My AP top 25 ballot: Mississippi State joins the mix

I think LSU is a good football team. So good, that I ranked the Tigers ninth in this space a week ago. I assumed they would continue their winning ways and remain in my top 10 today.

But Mississippi State made sure that didn’t happen. The Bulldogs not only beat LSU on Saturday, they destroyed LSU 37-7.

That’s a statement win right there. I am prepared to reward Mississippi State for its strong effort by voting the Bulldogs into my top 25 for the first time this season, slotting them all the way up at No. 16.

This looks like a team worth monitoring nationally. Mississippi State steam rolled Charleston Southern 49-0 and then crushed Louisiana Tech on the road 57-21. Next, it smoked LSU.

Welcome to the top 25.

A few other details on my latest AP top 25 ballot: Wisconsin jumped into the top 10 after whooping BYU on the road. LSU and Louisville both fell out of the top 10 following their first losses and now sit in the low 20s.

Auburn, Oregon and Vanderbilt join Mississippi State as newcomers in my poll. Kansas State, Stanford, Tennessee and UCLA dropped out.

Below, you can check out my entire top 25.

1. Oklahoma

2. Alabama

3. Clemson

4. USC

5. Penn State

6. Washington

7. Oklahoma State

8. Wisconsin

9. Michigan

10. Georgia

11. Ohio State

12. Florida State

13. TCU

14. Virginia Tech

15. Washington State

16. Mississippi State

17. Colorado

18. California

19. Miami

20. Louisville

21. LSU

22. Auburn

23. San Diego State

24. Oregon

25. Vanderbilt

This story was originally published September 17, 2017 at 2:36 AM with the headline "My AP top 25 ballot: Mississippi State joins the mix."