NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's Harris Interactive College Football Poll^SM shows the Top 25 results compiled from rankings submitted by the Harris Interactive panel of former coaches, players and administrators, and current and former members of the media.  Notre Dame took over the top spot in the rankings and is the only undefeated team in the HICFP Top 25.  Losses by Oregon and Kansas State, last week's top two teams, vaulted Alabama into the number two ranking.  Georgia, Oregon, and Florida round out the top 5.

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Number of first place votes shown in parentheses.

Other teams receiving votes: USC 142; Utah State 132; Northwestern 112; Louisiana Tech 58; Washington 53; Arizona 21; Tulsa 21; Baylor 18; San Jose State 18; San Diego State 13; Wisconsin 11; Vanderbilt 10; TCU 9; Arkansas State 4; Fresno State 4; Texas Tech 4; Syracuse 3; Louisiana-Monroe 1.

Dropped out of Top 25: USC, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech.

Poll Methodology and Process

The 2012 Harris Interactive College Football Poll is comprised of former players, coaches, administrators and current and former members of the media who have committed to submit rankings for the top 25 college football teams each week. These panelists were randomly selected from among more than 300 nominations submitted by the 11 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) offices and the independent schools. The panel has been designed to be a statistically valid representation of all 11 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and independent institutions. Today, 115 poll participants submitted their top 25 college football team rankings.  Harris Interactive applies a standard statistical practice that allows it to identify potential instability, error or bias associated with unusual ranking patterns.  Those rankings that are identified through the analysis are verified to ensure that each panelist's intent is accurately reflected.

This week's rankings and other information about the poll can be found at www.harrisinteractive.com/bcspoll and www.bcsfootball.org.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight.  Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research.  Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods.  Additionally, Harris has a portfolio of multi-client offerings that complement our custom solutions while maximizing our client's research investment. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients—stay ahead of what's next.  For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

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SOURCE Harris Interactive