SEC takes top spots; OU edges Texas

NEW YORK — The Southeastern Conference title could have a national championship feel when Alabama faces Florida in the Georgia Dome in two weeks.

No. 1 vs. No. 2, a month before the BCS national championship game is played.

The Gators moved up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday, a spot behind the top-ranked Crimson Tide.

If Florida can win its regular-season finale at Florida State, and Alabama can do the same against Auburn, the SEC will sport the first 1 vs. 2 matchup in a conference title game — with the winner likely off to another 1-2 game in Miami for the BCS championship.

Meanwhile, in the Big 12, Oklahoma moved up two spots to No. 3, barely slipping past Big 12 rival and No. 4 Texas after the Sooners' resounding 65-21 victory against Texas Tech on Saturday night.

The Red Raiders tumbled five spots to No. 7 after their first loss of the season.

Southern California moved up one spot to No. 5 and Penn State got a bump to No. 6.

Alabama, the only remaining unbeaten team from the six BCS conferences, received 63 of a possible 65 first-place votes and 1,622 points from the AP's media panel. Florida received the other first-place votes and 1,512 points.

The Tide and the Gators are the 17th set of conference rivals to hold the top two spots in the poll.

The last time it happened was the end of last season, when LSU and Georgia, also of the SEC, did it.

Ohio State and Michigan from the Big Ten were the last conference rivals to do it during the regular season. The Buckeyes and Wolverines were Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, for six weeks in 2006.

In the latest poll, Oklahoma (10-1) received 1,486 points and Texas (10-1) had 1,482, even though the Longhorns handed the Sooners their only loss of the season, 45-35 in October at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Texas' only loss was to Texas Tech (10-1), 39-33 on a last-second touchdown in Lubbock.

Unbeaten Utah was No. 8 after finishing off its regular season and virtually locked up a Bowl Championship Series with a 48-24 victory over rival BYU.

No. 9 Boise State also stayed unbeaten, but will likely be shut out of the BCS because of Utah.

Ohio State rounds out the top 10.