I have long been a defender of college football's poll system, but the sportswriters did not do the legitimacy of the Associated Press poll any favors by releasing their latest rankings before one top 25 team had played its scheduled game on Sunday evening.
For my part, I waited until after Boise State's game against New Mexico State was concluded before casting my BlogPoll ballot, on the theory that whether the Broncos won or lost, and how they played the game, just might affect my opinion of whether other teams were better or worse than B.S.U. . . . but maybe that's just me.
In any event, here is my top 25, which I hope will serve to confirm, rather than refute, HawgDawg's kind compliment that "Kyle King is always reasonable":
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | -- |
| 2 | West Virginia |
 3 |
| 3 | Michigan | -- |
| 4 | Auburn |
12 |
| 5 | Texas |
 1 |
| 6 | Tennessee | -- |
| 7 | Clemson |
4 |
| 8 | California | -- |
| 9 | Notre Dame | -- |
| 10 | Southern Cal | -- |
| 11 | Wisconsin |
2 |
| 12 | Oregon | -- |
| 13 | Florida |
11 |
| 14 | Louisville |
7 |
| 15 | Arkansas |
1 |
| 16 | Rutgers |
5 |
| 17 | LSU |
6 |
| 18 | Nebraska |
4 |
| 19 | Boise State |
2 |
| 20 | Boston College |
6 |
| 21 | Pittsburgh |
5 |
| 22 | Georgia Tech |
3 |
| 23 | Oklahoma |
3 |
| 24 | Wake Forest |
1 |
| 25 | Texas A&M |
1 |
My rationale for my rankings will, of course, follow forthwith.
Go 'Dawgs!