Oregon was the unanimous choice for No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, strengthening its bid for the top spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s first rankings of the season.

The Ducks are No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third straight week, and unanimous for the first time, following its 21-point road win against Michigan.

Georgia, which received one No. 1 vote last week, remained No. 2 after overcoming Carson Beck’s three interceptions and pulling away late to beat Florida.

Ohio State earned a one-spot promotion to No. 3 with its win at Penn State, the Buckeyes’ eighth in a row in the series. No. 4 Miami, which beat Duke, and No. 5 Texas, which was idle, each moved up a spot. Penn State, which had been in the top five in the previous four polls, slipped to No. 6.

The CFP’s expansion to 12 teams this season means losses by top teams to other top teams aren’t a certain disqualifier in the race for the national championship. The CFP’s first rankings of the season will be released Tuesday and updated weekly until the bracket is announced Dec. 8.

Tennessee held its place at No. 7 despite scuffling well into the fourth quarter against three-win Kentucky and winning 28-18.

Indiana jumped five spots to No. 8, its highest ranking since it was No. 7 in 2020 — and best in a non-pandemic season since the Hoosiers were No. 4 during their 1967 Rose Bowl season. The Hoosiers rolled past Michigan State 47-10 on the road to go 9-0 for the first time in program history; every win this season has been by double digits.

No. 9 BYU and No. 10 Notre Dame were idle.

Golf

Takeda gets her first LPGA Tour win

Rio Takeda of Japan won the Toto Japan Classic on Sunday in a six-hole playoff against Marina Alex to capture her first LPGA Tour title in Shiga, Japan.

Takeda closed with a 5-under 67 while Alex had a 66 to match her 15-under 201. The tournament was reduced to 54 holes because Saturday’s third round was washed out by rain.

Both made birdie on the first playoff, and both made pars on the next four holes until Takeda birdied the par-5 18th and the American could only manage a par.

Haeran Ryu of South Korea had a 66 to finish one shot out of the playoff. Hana Wakimoto of Japan, the leader after the first two rounds, slipped to a 73 and finished three strokes behind the leaders. She was also seeking her first LPGA Tour win.

Ayaka Furue tied for 10th. With Furue not winning, Nelly Korda clinched LPGA player of the year for the first time.

Briefly

Running >> Abdi Nageeye and Sheila Chepkirui used strong kicks in the final mile to pull away from their nearest competitors and both win the New York City Marathon for the first time Sunday.

Auto racing >> Max Verstappen took a major step toward securing his fourth straight F1 title by winning the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paolo, despite starting 17th, and increasing his lead over Lando Norris with three more races remaining.

Tennis >> Coco Gauff enjoyed a successful start by beating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-2 in an American matchup at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Second-seeded Iga Swiatek rallied to beat Barbora Krejcikova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in her first match in two months.

Tennis >> Alexander Zverev was imperious in dispatching Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-2 to win the Paris Masters. The third-seeded Zverev was in total control of the final to earn his seventh Masters 1000 title, his first in the French capital.

Baseball >> The Kansas City Royals are bringing back right-hander Michael Wacha on a three-year, $51 million contract that includes a club option for the 2028 season, a person familiar with the terms told the Associated Press.on

Baseball >> Lou Trivino’s $5 million club option was declined by the New York Yankees, making the right-hander a free agent after he missed his second straight big league season following an elbow injury.

— From news services