Clemson remained No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, but not by much.
Trevor Lawrence’s absence due to COVID-19 and the Tigers’ narrow win over Boston College created a divide among the 62 writers and broadcasters on the voting panel.
Clemson received 33 first-place votes—19 fewer than last week—and has only a two-point lead over No. 2 Alabama heading into a huge ACC matchup at fourth-ranked Notre Dame this week.
Alabama, which handed Mike Leach his first shutout as a head coach with a 41-0 victory over Mississippi State, got the other 29 first-place votes.