JON WILNER’S TOP 25 BALLOT
Made several significant changes to the ballot — seven new teams — as the number of substantive results increases. Clemson remained in the top spot after dominating Texas A&M, but there’s a new No. 2: LSU ascended following an impressive victory at Texas. (Alabama might be the better team, but LSU has the better result, by far. The Crimson Tide has played Duke and New Mexico State.)
Army, which was on my preseason ballot but not the Week One edition, is back in the top 25 after the overtime loss in Ann Arbor. I have the Black Knights just behind Michigan.
In that regard, they received the same treatment as Oregon, which was slotted directly behind Auburn after the Week One result in Arlington.
USC entered the rankings after the impressive showing against Stanford, which dropped out.
Two other Pac-12 teams made their ballot debuts: Cal, which won at Washington on a late field goal, and Colorado, which rallied to beat Nebraska.
Added to the ballot: Army, USC, Cal, UCF, Iowa, Colorado and Maryland. Removed from the ballot: Texas A&M, Boise State, Nebraska, Iowa State, Stanford, Syracuse and Cincinnati. Cal kicker Greg Thomas, left, celebrates with holder Steven Coutts after Thomas’ winning field goal against Washington.
Here’s a look at Wilner’s ballot:
1. Clemson
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
6. Ohio State
7. Texas
8. Utah
9. Auburn
10. Oregon
11. Notre Dame
12. Michigan
13. Army
14. Florida
15. USC
16. Wisconsin
17. Michigan State
18. Cal
19. Washington
20. Penn State
21. Iowa
22. UCF
23. Colorado
24. Washington State
25. Maryland