football Football stock photo. Footballstockpic2019

There aren’t many college football fans or media members who would rank the North Carolina Tar Heels ahead of the unbeaten North Carolina State Wolfpack, especially after the Tar Heels lost to the unranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish over the weekend. That’s exactly what Arkansas Razorbacks beat writer Thomas Murphy did on this week’s AP Poll, but it looks like it was a mistake.

After some noticed the odd ranking in the AP Poll, Thomas shared on Twitter that it was a mistake – he meant to rank NC State at No. 17 and the Oregon Ducks at No. 18, leaving North Carolina unranked.

“CFB fans, I ask your forgiveness. I compiled my AP poll super early Sunday a.m. and erred. I put UNC at 17, instead of NC State. Put the Wolfpack at 18 and inadvertently left out Oregon, my intended 18. Thanks @ralphDrussoAP for working to re-issue poll, get record straight,” Murphy said on Twitter.

While Murphy’s individual poll didn’t have much impact on the aggregate AP Poll, it was good to recognize the mistake, explain it, and get it fixed. And the college football world had plenty of praise for Murphy for taking responsibility and eventually getting the poll corrected.

It’s probably safe to say he’ll be a little more careful with his poll next week.

[Thomas Murphy]