Highlights from the ballot, which was submitted to the Associated Press on Monday night …
— Georgia took over the top spot after its blowout victory over Oregon in which the Bulldogs looked like they were in midseason form.
Ohio State beat Notre Dame to record the best win of the weekend, based on the caliber of opponent; the Buckeyes are No. 2 this week, one spot ahead of Alabama.
Our view, simply, is that high-quality non-conference wins must be rewarded on the ballot.
— Florida moved up four spots, to No. 9, following the down-to-the-wire win over Utah.
That’s right: four spots.
The Hotline picked UF as one of the sleeper teams in ’22 and slotted the Gators in the No. 13 position on our preseason ballot.
We liked the combination of quarterback Anthony Richardson and a new head coach, Billy Napier, and guessed there was a reasonable chance the Gators would exceed expectations.
Meanwhile, Utah was No. 5 on our preseason ballot, so a victory for the No. 13 Gators should naturally result in an upward move — into the top 10.
Because the back-and-forth game was decided in the final minute, it only seemed right to slot the Utes directly behind Florida this week, in the 10-hole.
— That same reasoning was applied to Arkansas and Cincinnati: The Hogs won a close duel at home and are No. 13, one spot ahead of the Bearcats.
— Florida State entered the ballot after beating LSU on Sunday night and is the only newcomer. There simply weren’t enough quality matchups across the FBS to justify additional movement.
— Oregon dropped off the ballot following the 49-3 loss to Georgia.
We typically don’t punish teams for losing to ranked opponents, except when a blowout loss is the only result available for judgment — and the team in question isn’t competitive, on either side of the ball, from start to finish.
The Ducks, who were No. 16 on our preseason ballot, dropped down … and out.
For the moment, it’s difficult to make the case that they warrant a spot on the ballot.
Speaking of the ballot …
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Alabama
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas A&M
6. Michigan
7. Oklahoma
8. Clemson
9. Florida
10. Utah
11. USC
12. Baylor
13. Arkansas
14. Cincinnati
15. Oklahoma State
16. Brigham Young
17. Pittsburgh
18. Florida State
19. Mississippi
20. Houston
21. Wake Forest
22. Fresno State
23. N.C. State
24. Wisconsin
25. UCLA
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Source: www.mercurynews.com