army to move up.

The AFCA poll has Oregon and Georgia maintaining the top two spots. Ohio State, Miami, Texas and Tennessee each moved up a spot to take spots 3-6. Penn State dropped four spots to No. 7 with the 20-13 loss to Ohio State. Notre Dame, Brigham Young and Indiana are 8-9-10.

Army is also moving up in the Football Writers Association of America Super 16 poll, moving up two spots to No. 19, with 24 votes (up from two). The FWAA top five mirrors the coaches, with Penn State still a spot ahead of Tennessee.

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The Allstate Playoff Predictor on ESPN has Army at No. 17 with a 20 percent chance to make the 12-team field. Eleven teams are expected from the Power Four conferences (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12) with the top team from the Group of Five to round out the field. Boise State, at 71 percent, has the inside edge at No. 9.

With two conference games remaining, Army leads the American Athletic Conference at 6-0, leading Tulane (5-0), Navy (4-1) and Memphis (3-2) for the top spots. The AAC title game is Friday, December 6.

Army plays at North Texas (5-2, 2-2 AAC) at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN2. Following the Notre Dame game on Nov. 23, Army closes the AAC slate with a home game against Texas San Antonio (4-5, 2-3) on Nov. 30.

kmcmillan@th-record.com

X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army football national polls November 3 2024