After LSU's 21-0 loss to Alabama in the BCS title game Monday night, Tigers coach Les Miles stopped short of asking AP voters for a split national title. Even he knew it was a lost cause after his team's uninspired performance against the Crimson Tide.

Alabama, with the first shutout in a title game (BCS, de facto or otherwise) in 20 years, left no room for doubt Monday night in the Superdome — despite a 9-6 regular-season loss to LSU — that it was the better team. And that's why I voted the Crimson Tide No. 1 in my final AP ballot of the 2011 season.

Alabama got its shot at LSU, and lost. I don't think Alabama deserves another shot at the No. 1 Tigers in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

But the AP is not part of the BCS equation nor is it asking its voters which two teams should be in the "national" title game. The AP asks us to rank the top 25 teams in order.

So who's No. 2, Oklahoma State or Alabama?

Editor's note: J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.  The AP will release the Top 25 on Saturday.

It's beyond obvious at this point that I should just put an SEC team at No. 1 and move on. Except, I can't find the right SEC team.

I almost talked myself into Auburn last year (I was the only voter that had them in the preseason top 10) but I had no idea Cam Newton was going to be that good.

Editor's note: Staff writer J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.

• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls

The BCS can't win — nor should it — because we're either headed for a scenario where we have four unbeaten teams (Alabama, Boise State, Ohio State and TCU) or a debate of is a one-loss SEC champion better than an unbeaten WAC or Mountain West champion?

Editor's note: Staff writer J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.

Miami (21) can change that with a win at Pittsburgh (24) on Thursday.

Editor's note: Staff writer J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.

• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls

This year, more than any in recent memory, makes the case that we shouldn't be voting until October.

Since we do vote in August, the only fair thing to do is to be flexible.
I changed my No. 1 vote to Alabama last week, and the Tide's 24-3 win over Penn State confirmed that choice.

Editor's note: Staff writer J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters. This is his weekly ballot.

• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls

As always, the preseason poll is an educated guess and the actual season goes by results.

Alabama still has a ton of questions on defense, and an injured Mark Ingram, but there's no denying the Tide is the most talented team in the country. At some point, you have to factor in the "eye test" and Alabama's the Kate Beckinsale of the "eye test."

• JP Top 25 archive

Editor's note: The preseason AP top 25 will be released Saturday. Staff writer J.P. Giglio is one of 60 voters.

Hit the 7-iron, just layup and hit the 7-iron.

The safe play for my AP Top 25 ballot would be to rank Alabama No. 1 and layup. After all, an SEC team has won the past four national titles.

• JP Top 25 archive
• Nos. 1-12: Saturday

If you've followed my voting patterns from the previous five years in the AP Top 25, you know I like to zig when other people zag.
This year's preseason poll is no exception. The AP will release the Top 25 on Saturday. Here are Nos. 13 through 25 from my ballot:

Editor's note: J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.

• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls
• Pollspeak (how everyone else voted)

The top eight didn't change for the first time all season but No. 9 through No. 25 is the same roulette wheel it has been since Week 1.

Oregon (9) took control of the Pac-10 with a wild, comeback win at Arizona. Even with two losses, both on the road, I think Oregon's better than Pittsburgh (10).