First of all, this was the hardest AP Top 25 ballot I’ve filled out in the three years I’ve done this. No question about it.

Secondly, there’s no way anyone’s ballot won’t be subject to some valid criticism this week. I’m writing this on late Saturday night, and am sure Notre Dame will be the consensus No. 1. I fully expect Alabama to be ahead of Ohio State for No. 2, though I’m not voting that way. But how you choose Nos. 4 through 7, and then Nos. 8 through 14 or 15 … so subjective.

Carlos Hyde of Ohio State with his people, after he rushed for 2 TDs in OSU's 21-14 overtime win at Wisconsin (AP photo)

On a neutral field, I don’t think Notre Dame beats three, four, maybe five or six certain teams. But the Irish have beaten everyone they’ve played, and they’ve beaten good teams in Michigan, Oklahoma and Stanford.

They did what Oregon didn’t, which was to survive overtime against Stanford. On the other hand, if that Stanford TD catch to tie the Oregon game Saturday was upheld in its original version, as an incompletion, Oregon is No. 1 today.

Enough preamble.

1. Notre Dame (11-0)

2. Ohio State (11-0). Why? Because it’s unbeaten, and because no one would be arguing the Buckeyes in the top two if they weren’t on probation. And because it got out of Wisconsin with a win Saturday.

3. Alabama (10-1). I couldn’t put the Crimson Tide ahead of Ohio State because Alabama’s last game against an FBS team was a home loss to Texas A&M.

4. Oregon (10-1). Its loss was to a very good Stanford team in overtime. If its best win was over someone better than USC, I wouldn’t have hesitated to keep the Ducks ahead of Alabama.

Baylor's Lache Seastrunk with an 80-yard TD run vs. Kansas State (AP photo)

5. Georgia (10-1). Florida and Kansas State have beaten better teams, but K-State got rolled last night at Baylor, and Florida has done nothing impressive since losing to Georgia in Jacksonville.

6. Kansas State (10-1). The Baylor game was a laid egg, but this is still a team that won at Oklahoma, that won at TCU, that won convincingly over Oklahoma State.

7. Florida (10-1). Last four games: A loss to Georgia, a 14-7 home win over Missouri, a 27-20 win over Louisiana-Lafayette, a 23-0 win over Jacksonville State, an FCS team with five losses.

8. Texas A&M (9-2)

9. Stanford (9-2). Has beaten both Oregon State and Oregon, and lost at Notre Dame in OT.

10. LSU (9-2)

11. Florida State (10-1). Oh, if only it had beaten N.C. State.

12. Oklahoma (9-2)

Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan (8) is congratulated by teammates after the Cardinal beat Oregon in overtime (AP photo)

13. Clemson (10-1). Hasn’t defeated a ranked opponent.

14. South Carolina (9-2).

15. UCLA (9-2). A rematch of Nebraska-UCLA in the Rose Bowl (a 36-30 Bruins win) is possible.

16. Nebraska (9-2)

17. Oregon State (8-2)

18. Texas (8-2)

19. Oklahoma State (7-3)

20. Michigan (8-3)

21. Northern Illinois (10-1)

22. Kent State (10-1)

23. Utah State (9-2)

24. Northwestern (8-3). Oh, what might have been.

25. Rutgers (9-1). I saw a lot of teams that deserved to be No. 26 this week. I found no one that should be No. 25.

The AP poll:

RANK TEAM RECORD POINTS

1 Notre Dame (60) 11-0 1500

2 Alabama 10-1 1399

3 Georgia 10-1 1316

4 Ohio State 11-0 1292

5 Oregon 10-1 1246

6 Florida 10-1 1171

7 Kansas State 10-1 1064

8 LSU 9-2 1048

9 Texas A&M 9-2 1028

10 Florida State 10-1 1026

11 Stanford 9-2 991

12 Clemson 10-1 874

13 South Carolina 9-2 795

14 Oklahoma 8-2 734

15 UCLA 9-2 624

16 Oregon State 8-2 599

17 Nebraska 9-2 559

18 Texas 8-2 498

19 Louisville 9-1 362

20 Michigan 8-3 282

21 Rutgers 9-1 265

22 Oklahoma State 7-3 240

23 Kent State 10-1 155

24 Northern Illinois 10-1 144

25 Mississippi State 8-3 82

25 Utah State 9-2 82

Dropped from rankings: Louisiana Tech 19, USC 21, Texas Tech 23

Others receiving votes: Boise State 20, Northwestern 20, Washington 20, Arizona 13, USC 12, Tulsa 10, San Jose State 8, Fresno State 7, Louisiana Tech 4, Wisconsin 4, San Diego State 2, TCU 1, Iowa State 1, Baylor 1, Vanderbilt 1