Here is my latest Associated Press Top 25 ballot through games of Sept. 29.

The biggest movers on my ballot were Notre Dame, up from No. 12 last week to No. 5 this week after routing Stanford, who dropped from No. 4 to No. 14.

Falling out of my Top 25: No. 18. Duke, No. 19 Cal, No. 20 BYU and No. 24 North Texas. New to my rankings this week: Oregon, Florida, NC State and Cincinnati.

My ballot this week (where I ranked them last week in parenthesis):

1. Alabama (1)
2. Georgia (2)
3. LSU (3)
4. Ohio State (5)
5. Notre Dame (12)

6. Oklahoma (7)
7. Clemson (6)
8. West Virginia (8)
9.  Auburn (10)
10. Washington (11)

11. Penn State (9)
12. Michigan (13)
13. Kentucky (14)
14. Stanford (4)
15. UCF (15)

16. Miami (16)
17. Colorado (17)
18. Oregon (NR)
19. Texas (21)
20. Wisconsin (22)

21. Florida (NR)
22. USF (23)
23. Michigan State (25)
24. NC State (NR)
25. Cincinnati (NR)

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Peeking ahead to this week:

College Football Playoff impact games

Texas vs. Oklahoma

The Longhorns could damage the Big 12’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff by upsetting Oklahoma in Dallas.  A 13-0, Big 12 champion Oklahoma team will be guaranteed a spot; a one-loss Big 12 champion — whether Oklahoma, Texas or West Virginia — is not such a sure thing.

LSU vs. Florida

Are the Tigers a legit College Football Playoff contender? We will find out in the next few weeks. The Tigers’ next four games: at Florida Saturday and then consecutive home games against Georgia (Oct. 13), Mississippi State (Oct. 20) and Alabama (Nov. 3).

 

Game of the “weak”

Alabama vs. Arkansas

How big of a difference has QB Tua Tagovailoa been this year? Alabama has topped 500 yards in all five games this season, after doing so only four times last year. The Crimson Tide simply continue to run roughshod through the SEC and this week will be no different against an Arkansas club that is 1-12 in its last 13 games against Power 5 opponents dating back to 2016.

 

Stat of the week

22-1. That’s the record of Tom Herman’s teams since 2011 against the spread as an underdog as a head coach at Texas and Houston and an offensive coordinator at Ohio State and Iowa State. Texas is an underdog Saturday vs. Oklahoma.