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Top-ranked teams on the road for the first time

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In today's Morning Tailgate, a Kentucky-Mississippi State preview, I talk about first-time No. 1s going on the road for the first time. Here's a complete list.

By Bill C.
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Harry How

Mississippi State is the 44th program to hold the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll. Three of them lost the No. 1 ranking before leaving home and never got it back: In 1938, TCU beat Texas but fell to No. 2, then remained below the top spot until the final polls (when the Frogs popped back up to No. 1). In 1948, UNC beat N.C. State at home but fell to No. 3 and never returned. In 1965, Arkansas beat North Texas at home and fell from No. 1.

Here are the results of the first road trips (neutral or away) for first-time No. 1s. Losses are in bold.

  • 2010: No. 1 Oregon 53, No. 24 USC 32
  • 2007: No. 9 Oklahoma 38, No. 1 Missouri 17 (in San Antonio) :(
  • 1990: No. 1 Virginia 49, Wake Forest 14
  • 1989: No. 4 Notre Dame 21, No. 1 Colorado 6
  • 1988: No. 6 Miami 31, No. 1 Florida State 0
  • 1985: No. 17 Georgia 24, No. 1 Florida 3 (in Jacksonville)
  • 1984: No. 1 BYU 24, Michigan 17 (in San Diego)
  • 1984: No. 14 Michigan 22, No. 1 Miami 14
  • 1982: No. 1 Washington 23, Arizona 13
  • 1981: No. 1 Clemson 22, No. 4 Nebraska 15 (in Miami)
  • 1978: No. 2 Alabama 14, No. 1 Penn State (in New Orleans)
  • 1971: No. 1 Nebraska 36, Missouri 0
  • 1968: No. 1 Purdue 37, No. 2 Notre Dame 22
  • 1962: No. 1 USC 14, UCLA 3
  • 1961: No. 1 Alabama 34, Auburn 0 (in Birmingham)
  • 1960: No. 1 Ole Miss 31, Memphis 20
  • 1960: No. 3 Minnesota 27, No. 1 Iowa 10
  • 1959: No. 1 Syracuse 46, Boston U. 0
  • 1958: No. 1 LSU 7, Mississippi State 6
  • 1957: No. 1 Auburn 40, Alabama 0 (in Birmingham)
  • 1957: No. 1 Texas A&M 7, No. 11 Arkansas 6
  • 1955: No. 5 Maryland 7, No. 1 UCLA 0
  • 1953: No. 4 Oklahoma 7, No. 1 Maryland 0 (in Miami)
  • 1952: Ohio State 23, No. 1 Wisconsin 14
  • 1951: No. 1 Michigan State 24, No. 7 Ohio State 20
  • 1950: No. 7 Texas 23, No. 1 SMU 20
  • 1950: No. 1 Oklahoma 41, Oklahoma State 14
  • 1947: No. 1 Michigan 49, Northwestern 21
  • 1944: No. 1 Army 62, Penn 7
  • 1942: No. 1 Georgia 75, Florida 0 (in Jacksonville)
  • 1942: No. 1 Ohio State 20, Northwestern 6
  • 1942: No. 7 Alabama 37, No. 1 Boston College 21 (in Miami*)
  • 1941: No. 1 Texas 34, No. 20 SMU 0
  • 1940: No. 1 Cornell 21, Yale 0
  • 1939: No. 1 Tennessee 20, No. 18 LSU 0
  • 1938: No. 1 Notre Dame 9, No. 16 Northwestern 7
  • 1937: No. 1 Pitt 10, No. 18 Duke 0
  • 1937: No. 1 Cal 27, UCLA 14
  • 1936: No. 3 Northwestern 6, No. 1 Minnesota 0
  • 1936: No. 1 Northwestern 9, Michigan 0

* BC had also lost to unranked Holy Cross, 55-12, on a neutral field in Boston to finish the regular season. Take your pick.

The 1942, 1960, and 1984 seasons were pretty unique.

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