College football rankings: Notre Dame, Alabama to top, but can BCS busters close ground?

Notre Dame is No. 1 in this week’s BlogPoll, gets almost all the first-place votes, and is pretty much assured of carrying that No. 1 ranking into the 2013 BCS National Championship Game. Whatever: that was expected.

The really cool thing about this week’s BlogPoll is the respect that otherwise unsung teams command. While the top four remained the same, and the biggest move in the top 15 came with Florida State’s five-spot plummet after a home loss to Florida, Kent State, Northern Illinois, and Utah State all hopped into the top 20, taking Nos. 18 through 20 in that order.

Overall, there was some movement among the top 10 thanks to rivalry games.

Below is the complete USA Today Coaches’ Poll:

But most eyes will turn to the lower portion of the week’s top 25, as the nation waits to see whether a BCS buster can emerge from a trio of teams vying for a BCS bowl spot. Although the AP Poll does not factor into the BCS formula, it could serve as a hint at what the BCS rankings might look like when released at 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN.

The Kent State Golden Flashes lead the charge at No. 18 in this week’s AP Poll, followed closely by the No. 19 Northern Illinois Huskies. The two will face off in the MAC Championship Game on Friday, with the winner looking to be in best shape for a possible BCS bid. The Boise State Broncos land at No. 25, but will maintain a much stronger position in Sunday night’s BCS rankings.