Steppe’s Week 7 AP ballot: Texas returns to No. 1, with trio of Big Ten teams lurking

COLUMBUS, Ohio — At first glance, it looked like Week 6 could be relatively uneventful for filling out my weekly AP Poll ballot. Only one game featured two ranked opponents, and several teams had Week 6 byes.

It turned out to be just the opposite.

We saw last week’s No. 1, No. 4, No. 10, No. 11, No. 22 and No. 25 teams all lose to unranked foes. That included top-ranked Alabama — fresh off a signature win against then-No. 1 Georgia the week before — losing to perennial SEC cellar-dweller Vanderbilt.

As a result, my ballot had some significant changes, with four new teams entering my top 25 — Indiana, SMU, Syracuse and Pittsburgh — and another two teams moving more than 10 spots.

Texas, after sliding to No. 2 on my ballot last week, returned to its top spot following the Crimson Tide’s upset loss. Ohio State received consideration for the top spot after its dominant second half against Iowa, but a few questions linger about the Buckeyes’ defense.

Oregon moved up to No. 3 after Tennessee and Alabama’s losses. The Ducks have three straight 21-plus-point wins; their Week 2 win over Boise State is looking better, too, as the Ashton Jeanty-led Broncos have been dominant since then.

Michigan and USC — both two-loss teams now — fell off my ballot entirely after losing to unranked foes. Michigan’s best win was against USC, but that loses some luster after the Trojans’ underwhelming loss to Minnesota.

My placement of LSU at No. 19 might be unpopular, but LSU’s Week 1 loss to USC looks worse on the resume. LSU’s Week 3 win against South Carolina was decent, but defeating Nicholls, South Alabama and a one-win UCLA team only count for so much. Brian Kelly’s team will have a chance to prove me wrong this weekend against Ole Miss.

Texas A&M jumped 12 spots after the Aggies’ dominant win over No. 9 Missouri while the Tigers fell to No. 25 on my ballot. Iowa State, meanwhile, moved up five spots to No. 11 as the undefeated Cyclones put together a convincing case for why they might be the best team in the Big 12. (Fellow undefeated Big 12 contender BYU is not far behind at No. 13.)

My full ballot is below. The Week 7 poll will come out at 1 p.m. Central time:

John Steppe’s Week 7 AP ballot:

Also under consideration: Michigan, Vanderbilt, Nebraska

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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