USC’s ranking worst since 2002

Southern California has tumbled to its worst ranking in the AP college football poll since the Trojans began their current run of 128 consecutive weeks in the Top 25 back in 2002.

Meanwhile, Stanford soared up the poll on the strength of a dominant performance against the Trojans.

USC is No. 22, dropping 11 spots after losing 55-21 to the Cardinal. The Trojans had not been ranked lower than 13th since 2002, Pete Carroll’s second season as coach.

Stanford jumped 11 places to No. 14, its best ranking since being No. 11 in the last regular-season poll of 2001. Also from the Pac-10, Oregon climbed to No. 11 and Oregon State made its first appearance of the year, at No. 20.

Florida remained No. 1 and Alabama leapfrogged Texas into the No. 2 spot of the Top 25 released Sunday, one of only two small changes to the top 10.

In the BCS standings, the top eight remained the same. Florida is No. 1, followed by Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State, Georgia Tech and LSU.