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In the final Assosciated Press Poll of the college football season, the USF Bulls finished #21 after topping off a 10-2 season with a 38-34 win over Texas Tech in the Birmingham Bowl.
USF finishes at #21 in this season’s final AP Poll.
— Ryan T. Smith (@RyanSmithWrites) January 9, 2018
After 15 FBS seasons in which they never finished in the Top 25 or won ten games, the Bulls have now done both for two consecutive years.
A remarkable accomplishment, no matter how you view it.
The Bulls recorded a double-digit win total for the second straight year after not having any in their first 19 seasons. The win over Texas Tech was also the second straight year in which USF knocked off a Power-Five opponent in the postseason, and was the Bulls third overall victory in the Birmingham Bowl.
Elsewhere in the AP, undefeated (and not my national champions) C. comes in at #6 following their win over Auburn in the Peach Bowl on New Years Day. The Knights capped off an improbable 13-0 season with head coach Scott Frost on his way out the door... and well, unfortunately went full C. with the whole national champions hoopla and had to ruin it. C. did receive six first-place votes, however.
Fellow American Conference foe Memphis finishes at #25 after a disappointing Liberty Bowl loss to Iowa State. The Tigers finished the season 10-3 and quarterback Riley Ferguson is sure to be high on NFL draft boards this April.
Outside of C., USF was the highest ranked group of five team in the final AP poll with Boise State, at 11-3, finishing a tick behind at #22.
It should also be noted that the American finished the year with just as many ranked teams as the Pac-12 and the Big XII.
Six teams with four or more losses finished ranked in the Top 25 including NC State, Virginia Tech, LSU, Mississippi State, Stanford and Auburn at #10.