The UCF Knights are now in unfamiliar territory. After suffering their first regular season loss since Nov. 26, 2016, the Knights are no longer the top team among the Group of Five schools. That takes away their inside track to reaching a New Years' Six bowl game for the third straight year.

The Knights fell from No. 15 to No. 22 after their 35-34 loss to Pitt on Saturday in the latest Associated Press College Football poll. More significantly, the Knights now trail Mountain West favorite Boise State, who came in at No. 16, up four spots after a 30-19 win over Air Force.

Both schools are now in their conference seasons where both are expected to win their conference titles. The American appears to be a bit tougher with three schools -- SMU, Memphis and Tulane -- all receiving votes in the latest Associated Press poll. The Knights will play at Tulane on Nov. 23. No other Mountain West teams appear in the Associated Press poll. That would suggest both teams could be looking to impress the College Football Playoff Committee with big wins. For both teams the margin for error to reach a New Years Six bowl game will be small.

And the Knights, now with one loss, albeit to an ACC foe, will probably need a Broncos loss to return to one of those marquee bowl games.

UCF will return to action Saturday at Spectrum Stadium against UConn.

Meanwhile, the Florida Gators held firm at No. 9 in the poll thanks to a 34-3 win over Tennessee. The Gators will play Towson this week before beginning the most difficult stretch of their schedule with a game at home against No. 7 Auburn.

Clemson, Alabama, Georgia and LSU remain the top four teams with Ohio State jumping into the top five, up from No. 6. Wisconsin leaped over Florida from No. 13 to No. 8 after a 35-14 thrashing of No. 20 Michigan.