FanHouse Top 25: Alabama Still the One

FanHouse writer Brett McMurphy shares his Top 25 ballot each Sunday morning.

College football's version of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome will be played out on Halloween night in Stillwater, Okla., and Eugene, Ore.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma State hosts Texas in a battle for the Big 12 South lead, while USC visits Oregon in a huge Pac-10 contest in Eugene. All four teams are ranked among the Associated Press' top-13 teams this week.

In a slight variation of Thunderdome, "two teams enter, one team leaves" with their national title hopes alive.

The winner of each game is still in the running for a spot in the BCS title game, while the loser can start making alternate bowl plans.

More Coverage: Florida No. 1 in AP | Whoa, Arizona Ranked

Saturday's Texas-Oklahoma State and USC-Oregon matchups are the only ones between Top 25 teams in the AP poll this weekend, but both could have huge national title implications.

As far as my AP ballot this week, I dropped BYU, Texas Tech and Nebraska from my Top 25, while replacing them with Ole Miss, Central Michigan and Notre Dame.

My top five remained the same: Alabama, Florida, Texas, Cincinnati and USC. Yes, Alabama squeaked by Tennessee, but I kept the Crimson Tide at No. 1 because they still have the most impressive resume up to this point. Got a problem with that? Take it up with Aunty Entity in Bartertown.

Here is my ballot this week with my ranking last week in parenthesis.

1. Alabama (1)
Kick, Tennessee, Kick! That's the chant you'll hear next season from Crimson Tide fans when they play Tennessee. The Volunteers had four field goals blocked or missed as Bama hung on for a 12-10 win. Alabama's victory was its first this season by less than 10 points, so that's why the Crimson Tide remains my No. 1 team.
2. Florida (2)
If Florida was on offense much longer Saturday at Mississippi State, the Gators may have lost. MSU's defense scored two TDs against the Gators' offense, while MSU's offense managed only two field goals against UF's defense. QB Tim Tebow's final numbers: 12-for-22, 127 yards, two interceptions. He also had as many TD passes as post-game quotes to the media: none.
3. Texas (3)
No Red River Rivalry rebound problems for the Longhorns. Texas improved to 12-0 under coach Mack Brown in games after playing Oklahoma. QB Colt McCoy showed Missouri who's best in the Big 12, throwing for three TDs in Texas' 41-7 rout of Missouri. Saturday, UT visits Oklahoma State on a Halloween night contest that should feature every shade of orange known to mankind.
4. Cincinnati (4)
No Pike, no problem. With starting QB Tony Pike sidelined with a left arm injury, back-up Zach Collaros led the Bearcats past Louisville's (House of) Cards, 41-10. The Bearcats won the battle for the Keg of Nails and hammered even more nails into Steve Kragthorpe's future at Louisville.
5. USC (5)
RB Allen Bradford rushed for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns as the Trojans held off Oregon State 42-36. This week, the Trojans visit Oregon, marking the third consecutive season USC plays the Oregon schools in consecutive games. The past two years, USC failed to sweep the Oregon duo. Is the third time a charm?
6. Iowa (7)
The Hawkeyes' last-second 15-13 victory at Michigan State improved the Hawkeyes to 8-0 for the first time in school history. Who scripts these games for Iowa? Alfred Hitchcock? Seven of Iowa's victories have been by 11 points or less, including four wins by three points or less. Saturday's game with Indiana should be a lot less suspenseful.
7. TCU (8)
Coach Gary Patterson's Purple People Eaters continue to wreak havoc in the Mountain West. After TCU ended BYU's 13-game home conference winning streak Saturday with a 38-7 rout of BYU, a 12-0 regular season -- like it or not -- is a very real possibility for the Horned Frogs. The biggest challenge should be a home game with Utah on Nov. 14.
8. Boise State (6)
The Broncos bullied defenseless Hawaii 54-9 Saturday and expect more of the same this weekend when Boise State hosts 1-5 San Jose State. The Broncos have won all five meetings in Boise against the Spartans by an average margin of 49-13.
9. LSU (10)
LSU's Tigers tamed Auburn's Tigers 31-10 Saturday to improve to 11-1 in games off a loss under coach Les Miles. The Tigers now host Tulane and should cruise to their 18th consecutive victory against the Green Wave.
10. Oregon (11)
After whacking Washington, the Ducks welcome USC Saturday. Oregon won the last meeting in Eugene, 24-17, in 2007 and has won four of the last six meetings with the Trojans in Autzen Stadium. Oregon also has an eight-game home winning streak.
11. Georgia Tech (12)
The Yellow Jackets are back in control in the ACC's Atlantic Division. Speaking of control, Georgia Tech's offense had the football for 42 minutes, 43 seconds in Saturday's win at Virginia. One drive ate up more than 10 minutes off the clock as TV executives were on their knees praying for a turnover or a punt.
12. Houston (13)
QB Case Keenum was held to a season-low 233 yards passing and the Cougars were actually outgained by SMU, but still rolled to a 38-15 victory. Houston hosts an up-and-down Southern Miss squad Saturday for the first time since the teams played in the 2006 Conference USA title game.
13. Oklahoma State (14)
QB Zac Robinson completed 85 percent at Baylor (23-of-27), breaking Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy's school record -- 77 percent in 1989 when Gundy wasn't quite a man yet. Can the Cowboys man up against Texas Saturday? The Pokes haven't in the past, losing 21-of-23 meetings. Okie State's last victory against Texas was 1997.
14. Penn State (15)
On Saturday, Joe Pa won at Michigan's Big House for the first time since 1996. Of the seven teams the Nittany Lions have defeated this season, only two FBS teams -- Temple and Michigan -- currently have winning records.
15. Virginia Tech (16)
The Hokies had a week off to think about their Oct. 17 loss to Georgia Tech and what might have been. Virginia Tech now plays back-to-back Thursday night contests -- home vs. North Carolina this week and at East Carolina on Nov. 5.
16. Pittsburgh (22)
The Panthers disposed of free-falling South Florida 41-14 Saturday. Off to its best start since 1982, Pitt is off this week before hosting Syracuse on Nov. 7. Then the Panthers close the regular season with three doozies: home against Notre Dame (Nov. 14), at West Virginia (Nov. 27) and home against Cincinnati (Dec. 5).
17. Ohio State (17)
Sophomore Terrelle Pryor became the fifth Buckeyes QB to exceed 1,000 career yards rushing in Saturday's victory against Minnesota. Next up: a cakewalk against New Mexico State followed by a visit to Penn State, home against Iowa and at Michigan.
18. West Virginia (19)
If West Virginia RB Noel Devine isn't the fastest running back in college football, he's among the top three. Devine carried 23 times for 178 yards, including the game-winning 56-yard TD with 2:10 remaining, as WVU escaped an upset against a motivated UConn club playing for murdered teammate Jasper Howard.
19. Miami (9)
The Hurricanes' 40-37 overtime loss to Clemson was only Miami's second loss in 115 games when scoring 37 or more points since 1985. How will Miami rebound at Wake Forest Saturday? Hopefully better than it did after its last OT loss in 2007 when UM followed up a 19-16 OT loss to N.C. State with a 48-0 loss to Virginia.
20. Utah (20)
The Utes remained unbeaten in the Mountain West with an overtime win against Air Force. Even if they look past Saturday's contest with New Mexico to next week's clash at TCU, it likely won't matter. New Mexico is 0-7, losing each game by an average of 22 points.
21. Arizona (23)
Even though QB Nick Foles committed five turnovers against UCLA, the Wildcats still rolled up 456 yards in a 27-13 victory against the Bruins. Only a sophomore, Foles leads the Pac-10 with a 72.2 completion percentage.
22. South Carolina (24)
The Old Ball Coach and his Gamecocks squeaked by Vanderbilt, giving Steve Spurrier the 105th SEC victory of his career. That ties him with former Georgia coach Vince Dooley for third on the all-time list. Saturday at Tennessee, Spurrier goes for SEC win No. 106 -- and his first against Lane Kiffin.
23. Ole Miss (NR)
Like Showtime's serial killer Dexter, Ole Miss RB Dexter McCluster slaughtered the Hogs Saturday. McCluster set his career high in yards rushing (123) and receiving (137) as former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt defeated his old team for a second consecutive season.
24. Central Michigan (NR)
The MAC-Daddy's have won at Michigan State and their only loss was at Arizona (19-6) in the season opener. Don't believe the 7-1 Chippewas are a legit Top 25 team? They'll have a chance to prove it Saturday when they visit Boston College.
25. Notre Dame (NR)
Another Notre Dame nail-biter: this one a 20-16 win against Boston College. The Fighting Irish's last six games have been decided by seven points or less. If that trend continues Saturday at home against 1-6 Washington State, Notre Dame won't be on my Top 25 ballot next week.

Teams that are close to making my Top 25 (in alphabetical order): Cal, Oklahoma

See you later (teams that fell out of my Top 25 this week): BYU, Nebraska, Texas Tech