Tom Murphy explains Top 25 ballot

Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) celebrates after their win over Virginia Tech in an NCAA collage football game in Blacksburg, Va., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. Clemson won, 31-17. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)

— 1 Alabama

2 Clemson

3 Oklahoma

4 Penn State

5 Washington

6 Georgia

7 Michigan

8 Ohio State

9 TCU

10 Wisconsin

11 Miami, Fla.

12 Auburn

13 Washington State

14 USC

15 Virginia Tech

16 Oklahoma State

17 Louisville

18 South Florida

19 Florida

20 Notre Dame

21 West Virginia

22 Central Florida

23 San Diego State

24 Utah

25 North Carolina State

Dropped out: Mississippi State, Duke

Hey social media swarm: We can't just stick Alabama and Clemson in a microwave, punch in "high" and hit the start button. But if feels like it.

When you watch those two teams, combatants in the last two CFP championship games, their defensive speed jumps off the screen. It will take a monumental effort for anybody to knock off either of the two over the next two months. They are the clear No. 1 and 2 for me this week.

Oklahoma stayed at No. 3, while Penn State slipped up a notch to No. 4 again after USC lost at Washington State. I dropped the Trojans to No. 14, a slot behind the Cougars.

Georgia, which destroyed Tennessee 41-0 in Knoxville, won't get Alabama in the regular season, but if the Dogs can beat Florida on Oct. 28 there's a strong possibility they'll see the Crimson Tide in Atlanta. I moved Georgia up three spots to No. 6, just behind Washington, which has won its five games by an average margin of 33 points. Idle TCU is up two spots to No. 9 ahead of a Big 12 showdown with West Virginia, which is up to 21 in my rankings.

The second 10 in my poll is led by a couple of intriguing teams that are looking stronger every week: Miami (Fla.), and Auburn. Hurricane Irma threw a wrench into the Hurricanes' early season, but they pulverized Duke on the road and look stout. Auburn held Clemson to 14 points and appears to have its offense chugging pretty good despite injuries to key personnel.

Mississippi State fell all the way out from No. 18 after its second blowout loss in a row. That smashing of LSU looks like fool's gold now. Also out is No. 25 Duke.

New entries for me this week are No. 20 Notre Dame, whose home loss to Georgia is looking better and better, and No. 25 North Carolina State, who Dino Babers will tell you is better than LSU.

I dropped LSU and Memphis out of my rankings last week after wins and I'm glad I did as both sets of Tigers laid eggs on Saturday.

Temperature alert this week in the volatile SEC: Boil in Knoxville and Baton Rouge; simmer in Auburn, College Station, Fayetteville, Gainesville and other Villes -- for now.

In the Group of 5 sweepstakes, South Florida leads at No. 18, followed by No. 22 Central Florida and No. 23 San Diego State.