Column
Georgia’s my new No. 1. For now.
Posted October 29th, 2017
Georgia’s at the top.
Well, on my ballot anyway.
I bumped the impressive Bulldogs from third to first on my Associated Press Top 25 ballot after they crushed Florida in the Jim McElwain Buyout Bowl, slipping them ahead of idle Alabama because of the strength of Georgia’s victories this season.
The Crimson Tide, however, shouldn’t be faulted for the lack of potency from their opponents. Florida State has completely crumbled. Arkansas’s Bret Bielema is just barely holding onto his job. Texas A&M may be in full second-half slide mode after its disappointing showing at home against Mississippi State. Tennessee? No explanation necessary.
Georgia, on the other hand, has a trump card in its one-point victory over rapidly rising Notre Dame. It’s destroying folks, has a nice win over Mississippi State and seems to be capable of playing toe to toe with Alabama in the SEC Championship.
So my top four for now reads: Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State.
Iowa State made the biggest jump, ascending eight spots to No. 15. The Cyclones have two mega-victories over OU and now TCU, which fell to 12th on my ballot. Another newcomer, Arizona, shows up at 18th after whipping Washington State behind quarterback Khalil Tate, who should be gathering some Heisman consideration along with Notre Dame running back Josh Adams.
Here’s my ballot:
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Penn State
- Oklahoma State
- Notre Dame
- Miami
- Wisconsin
- Virginia Tech
- TCU
- Washington
- UCF
- Iowa State
- LSU
- North Carolina State
- Arizona
- Washington State
- USC
- Memphis
- South Florida
- Auburn
- Mississippi State
- Stanford
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