Alabama is still No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll — and on my ballot — despite a close call

So Alabama is actually human?

The Tide won and will remain No. 1, but did we all underestimate Florida? It was assumed that Bama would roll into the Swamp and dominate the Gators. But Florida put up a fight. Not enough to knock Alabama out of the top spot, but enough to show the Gators are legit and could be on a collision course for a rematch in December.

No. 2 Georgia, of course, will have a lot to say about that. The Dogs took care of business and No. 1 and No. 2 will remain the same for another week. But there were some head-scratchers in the top 25 this week.

Oklahoma didn’t blow out Nebraska like many expected, UCLA couldn’t handle the fame and Virginia Tech didn’t represent the ACC … neither did Miami, who didn’t make my top 25 a week ago, but apparently had enough people fooled to sneak in at No. 24.

There was some scrambling in the middle for week 3. Penn State’s home win over Auburn was impressive, while Ohio State and Notre Dame continue to look pedestrian, even though the Buckeyes eventually pulled away from Tulsa. BYU is the new addition to my top 25 this week, knocking off a third PAC12 opponent to start 3-0.

Here’s a look at my Top 25 ballot for Week 3.

1 Alabama (3-0) - Defeated Florida, 31-29

The Tide started hot and needed all they had to stop the Gators from pulling the upset. Bama can’t roll every week and showing that they are just like everyone else doesn’t mean they still aren’t the team to beat.

2 Georgia (3-0) - Defeated South Carolina, 40-13

Hey, look, a sighting of the Bulldogs’ offense. Georgia didn’t break a sweat in their SEC opener versus the Gamecocks. It was a good sign, though, to see the offense roll.

3 Oregon (3-0) - Defeated Stony Brook, 48-7

An easy win over an inferior opponent wasn’t enough to jump the Bulldogs, but it was enough to keep the Ducks locked in at No. 3.

4 Iowa (3-0) - Defeated Kent State, 30-7

The Hawkeyes’ defense continues to stifle its opponents in the 2021 season. They shut Kent State out for three quarters after giving up a touchdown in the first.

5 Texas A&M (3-0) - Defeated New Mexico, 34-0

Why do I get the feeling the Aggies are the one SEC team people are somehow overlooking. Bama and Georgia, maybe even Florida to an extent, are getting a lot of the love, but A&M is quietly taking care of business.