Again -- the ballot starts fresh every week, so the delta is not truly indicative of how a team performed in a given week. Trying to rank numbers four through 25 was a task in futility.
 |
||
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama |
 1 |
| 2 | Florida |
 1 |
| 3 | Texas | |
| 4 | LSU |
2 |
| 5 | Boise State |
2 |
| 6 | Cincinnati |
3 |
| 7 | Virginia Tech |
5 |
| 8 | Oklahoma |
3 |
| 9 | TCU |
8 |
| 10 | Houston |
10 |
| 11 | Iowa | |
| 12 | Ohio State |
2 |
| 13 | Miami (Florida) |
5 |
| 14 | Southern Cal |
1 |
| 15 | Penn State |
11 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State |
1 |
| 17 | Georgia |
1 |
| 18 | Michigan |
5 |
| 19 | California |
14 |
| 20 | Auburn |
5 |
| 21 | Missouri |
2 |
| 22 | Mississippi |
12 |
| 23 | Nebraska |
1 |
| 24 | Kansas |
6 |
| 25 | Georgia Tech | |
| Last week's ballot | ||
Dropped Out: Florida State (#21), Brigham Young (#22).
On the radar (in no order): South Florida, Pitt, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Arizona, Oregon
Notes:
- Alabama takes the top spot this week on the strength of its wins as compared to Florida and Texas. 'Bama thoroughly demolished a solid Arkansas team, and that win over Virginia Tech looms larger after the Hokies' destruction of Miami.
- Florida and Texas, don't be discouraged. Put wins against LSU and Oklahoma on the résumé and you're right in the conversation at No. 1.
- No, I don't think LSU or Boise State is a top five team either. Come to think of it, is ANYONE a top five team outside of the top three?
- Virginia Tech rises on the combined strength of its big win as well as the strength of its sole loss growing stronger each week.
- Iowa flies onto my ballot. I'd kept Iowa off the ballot for probably a week too long as extended punishment for the Northern Iowa debacle, but that defense is incredibly legit and that win in Happy Valley can't be understated.
- I didn't mean for Michigan to rise five spots after a home scare, but what you see is what you get, I guess.
- The Big 12 North trifecta hangs in the bottom part of the ballot. That spot at No. 25 that went to Georgia Tech is a complete tossup.