How the AP Top 25 should’ve looked based on Week 4 performances

Eight teams from the SEC are among the top 15 in the country, but how many are deserving of such heralded placement? Based on eye test only from last weekend’s single-game results, we piece together the AP Top 25 in terms of performance. We’ve included the actual rankings for comparison and teams without an excerpt didn’t play.

Here’s how the AP TOP 25 should’ve looked based on Week 4 performances only

1. Alabama — About those question marks for the SEC’s best team … The Crimson Tide left no doubt against Florida, bludgeoning Will Muschamp’s athlete-heavy defense for a record-setting 645 yards — the most the Gators have ever given up. Alabama may have scored 60 had it not been for four turnovers during the three-touchdown win.

2. Mississippi State — No, the Bulldogs aren’t a better football team than Oklahoma, Oregon, Auburn or Florida State at this time, but Saturday’s beatdown in Baton Rouge was an eye-opener for any of us dismissing Dan Mullen’s club this season. You know you’ve accomplished a lot as an underdog when you can go into Tiger Stadium at night and force LSU fans to the parking lot by the start of the fourth quarter. Mississippi State’s clinic on both sides of the ball was seen by all and provided this team with well-deserved respect nationally as a West contender.

3. Oklahoma — The Sooners managed a quality road win in a hostile environment behind an incredible 242 yards rushing and four touchdowns by Samaje Perine.

4. Auburn — It wasn’t pretty, but the Tigers stepped outside of the SEC and toppled a nationally-ranked Big XII squad away from home on a Thursday night. Gus Malzahn’s dice roll late on a third down long ball to Duke Williams was a fantastic call and well-executed by Nick Marshall and his top target.

5. Florida State — Jimbo Fisher’s team kept their hopes of a repeat national championship alive with a heart-stopping overtime win over Clemson without Jameis Winston. It seems this ongoing saga’s just beginning for the Seminoles.

6. Texas A&M — For once, Texas A&M’s defense came to play and dominated out-matched SMU. The Aggies accumulated eight sacks and if you can believe it, not one came via Myles Garrett. Impressive performance for Mark Snyder’s band of defenders.

7. Baylor

8. Michigan State — Midway through the third quarter of Saturday’s 73-14 thumping of Eastern Michigan, the Spartans had given up a single yard of total offense.

9. Notre Dame

10. Ole Miss

11. Oregon — Had it not been for Marcus Mariota’s masterful, turnover-free five-touchdown outing, the Ducks would’ve fallen to Washington State. During what was a one-touchdown game with five minutes remaining, Oregon’s secondary finally made a stop (after giving up 436 yards passing prior).

12. Georgia — Mark Richt’s decision to rest Todd Gurley after the second series couldn’t have worked out better for the Bulldogs who steamrolled through Troy for a 66-point win.

12. Arizona State

14. Stanford

15. Wisconsin — Melvin Gordon is giving Gurley a run for his money for the title of college football’s best running back this season. His personal-best 253 yards rushing and five touchdowns against Bowling Green was just the headliner for Wisconsin’s jaw-dropping 644 yards on the ground.

16. UCLA

17. BYU — Trailing 16-13 at halftime against upset-minded Virginia, the Cougars erupted for 28 points in the second half to improve to 4-0.

18. South Carolina — This is about where the Gamecocks deserve to be after sleepwalking their way through a 48-34 win at Vanderbilt.

19. East Carolina — Speaking of the Gamecocks, South Carolina’s previous win over these Pirates looks pretty good now considering East Carolina’s beaten Virginia Tech and North Carolina in consecutive weeks since falling in Columbia. Senior Shane Carden carved up the Tar Heels’ secondary to the tune of 70 points and over 700 yards of total offense Saturday night in Greenville. Could this be an 11-win team at season’s end?

20. LSU — Give the Tigers credit for not laying down late, but it’s been a long time since Les Miles was punched in the mouth like that at home by a Western opponent.

21. Nebraska — The unbeaten Huskers are scoring points with ease this season and Ameer Abdullah continues his break-neck pace running the football. A 41-31 win over Miami is always a solid non-conference victory.

22. Arkansas — This is a Top 25 team and the rest of the college football world will see that this weekend when the Razorbacks battle Texas A&M. A convincing win over a solid Northern Illinois squad gave Arkansas a couple more believers.

23. USC

24. Duke — The Blue Devils brought out the throwbacks for Tulane and posted their fourth straight win to open the season.

25. Ohio State