How Star-Telegram voted in AP college football poll — and why TCU missed cut
There’s been a lot of conversation about the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll and the process of how voters make their ballots.
For the past few seasons I’ve had the privilege of being a Top 25 voter, and it’s not easy. Trying to keep track of all the teams, plus covering a TCU game, can be difficult and often requires long nights staying up watching games even when the Horned Frogs are done.
But again, this is a privilege, as the Top 25 shapes so much of the conversation around college football. It still matters even though the College Football Playoff committee’s top 25 becomes the most important poll when it starts being released in November.
So what’s my process? To watch as many games as possible, and if I can’t get eyes on the game live, I try to watch lengthy recaps on YouTube or read in-depth analysis from beat writers or national writers. From there, it’s about the eye test, resume and key stats. Overall talent is also factored in.
It’s not scientific, and I’ve had ballots I wish I could have back. But being a voter matters to me, and it’s something I put a lot of thought and effort into.
Every week I’ll share my Top 25 ballot for transparency and to spur conversation. Here’s how my ballot looks after Week 3:
Steven Johnson’s AP Top 25 ballot
1. Ohio State (3-0): The Buckeyes scored 24 straight to pull away from Ohio and may have the best defense in America. Last week: 1.
2. Miami (3-0): Had Notre Dame finished the job against Texas A&M, the Hurricanes would’ve been No. 1. But for now, Carson Beck and Hurricanes make a jump to the second spot. Last week: 4.
3. LSU (3-0): The Tigers remain in the top three but fall a spot after beating Florida. LSU’s defense is legit, but the offense is officially a concern after producing only 10 first downs against the Gators. Last week: 2.
4. Georgia (3-0): The Bulldogs took advantage of a missed field goal by Tennessee to pull off an overtime comeback. The Bulldogs move up, but Georgia’s defense allowed 496 yards and looked vulnerable in the secondary. Last week: 6.
5. Florida State (2-0): The Seminoles had a bye week. Their blowout win over Alabama continues to age well, allowing them to move up despite not playing. Last week: 8.
6. Oregon (3-0): Off the eye test the Ducks have an argument for No. 1, but the schedule has been light with wins over Oklahoma State, then Northwestern on Saturday. Last week: 5.
7. Texas A&M (3-0): The Aggies took advantage of a special teams blunder by Notre Dame, and Marcel Reed threw a late touchdown on fourth down to lead A&M to a Top 25 win in South Bend. Last week: 15.
8. Penn State (3-0): The Nittany Lions blew out another overmatched opponent in Villanova. The real season begins Sept. 27 vs. Oregon. Last week: 3.
9. Oklahoma (3-0): The Sooners showed no letdown after beating Michigan with an impressive 42-3 win at Temple. Last week: 13.
10. Ole Miss (3-0): The Rebels pulled out a gritty win against Arkansas without starting quarterback Austin Simmons. Their offense looks prolific again. Last week: 11.
11. Illinois (3-0): Illinois cruised to a 38-0 win over Western Michigan. The Fighting Illini can make a statement this week against Indiana. Last week: 7.
12. Texas (2-1): The Longhorns looked unimpressive again against UTEP, and quarterback Arch Manning struggled again. Steve Sarkisian said Manning isn’t hurt, and if that’s true, then Manning is playing below-average football after being viewed as a generational talent. Last week: 9.
13. Tennessee (2-1): The Vols should’ve beaten Georgia, but their woes in this rivalry continued. Despite the loss, Tennessee’s offense looked impressive, and it should get back key defenders later in the season. Last week: 16.
14. Texas Tech (3-0): The Red Raiders rolled in another blowout win against Oregon State. Tech can show it’s for real with a win this week at Utah. Last week: 19.
15. Missouri (3-0): The Tigers had no issue taking care of Louisiana after last week’s rivalry win over Kansas. Mizzou is looking like a dark horse in a wide open SEC. Last week: NR.
16. Notre Dame (0-2): The Fighting Irish had a brutal opening slate against Miami and Texas A&M, nearly winning both games. Ranking an 0-2 team near the top 15 is tough, but Notre Dame has competed well against two top 10 teams. The wins should begin to stack soon. Last week: 14.
17. Vanderbilt (3-0): The Commodores picked up their third straight blowout win, over previously ranked South Carolina, but it should be noted the Gamecocks lost starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers in the first half with Vandy leading 14-7. It was still an impressive showing by the Commodores. Last week: NR.
18. Georgia Tech (3-0): The Yellow Jackets sent Clemson tumbling out of the top the 25 with a last-second field goal. It isn’t always pretty, but quarterback Haynes King (103 rushing yards on 25 carries) is one of the grittiest players in the country. Last week: NR.
19. Iowa State (4-0): The Cyclones survived an upset bid on the road at Arkansas State to pick up their fourth win. The Iowa State defense may be the best in the Big 12, but the offense hasn’t found itself after losing two receivers to the NFL. Last week: 10.
20. Auburn (3-0): The Tigers didn’t look particularly impressive against South Alabama but remained unbeaten. The Tigers need more from quarterback Jackson Arnold. Last week: 20. 21. Alabama (2-1): The Crimson Tide demolished Wisconsin in a game that should build confidence for quarterback Ty Simpson and wide receiver Ryan Williams. Alabama reminded the country of how talented it is after losing to Florida State in the opener. Last week: NR.
22. Utah (3-0): The Utes outscored Wyoming 28-6 in the second half to secure a 31-6 win. New Mexico transfer quarterback Devon Dampier has revitalized the Utah offense, and the Utes could emerge as the Big 12 favorite this week against Texas Tech. Last week: 21.
23. Mississippi State (3-0): The Bulldogs picked up a 63-0 win over Alcorn State on Saturday. They should cruise past Northern Illinois this week and be 4-0 when they face Tennessee on Sept. 27. Last week: 23.
24. Tulane (3-0): The Green Wave supplanted South Florida as the Group of Five favorite with a win over their former quarterback Darian Mensah and Duke. Tulane also beat Northwestern by 20, the same margin as Oregon. Last week: NR.
25. USC (3-0): The Trojans edged out Arizona State and South Florida on my ballot after picking up a Power Four win over Purdue. This could be coach Lincoln Riley’s most physical team. Last week: NR.
Fell out: South Carolina (12), TCU (17), Clemson (18), South Florida (22), Arizona State (24), SMU (25)
Moved up: USC, Vanderbilt, Tulane, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Missouri
Why TCU isn’t on the ballot
TCU and SMU and dropped off my ballot after lackluster showings in wins against Abilene Christian and Missouri State, respectively. The rivals play each other Saturday, and the winner will have a chance to get back in the Top 25.
Why others dropped
Arizona State had a sluggish outing against Texas State with a sub-200 yard performance by Sam Leavitt.
Clemson hasn’t looked impressive in any of its three games and doesn’t deserve to be ranked. It’s tough to drop South Florida after one loss since the Bulls faced three teams that were previously ranked, but it’s clear Florida was overrated in the preseason and it’s unclear how good Boise State is.
As for South Carolina, Sellers reportedly suffered a concussion and could miss time.
This story was originally published September 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM.
