Hlas' Top 25 AP ballot for Sept. 30: Everything's ducky for the Oregon State Beavers

For two minutes and 23 seconds of their second quarter on Saturday, LSU trailed Towson.

LSU did win, 38-22. Three weeks earlier, Kent State beat Towson, 41-20.

The Dude can't abide an alleged national-title contender not dismantling a Towson from the get-go, nor can I. So I dropped the Bayou Bengals to No. 4 on my Associated Press Top 25 ballot this week, elevating Florida State to No. 3.

On with the ballot:

1. Alabama

2. Oregon. I went to bed with Oregon leading lowly Washington State by just 23-19. It was 51-19 before Wazzu got a late touchdown. The Ducks abide.

3. Florida State

4. LSU

5. Kansas State

6. Florida

7. Georgia

8. Notre Dame

9. South Carolina

10. Texas

11. West Virginia

12. Oregon State. Its three wins are at home against Wisconsin, and at UCLA and Arizona. No team that I've ranked below it has a better body of work. The Beavers abide.

13. Ohio State

14. USC

15. Clemson

16. Nebraska

17. Oklahoma

18. Mississippi State

19. TCU

20. Stanford

21. UCLA

22. Baylor. Normally, allowing 70 points in a game gets you thrown off my ballot. But the Bears should get some credit for entertainment value after their 70-63 loss at West Virginia.

23. Rutgers

24. Louisiana Tech

25. Texas Tech