Georgia Tech caught voters’ attention with its 28-6 defeat of Clemson Saturday. That, combined with a number of ranked teams ahead of the Yellow Jackets losing, moved Tech up into the top 20 of both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls.
Tech rose seven spots from No. 24 to No. 17 in the AP poll and also moved up seven slots in the coaches poll, from No. 23 to No. 16.
The Jackets are ranked No. 22 by the College Football Playoff selection committee and will learn Tuesday night how far they moved up in that ranking. Tech’s rise in the polls was abetted by losses by No. 9 Auburn, No. 16 Nebraska, No. 17 LSU, No. 18 Notre Dame and, of course, No. 19 Clemson. Tech moved ahead of all five teams in the coaches poll and all but Auburn in the AP poll.
Tech is idle this week and will begin preparing for its annual season-ending game against Georgia, which moved up to No. 9 in the AP poll and No. 10 in the coaches poll with its Saturday defeat of Auburn.
The Jackets could move up further without playing. Teams in the AP poll just ahead of Tech with challenging matchups this weekend include No. 11 UCLA (which faces USC), No. 13 Kansas State (at West Virginia), No. 14 Wisconsin (at Iowa) and No. 15 Arizona (at Utah).
