NEW YORK (AP) -- Notre Dame ends the regular season as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press college football for the first time since 1988, the last championship season for the Fighting Irish.
The Irish (12-0) completed their regular season last week and will play No. 2 Alabama in the BCS championship game in Miami on Jan. 7. Notre Dame is a unanimous No. 1 for the second straight week.
The Tide holds its spot in the rankings after beating Georgia 32-28 in the Southeastern Conference title game.
Ohio State (12-0), which is banned from the postseason because of NCAA sanctions, moves up a spot to No. 3. Florida is No. 4, Oregon is fifth and Georgia fell to sixth.
Northern Illinois jumped to No. 16 after beating Kent State for the Mid-American Conference title. Kent State dropped seven spots to No. 25.
Louisville, the Big East champion, moved back into the rankings at No. 22.
No. 24 San Jose State is ranked for the first time since Nov. 24, 1975.
Texas and Oklahoma State dropped out of the rankings.
AP Top 25 Ranking
Rank Team Record Pts Last Week
1. Notre Dame (60) 12-0 1500 1
2. Alabama 12-1 1424 2
3. Ohio St. 12-0 1302 4
4. Florida 11-1 1279 5
5. Oregon 11-1 1250 6
6. Georgia 11-2 1213 3
7. Kansas St. 11-1 1129 7
8. Stanford 11-2 1094 8
9. LSU 10-2 1051 9
10. Texas A&M 10-2 1025 10
11. South Carolina 10-2 907 11
12. Oklahoma 10-2 851 12
13. Florida St. 11-2 789 13
14. Clemson 10-2 691 15
15. Oregon St. 9-3 638 16
16. Northern Illinois 12-1 534 19
17. UCLA 9-4 440 17
18. Utah St. 10-2 379 20
19. Michigan 8-4 306 21
20. Boise St. 10-2 276 25
21. Northwestern 9-3 266 22
22. Louisville 10-2 248 NR
23. Nebraska 10-3 227 14
24. San Jose St. 10-2 157 NR
25. Kent St. 11-2 117 18
Others Receiving Votes:
Penn St. 83,
Vanderbilt 67,
Wisconsin 62,
Texas 51,
San Diego St. 22,
Fresno St. 20,
Oklahoma St. 15,
Baylor 15,
Cincinnati 15,
TCU 14,
Arkansas St. 13,
USC 11,
Tulsa 9,
Rutgers 6,
Ball St. 2,
West Virginia 1,
North Carolina 1
USA Today Ranking
Rank Team Record Pts Last Week
1. Notre Dame (56) 12-0 1470 1
2. Alabama (3) 12-1 1417 2
3. Oregon 11-1 1313 4
4. Florida 11-1 1287 5
5. Georgia 11-2 1216 3
6. Kansas St. 11-1 1190 7
7. LSU 10-2 1111 6
8. Stanford 11-2 1047 9
9. Texas A&M 10-2 1039 8
10. South Carolina 10-2 947 10
11. Oklahoma 10-2 890 11
12. Florida St. 11-2 853 12
13. Clemson 10-2 769 14
14. Oregon St. 9-3 663 17
15. Boise St. 10-2 569 15
16. Northern Illinois 12-1 495 18
17. Northwestern 9-3 444 20
18. Louisville 10-2 409 23
19. UCLA 9-4 408 16
20. Utah St. 10-2 334 22
21. Nebraska 10-3 328 13
22. Michigan 8-4 278 24
23. Wisconsin 8-5 115 NR
24. San Jose St. 10-2 110 NR
25. Texas 8-4 97 21
Others Receiving Votes:
Kent St. 84,
Vanderbilt 75,
Cincinnati 46,
Tulsa 32,
Fresno St. 31,
Rutgers 29,
San Diego St. 23,
Arkansas St. 20,
Oklahoma St. 15,
Mississippi St. 9,
Arizona St. 8,
USC 2,
Louisiana Tech 2