My AP Top 25 Rankings: Oregon, Washington join the party as Michigan State, BYU fall
Perhaps I was too harsh on Oregon.
I had the Ducks in my preseason top 15 and then kicked them to the curb when they lost 49-3 to Georgia in their first game of the year. Losing to the Bulldogs is one thing. There is no shame in that. But losing by 46 seemed unforgivable. At least it did at the time.
Then Georgia followed up that victory by beating Samford 33-0. Then it crushed South Carolina 48-7. It seems like most teams are going to suffer lopsided losses against the mighty Bulldogs, who I once again have ranked No. 1 this week.
So now that Oregon has gone out and redeemed itself by winning back-to-back games, including an impressive victory over BYU, it is invited back to the party. I have the Ducks in my top 25 and ranked at No. 18 this week.
They aren’t the only Pac-12 team that is new to my ballot. Washington also surged into my top 25 after beating Michigan State. The Huskies check in at No. 15.
The next new team in my rankings is another retread. Texas A&M jumps back in at No. 24 with a win over Miami. Penn State also checks in for the first time this season at No. 25.
North Carolina, Ole Miss on the rise
Two other teams made a big jump in my rankings this week.
North Carolina moved up No. 14 without even playing a game. Its 3-0 record, which includes a victory over Appalachian State, will keep the Tar Heels on my ballot until they lose. Mississippi also climbed quite a bit to No. 13 following its dominant victory over Georgia Tech.
Four teams say goodbye
We had to say farewell to four teams after they lost on Saturday.
Tulane upset Kansas State. Marshall couldn’t build off its victory at Notre Dame. Texas Tech was no match for North Carolina State on the road. Miami struggled to find the end zone against Texas A&M.
All four losing teams will need quite a few wins to earn an invitation back to the party.
On deck
Here’s a sentence I absolutely did not expect to write this season: Duke, Indiana, Kansas, UCLA and Syracuse are all one or two wins away from entering my top 25.
They’re all undefeated.
What is this? Basketball season?
As fate would have it, Duke plays at Kansas next weekend. That is going to be a must-see game. I can’t promise anything just yet, but there’s a good chance the winner will be ranked No. 25 on my next ballot.
I also have my eye on Florida State, Iowa State, Appalachian State, Minnesota, Tulane, Washington State and Cincinnati.
Kellis Robinett’s Top 25
1. Georgia (1)
2. Alabama (2)
3. Ohio State (3)
4. Clemson (4)
5. Michigan (5)
6. USC (6)
7. Arkansas (7)
8. North Carolina State (8)
9. Oklahoma State (9)
10. Oklahoma (11)
11. Kentucky (12)
12. Wake Forest (15)
13. Mississippi (17)
14. North Carolina (16)
15. Washington (NR)
16. Tennessee (19)
17. Utah (21)
18. Oregon (NR)
19. Michigan State (10)
20. BYU (13)
21. Baylor (18)
22. Texas (23)
23. Oregon State (25)
24. Texas A&M (NR)
25. Penn State (NR)
Last week’s ranking in parentheses.
This story was originally published September 18, 2022 at 7:45 AM.