Brett McMurphy’s College Football AP Top 25 Ballot After Week 6

Here is my latest Associated Press Top 25 ballot through games of Oct. 6.

There was a lot of movement on my ballot Sunday because six teams on my Top 25 ballot last week lost on Saturday.

The biggest movers on my ballot were Florida, up from No. 21 to No. 10 after upsetting LSU, and Texas, moving from No. 19 to No. 12 after stunning Oklahoma. LSU, which still has Top 25 wins vs. Miami and Auburn, fell on my ballot from No. 3 to No. 11, while Oklahoma dropped from No. 6 to No. 13.

Two teams dropped out of my rankings: Michigan State, after losing at home to Northwestern, and Stanford, after a home loss to Utah. Newcomers to my Top 25 this week: Washington State and Texas A&M.

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

1. Alabama (1)
2. Georgia (2)
3. Ohio State (4)
4. Notre Dame (5)
5. Clemson (7)

6. West Virginia (8)
7. Washington (10)
8. Penn State (11)
9. Michigan (12)
10. Florida (21)

11. LSU (3)
12. Texas (19)
13. Oklahoma (6)
14. UCF (15)
15. Colorado (17)

16. Kentucky (13)
17. Miami (16)
18. Oregon (18)
19. Wisconsin (20)
20. NC State (24)

21.  Auburn (9)
22. USF (22)
23. Cincinnati (25)
24. Washington State (NR)
25. Texas A&M (NR)


Peeking ahead to this week:

College Football Playoff impact games

Georgia at LSU

The Bulldogs have looked the part in their quest to return to the College Football Playoff, but they haven’t been challenged much this season. That should change in the coming weeks, starting Saturday at LSU. Then after an open date, Georgia has consecutive games against Florida in Jacksonville, at Kentucky and home vs. Auburn.

Washington at Oregon

The Huskies are likely the Pac-12’s last hope to reach the College Football Playoff and need a win at Oregon to keep those slim chances alive. Since 2002, Washington has won only won once in Eugene, which came in their last trip in 2016. This will be Washington’s toughest remaining regular season contest until the finale at Washington State on Nov. 23.

Wisconsin at Michigan

No team with two losses has ever reached the College Football Playoff, so Saturday’s matchup between the Wolverines and Badgers is a quasi-elimination contest. A couple of trends favor Michigan: the home team has won eight of the last 10 meetings and Michigan is 6-2 all-time vs. Wisconsin when both teams are ranked.

 

Game of the “weak”

UCLA at Cal

The 0-5 Bruins have fallen and can’t get up. The home team has won 16 of the last 18 meetings between UCLA and Cal and a loss to the Bears would put the Bruins halfway to their first winless season in school history.

 

Stat of the week

0-5. Nebraska is 0-5 under first-year coach Scott Frost and has lost nine consecutive games for the first time in school history. Nebraska’s five losses this season are more than former coach Bo Pelini lost in each of his seven seasons with the Huskers between 2008-14.