MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A heralded weekend of college football did not disappoint.
And five weeks into the season, we're starting to see some separation in the top teams in the country. There's a potential case to be made by others, but there's really only three to choose from for the time being.
Beyond that, it's kind of a crapshoot on who should fit where in the final 23 spots in the poll.
With that said, I did a bit of a re-ranking of my top-25 ballot to try to make sense of the first quarter of the season. Admittedly, I don't love all of it, and I've made several changes in one night. I'll likely continue to look at it and not be satisfied, but I think that goes to the fluid nature of these teams right now.
The following is the ballot I submitted to the Associated Press that will be counted in the consensus rankings that will be released Sunday afternoon.
1. Ohio State
Seattle is not an easy place to escape with a win, and it looked like Ohio State would have troubles doing so early in the game. But Julian Sayin was an efficient 22-of-28 and threw two touchdowns en route to a 24-6 win over a good Washington team. It's Ohio State until someone can dethrone the champs.
2. Oregon
It's always the Ducks. I don't know why anyone continues to doubt Dan Lanning in big games. Oregon went into the White Out and got it done, on both offense and defense. This year was supposed to be a building year for next year, but so far Oregon is looking like a contender.
3. Miami
Miami was on a bye week, but to this point in the season the Hurricanes have proven to be one of the best in the country. The test will continue with what should be an entertaining matchup with Florida State next weekend.
4. Ole Miss
Admittedly, Ole Miss at No. 4 might feel a bit high for some people, but the Rebels have a strong offense and a complementary defense, and there's little teams can do to stop Lane Kiffin's squad. LSU will not be the toughest competition Ole Miss faces this season, but maybe this is the year to take the Rebels seriously.
5. Indiana
The Hoosiers needed a last-minute touchdown to secure a win, and then took an intentional safety to wear out the clock against Iowa, but Indiana continues to be a solid option in the Big Ten. Ohio State and Oregon remain a tier above, in my opinion, but each week is another good showing.
6. Texas A&M
The biggest fault of Texas A&M this week was not covering it's 7-point spread (the Aggies beat Auburn by 6). The Aggies offense wasn't perfect this week against Auburn, but the defense showed out and Le'Veon Moss rushed all over the Tigers for a career performance.
7. Alabama
After a Week 1 loss to Florida State, Alabama has been on an upward climb. Quarterback Ty Simpson is looking comfortable leading the team, and accounted for three touchdowns en route to a win over Georgia — on the road no less.
8. Oklahoma
It was a bye week for the Sooners, but if ever there was a situation in which a team lost it was this week. Dynamic dual-threat quarterback John Mateer is out for an unspecified amount of time due to hand surgery. The real question is can Oklahoma maintain its success without him under center.
9. Texas Tech
The Red Raiders were also on a bye week, but there's a chance they were the biggest cheerleaders to Utah's dominant win over West Virginia.
10. Penn State
The big games continue to be elusive to Penn State. Drew Allar came alive in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but an interception ended the team's chances of a big home win. The Nittany Lions remain a solid team, but after going all-in over the offseason, there's questions as to if they can ever get it done.
In consideration (alphabetical): Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, North Texas, South Florida, TCU, UNLV, USC, Utah
If you can't see my full ballot below, click here.
