Alabama rolls to No. 1 in AP poll

C.J. Mosley (32) of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates a touchdown interception against the Michigan Wolverines at Cowboys Stadium on September 1, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. / Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Alabama is the new No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll, moving past Southern California after its resounding victory against Michigan.

The Crimson Tide swayed more than enough voters with its 41-14 win Saturday night in Texas to overtake the preseason No. 1 Trojans, who beat Hawaii 49-10. USC entered that game a 40-point favorite at home.

The Tide receives 45 first-place votes, up 28 from last week. USC draws 11 first-place votes and No. 3 LSU four.

It's the 47th time Alabama has been No. 1, the 16th under coach Nick Saban.

NCAA football roundup: USC, Alabama roll to easy wins

This is the 86th time in the 76-year history of the AP media poll that the top-ranked team won and dropped in the rankings. It's happened at least once every year since 2007.

Alabama coach Nick Saban says the only thing that has changed for the second-ranked Crimson Tide is the buzz.

Saban said Monday that the talk before the rout of Michigan was that "we were too young, too inexperienced, couldn't handle success."

But he says nothing else is different about the team and "it's going to be all about the maturity."

Saban says Alabama's young defense has a lot to improve on fundamentally though they played hard and physical.

The Tide held the Wolverines to just 269 total yards but both starting cornerbacks were burned for long touchdown passes.

Linebacker C.J. Mosley returned an interception for a touchdown while cornerback Dee Milliner is Southeastern Conference defensive player of the week.

Alabama hosts Western Kentucky on Saturday.

CBSSports.com's Tony Barnhart predicts big things if the Crimson Tide wins the following weekend at Arkansas: "If Alabama wins in Fayetteville you can mark this down: Nick Saban's bunch will be 8-0 when they visit LSU on Nov. 3. "

[Forty-Four]

Definitely agree with the announcers towards the end of the game. "Would have been a much better matchup 2 or 3 years down the road."

Fact is we (Michigan) are still dealing with the remnants of Rich Rod. Namely, the terrible excuse for a QB in Denard Robinson. He is an RB who likes to throw. He only came to Michigan because Michigan was the only school going to allow him to play the QB position. Many other schools wanted him for the positions he would actually be good at, like RB, WR, or DB. He can rocket the ball, but his accuracy outside of 10-15 yards is severely lacking. Way too many overthrows. He becomes too predictable. I highly doubt that he will be a good NFL QB, but likely some other position. He should never be in the Heisman talk in my opinion as Michigan should have never been ranked (let alone 8th) without first proving anything. Michigan will be good in a few years though. I just don't think it will be this year or possibly next year.

I still miss Forcier. Too bad his grades forced him to transfer.