My AP Top 25 ballot: Texas is the new No. 1 as Tennessee rises, Missouri falls and Iowa State enters the ballot

Highlights from the ballot, which was submitted to the Associated Press on Saturday night …

— Texas took over the top spot after the dominant victory at Michigan, which I view as slightly more impressive than Georgia’s Week 1 win over Clemson in Atlanta. Clearly, the Bulldogs and Longhorns have been the most impressive teams thus far.

The paucity of marquee inter-conference games and losses by ranked teams resulted in only minor changes up and down the ballot.

It was a fairly quiet Week 2.

— Iowa State made its debut after the victory at Iowa and is one spot ahead of the Hawkeye. I also ranked Boise State just behind Oregon after the last-second loss in Eugene.

— Speaking of the Ducks: They dropped again — from fourth in my preseason ballot to 10th after the season opener to 13th this week. The decline reflects two wobbly performances.

— Tennessee jumped from No. 21 last week to No. 10 on the ballot below following the impressive win at N.C. State, which I consider a mid-level ACC team (although I’m not sure what that means given the state of play in that conference).

— Missouri dropped five spots, to No. 19, as the weak non-conference schedule compares less favorably as the weeks unfold and other teams face tougher competition.

To the ballot …

1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Utah
5. Alabama
6. Miami
7. Penn State
8. USC
9. Mississippi
10. Tennessee
11. Oklahoma State
12. Nebraska
13. Oregon
14. Boise State
15. Kansas State
16. Arizona
17. Iowa State
18. Iowa
19. Missouri
20. Illinois
21. Oklahoma
22. Notre Dame
23. LSU
24. Memphis
25. Vanderbilt

---

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to wilnerhotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter/X: @WilnerHotline