Dissecting the College Football AP Poll: Week One
By Ty Duffy
Alabama Ascendant: Alabama picked up 27 first-place votes to move to No. 1 overall after beating Michigan 41-14. LSU, beating North Texas by the same margin at home, dropped 12 first-place votes. USC beat Hawaii by 39, but lost 14 first-place votes to drop from number one. Perhaps Lane Kiffin was correct for running up the score.
Michigan Tumbles: The Wolverines dropped from (8) in the polls to (19), after losing a game in which they were two-touchdown underdogs. Voters still don’t quite have a read on them. There was a fairly equal distribution of votes from (10) through unranked. Bob Asmussen, who had them ranked first in the preseason poll dropped them to (13).
Most Extreme Voter: Ray Ratto was Pollstalker’s “Most Extreme Voter” this week. Here’s how he earned that distinction. He was so impressed by Michigan State turning the ball over four times and not covering at home against a MWC team with five returning starters he jumped them from (22) to (5). He dumped Michigan, from (14) last week, out of his Top 25. He was the only voter to have Texas State in his Top 25 after their Houston upset at (16). He was the only voter with West Virginia lower than (15) at (24). He dropped them a place after dropping 69 points on Marshall. He was also highest on Florida State (3), Nebraska (10) and Notre Dame (15).
Pete Diprimio: Dropped LSU from (4) to (9) behind Texas who didn’t cover against Wyoming and Wisconsin, who nearly blew a lead to FCS Northern Iowa at home.
Jon Wilner: Jumped Michigan State from (24) to (6) after a 17-13 win at home. Dropped Oklahoma from (2) to (17) behind Boise State (16) a team he moved into the poll after they lost to Michigan State. He interestingly kept Michigan at 10 despite the Alabama blowout.
Glenn Guilbeau: He had North Carolina (13) after crushing powerhouse Elon. Only six other pollsters had them ranked.
Josh Kendall: Josh at the State jumped Boise State from (18) to (13) after they lost to Michigan State. He also jumped Oklahoma State from (14) to (6) after their dismantling of traditional titans Savannah State. Offseason questions have been settled.
[Photo via Presswire]