/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/ROGP4CNRQBAGLCXD24YR5MD2FQ.jpg "Jordan Travis and the Seminoles have moved into the top 20 of our AP top 25 ballot.")
As the top end of my Associated Press top 25 ballot solidifies, the bottom half continues to be a fluid jumble after another exciting college football weekend.
We’ll skip the obvious and start at No. 9, where the Pac-12 mess begins. I continue to rank two-loss Utah ahead of one-loss USC because of the Utes’ head-to-head win and better performances against common opponents (like Arizona). That said, the Trojans are that conference’s only shot at making the College Football Playoff.
Oregon came next at No. 11, a five-spot slide from last week. The Ducks had been dominant since Georgia blew them out in Week 1 before losing a heartbreaker to rival Washington. I still think Oregon is a very good team, however, and wouldn’t be surprised if the Ducks won the conference.
UCLA’s late-night loss to Arizona was a headscratcher. Putting them at No. 13, just ahead of one-loss North Carolina (which continues to play with fire) seemed fair because of the Bruins’ two very good wins (Washington and Utah). The Huskies moved up four spots to 15th on my ballot after beating Oregon. Tampa Bay Tech product Michael Penix Jr. isn’t the best player in the country, but he’s certainly one of the most exciting. It’s nice to see his fresh start work out at Washington after he left Indiana.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/CPO7J3RYR4CRGX4BR5F24W5L2I.jpg "UCF's win over Tulane moved the Knights up to No. 17 on our ballot.")
UCF went up five spots to No. 17 after a 38-31 win at Tulane. The Knights are the AAC frontrunners and the state’s top team on my ballot. I don’t feel strongly about that claim, however, because Florida State continues to dominate. The Seminoles have won three consecutive games by 20-plus points for the first time since late in the 2013 national title run, as The Osceola notes.
FSU moved past Notre Dame to 20th on my ballot. The gap between 17 and 25 is miniscule, but I couldn’t justify sliding the Seminoles ahead of UCF after the Knights earned a top-20 win at Tulane (which has a win over one of the best three-loss teams in the country, Kansas State).
Illinois, Wake Forest and Texas all dropped off my ballot this week. North Carolina State did, too, barely, after a 21-20 loss to a bad Boston College team. It was, however, a nice win for Eagles coach Jeff Hafley, the former Bucs assistant.
Their departures made way for four teams that have been on my ballot at various times this year (Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Oregon state and Minnesota). I also considered Coastal Carolina and Iowa, among others.
My AP top 25 ballot
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. TCU
5. Tennessee
6. LSU
7. Alabama
8. Clemson
9. Utah
10. USC
11. Oregon
12. Penn State
13. UCLA
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Explore all your options14. North Carolina
15. Washington
16. Mississippi
17. UCF
18. Tulane
19. Kansas State
20. Florida State
21. Notre Dame
22. Cincinnati
23. Oklahoma State
24. Oregon State
25. Minnesota
• • •
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/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/tbt/7cebc9de-b4ff-4812-8b4d-68882cb41e3e.png "Matt Baker - Colleges and Recruiting Reporter")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/jGkVv3AFOdbtINlH8dwdYaeluAk=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/ZPTNRYTNLKNY65UJ7A7QN5UCTA.jpg "Our AP Top 25 ballot: Ohio State, Florida State on top, Deion Sanders out")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/vQuY2UZM0bQYkfK8tJHJT2dN7H0=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/RQI4PGHGQE6H73HJFCO6VZ67KI.jpg "AP Top 25: Colorado falls out of rankings after first loss")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/c6b9Kv6vizMhB51UVYUg-3ZQLhs=/1200x675/filters:focal(2335x1095:2345x1085)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/S3UUN53XQNBSTKELYMBH6LQ7TQ.jpg "College football Week 4 guide: FSU, Deion Sanders and UCF’s Big 12 debut")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/dh2prALX-ZXEPZbQCHp-vdm8FtY=/1200x675/filters:focal(3285x1425:3295x1415)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TPCUEXTXPZACNEGBLTHMB5FTHQ.jpg "Florida State football: Why Seminoles are rising as Clemson slips")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/TV5z2y86wtZ4MUuRym6MiQHKzec=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/HXDYOZ4A5ZEVBP2FEZPTWIS7A4 "What if Deion Sanders had chosen USF football, not Colorado Buffaloes?")
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/www.tampabay.com/resizer/bPzk3fDqikZnYKJ7GtpgeoSZx6A=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/OQMF6ZD3VRGWDI3BWBABHDJ75I.jpg "World’s oldest cigars, found in an 1857 shipwreck, on display in Tampa")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/5SD_Xt4e2S1RqTVxeTdrVUek4XA=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/Z722TX47ZZBCVBI2AKKYQBHJWM.jpg "In Clearwater, mayor’s race will headline a crowded March election")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/FO533ZYOARRMEF32VNO6M2ZMVA.jpg "Tyler Van Dyke throws for 3 TDs as No. 20 Miami routs Temple")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TSOTS2NSOPESBX3TNDY5RX7QPE.jpg "Florida Gators, FSU and Miami are all in the AP Top 25. Is the Big 3 back?")