A look inside the AP Poll: Week 2

A so-so performance didn't change the overall view of the Spartans, as MSU is still ranked at No. 17 in the second Associated Press poll. (The Spartans moved up one spot to No. 16 in the coaches poll.)

But MSU's performance made a big impact on the individual ballots of some voters.

Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was a believer in MSU last season, often having them ahead of Ohio State. Lesmerises had MSU at No. 9 on his preseason ballot (higher than any other voter), but this week, he has the Spartans at No. 24. Only two voters ranked the Spartans lower, and that was not ranked at all.

Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman has MSU higher than any other voter at No. 12. He had the Spartans in the same spot in the preseason.

The two voters who have MSU unranked are Mike DiRocco of the Florida Times-Union and Mike Hlas of The Cedar Rapids Gazette. DiRocco dropped the Spartans from No. 16, while Hlas dropped them from No. 21.

The two voters who had MSU unranked in the preseason poll — Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times and John Clay of The Lexington Herald-Leader — both have the Spartans at No. 23.

As for local voters, John Niyo of The Detroit News has MSU at No. 17, while Jeremy Sampson of WLIX-TV has the Spartans at No. 20.

The AP Poll may not mean much in the scheme of things be part of the the BCS formula, but it's still fun to look into and talk about.

(My apologies to Pollspeak for the unkind words. I actually prefer the AP Poll to the SID, I mean Coaches Poll).