USC stayed right at No. 24 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, released Sunday.

The Trojans (7-2, 5-1 Pac-12) erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit against Cal in Week 9 and held on to win 50-49 on the road. Cal scored with 58 seconds remaining to set up what would have been a game-tying point-after try, but rather than kick and play for overtime, Cal coach Justin Wilcox went for two and the win. USC shut down the initial action well and forced a desperation heave that was batted away to preserve a one-point lead.

Despite all the attention paid to USC’s defensive shortcomings and the mounting heat on defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, USC continues to find ways to win close games. It has won tight ones against Colorado, Arizona (in triple-overtime), and now Cal. In doing so, USC has kept control of its own destiny in the Pac-12 title race.

The Trojans will host Washington in Week 10 (4:30 p.m. PT, ABC) in a game that will play a huge role in determining who goes to Vegas to play for the league crown.

USC is joined by No. 5 Washington, No. 6 Oregon, No. 16 Oregon State, No. 18 Utah, and No. 20 UCLA in the latest poll.

The rest of this week’s AP poll can be found below, with first-place votes in parentheses:

  1. Georgia (48)
  2. Michigan (9)
  3. Ohio State (3)
  4. Florida State (3)
  5. Washington
  6. Oregon
  7. Texas
  8. Alabama
  9. Penn State
  10. Oklahoma
  11. Ole Miss
  12. Notre Dame
  13. LSU
  14. Missouri
  15. Louisville
  16. Oregon State
  17. Air Force
  18. Utah
  19. Tennessee
  20. UCLA
  21. Tulane
  22. Kansas
  23. James Madison
  24. USC
  25. Kansas State

Receiving votes: Oklahoma St. 77, North Carolina 54, Liberty 47, Fresno St. 16, Miami 11, Arizona 6, Toledo 3, Rutgers 2