FAYETTEVILLE — Razorback beat writer Tom Murphy breaks down his latest Associated Press Top 25 ballot.
Monday update
Dear College Football Fans,
I share your passion for our great game and the debates that are created by fantastic finishes like that of the Ohio State-Michigan game on Saturday.
I have heard from many of you over the last 24 hours. I have looked and listened. As I cast my ballot for this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll, I had not seen all the available angles of Ohio State's fourth-down run in the second overtime. If I had, I would not have been as definitive in my view of the spot on J.T. Barrett's run.
My error was in not having a greater appreciation for the well-trained game officials who spotted the gain and confirmed the call on the field. For that I apologize and confirm that I respect the decision of those officials and the outcome of the game.
Michigan and Ohio State remain two great programs who added another chapter to the colorful history of our game on Saturday.
Sincerely,
Tom Murphy
Original article
Yes, I voted Michigan higher than Ohio State. The Wolverines essentially outplayed their arch rival on the road and I don't think the football reached the necessary 15-yard line on J.T. Barrett's fourth-down run in double overtime. As that was the game-decided play, I appointed myself as the replay official and deemed Michigan the winner. Now, if only the College Football Playoff selection committee would do the same. As a side note, while I admire Jim Harbaugh for speaking his mind after the game, he appeared to pin everything on the officiating, which isn't a good look.
While Michigan and Ohio State, I suppose, both have a shot at making the four-team playoff, I don't think the committee is going to send that message about non-conference champions. Who knows? Maybe the committee will apply its conference champion metric and neither make it. Whatever happens, it will spark controversy, much like the officiating in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
My second-highest SEC team behind No. 1 Alabama is Florida at No. 15. Weird, huh? But it shows the gap between the Crimson Tide and the second tier in the SEC, particularly with the rash of injuries at other SEC "contenders" like LSU, Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M.
Had Arkansas carried through in the second half and beaten Missouri, I would have strongly considered a spot for the Razorbacks among the last few places in this poll.
Did y'all see the Iowa-Nebraska result? What about Navy's 75 points?
Had to put the four-loss Hawkeyes in there. Houston, Boise State and Tennessee and fell out of the poll.
Tom Murphy's AP Top 25 Poll
1 Alabama
2 Clemson
3 Michigan
4 Washington
5 Ohio State
6 Wisconsin
7 Oklahoma
8 Penn State
9 Colorado
10 Oklahoma State
11 USC
12 Florida State
13 West Virginia
14 Western Michigan
15 Florida
16 Navy
17 Auburn
18 Stanford
19 LSU
20 Louisville
21 Texas A&M
22 Utah
23 Iowa
24 Nebraska
25 Air Force
Dropped out: Houston, Boise State, Tennessee