I almost, almost, almost switched spots for Alabama and Oregon, and put the Ducks No. 1 this week.

My eyeballs tell me Oregon’s offense can’t be muffled, not even by Alabama’s great defense. But to go to Death Valley and summon the right stuff to beat LSU? You can’t punish a team in any way, shape or form for that.

Alabama's T.J. Weldon with the game-winning TD at LSU (AP photo)

Oregon is playing offensive football at a week-in, week-out level the likes of which I’ve never seen. I’m not talking about sheer point-production. I’m talking about utter brilliance and precision. I’m talking about trampling. USC, as proud a football program as this nation knows when it isn’t on NCAA probation, could do nothing with the Ducks’ offense Saturday night in Los Angeles. Nothing.

Then again, Oregon did give up 51 points to the Trojans. But when you can hang a 62 on USC in the L.A. Coliseum, no one’s going to begrudge you giving up a few points to Matt Barkley and his team.

If something hinky happens and the BCS computers deny Oregon a spot in the national-title game, it will be a sick joke.

But how do I take Alabama down a peg after it won at LSU? I can’t. And I won’t.

1. Alabama (9-0)

2. Oregon (9-0)

3. Kansas State (9-0)

4. Notre Dame (9-0). The Irish play like a very ordinary team at home, having beaten Michigan, BYU, Stanford, and now Pittsburgh by one score. But they won big at Oklahoma. I saw Oklahoma in person Saturday. Beating Oklahoma 30-13 in Norman is something I don’t dismiss.

This is what Ohio State 52, Illinois 22 looks like (AP photo)

5. Ohio State (10-0). The Buckeyes are closing in on a Big Ten Leaders Division trophy, which they can place between their national coed fencing championships of 2004 and 2008.

6. Florida State (8-1)

7. Clemson (8-1)

8. Oklahoma (6-2)

9. Georgia (8-1). Now knows it will play Alabama in the SEC title game if it wins at Auburn Saturday. Now knows it won’t win the SEC title.

10. Florida (8-1)

11. LSU (7-2)

12. Texas A&M (7-2). The SEC wasn’t good enough. So it added this team, which gained 693 yards at Mississippi State Saturday and has lost only tight games against Florida and LSU.

Since when does Texas A&M have black uniforms? (AP photo)

13. South Carolina (7-2)

14. Oregon State (7-1)

15. Stanford (7-2)

16. Louisville (9-0). This is Kentucky’s finest football team.

17. UCLA (7-2)

18. Nebraska (7-2)

19. USC (6-3)

20. Texas (7-2)

21. Louisiana Tech (8-1)

22. Northern Illinois (9-1). I’m wondering if losing to Iowa will cost the Huskies a BCS bowl. OK, I’m not really wondering that.

23. Michigan (6-3)

24. San Diego State (7-3). Won at Boise State Saturday night. Boise State has four home losses since 1999.

25. Fresno State (7-3)

Here is the AP poll. I’m surprised Alabama got every one of the 60 votes for No. 1.

RANK TEAM RECORD POINTS

1 Alabama (60) 9-0 1500

2 Oregon 9-0 1421

3 Kansas State 9-0 1385

4 Notre Dame 9-0 1318

5 Ohio State 10-0 1198

5 Georgia 8-1 1198

7 Florida 8-1 1112

8 Florida State 8-1 1057

9 LSU 7-2 1029

10 Clemson 8-1 931

11 Louisville 9-0 862

12 South Carolina 7-2 836

13 Oregon State 7-1 796

14 Oklahoma 6-2 765

15 Texas A&M 7-2 700

16 Stanford 7-2 655

17 UCLA 7-2 446

18 Nebraska 7-2 441

19 Texas 7-2 355

19 Louisiana Tech 8-1 355

21 USC 6-3 237

22 Mississippi State 7-2 187

23 Toledo 8-1 146

24 Rutgers 7-1 99

25 Texas Tech 6-3 97

Dropped from rankings: Boise State 19, West Virginia 23, Arizona 24

Others receiving votes: Northern Illinois 64, Kent State 61, Michigan 53, TCU 38, Northwestern 32, Oklahoma State 27, Ohio 22, UCF 15, Boise State 11, Washington 9, Penn State 8, San Diego State 7, Tulsa 6, Arizona 5, Utah State 4, Fresno State 2