'Bama AP #2

The Crimson Tide jumped to No. 2 in the Associated Press ranking on the strength of a dominating 41-30 victory over Georgia on national television on Saturday night. The No. 2 ranking represents the highest ranking for Alabama since 1993, when the Crimson Tide opened the season at No. 2 and stayed there for seven weeks before a 17-17 tie with Tennessee in Bir­mingham dropped the Tide to No. 4.

Alabama (5-0) was No. 3 at the beginning of the 2000 season and was ranked third for two consec­utive weeks in 2005, but has been no higher since Gene Stall­ings stepped down as Alabama's coach in 1996.

Alabama had a little help from others as three top 10 teams lost in games this past week, then took care of the fourth by thrashing then No. 3 Georgia on ESPN Saturday night. The Tide's dominating 31-point lead at the half was enough to propel them past LSU and Texas, which won on Satur­day, and Missouri, which was idle.

The win also garnered Alaba­ma 21 first-place votes, leaving the Tide just 34 points behind top-ranked Oklahoma, but Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban wasn't prepared to lobby for a No. 1 ranking just yet.

"It doesn't matter where you are until the end," he said. "It's the only time it counts, does any good to be No. 1, is the way I look at it.

Crimson Tide rises to No. 2 in AP poll