Geoff Preston
gpreston@statenews.com
MSU football rolled its way to a 45-7 victory over Jacksonville State and caught the eye of pollsters during the process, moving up one spot to No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll and two spots to No. 6 in the Amway Coaches Poll released on Monday.
MSU was listed as No. 8 in both polls’ preseason rankings, but leap-frogged Ohio State and UCLA in both polls.
The top ten ranking in both polls creates a top ten match-up this weekend when MSU travels to Eugene to take on Oregon at Autzen Stadium. Oregon is ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 4 in the Amway Coaches Poll, receiving first place votes in both polls.
Saturday’s battle between MSU-Oregon marks the first time in school history that MSU is part of a top ten match-up in the month of September. Oregon also is the highest ranked non-conference opponent since MSU traveled to No. 1 Nebraska in 1996.