It generally takes a few weeks every season for the college football hierarchy to sort itself out. Who's actually good?



Until then, rankings can be a little messy, as these two rookie AP top 25 voters are learning.



On the newest episode of The Iron Bowl of Podcasts, USA TODAY Network Auburn beat writer Bennett Durando and Alabama beat writer Nick Kelly debate their developing ballot philosophies. How should the top three be ordered, with Alabama annihilating a paycheck opponent while Georgia and Ohio State convincingly defeated good teams? How costly should a bad Week 1 performance be?



And then there's the rest of the SEC: What to make of Texas A&M after a slow start or Florida after a fast one?



One team that does not come up in the rankings conversation yet: Auburn. The Tigers have their own quarterback questions to worry about for now. Nick and Bennett discuss what's next in Bryan Harsin's system and what to expect when Alabama takes on Texas this weekend.

It generally takes a few weeks every season for the college football hierarchy to sort itself out. Who's actually good?
 
Until then, rankings can be a little messy, as these two rookie AP top 25 voters are learning.
 
On the newest episode of The Iron Bowl of Podcasts, USA TODAY Network <a href="https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2022/09/05/tate-johnson-auburn-football-new-starting-center-nick-brahms/65457297007/">Auburn beat writer Bennett Durando</a> and <a href="https://www.tidesports.com/story/sports/college/football/2022/09/04/alabama-football-running-game-evaluate-jahmyr-gibbs-nick-saban-crimson-tide/65459151007/">Alabama beat writer Nick Kelly</a> debate their developing ballot philosophies. How should the top three be ordered, with Alabama annihilating a paycheck opponent while Georgia and Ohio State convincingly defeated good teams? How costly should a bad Week 1 performance be?
 
And then there's the rest of the SEC: What to make of Texas A&amp;M after a slow start or Florida after a fast one?
 
One team that does not come up in the rankings conversation yet: Auburn. <a href="https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2022/09/04/auburn-football-2-quarterback-system-robby-ashford-tj-finley/65457270007/" data-rich-text-format-boundary="true">The Tigers have their own quarterback questions to worry about</a> for now. Nick and Bennett discuss what's next in Bryan Harsin's system and what to expect when Alabama takes on Texas this weekend.

When Auburn and Alabama meet in a sport other than football, it’s the “Iron Bowl of” that sport. So what do you call it when beat writers covering the rivals clash on football opinions? The Iron Bowl of Podcasts, of course. Featuring Bennett Durando and Nick Kelly of the USA Today Network, this conversation show explores the greatest rivalry in sports through the eyes of two writers experiencing football culture in the Deep South for the first time.

When Auburn and Alabama meet in a sport other than football, it&rsquo;s the &ldquo;Iron Bowl of&rdquo; that sport. So what do you call it when beat writers covering the rivals clash on football opinions? The Iron Bowl of Podcasts, of course. Featuring Bennett Durando and Nick Kelly of the USA Today Network, this conversation show explores the greatest rivalry in sports through the eyes of two writers experiencing football culture in the Deep South for the first time.

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