AP Top 25 Reality Check: The top tier of teams in poll widens as points gap between them shrinks
The top tier of the Associated Press college football poll is getting crowded.
Georgia remains a clear No. 1 in the AP Top 25. The two-time defending national champions have not budged since last season, a streak of 15 straight polls. The Bulldogs received 55 first-place votes this week.
Five other teams split the remaining eight first-place votes. No. 2 Michigan got one; No. 3 Texas two; No. 4 Ohio State had one; No. 5 Florida State got three; and No. 7 Washington one.
That's the most teams with a first-place vote during the regular season since November 2015.
The teams in the top five are also tightening by total poll points, with No. 2 and No. 5 separated by a season-low 79. Washington's 1,228 points are the most by a team ranked seventh this season.
It might be too early to draw conclusions about this, but it does seem like the band of teams with a chance to contend for a national title is wider.
To use another barometer, ESPN's SP+ — which is a forward-looking metric — has the top-10 teams in the country far more bunched after four weeks of the regular season than it did in the preseason.
Before the games kicked off, there was a large gulf between the top four (Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama) and the rest of the country.
Georgia, of course, could very well be a tier of one. But the Bulldogs have played only one team that could be considered a challenge, and they trailed at halftime to South Carolina before winning by 10.
With such a small sample size, the Bulldogs can get the benefit of the doubt while also being TBD for overall quality.
Ranking the very best teams is getting tougher for voters, so Reality Check will try not to be too judgmental.
No. 1 Georgia
Next: at Auburn, Saturday.
Reality check: A week after Reality Check suggested getting Brock Bowers more involved, the preseason All-America tight end broke out with nine catches for 121 yards and two TDs vs. UAB. Genius!
Ranked: Just right, but disagreeing is acceptable.
2. Michigan
Next: at Nebraska, Saturday.
Reality check: Wolverines are committed to staying unbeaten and untested while playing as little football as possible. Michigan is averaging 57.8 plays per game, 119th in the country and third-fewest among Power Five teams.
Ranked: Too high.
3. No. 3 Texas
Next: vs. No. 24 Kansas, Saturday.
Reality check: Improvement of the Longhorns' defense since late last season has gone a little overlooked. Texas has nine straight games without allowing 30 or more points, and it starts up front with 360-pound DT T'vondre Sweat.
Ranked: Too low.
No. 4 Ohio State (4-0)
Next: vs. Maryland, Oct. 7.
Reality check: Lots of talk about toughness and, oddly, Lou Holtz after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame. That's a complicated discussion, not entirely fair to Ryan Day or his team, but also not entirely resolved by scoring a 1-yard TD through a hole left vacant by coaching mismanagement. Still, darn fine victory.
Ranked: Too low.
No. 5 Florida State
Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Oct. 7.
Reality check: Seminoles' defense still seems not quite as good as the sum of the parts, but the athleticism and playmakers balances out some of the down-to-down inefficiencies.
Ranked: Too low.
No. 6 Penn State
Next: at Northwestern, Saturday
Reality check: Nittany Lions have been efficient and mistake-free on offense, the only team in the country without a turnover. They need to find some explosiveness, because at some point the turnovers are going to appear and the defense will be facing more threatening offenses than it has so far.
Ranked: About right.
No. 7 Washington
Next: at Arizona, Saturday.
Reality check: If it feels as if the Huskies are leading 31-6 in the second quarter every week — as they were against Cal — it is because they sort of are: Washington has outscored opponents 130-27 in the first half.
Ranked: Too low.
No. 8 USC
Next: at Colorado, Saturday.
Reality check: The defense is better. It really is. The Trojans rank 61st in the country in yards per play allowed after being 124th last year. Still, they are 102nd in plays of 20 yards or more allowed. Missed tackles and breakdowns are still an issue.
Ranked: Too high.
No. 9 Oregon
Next: at Stanford, Saturday.
Reality check: The Ducks have the best combination of offensive and defensive lines in the Pac-12.
Ranked: Too low.
No. 10 Utah
Next: at No. 19 Oregon State, Friday.
Reality check: For all the great work the Utes have done without QB Cam Rising, it's now to the point where it is reasonable to wonder how much he will be able to boost the offense when he does return.
Ranked: Too low.
No. 11 Notre Dame
Next: at No. 17 Duke, Saturday.
Reality check: Having 10 players on the field to defend the deciding plays vs. Ohio State was inexcusable, and there were a couple of other game-management decisions down the stretch that coach Marcus Freeman probably wants back. The Irish might be good enough for the gaffes not to define this season.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: