Editor's Note: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Tom Murphy is one of 63 voters in The Associated Press Top 25 football poll, and the only voter from the state of Arkansas. He explains his poll each week.
Who can slow the mighty Tide this season?
Mercy, it wasn’t Miami in the season opener. New Alabama starting quarterback Bryce Young plugged right in to lead a 44-13 rout in Atlanta, where Nick Saban’s crew rarely loses. Many of the challengers for playoff spots looked like mere mortals while Alabama appeared in mid-season form.
Partly because the Big Os — Oklahoma, Ohio State, Oregon and LSU’s Coach — had their struggles in their openers, Georgia catapulted from fifth to second on my ballot on the strength of its 10-3 win over Clemson.