Weekly AP ballot: Spartans, Wolverines still top-15 teams

Not much change in this week’s AP Top 25 ballot. Arkansas dropped from No. 3 after the loss to LSU. But I didn’t drop them out of the top 10, considering none of the two-loss teams has better losses than the Razorbacks — at Alabama and at LSU. Virginia Tech moves into the top 10 after a 38-0 shutout of Virginia, bumping Michigan State to 10th. I’ve got Wisconsin at No. 13 and Michigan at No. 15.

And yes, I’ve still got an undefeated Houston team down there at No. 17. The Cougars’ best win to date is probably Saturday’s win at Tulsa, an 8-4 team with its three previous losses to top-15 teams. Before that, though, it was the opening win at home against UCLA, a team that just lost 50-0 to USC. A win over Southern Miss this week in the Conference USA title game, though, would count for something more — maybe a lot more — on my ballot.

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma State
4. Stanford
5. USC
6. Oregon
7. Arkansas
8. Virginia Tech
9. Boise State
10. Michigan State
11. South Carolina
12. Oklahoma
13. Wisconsin
14. Georgia
15. Michigan
16. Kansas State
17. Houston
18. TCU
19. Baylor
20. Clemson
21. Nebraska
22. West Virginia
23. Penn State
24. Southern Mississippi
25. Texas