Ballot Correction Shifts Rankings

Boston College moved into sole possession of the No. 20 ranking in the Associated Press poll after the poll was recalculated to fix a mistaken ballot.

On a day when Miami remained out of the AP’s top 25 for the first time since 1999, the revised poll breaks a 20th-place tie between Boston College and Arizona State, dropping the Sun Devils to No. 22 behind California.

Poll voter Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte Observer said he mistakenly sent his Sept. 10 poll ballot, rather than his Sept. 17 ballot.

“I cut-and-pasted the wrong file, the previous week’s file, into the e-mail that I sent to the AP,” Tysiac said Monday.

Although the only change was the order of the Nos. 20, 21 and 22 teams, AP sports editor Terry R. Taylor said the poll was recalculated to maintain its integrity.

“While we normally do not allow votes to be changed, it was clear in this case that an outdated ballot had been inadvertently submitted,” she said.

Cal plays host to Arizona State on Saturday.

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Memphis Coach Tommy West took over his team’s defense and fired defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn, who had the job since spring 2003. The Tigers (1-2) blew a 13-point lead in a 35-20 loss last week at East Carolina. West said the decision was based “on a confidence issue about our system” and not on the loss.

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North Carolina State Coach Chuck Amato said Daniel Evans will start Saturday against Boston College, elevating the reserve past Marcus Stone for the Wolfpack (1-2).

In relief of Stone last week, Evans had 97 yards passing and a touchdown during a 37-17 loss at Southern Mississippi.

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Tennessee senior defensive tackle Justin Harrell, who had postponed his operation so he could play in the Volunteers’ game last week against Florida, underwent season-ending surgery for a ruptured tendon in his left biceps.