AP relaxes rules on poll voting

The Associated Press announced Thursday that lower-division schools are now eligible for its 71-year-old poll.

Several AP voters expressed interest in putting Appalachian State on their ballots after a shocking 34-32 upset at then-No. 5 Michigan. But the poll guidelines, which mirrored the coaches’ rankings conducted by USA Today, limited eligibility to teams competing in the former NCAA Division I-A, now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Mountaineers compete in the Football Championship Subdivision, known before this season as Division I-AA.