Editor’s note: Joe Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.

I hear you knocking, Oregon, and I think you’re coming in. But to complete this Denis Leary homage, life is not fair, so grab a helmet (preferably the Stormtrooper white ones with the silver wings; those are sweet).

The Ducks (9-0) certainly looked the part of national championship contender in their 62-51 win at Southern California and I jumped the Ducks ahead of Notre Dame (9-0), who needed overtime to beat Pitt.

But Kansas State (9-0), last week’s No. 2, beat a good Oklahoma State team by two touchdowns. How are you supposed to drop the Wildcats after that?

Of course, this leads back to my favorite question as a college football fan: Why are we leaving such decisions up to pollsters and computers and not settling the matter on the field?

Yes, a four-team playoff is coming, for the 2014 season, but we are two full bowl cycles away from that reality.

In the interim, Alabama (9-0), Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame all – as of Nov. 5 – deserve a chance to play for the national title. The regular season doesn’t end until Dec. 1, but at this rate, someone is going to get left out and that four-team playoff will never seem so far away.

Giglio’s Top 25

1. Alabama 1

2. Kansas State 2

3. Oregon 4

4. Notre Dame 3

5. Georgia 6

6. Florida 7

7. Florida State 8

8. Clemson 10

9. LSU 5

10. Ohio State 9

11. South Carolina 11

12. Oregon State 12

13. Louisville 13

14. Texas A&M 17

15. Oklahoma 14

16. Stanford 15

17. UCLA 24

18. USC 18

19. Louisiana Tech 19

20. Texas NR

21. Nebraska 25

22. Toledo 23

23. Miss. State 22

24. Boise State 16

25. Northwestern NR

Out: Texas Tech (20), West Virginia (21)

Giglio: 919-829-8938 or twitter.com/jwgiglio