AP College Football Poll: What starts with Ti and is ranked No. 1?

We’re at about the halfway mark of the season, and things are beginning to sort themselves out.

A dozen unbeaten Division I (FBS) teams remain, and they’re all in the AP Top 25 … as it should be, right?

Last week we discussed how not all undefeateds are created equal. And while that is still true, at this point does anyone really begrudge Minnesota, Appalachian State or SMU a place in the rankings, at least until they lose a game?

OK, on to what more of you are interested in, the top spots.

I’ll take my humble pie ala mode, please, after the teams I voted No. 1 and No. 2 last week, Georgia and Florida, both lost their first games of the season.

This week, Alabama is No. 1 with 30 voters giving the Tide the nod over 23 for the Tigers. That would be 12 including me for the cats from LSU, and 11 for the ones from Clemson.

Alabama still doesn’t have a win against a Top 25 team, but at least it has now beaten a squad that was there recently; Texas A&M might still be ranked if not for a brutal early-season schedule that also included losses at Clemson and against Auburn.

From here, LSU looks like No. 1 after having no problem with Florida and the best defense south of Madison, 42-28. The Tigers already had a nice resume that included a 7-point win at Texas and four blowouts, none closer than 28 points.

Circle Nov. 9 on your calendar: That’s when Bama and LSU meet, at Tuscaloosa.

Do the same for Oct. 26: Wisconsin visits Ohio State that day. The Badgers are my No. 3 after their fourth shutout of the season. this time they hung 38 on Michigan State … which is kind of the A&M of the Big Ten, a fairly decent squad with a horribly front-loaded schedule. And lest you think this ranking is too high for Wisky, don’t forget its romps include 35-14 over otherwise unbeaten Michigan.

Whatever was wrong with Clemson that almost cost it dearly two weeks ago against North Carolina appears to have been cured by this-is-not-your-father’s Florida State. But 45-14 over the Seminoles at their place was not enough to keep the other group of Tigers from Baton Rouge at bay, and the defending national champions are now at No. 3 in the overall poll. I value what Oklahoma has done so far more, so I have the Sooners ahead of Clemson as well.

Closer to home, wasn’t that fun pondering where Hawaii would have landed in the Top 25 if it had won at Boise? Unfortunately for Warriors fans the team that was blown out at Washington and not the one that crushed it at Nevada took the field against the Broncos.

Here’s the entire AP poll (first-place votes and last week’s ranking in parentheses):
1. Alabama (38 first-place votes, 1st last week)
2. LSU (12 first-place votes, 5th)
3. Clemson (11 first-place votes, 2nd)
4. Ohio State (9 first-place votes, 4th)
5. Oklahoma (6th)
6. Wisconsin (8th)
7. Penn State (10th)
8. Notre Dame (9th)
9. Florida (7th)
10. Georgia (3rd)
11. Auburn (12th)
12. Oregon (13th)
13. Utah (15th)
14. Boise State (14th)
15. Texas (11th)
16. Michigan (16th)
17. Arizona State (18th)
18. Baylor (22nd)
19. Southern Methodist (21st)
20. Minnesota (NR)
21. Cincinnati (25th)
22. Missouri (NR)
23. Iowa (17th)
24. Appalachian State (NR)
25. Washington (NR)
Also receiving votes: Tulane, Iowa State, Temple, Wake Forest, Cal, Virginia, Memphis, USC, Texas A&M, UCF, San Diego State, LaTech

Here’s the ballot I submitted:
1. LSU (5th last week)
2. Alabama (7th)
3. Wisconsin (6th)
4. Oklahoma (4th)
5. Clemson (8th)
6. Ohio State (3rd)
7. Florida (2nd)
8. Notre Dame (9th)
9. Penn State (11th)
10. Georgia (1st)
11. Auburn (10th)
12. Michigan (13th)
13. Oregon (14th)
14. Boise State (15th)
15. Arizona State (17th)
16. Baylor (19th)
17. Texas (12th)
18. Minnesota (25th)
19. Utah (24th)
20. Southern Methodist (20th)
21. Appalachian State (22nd)
22. Tulane (21st)
23. Cincinnati (NR)
24. Missouri (NR)
25. LaTech (NR)
Dropped out: Iowa (16th), Memphis (18th), Wake Forest (23rd)