JP Top 25: Week 4

Note: J.P. Giglio is one of 65 voters in the AP Top 25. This is his ballot.

Note, part 2: I'm guest-hosting on 850 the Buzz from 6 to 7 p.m. tonight. If you have any questions about the top 25, call in to the show (919-860-0850).

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Wake Forest and ECU make the biggest moves, in opposite directions.

Starting with the Deacs, they jump eight spots to No. 13 with the win at Florida State. That win will look even better in November when Florida State has 10 wins.

The Pirates drop 12 spots but I kept them in. The West Virginia win is getting counterfeited by the week but Virginia Tech’s win at Chapel Hill helped ECU’s cause. The Pirates are still a good team, despite what N.C. State or UNC fans claim.

ECU’s real problem Saturday, other than Russell Wilson or Skip Holtz, was it’s easier to be the chaser than the one being chased.

You’ll note that there’s only one Pac-10 team ranked. That’s by design, not “East Coast” bias.

Hey, Oregon fan, I told you before the season your team wasn’t that good. I will now hold my breath as I wait for your apology.

Boise State (19), with the win at Oregon, debuts as does Tulsa (24).

1. USC

Record: 2-0
Last week: 1 (off)
Next: @ Oregon State (Thursday, Sept. 25)

I'm not suggesting an undefeated USC will be left out of the BCS equation but given the Pac-10's problems, the Trojans might want to put their Ohio State hat on and start rooting for the Buckeyes.

What other win has the potential to look good on USC's resume? Notre Dame or Virginia?

Just saying, a one-loss USC got left out of the BCS mix in 2003. It wouldn't hurt USC's cause if OSU won the Big Ten.

2. Oklahoma

Record: 3-0
Last week: 3 (off)
Next: TCU
TCU, ranked No. 24 in the proper AP poll, owns one of two road wins against Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. The Horned Frogs won 17-10 in 2005 in Norman.

What are the chances that OU puts up 10 points again? The Sooners are averaging 54.6 points per game.

3. Georgia

Record: 4-0
Last week: 3 (beat Arizona State, 27-10)
Next: Alabama

Tough turn-around travel and competition-wise for the Dawgs, who get a strong Alabama team after a cross-country trip.

Georgia's relative weakness is its offensive line. Alabama's strength is its defensive line.
That means Knowshon Moreno won't have as much room against the Tide as he did against Arizona State. That could be a problem for the somewhat limited Georgia offense.

4. LSU

Record: 3-0
Last week: 6 (beat Auburn, 26-21)
Next: Mississippi State

Jarrett Lee's 18-yard touchdown to Brandon LaFell gave the defending champs a road win in a near impossible environment on Saturday.

Speaking of tough places to play, LSU gets five of the next seven games at home. A trip to Florida on Oct. 11 is one of those road games, though.

5. Florida

Record: 3-0
Last week: 4 (beat Tennessee, 30-6)
Next: Ole Mis

Florida's problem in 2007 was its defense, not so against Tennessee. While Georgia is breaking its back, Florida gets a hiatus before LSU visits The Swamp on Oct. 11.

6. Alabama

Record: 4-0
Last week: 7 (beat Arkansas, 49-14)
Next: @ Georgia

Georgia needed overtime to beat Nick Saban's first team, 26-23 at Tuscaloosa. This game's in Athens, which favors the Dawgs, but Saban's second team has the advantage on both lines.

Is Alabama the best team in the SEC West? Hard to believe that would be a legitimate question after the Tide lost to Louisiana-Monroe in '07, but it is.

7. Missouri

Record: 3-0
Last week: 5 (beat Buffalo,42-21)
Next: @ Nebraska (Oct. 4)

Almost time for Mizzou's season to re-start (next Saturday at Nebraska).

8. South Florida

Record: 4-0
Last week: 8 (beat FIU, 17-9)
Next: @ N.C. State

Looking forward to seeing USF in person on Saturday. I wouldn't look too much into the final score of the FIU game. That's another one of those "We all know each other" games. The Bulls should be back in "Kansas" form for Wolfpack.

9. Wisconsin

Record: 3-0
Last week: 9 (off)
Next: @ Michigan

Has Wisconsin ever been a seven-point favorite at The Big House? Utah will be rooting for the underdog.

10. Texas

Record: 3-0
Last week: 10 (beat Rice, 52-10)
Next: Arkansas

It's a bye week, I mean McFadden/Jones-less Arkansas, and then a tough two-game stretch — at Colorado and Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout.

11. Auburn

Record: 3-1
Last week: 11 (lost to LSU, 26-21)
Next: Tennessee

More offense but not enough defense against LSU. Both sides should get healthy for Tennessee, which misses the play-calling of David Cutcliffe.

12. Texas Tech

Record: 3-0
Last week: 12 (beat UMass, 56-14)
Next: @ Kansas State

Wake me when Texas Tech plays someone.

13. Wake Forest

Record: 3-0
Last week: 21 (beat Florida State, 12-3)
Next: Navy

I thought Wake would lose at FSU. Instead, the Deacs' defense put on a show and the offense did enough. Navy's not the ideal opponent between FSU and Clemson, but Jim Grobe's bunch should get right on offense against the Midshipmen.

14. Utah

Record: 4-0
Last week: 14 (beat Air Force, 30-23)
Next: Weber State

The final margin wasn't great, but Air Force won nine games in 2007 and that's a tough place to play. One major concern for Utah, although it's somewhat offset by the strong play of their conference — Michigan's awful and that win gets devalued each week.

15. Ohio State

Record: 3-1
Last week: 15 (beat Troy, 28-10)
Next: Minnesota

At some point, Beanie Wells will play and we'll get a better idea if the Buckeyes can repeat as Big Ten champs. Until then, it's Jim Tressel trying to figure out a way to win games with a limited offense.

16. Penn State

Record: 4-0
Last week: 17 (beat Temple, 45-3)
Next: Illinois

I have received a few random e-mails making a case for a higher ranking for PSU. Here's the list of teams the Nits have beaten to get to 4-0: Coastal Carolina, Oregon State, Syracuse and Temple.

We'll know how good PSU is when Juice Williams and the Zooker get to town on Saturday.

17. Kansas

Record: 3-1
Last week: 17 (beat Sam Houston State, 38-14)
Next: @ Iowa State

Jayhawks open the conference schedule with the worst team in the Big 12. That just inspired me to rank the six worst teams from the BCS conferences (No. 1 being the worst):

1. Syracuse
2. Washington State
3. Virginia
4. Rutgers
5. Iowa State
6. Arkansas

Congrats, Duke.

18. BYU

Record: 4-0
Last week: 19 (beat Wyoming, 44-0)
Next: @ Utah State

There aren't many teams that will give the Cougs a go at home. Their road trips to TCU, Air Force and Utah will be interesting, though, but not this one to Logan.

19. Boise State

Record: 3-0
Last week: Not ranked (beat Oregon, 37-32)
Next: Louisiana Tech (Oct. 1)

Broncs own a Fiesta Bowl trophy but Saturday's win at Oregon was their first on the road over a BCS team. Big game from quarterback Kellen Moore (386 yards, three TDs) but it will be awhile before he needs to bring his "A" game again.

20. Clemson

Record: 3-1
Last week: 22 (beat S.C. State, 54-0)
Next: Maryland

Might not want to look ahead to Wake, the Terps won in Death Valley in 2006. The scores of the previous two games between these two at Clemson: Maryland, 13-12 in '06 and Clemson, 10-7 in '04.

21. Illinois

Record: 2-1
Last week: 23 (off)
Next: @ Penn State

You can't give the Zooker a week off to prepare. Nevermind, the Illini's 0-2 after a bye.

22. Nebraska

Record: 3-0
Last week: 24 (off)
Next: Virginia Tech

Here's what a wrote last week: "Just a guess, but the Hokies will beat UNC on Saturday and then go to Lincoln and lose on the 27th."

One down ...

23. Ball State

Record: 4-0
Last week: 25 (beat Indiana, 42-20)
Next: Kent State

Football really stinks sometimes. Devastating spine injury to star Dante Love dampens Cards' first win over a BCS program.

24. Tulsa

Record: 3-0
Last week: Not ranked (beat New Mexico, 56-14)
Next: Central Arkansas

The Hurricane has the offense to win C-USA. We won't know much more about them until UCF visits on Oct. 26, in a rematch of last season's conference championship game.

25. ECU

Record: 3-1
Last week: 13 (lost @ N.C. State, 30-24)
Next: Houston

Still a good team with a chance at a good season (C-USA champs) just not a great one in terms of BCS standards.

In: Boise State (19), Tulsa (24)

Out: Oregon (18), Florida State (20)