NCAA Top 25 (Week 12)

1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-0) LW 3
By the time Notre Dame got done routed Wake Forrest they couldn't have believed by the end of the day they'd be the #1 team come Sunday night.  It was the Irish that thought they'd be left out of the National Title picture, but now all they need is a win over USC and they are a lock.


2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) LW 4
SEC fans were all up in arms at the notion that their conference champion being left out of the National Title Game.  However all they needed was a little patience and with KState and Oregon both losing, that leaves the title game wide open.  Alabama after their loss to A&M are now on track for a possible back to back championship season.  Just have to get past Georgia now.


3.  Georgia Bulldogs (10-1) LW 5
Georgia is sitting in a good spot now.  Because of the top two teams losing, the Bulldogs are a SEC Championship away from making it to the National Title Game.  They'd face Alabama, but as we saw against A&M they are clearly beatable.


4.  Oregon Ducks (10-1) LW 1
I guess we saw how good the Ducks offense truly is.  Facing off against poor Pac 12 defenses all season, the first true test for the Ducks was Stanford.  It was Stanford's physical defense that beat down the Ducks fast offense and held them to only 14 points.  Ouch!  Now Oregon needs UCLA to beat Stanford or Oregon can't even compete for the conference championship.


5.  Florida State Seminoles (10-1) LW 7
The Seminoles make the jump up to five mainly because they are playing much better than KState and Florida.  This past weekend they blew out Maryland to improve their record to 10-1 with a game against in state rival Florida coming up this weekend.  If the 'Noles can play like they did this weekend, they should be able to beat the struggling Gators for the third straight year.


6.  Kansas State Wildcats (10-1) LW 2
What stings the most about the Baylor loss is that how could the Wildcats only score 24 points on one of the worst defenses in the nation?  But Kansas State fans should be use to this.  If you remember 1998 the Wildcats were ranked #1 and poised to go to the championship game before losing to Texas A&M.  Another case of history repeating itself.


7.  Florida Gators (10-1) LW 6
Ever since the Georgia game, the Gators just haven't been right.  Probably doesn't help that starting QB Jeff Driskel didn't play most of the Louisiana-Lafayette game and all of the Jacksonville State game.  But even without they they should have lost to both Missouri and Lafayette.  They better get things figured out, cause if they don't Florida State will roll right over them. 


8.  LSU Tigers (9-2) LW 8
LSU almost had a scare against Ole Miss but used a TD with 15 seconds left on the clock to take the lead and get the win.  Not what Tiger fans were thinking going into this game.  But they were lucky to get the win and as long as they don't lay an egg against Arkansas they should find themselves in the Sugar Bowl.


9.  Texas A&M Aggies (9-2) LW 9
A&M must feel like a true SEC team now.  This week they got their standard FCS opponent before the end of the season.  It's truly amazing that people criticize other schools for scheduling FCS schools, but nobody ever says anything about the SEC doing it.  Anyways, A&M cruised past Sam Houston State and now has their final game against fellow SEC newcomer and old Big 12 mate Missouri.  A win here could put the Aggies in contention for a BCS Bowl.


10.  Clemson Tigers (10-1) LW 10
They no longer have as shot at going to the ACC Title Game, but with a win over South Carolina the Tigers could make it back to their second straight BCS Game.  However they haven't won in over three years.  The game should be interesting since both HCs have been taking shots at each other all year long.  I don't think they'll brawl again, but this game means a lot to both schools.


11.  Stanford Cardinal (9-2) LW 14
Not too many people (me included) thought too much of Stanford going into this season.  Not only are they two years removed from Harbaugh, but they lost a ton of talent on a record setting offense.  They offense has struggled this year, but the defense has picked up the slack.  They've knocked off both Oregon and USC and should have beaten Notre Dame if not for a questionable replay review.  If they beat UCLA this weekend they will have their chance at winning the Pac 12 for the first time since 1999.


12.  Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0) LW 11
I'm really curious to see where the Buckeyes would be ranked in the BCS if they weren't on NCAA probation.  Even with an undefeated record I couldn't see them too high.  They really haven't beaten anybody besides Nebraska and have struggled with some poor teams.  We should see how good they really are when they face Michigan this weekend.


13.  South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) LW 12
Tied at halftime with Wofford, it was clear that the Gamecocks were looking ahead to in state rival Clemson.  However South Carolina kicked it into gear in the 2nd half and put away the FCS school to get their 9th win of the season.  The Gamecocks have to be looking forward to the Clemson game to get their 4th straight win over the Tigers.  But they can't start slow in this one, or Clemson's high powered offense could put the game out of reach. 


14.  Oklahoma Sooners (8-2) LW 13

In a wild game against West Virginia, the Sooners were able to escape with the win in the final seconds.  It took a Kenny Stills TD reception with 24 seconds left to take the lead and secure the win.  But you have to be concerned about Oklahoma's defense who gave up 344 yards rushing to Tavon Austin and 205 yards receiving to Stedman Bailey.  With Oklahoma State coming to town this weekend they cannot afford another poor defensive showing against another powerful offense, because the Sooner offense might not be able to keep up again.

15.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-2) LW 15
After weeks of come from behind wins, the Huskers had an easy one against Minnesota.  The Huskers jumped out to a 38-0 lead before pulling the starters on senior day.  The win puts the Huskers one more game away from clinching the Legends Division and setting up a rematch game against Wisconsin, who they beat earlier in the season. 


16.  Texas Longhorns (8-2) LW 16
With no more Big 12 Championship Game, we are seeing some teams in the conference taking a bye week so that they can still have a game the last weekend of the year.  But add that with Texas playing TCU on Thursday and that's why the Longhorns are off.  It will be interesting to see how Texas' offense does against the test TCU defense.  They could get QB David Ash fits all game long.


17.  Louisville Cardinals (9-1) LW 17
Before their beat down against Syracuse the Cardinals looked to be cruising towards the Big East Title.  But now they needed to use the bye week to refocus and finish the season out strong.  They shouldn't have any trouble with UConn this weekend, but with Rutgers on the horizon, they cannot afford to look ahead.


18.  UCLA Bruins (9-2) LW 20
Beating USC is a big step forward for the Bruins, now they are the team on the rise while the Trojans are spinning their wheels.  But they cannot stop there with Stanford on the schedule next.  A win against the Cardinal will set up the Bruins to face Oregon in the Pac 12 Title game.  But a loss to Stanford would mean a rematch in Palo Alto.


19.  Oregon State Beavers (8-2) LW 21
Oregon State got a great blowout victory over Cal to improve to eight wins.  However they are effectively eliminated from the Pac 12 Championship race.  Even with a win over Oregon and UCLA beating Stanford, the Cardinal would have the tie breaker against them.  But if that does take place and UCLA wins the Pac 12 Title, we could see Oregon State become an at large team in the BCS.  But they have to beat a pissed off Oregon team first.


20.  Michigan Wolverines (8-3) LW 22
In their game against Iowa we got to see a glimpse of what the Wolverines plan on doing with both Devin Gardner and Dennard Robinson.  And frankly it's a smart idea.  Even when his arm is 100%, Robinson isn't a great thrower and the offense was better with Gardner at QB.  But against Iowa they used Robinson as a RB, QB, and WR.  It made the defense have to guess what he was going to do.  Add in that Gardner has been playing at WR, they can leave both in at the same time and do multiple things.  That should drive the Ohio State defense crazy and could be enough to score a bunch of points against them.


21.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-1) LW 25
With their win over Cincinnati the Scarlet Knights are in the drivers seat to win the Big East.  All they need to do is beat Pittsburgh and then Louisville and they are the Big East Champions.  And we've seen they have the defense to do so.  They held Cincinnati to only 3 points.  But they can't look past Pittsburgh because they are very capable of knocking off the Scarlet Knights.


22.  Kent State Golden Flashes (10-1) 24
Kent State's victory over Bowling Green gives the Flashes the most wins in their program's history and also puts them into the MAC Title Game against Northern Illinois.  But the Golden Flashes can't be thinking ahead because they have a very tough game against Ohio this weekend.  The Bobcats might be struggling now, but they were a top 25 team earlier this year and could halt Kent State's momentum before the championship game.


23.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-3) LW NR
After a horrible three game stretch where the Bulldogs went from undefeated to three losses, the streak finally came to an end against Arkansas.  Miss State blasted the Razorbacks and got back into the win column.  Now all that's left is in state rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.  However this isn't the same Ole Miss they've seen lately.  It will be a hard fought game that is even harder since it's at Ole Miss.


24.  Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-3) LW NR
Oklahoma State was just too much for Texas Tech and for a second straight year the Cowboys dominated the Red Raiders for the win.  The win improves their record to 7 wins and gives them some much needed momentum going into Bedlam with in state rival Oklahoma.  The Cowboys have to be licking their chops seeing what West Virginia's offense was able to do to the Sooners.  We could see much the same with #6 passing attack.


25.  Northern Illinois Huskies (10-1) LW NR
Northern Illinois win over Toledo secured their place in the MAC Title Game against Kent State.  Now all they have to do is not look past Eastern Michigan and they have a huge showdown against the Golden Flashes.  The Huskies make their debut in the rankings because of a MAC leading offense that has carried them to 10 wins on the season.


Dropped From the Rankings:  USC, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech

NCAA Top 25 (Week 6)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) LW 1
After breezing through their first four games, the Tide enjoyed a good weekend off before they travel to Missouri to welcome the Tigers to the SEC.  That game shouldn't be too big of a chore for the Tide considering Missouri has been over matched so far in the SEC and Alabama is the clear cut #1 team in the nation.  Really Alabama doesn't have much competition till they meet Mississippi State in week 8 and then LSU the following week.


2.  Oregon Ducks (6-0) LW 2
With Oregon's blowout win over Washington, the Ducks are making their case as the 2nd best team in the nation.  Oregon has looked good all year and this past Saturday was no different.  The Ducks jumped out to an early 21-0 lead before expanding it to 35-7 at halftime.  Even with a RS freshman QB, the Oregon offense hasn't lost a beat and is arguably the best in the nation.  Oregon has a bye week this weekend before they get face off against Arizona State.  But with Oregon, USC, and Stanford still left on the schedule we'll get to see for sure if the Ducks are one of the nation's best.


3.  South Carolina Gamecocks (6-0) LW 5
It wasn't a surprise that South Carolina beat Georgia this weekend.  South Carolina is a very talented team.  But it's the nature that they won.  South Carolina dominated Georgia from the start of the game to the finish.  Georgia came into the game very highly rated (#3 here) with a very talented offense and fierce defense.  However South Carolina's defense wanted to show everybody that they are to be feared also.  QB Connor Shaw was spectacular, but he didn't need to.  He threw only 10 passes but had 162 yards and 2 TDs.  He also was a threat on the ground rushing for 78 yards and another score.  The Gamecocks can't get too comfortable because they have to now travel to LSU and face off against an angry Tiger team that just lost to Florida. 


4.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-0) LW 6
Week after week, the Fighting Irish have been impressive.  Their latest example was a 41-3 trashing of a Miami team that was coming into the game playing well.  But Miami had no answer for the stingy Irish defense that has been playing at an elite level all season long.  Offensively Notre Dame leaned on their rushing attack that churned out 376 yards.  If Notre Dame continues to run the ball and play good defense, it's going to be very hard to beat them.  Next up on their schedule is #16 Stanford in what should be a very physical game.


5.  West Virginia Mountaineers (5-0) LW 9
In their first true test of the season the Mountaineers pass the test.  It was shaky at times, but it's not like you can blowout every opponent.  It took a late Andrew Buie TD run with 1:18 left to seal the victory and give West Virginia a much needed win over a talented team.  Geno Smith didn't put up his normal video game numbers, but he didn't need to with the running of Andrew Buie.  Buie ran for 207 yards and 2 TDs and gave the Mountaineers a much needed running presence.  Now the Mountaineers continue conference play by staying in the state of Texas when they face off against Texas Tech.  Tech just got blown out by Oklahoma, so we could see the 70 point mark threatened here.


6.  Florida Gators (5-0) LW 11
The Florida Gators are no longer the high flying team we use to see out of Steve Supperior and Urban Meyer.  These Gators no rely on good defense and the running game.  Behind that strong running game and defense the Gators were able to knock off previous #4 ranked LSU and thrust the Gators back into the National Title discussion.  Against an LSU defensive line that could have 4 players taken in the 1st round, RB Mike Gillislee was able to gash the Tigers for 146 yards and the only 2 TDs of the game.  Defensively the Gators were lead by safety Matt Elam who was hitting everything in sight (including his own teammates).  Lately the SEC East has been about Georgia and South Carolina, but watch out.  The Gators are back to regain what use to be theirs.


7.  Kansas State Wildcats (5-0) LW 8
When the score was 21-14 at half you had to wonder if KState didn't take Kanas too serious leading up to the game.  However the Wilcats kicked it into gear in the 2nd half outscoring the Jayhawks 35 to 2, and the only score Kansas had was on a safety.  KState continues to look strong and they did it in this game with out relying too much on QB Collin Klein.  Instead they got 101 yards and 4 TDs from RB John Hubert.  Kansas State now can turn their attention to Iowa State (in Farmageton) who is coming off of a upset victory over TCU.


8.  USC Trojans (4-1) LW 10
If it wasn't for the 28 straight points they scored in the 3rd quarter, we could be talking about USC's outside shot of making it to the National Title game going up in smoke.  Utah got up on the Trojans early and held a 21-10 advantage halfway through the 3rd Quarter.  But Matt Barkley stepped up and showed everybody why he was the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and why he could go #1 in the NFL Draft.  USC will need to get things figured out on defense, because they travel to play a Washington team that can put up points.


9.  LSU Tigers (5-1) LW 4
I don't get how a team like LSU can't have a good QB.  You would think talented QBs would line up to play for LSU because they'd have a great shot at winning a National Title with the defenses they normally field.  Instead the Tigers have been hampered by poor QB play and that was more than evident this weekend against Florida.  QB Zach Mettenberger completed less than 50% of his passes and threw an INT.  But the worst was that LSU couldn't score a TD in the entire game.  QB play cost them the National Title last year, and it looks to be the problem again this year.  LSU still has a shot to win the SEC West and still a good shot to make it to the National Championship.  But they'll need to fix their offense fast or they could be a 3 loss team.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) LW 12
With their blowout win over Nebraska the Buckeyes are clearly the best team in the Big 10.  However Ohio State's less than stellar play so far this season (not withstanding the Nebraska game) doesn't necessarily mean much.  Also add in that the Buckeyes are ineligible for post season play, so that kinda puts a damper on things.  But the Buckeyes are still learning under Urban Meyer and look to be real dangerous.  Especially QB Braxton Miller who is thriving in Meyer's spread.  Ohio State gets a an easy one this next weekend against Indiana, but still have games against Michigan State and Michigan.


11.  Clemson Tigers (5-1) LW 13
It was Georgia Tech last year that gave Clemson their first loss of the season.  This year Clemson didn't let the Yellow Jackets get to them again and behind the play of their offense got out of the game with the victory.  To say Clemson's offense played well is an understatement.  Clemson raked up 601 total yards on the day.  Pretty impressive no matter who you play.  But the concern with the Tigers continues to be their defense who gave up 31 points to a struggling Yellow Jacket team.  Clemson has a bye week this weekend to help them get ready for Virginia Tech who even though they may be struggling, still are dangerous.


12.  Oklahoma Sooners (3-1) LW 14
Oklahoma seemed to get some of their mojo back with their win over Texas Tech.  The Sooners have kinda been in a rut since the middle of last year and their offense just hasn't really had it.  But against an undefeated Texas Tech team the Sooners laid the wood to the Red Raiders in typical Sooner fashion.  QB Landry Jones looked like his former self throwing for 259 yards 2 TDs, and 0 INTs.  Oklahoma took control at the end of the 2nd quarter where they begin a streak of 27 straight points.  That's great medicine for an ailing team as they go into the Red River Rivalry against Texas. 


13.  Georgia Bulldogs (5-1) LW 3
Georgia was one of those teams that looked like they were ready to take the next step and be one of the elite teams in college football.  They had a good defense lead by OLB Jarvis Jones and an offense that was becoming explosive.  Then came the South Carolina Gamecocks.  Both teams were ranked high and both teams were good, so the game was thought to be a hard fought close game that either team could win.  Well South Carolina won and they won big.  35-7 big.  Georgia's talented defense gave up 21 points in the first quarter.  The same defense that many thought would be one of the nations elite.  Offensively the Bulldogs struggled and didn't score their TD till late in the game.  Georgia has a week off to get things figured out before they return to action against Kentucky.  They still can win the SEC East, but they are going to need to win out and have South Carolina lose two games.


14.  Florida State Seminoles (5-1) LW 7
With their big win over Clemson the Seminoles were thought to be back.  They had a very good defense and an offense that showing they had the ability to score points in bunches.  Saturday looked like a typical one so far for FSU.  They jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead on North Carolina State and looked to cruise to another easy victory.  But the offense dried up and the defense let up.  NC State scored two TDs in the 4th quarter with one of them coming with 16 seconds left of the clock to give the Wolfpack the upset victory.  It's games like that which reminds us that maybe FSU isn't back to their elite level.  At least not yet.  Luckily for the Seminoles they face off against a struggling Boston College team this weekend which should allow them to get their confidence back.

15.  Louisville Cardinals (5-0) LW 17
They had a week off after their victory at Southern Miss.  With the monsoon they played in, they still may be drying off.  But Louisville is the class of the Big East and even though teams like Cincinnati and Rutgers are starting to show up in the rankings, Louisville is still leaps and bounds better than them.  This next week Louisville faces off against Pittsburgh who has been playing better, but still are bad.  Should be an easy week for QB Teddy Bridgewater and the rest of the Cardinal team.

16.  Stanford Cardinal (4-1) LW 16
It took two straight TDs in the 4th quarter and one with 45 seconds left in the game for the Cardinal to tie the game and force overtime.  Then Stanford took advantage of an interception during overtime and scored their own TD to get the win.  This was a big win for Stanford because not only did they get back into their winning ways, QB Josh Nunes played very well and hopefully go his confidence back after a poor showing against Washington.  Nunes for 360 yards and 2 TDs with 0 INTs to help carry the Cardinal to the victory.  Stanford will need Nunes to have another big game as they travel to Notre Dame and face off against their very tough defense. 


17.  Oregon State Beavers (4-0) LW 20
Their win over Washington State was bitter sweet for the Beavers.  The big thing was they got the win over Washington State and the Beaver defense held down the potentially explosive Cougars to only 6 points and without a TD.  CB Jordan Poyer was the star of the game with 3 INTs that helped the Beavers shut down the Cougar attack.  The bad news is that Oregon State might be without starting QB Sean Mannion for atleast one game and possibly more.  Mannion hurt his knee during the game.  He never came out, but you could tell it was bothering him and his numbers show.  Oregon State plays BYU this weekend and the Cougars are no push over.  They'll really need their defense to step up in the absence of Mannion.

18.  Texas Longhorns (4-1) LW 15
Texas is a much improved team than they have been over the past two seasons, but it doesn't help facing off against two top 5 offenses in back to back games.  They were able to beat Oklahoma State, but lost a hard fought game against West Virginia.  Texas was right there the entire game and even scored a TD to make it a 3 point game, but couldn't recover the onside kick and ended up losing.  You have to be pleased with the play of the offense and mainly QB David Ash who has been really playing at a high level lately.  But the secondary has some issues that are getting exploited.  It doesn't get much easier this weekend as the Longhorns meet rival Oklahoma for the Red River Shootout.  Oklahoma is coming off of scoring 41 on Texas Tech, so they should give the Texas D a good shot.


19.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-0) LW NR
It's really hard to tell how good Mississippi State really is.  Mainly because they haven't played anybody.  Their best win is probably against Auburn, and that's not saying much.  They are 2-0 in the SEC, but the other team they played is Kentucky.  Not a heavyweight by any stretch of the means.  But they've taken care of business and look to be solid.  Which can't be ignored.  QB Tyler Russell has looked good throughout the season and the Bulldogs will rely on him.  Miss State will face Tennessee this weekend which will be their toughest game of the year so far.  We may now get to see how good they really are.


20.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-0) LW NR
Rutgers is another team that is climbing up the rankings after a perfect season so far.  But much like Mississippi State, the Scarlet Knights have done it facing inferior competition.  But it's hard to take away from a 5-0 record.  Rutgers had be lead by RB Jawan Jamison who is getting a lot of comparisons to another Rutgers RB in Ray Rice.  Jamison isn't that type of player, but he is still doing a great job.  Another thing to watch out for is that the Scarlet Knight have a pretty easy schedule with only Cincinnati and Louisville as possible ranked teams.  How they play against those teams will determine the Big East Championship and the automatic bid in the BCS.


21.  Michigan State Spartans (4-2) LW 21
I almost knocked Michigan State down after they almost lost to lowly Indiana.  For a while it looked like they were going to lose.  Indiana had a 13 point lead going into halftime.  However Michigan State was able to score 17 unanswered points in the 2nd half to escape Bloomington with the victory.  The almost loss looks bad for Michigan State, but it could be a blessing in disguise.  Mainly because it forced QB Andrew Maxwell and the Michigan State WRs to rally and get the come from behind victory they need to boost their confidence.  This could be a rallying point that could help the Spartans get their season back on track.  Or it could be a sign that the Spartans are not very good.


22.  Ohio Bobcats (6-0) LW NR
The Ohio Bobcats aren't getting a lot of attention out there, but they deserve some here.  HC Frank Solich has done a remarkable job building the Bobcat program from practically nothing into a MAC contender year in and year out.  This year they will make a serious run at an undefeated year.  Now this isn't a BCS Buster type of team like we've seen out of Boise State or TCU (before they joined the Big 12) but they are still very talented.  Early season wins over Penn State and Marshall are still impressive.  The star of the Bobcats is QB Tyler Tettleton (son of former MLB catcher Mickey Tettleton) who is threat both in the air and in the running game.  If you haven't heard much from the Bobcats, you might want to check them out.

23.  Penn State Nittany Lions (4-2) LW NR
The job that HC Bill O'Brien has done at Penn State is flat out amazing.  Here was a team that was rocked by the Jerry Sandusky tragedy, NCAA sanctions, and 22 players transfer.  They lost their two best offensive players, kicker, and several key backups on defense.  Not only has O'Brien brought stability to the program, but he has them playing very well.  And with all the lackluster play so far in the Big 10, you could arguably say that Penn State might be playing like the second best team in the conference.  This past weekend they trailed a good Northwestern team by 11 going into the 4th quarter, but scored three straight TDs to win the game.  O'Brien has transformed QB Matt McGloin from an average at best QB to a star.  It will be very interesting to see how Penn State plays moving forward.

24.  Baylor Bears (3-1) LW 24
Despite losing to West Virginia two weeks ago and having a bye week this past weekend, the Bears still stay in the rankings.  Any why not.  They were right there with West Virginia the entire game and have looked good all year so far.  This weekend the Bears face off against TCU who lost QB Casey Pachall right before the Iowa State game.  TCU struggled without him, but should be more prepared coming to Baylor.  Baylor will have a great opportunity to show everybody that they are still a good team.  A win even against a TCU team without their starting QB will still be a good win.



25.  Michigan Wolverinees (3-2) LW NR
Everybody was writing Michigan off after losses to Alabama and Notre Dame.  Sure they didn't look good getting blown out by Alabama and being held to 6 points against Notre Dame.  But we have to remember that Alabama is the best team in college football and Notre Dame's defense is one of the best too.  We also forget that the Big 10 is down this year and the Wolverinees (who don't have a conference loss yet) are still right in the mix.  They started off Big 10 conference play with a bang.  Dominating a Purdue team that was every body's sleeper pick in the Leaders Division.  Dennard Robinson was unstoppable rushing for 221 yards.  Looking at Michigan's schedule they have a great shot at running the table till their match up against Ohio State to end the season.  So we could still see a 10 win Michigan team this year.


Dropped From the Rankings:  Nebraska, Washington, Northwestern, TCU, Tennessee

NCAA Top 25 (Week 5)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) LW 1
Week after week it looks like it's Alabama and then everybody else.  Other teams struggle from time to time or have some question marks, while the Crimson Tide are rolling through opponents.  Other than Ole Miss getting an early 7-6 lead, it was easy working for Alabama.  QB AJ McCarron was unspectacular but he didn't need to with Alabama scoring an special teams TD and handing the ball off to two good running backs.  The defense forced 3 turnovers and this game was a lot bigger of a blowout than the score indicated.    Alabama gets the next weekend off before traveling to SEC newcomer Missouri to welcome them to the conference.


2.  Oregon Ducks (4-0) LW 2
After a lackluster 1st half against Washington State, Oregon really opened things up in the 3rd quarter in route to a 51-26 win.  Oregon was lead by RB Kenjon Barner who had 195 yards rushing and 3 TDs.  It was 2 of Barner's TDs in the 3rd that sparked the rally.  You do have to be concerned with QB Marcus Mariota throwing 2 picks, but with all the fire power on this team they are able to make up for it.  This weekend the Ducks face off against a Washington team that just came off an upset over Stanford.  Should be a good one for viewers.


3.  Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) LW 4
Yeah their defense gave up a ton of points, but Tennessee's offense is a lot better than most people think.  What was the most impressive part was that this offense continues to show that they can put up points.  Add in that LSU struggled with Towson for most of the night, clearly in my opinion the Bulldogs are the 2nd best team in the SEC.  It's too bad that these teams won't play against each other.  But we will see Georgia face off against our #5 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks.  This could be the defacto SEC West Title game.


4.  LSU Tigers (5-0) LW 3
You could easily say that the Tigers were looking past FCS Towson to their game against Florida next weekend.  However if you look back to LSU's season so far, they haven't been too impressive.  Defensively they have a ton of talent, but how do they give up 22 points to a FCS school?  This is suppose to be the best defense in the nation.  Offensively the addition of QB Zach Metteberger was suppose to be the player to put the offense over the top.  But I guess we are seeing why he didn't see the field last year over Jefferson or Lee.  His inability to move within the pocket is really going to come back to hurt him once they face off against better teams.  We'll see how good the Tigers really are when they travel to the Swamp and face off against a Florida team that is playing very well.


5.  South Carolina Gamecocks (5-0) LW 5
Gamecocks fans really have to hope that this weekends game against Kentucky was just them looking past the Wildcats to their big time showdown with Georgia.  Because Kentucky is awful and South Carolina was trailing 17-7 at halftime before they reeled off 31 straight points in the 2nd half to pull ahead.  If the Gamecocks fall behind early to the Bulldogs, it could be game over.  Luckily South Carolina was able to rely on RB Marcus Lattimore to pick them up and provide a spark that they needed to get them over the top.  Now South Carolina can solely focus on Georgia and their showdown for SEC West supremacy 

6.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0) LW 6
After a four week stretch that took them from Ireland to defeating three Big 10 schools, the Fighting Irish have a bye week to take a breathe and get ready for the rest of their season.  So far the biggest surprise has been the play of the Irish defense.  LB Manti Te'o has been playing at a different level and that's help this defense be one of the elite in the nation.  Offensively Notre Dame was lead by QB Everette Golson, but after a couple of picks against Michigan he gave way to Tommy Rees who wasn't spectacular but did enough to win.  If Notre Dame wants to continue this momentum they are going to need to get the offense going.  Because if they do, this could be a special season.


7.  Florida State Seminoles (5-0) LW 7
In their first road test for the year, the Seminoles struggled but ultimately pulled out win the win.  But 17 straight points in the 3rd quarter opened up the game and allowed Florida State some breathing room.  QB EJ Manuel was solid again 242 yards but spread the ball to 9 different receivers.  Florida State improves to 5-0 and takes on North Carolina State next weekend.  NC State just gave up a ton of points and yards to Miami, so that's a good sign for Manuel and the Seminole offense.


8.  Kansas State Wildcats (4-0) LW 8
There is something to say about having a bye week after a big win.  Having an extra week allows the players to rest up and get all the excitement out of the way without worrying having to get back into game mode.  After KState took out Oklahoma the Wildcats can rest up and get ready to refocus for the rest of conference play.  KState has a relatively easy start with games against Kansas, Iowa and Texas Tech before ending with Texas, Baylor, and TCU.  But if the Wildcats keep playing like they against the Sooners, they should be fine.


9.  West Virginia Mountaineers (4-0) LW 11
If you went with the overs in this game you had to be a winner.  This game was amazing, unless you are a big fan of defense.  In West Virginia's debut to the Big 12 they went in with style.  Both teams traded scores throughout the first half, but it was the Mountaineers behind three straight second half TDs that took control and never looked back.  QB Geno Smith set West Virginia records for passing yards, TDs, and completions in route to 45 completions 656 yards and 8 TDs.  Not too bad for their debut.  West Virginia has a great shot to win the Big 12, mainly because with so little defense being played in the conference I don't know whose going to out score them.


10.  USC Trojans (3-1) LW 10
USC righted their ship after the Stanford loss, but it's clear that the Trojans aren't as good as we thought they were when the season began.  Injuries and depth concerns on defense have really hurt.  Plus QB Matt Barkley just hasn't been as spectacular as we thought he was going to be.  With an off weekend here, the Trojans can refocus and get their mojo back before getting into a stretch run that can still has them right in the mix for the Pac 12 Title.


11.  Florida Gators (4-0) LW 15
Florida has been playing so much better in their 2nd year under HC Will Muschamp, but we'll get to see how good they really are in a couple of weeks.  This weekend they have a bye, but it gives them an additional week to prepare for them to host the #3 ranked LSU Tigers.  LSU seems vulnerable, so it would be a great statement win for the Gators to knock them off.  They have the talent to do so, could be Muschamps signature win.


12.  Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) LW 14
It's too bad that Ohio State is ineligible for the post season, because this could be the Big 10's best team.  The Buckeye's aren't as explosive as they have been before, but QB Braxton Miller is probably the top QB in the conference.  Against Michigan State Miller had 315 combined yards despite playing on an injured knee suffered in the 2nd half.  Defensively the Buckeyes held Michigan State's only offensive weapon RB Le'Veon Bell to only 45 yards which cuts off most of their offense.  Ohio State looks to keep their momentum going next as they play host to Nebraska who knocked them off last year in Lincoln.


13.  Clemson Tigers (4-1) LW 12
Without WR Sammie Watkins playing (again) the Tigers bounced back after their loss to Florida State with a  win at Boston College.  But it was the "other" Clemson WR that took control.  DeAndre Hopkins stepped up and caught 11 balls for 197 yards and a TD.  But the big concern continues to be their defense.  Boston College isn't going to be mistaken for a offensive juggernaut, but still put up 41 points.  Sooner rather than later the Tigers are going to drop one they shouldn't because they can't stop anybody.  That game could be this weekend as they host Georgia Tech and their triple option offense.  Which is always difficult to prepare for.


14.  Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) LW 13
Oklahoma's loss to KState not only hurt their shot at getting to the National Title Game, but it raises some real big questions about their team.  The offense and mainly QB Landry Jones just hasn't been the same since the middle of last year when Ryan Broyles went down with an injury.  You really got to wonder how much this team misses former OC Kevin Wilson (current Indiana HC).  But with an off weekend the Sooners will look to get their stuff in order and get back to their winning ways.  Texas Tech is next after the bye, but then the Red River Shootout is on the horizon.


15.  Texas Longhorns (4-0) LW 17
In a controversial game, the Longhorns were able to prevail and remain undefeated.  Despite fumbling on the go ahead TD, the Longhorns were still awarded the TD and escaped Stillwater.  But the other big story out of this game was the play of QB David Ash.  Ash has been pretty solid all year, but in this game he was the big reason why they won.  Ash threw for 304 yards and 3 TDs to propel Texas to the victory.  His play on the Longhorns final drive was clutch.  However the Longhorns can't be too excited because they have to play host to West Virginia and their high powered offense.  The winner will come down to who can score the most.


16.  Stanford Cardinal (3-1) LW 9
Stanford erased a lot of questions people had about how they would do in the post Andrew Luck era with their win over USC.  Stanford shot up the polls and looked to be a serious contender in the Pac 12.  However a lot of those questions have come back after their crushing loss to Washington.  Sure Washington is a lot better than most people think.  But there is no explanation for the Cardinal giving up 14 straight points to lose the game.  Now we're back to square one, how good really are they?  My guess, they're average.


17.  Louisville Cardinals (5-0) LW 18
The weather was the great equalizer in their game against Southern Miss.  Southern Miss was win less on the season, but a monsoon can be a great equalizer.  With standing puddles on the field there wasn't a lot of passing going on and the Cardinals used their two headed rushing attack to eek out the victory.  Senorise Perry ran for 118 yards while teammate Jeremy Wright added another 84.  Style points don't really matter in this contest, winning in these conditions is all the counts.  Louisville has the week off and probably needs it get dry.  But they'll face Pittsburgh in two weeks to start Big East conference play.


18.  TCU Horned Frogs (4-0) LW 19
After winning their first game as a member of the Big 12, the TCU Horned Frogs finished out their non-conference schedule defeating in state SMU.  In another rainy game TCU struggled to adjust and it almost cost them the game.  It could have been a big disaster when they botched a FG hold and almost had a punt blocked because the punter couldn't get a grip on the ball.  But TCU was able to prevail and gets the necessary points to extend their winning streak to 12 straight games.  Also doesn't hurt that CB Jason Verrett had two INTs.  Next up for TCU is for them to resume Big 12 play against Iowa State.  The Cyclones aren't world beaters, but they always knock a team every year.  If TCU can't get the offense going, it could be them.


19.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1) LW 21
With the way this game started it looked like Nebraska was going to lay an egg and get blown out by Wisconsin for a 2nd straight year.  The Huskers fumbled on two early possessions and got down to an early 17 point defect   But the offense started taking care of the ball and the defense stepped up in run support and were able to chip away at the lead.  Nebraska forced a Monte Ball fumble on Wisconsin's last drive to seal the win and start Big 10 play off with a win.  Now all the Huskers have to do is travel to Columbus and play the Ohio State Buckeyes.  This will be a tough task for the Husker defense that struggles with mobile QBs.  Plus Braxton Miller was torching Nebraska last year before he got hurt.  A win there would be huge for the Huskers and give them an early lead in the Legends division.  But a loss would further muddy the Big 10 waters.


20.  Oregon State Beavers (3-0) LW NR
I'm not ready to jump on the Oregon State bandwagon.  Yeah they're 3-0, but they really haven't beaten anybody to worthwhile.  UCLA is a little overrated, Wisconsin is down, and Arizona recently got blown (shut) out by Oregon.  They definitely aren't worth the #14 ranking they got in the AP vote.  Here is more like it for the Beavers whose 3 wins this season equals their win total from last year.  The Beavers won a hard fought game against Arizona with a TD with 1:09 left on the clock to take the final lead.  The Beavers were lead by QB Sean Mannion who threw for a career high 433 yards and 3 TDs.  Look for Oregon State's run to continue as they face off against Washington State next weekend.


21.  Michigan State Spartans (3-2) LW 16
Everybody always talks about the Spartans missing QB Kurt Cousins, but what Michigan State really misses is BJ Cunningham and Keshawn Martin more than anything.  Maxwell didn't play bad, but his receivers have struggled with drops throughout the year.  Those struggles have made it impossible for Le'Veon Bell to get any room to run.  This was evident against Ohio State whose defense suffocated the Spartans and only allowed Bell 45 rushing yards and the Spartans to only 16 points.  Michigan State needs to get things figured out on offense or their hopes of winning the Legends Division for the second straight year will fall short.


22.  Northwestern Wildcats (5-0) LW 24
Northwestern set a school record with 704 yards in their win over Indiana.  The star of the game was QB/WR/RB Kain Colter who ran for 161 yards and 4 TDs, he had another 131 yards receiving to top it off.  Colter also threw three passes but for only two yards.  Come on Kain, just kidding.  But Colter has proved to be one of the biggest weapons in the Big 10 and has a lot of coaches stressed out on how to defend him.  With the win the Wildcats improve to 5-0.  But they have to travel to Penn State this weekend and face off against the hottest team in the Big 10.  A win for the Wildcats would be huge for a team that is trying to sneak their way into winning the Legends Division.  It's a long shot, but the way Northwestern is playing you never know.


23.  Washington Huskies (3-1) LW NR
The Washington Huskies make their debut in the rankings after an impressive upset of Stanford on this previous Thursday Night.  Other than a loss at LSU (it's extremely hard to win there) the Huskies have actually been playing very well.  They are lead by QB Keith Price who you may know for that epic shoot out last year with Baylor in the Alamo Bowl.  It was Price who threw the game winning TD that helped put the Huskies on top for good against Stanford.  But things don't get any easier as Washington now travels to Oregon to face off against the #2 ranked Ducks.


24.  Baylor Bears (3-1) LW 22
It would have been very easy to drop the Bears from the rankings after their loss to West Virginia.  They did give up 70 points.  However they also scored 63 themselves and could have just as easily won that game.  But also add in that there really isn't another team knocking on the door to get into the rankings that is much better than the Bears.  Baylor gets a week off to try and patch up some holes on defense, but then get a nasty two game stretch against TCU and Texas.  After those two games we'll get to see how good this team really is.

25.  Tennessee Volunteers (3-2) LW 23
To be honest I'm not down on the Volunteers as much as most people are.  Sure they lost two games straight and probably shouldn't be ranked.  But they lost to #3 Georgia and #11 Florida.  Both of those games the Vols were able to score on their vaunted defenses.  Both of those games the Vols probably could have won and were in a position to do so.  So it's not like they lost to two Sun Belt or MAC schools.  This weekend we get to see the Vols face off against an undefeated Mississippi State team that hasn't played the same schedule as Tennessee.  The winner likely will be ranked, where the loser will not.


Dropped From the Rankings: Virginia Tech

NCAA Top 25 (Final Rankings)

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1)
Behind a dominant defense and a solid running attack, the Alabama Crimson tide convincingly defeated LSU and earned their 2nd National Title win in 3 years. Alabama also looked more confident and ready to go then their SEC foe. Sure you can say that LSU already beat them, but the Crimson Tide lost that game 9-6 and controlled most of the game.

2. LSU Tigers (13-1)
What a tough break for LSU. The played one of the toughest schedules you could play. They beat the Big East (West Virginia) and Pac 12 (Oregon) Champs. Heck they even beat the National Champs (Alabama). But a rematch against Alabama was their downfall. That or the poor play calling, or the refusal to pull Jordan Jefferson. You have to wonder how LSU would have fared against Oklahoma State? Would LSU be the National Champions.

3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-1)
If it wasn't for an overtime loss against a 6-7 Iowa State team, the Cowboys would have been playing in the National Title game against LSU. And based on LSU's defensive performance, the Cowboys would have put up points. But they didn't beat Iowa State and had to settle for a Fiesta Bowl game against Stanford. Okie State didn't let that disappointment affect them and came ready to play. The Cowboys needed a FG to win, but they got their first BCS Bowl victory in their school's history. What a season to be a Cowboy fan!

4. Oregon Ducks (12-2)
For the third straight year the Ducks won the Pac 12 (10) and got back to the Rose Bowl for the 2nd time in three years. However the Ducks have lost the past two seasons. This year looked like it could be the same. Wisconsin brought in their powerful offense and a quality defense. However Oregon showed that they have learned from past seasons and were able to win. And even though LeMichael James is leaving, the offense should only get better.

5. USC Trojans (10-2)
If it wasn't for the NCAA sanctions the Trojans would have been in the Pac 12 Title game and could have made it to the Rose Bowl. Instead they finished with 10 wins knowing that they wouldn't have a chance for any post season play. That's one heck of a season if you ask me. And to top it off, they played like one of the best teams in the nation at the end of the year.

6. Arkansas Razorbacks (11-2)
Arkansas' only two losses this season were to LSU and Alabama. The two teams that played in the National Championship Game. Arkansas also rolled Big 12's 2nd best team Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl. But what is keeping Arkansas ranked higher here is their weak non conference schedule and the fact that the SEC (besides LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas) wasn't as good as previous years. But with a lot of talent returning, we could see the Razorbacks back in this territory.

7. Stanford Cardinal (11-2)
It was another impressive year for the Cardinal. Despite not having the physical talent and depth of most teams, the were still able to win 11 games and get back to a 2nd straight BCS Game. However the Stanford ride might be on it's last leg. Luck, Martin, DeCastro and company are all leaving for the NFL. Now Stanford's recruiting has continued to be strong since Jim Harbaugh left, but if Stanford wants to be a dominant player in the Pac 12, they'll have to find another impact QB to lead the way.

8. Boise State Broncos (12-1)
For the second straight season Boise ends the season with an in conference loss that ruins their chance at a BCS Bowl. This year it was their loss to TCU that did them in. So to reward the Broncos for their success they were got to go to Las Vegas and play a 6-6 Arizona State team that just fired their coach. How about that. Boise State made the best of it and did what they've done for years. Blow them out. Now Boise State will go into the Big East next year and have to do so without 4 year starter Kellen Moore leading the team. We might not see the same Boise State for a couple of years. But who knows?

9. Michigan Wolverines (11-2)
Even the most die hard Michigan fans couldn't have expected the season that the Wolverines had. The hiring of Brady Hoke wasn't thought to be a sexy hire. He didn't have the same high level name that Jim Harbaugh had, but he had success everywhere he went. But the most remarkable job was done by DC Greg Mattison. He turned a horrible Michigan defense into one of the best in the Big 10. And it was the defense that helped them win their 11 games this season. Including holding a talented Virginia Tech offense down in the Sugar Bowl.

10. Wisconsin Badgers (11-3)
Going into this year it was thought it could be a very special season for the Badgers. They returned a lot of pieces from their Rose Bowl appearance last year. Add in a dynamic QB in Russell Wilson and there was legit National Title talk. However Wisconsin was beat twice during the regular season by hail mary passes. One against Michigan State and another against Ohio State. If both of those don't happen we could have been hearing about Wisconsin against LSU for the National Championship. But the Badgers won the first ever Big 10 Title game and then faced off against Pac 12 Champions Oregon. In a great game it just wasn't Wisconsin's night and they had to end the season with a loss.

11. Michigan State Spartans (11-3)
Coming of a share of the Big 12 Title, the Spartans were looking to prove that they deserved to be one of the elite teams in the conference and make it to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1988. It looked like it was going to happen with their big win over Ohio State. But then they laid an egg against Nebraska and lost to in state rival Michigan. But they still made it to the first ever Big 10 Title game and had shot at the Rose Bowl. But a roughing the kicker penalty negated a long punt return and a likely game winning score. That forced Michigan State to go to the Outback Bowl instead of the Rose.

12. Baylor Bears (10-3)
The Bears Bears have been one of the worst teams in college football over the past ten years. However because of the play of QB Robert Griffin III they have made it to back to back bowl games and now are the home of a Heisman Trophy Winner. RG3 has done wonders for this program and with his excellent season they won 10 games for the first time in school history.

13. South Carolina Gamecocks (11-2)
You would think that an 11 win team would be ranked much higher in this poll. But you would also think that if a team didn't have to play LSU and Alabama in a season that they'd have a much better record, or would have had a better bowl appearance. But that didn't happen this year. However when you consider that they kicked their QB off the team and their all world RB tears his ACL, it is understandable. None the less, the Gamecocks continue their rise up the SEC pecking order and with a roster always full of talent, they have a chance to continue their success.

14. Kansas State Wildcats (10-3)
The job that Bill Synder has done at Kansas State deserved to be coach of the year. This was the same year team that only won 7 games and didn't have too big of expectations. But behind the play of QB Colin Klein and LB Arther Brown, the Wildcats finished 2nd in the Big 12 and were robbed from a BCS Bowl. Even with a poor showing in the Cotton Bowl, Wildcat fans had to be excited.

15. West Virginia Mountaineers (10-3)
After the Mountaineers lost two out of three Big East games, expectations weren't too high. Especially with them backing their way into a BCS Bowl against the high powered Clemson Tigers. But West Virginia shocked everybody and hung 70 points on the ACC Champions. Mountaineer fans have got to love Dana Holgerson now and with a team full of players coming back they can hope next year will pick up where this year ended.


16. TCU Horned Frogs (11-2)
After their opening season loss to Baylor and another loss to SMU, it didn't look like TCU was going to keep their Rose Bowl momentum going. However they righted the ship and continued to quietly win games. That set them up with a game against Boise State where the winner would be Mountain West Champs. A gutsy 2 point conversation gave the Horned Frogs the win and allowed them to win the conference for a 3rd straight year. Now TCU enters the Big 12 and we'll see if they can continue their success.

17. Oklahoma Sooners (10-3)
The Sooners were the preseason #1 ranked team and looked to have the easiest road to an undefeated season. However Oklahoma then dropped an unthinkable game against Texas Tech. Then Ryan Broyles tore his ACL. Then Landry Jones couldn't get on track without Broyles. Then Baylor beat them. But with all of that they still had a shot at a BCS Bowl with a victory over in state rival Oklahoma State. However they were no match and Okie State blew them out of the water. The crazy thing is, Oklahoma sees this and a horrible year. Must be nice when you win 10 games and it's a bad year. They'll be fine and a contender for next year.

18. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3)
With a new QB and RB the Hokies were thought to be good, but I don't think anybody thought they would be this good. But Logan Thomas really grew this year and the Hokies only loss to two teams (Clemson twice and Michigan). Add in that they were a FG away from a BCS Bowl win and Hokies fans had a lot to cheer for.

19. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (12-2)
To this day I still don't know how Southern Miss lost to both UAB and Marshall, yet were able to control Houston pretty easily. The worst part was that Southern Miss went into that Conference USA Championship Game at Houston with supposedly "no shot to win." Yet their defense was able to slow down the record setting Houston Cougars and win the conference. But with that success the Golden Eagles lost HC Larry Fedora to North Carolina and hired South Carolina's DC Ellis Johnson. It will be interesting to see how they do next year.

20. Georgia Bulldogs (10-4)
Mark Richt's seat was a little warm to start the year, and then two straight losses to open the season really heated things up. But the Bulldogs won 10 straight games to get to the SEC Championship Game. Heck the Bulldogs were a Tyrann Mathieu punt return for TD from leading at half, then LSU took control. Georgia returns a big nucleus of their team and more importantly their starting QB Aaron Murray who should be one of the best in the SEC.

21. Houston Cougars (13-1)
Everything was set up for the Cougars to have the perfect season. They finished unbeaten and were hosting Southern Miss in the CUSA Championship Game at their stadium. A win there and they'd be playing in the BCS. But with all the talk of their HC leaving and BCS in their minds, they dropped the ball and lost to Southern Miss. And instead of the Sugar Bowl they had to face off against Penn State in the Ticket City Bowl. And now they go into the Big East without their HC, OC, and record setting QB. This could be the end of Houston's recent success.

22. Clemson Tigers (10-4)
Clemson came out of nowhere and started the season 9-1 and looked like the elite of the ACC and a sure bet BCS Bowl winner. However their youth caught up with them and Tajh Boyd really started to struggle. They dropped 3 out of their last 5 games and seemed to limp their way into the Orange Bowl. But things just got worse with in that game when West Virginia dropped 70 on them. That also cost them their DC Kevin Steele who was fired. Keep in mind that Steele is a heck of a recruiter. I'll be interested to see how Clemson responds to this.

23. Florida State Seminoles (9-4)
Florida State had a three game stretch early in the season where they lost three straight. It looked like the season was going to be a failure. Even more sense they had a big time overrated #5 ranking heading into the Oklahoma game. But people forget that FSU is very young and wasn't use to all this praise. FSU was able to weather the storm and win 5 straight. What made the season even better was that they knocked off Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl. Now the 'Noles will be even more experienced and better come 2012.

24. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3)
Coming off a 4 win season in 2010, there wasn't any real expectations for Cincinnati. So when they win 10 games it is quite remarkable. And out of their three losses only one of them was considered a bad loss. Now if they can build off this season success they should be able to win a watered down Big East.

25. Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-4)
What a year the Huskers have had. In their first year in the Big 10 they were thought to be the easy favorite to win the Legends Division and face off against Wisconsin in the championship game. However their defense took a huge step back and the offense stalled when they had to come from behind. They had a shot to save the season with a win over South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl, but they shot themselves in the foot and ended up losing their 4th straight. If Pelini can fix the defense again, they have a shot to have a good year because the offense returns practically everybody.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 5)

1. LSU Tigers (5-0) LW 1

The Bayou Bengals continue to roll in a route over Kentucky. In a game that wasn't really close we saw the return of QB Jordan Jefferson and CB Tyrann Mathieu set the LSU record for forced fumbles. This Tiger team looks better and better as the year goes forward. Its going to be tough for any team (even Alabama) to knock them off.

2. Oklahoma Sooners (4-0) LW 2

Their game against Ball State was nothing more than a glorified scrimmage before their match up against Texas this upcoming week. In typical Oklahoma fashion, they rolled through the poor MAC school with ease winning 62-6. However they can't take the Longhorns lightly who are quietly making their way back up the rankings. However the Sooners shouldn't have any trouble with their Red River Rival.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) LW 3

It had the potential to be a good game, with Florida's offense playing extremely well so far this year. However Alabama didn't get the memo and made quick work with the Gators. It was the Trent Richardson show for the Tide as he racked up 181 yards on the ground as Alabama controlled the game. Alabama has some easier games against Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Tennessee before the huge game against LSU in 4 weeks.

4. Boise State Broncos (4-0) LW 4

Boise State avenged their loss to the Nevada last year that ended their perfect season. With QB Kellen Moore struggling the Broncos turned to RB Doug Martin to provide with the offense they needed to win. Doesn't help that the Boise State defense showed up too. With the exception of 10 late points the Broncos defense was very dominant. The Broncos now have to travel to Fresno State and play a Bulldog team that is really improved and is probably their toughest opponent besides Georgia.

5. Stanford Cardinal (4-0) LW 5

We've come to see a lot of things Andrew Luck can do. Besides throwing the ball like Peyton Manning, Luck has also shown that he can run and make bone jarring tackles. But in their win against UCLA Luck showed us that he can make one handed catches falling out of bounds. That's just impressive. What is even more impressive is that Stanford continues to roll through teams with ease. Next up is Colorado who is struggling so far this season. Stanford shouldn't see a competitive game till they match up with USC and then Oregon in a couple of weeks.

6. Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) LW 6

Wisconsin did their best to initiate Nebraska into the Big 10. A 48-17 beat down sure did the job. Wisconsin broke the game open at the end of the 2nd half when they picked off QB Taylor Martinez twice. QB Russell Wilson converted both of those turnovers into TDs and the game went from 14-13 to 27-14 in a matter of minutes. Wisconsin looks like the real deal and their is no reason that they couldn't end the regular season undefeated.

7. Clemson Tigers (5-0) LW 11

In most years, the Clemson Tigers would have lost this weekend. They were coming off two big wins, everybody was jumping on the bandwagon, and they had to travel to VaTech and play the ranked Hokies in the rain. Normally they would lose. But this year is looking to be different. Instead of finding a way to lose, the Tigers were able to pull out the big road win. They also did it without stud freshman WR Sammy Watkins having a great game. If Clemson can continue to not let up, they have a great shot at winning all their games. However, their game against Georgia Tech could be a road block for them.

8. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-0) LW 10

After their big come from behind win against Texas A&M the Cowboys enjoyed a week off. This gave them a chance to regroup and get ready for the rest of the Big 12 Conference season. This week they'll face off against a Kansas team that has been on the wrong end of a couple of blowouts. However after the Kansas game we get to really see what this Cowboy team is made of with games against Texas, Missouri, Baylor, and Kansas State. It will be either sink or swim for the Pokes.

9. Oregon Ducks (3-1) LW 8

Oregon continues to fly under the radar after their opening week loss to LSU. But that might not be a bad thing for the Ducks. As they keep winning they continue to stay in the hunt for a top ranking. Remember its better to win early in the season and not late. If Oregon can keep this up and knock off Stanford on November 12th, they should be right in line of the top one loss teams. There is still hope for the Ducks.

10. Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) LW 13

After losing to Alabama last week it was important for the Razorbacks to bounce back against former Southwest Conference rival Texas A&M. But it looked like A&M was going to be victorious, but behind the play of QB Taylor Wilson Arkansas fought back and won the game by 4 points. They had some question marks about their offense, especially without Knile Davis, but this game showed that they can still put up points against a quality opponent.

11. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-1) LW 7

I think it's safe to say that if Marcus Lattimore is held in check, you have a great shot to beat South Carolina. Auburn held the dynamic RB to only 66 yards rushing an 0 touchdowns and escaped with a win. You have to wonder why South Carolina didn't try and get the ball to Alshon Jeffery more. I know that Auburn had their focus on him, but with a dynamic player like that you should be able to get him the ball more often. Now I'm not ready to write off the Gamecocks, but they have to figure out their offense if they want to win the SEC East. Because Florida isn't going to be a push over this year.

12. Texas Longhorns (4-0) LW 19

What a turn around it has been in Austin. Last year at this time the Longhorns were at .500 and on their way to not making a bowl game. This year with the emergence of Chase McCoy they are right back on track. This past weekend they faced off against an Iowa State team that was on a roll and looking for and upset. However Texas took control early and blew out the Cyclones 37-14. Now Texas faces off against Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. It should be a tough game for the Longhorns. Oklahoma has a tough D the likes that Chase McCoy hasn't seen yet. How he plays will tell us if they have a shot to win.

13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-0) LW 21

After a down year, the Yellow Jackets and their triple option attack are back. After drubbing Kansas the week before, they opened up ACC play win a win over NC State. The Georgia Tech offense continues to rack up points and put up 24 points in the 4th quarter to get the win. Now the Yellow Jackets face off against a Maryland team that is reeling. Their game against Clemson in a couple of weeks should be a good one.

14. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1) LW 12

It was all set up for the Hokies to get the win over Clemson and take an early lead in the ACC. However their offense couldn't put up the points and their normally stout defense couldn't make plays when they needed it to. VaTech was unable to get David Wilson going, and his first quarter fumble gave Clemson an early lead. VaTech still has the ability to bounce back and make it to the ACC Championship where they can get their rematch with the Tigers.

15. Florida Gators (4-1) LW 14

Not only did the Florida Gators lose the game to Alabama, but they lost their starting QB John Brantley too. Florida looked ready jumping out the an early 7-0 lead, but in the long run they couldn't stop the run and that proved to be the difference. What makes matters worse is that the Gators have to face off against LSU next week. If Florida couldn't stop the run against Alabama, they are going to have to fix it because that's what LSU loves to do too.

16. Michigan Wolverines (5-0) LW NR

For the second straight year the Wolverines start the season 5-0, but the big difference so far is the play of the defense. Even though they haven't played the toughest schedule, the Michigan defense has really stepped up so far. Last year they had to outscore teams to beat them. This year they have held four out of five opponents to 10 points or less. Considering how they have played that is a feat. Their schedule sets up well, but they do have three tough games on the road to end the season.

17. Auburn Tigers (4-1) LW NR

The Auburn Tigers are a team that exceeding a lot of people's expectations. Thought to maybe not even make a Bowl game. Their narrow win against Utah State didn't help with the perception. Despite a loss to a talented Clemson team they have rattled off wins against Mississippi State and South Carolina. But we'll see how good they really are with games against Arkansas, Florida and LSU back to back to back.

18. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-1) LW 18

Though this young season, the Mountaineers have struggled to run the ball. However this weekend against Bowling Green, they might have found their answer. Dustin Garrison took control and ran for a very impressive 291 yards. West Virginia hopes that Garrison can continue to get yards on the ground and help make this offense even more dangerous.

19. Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1) LW 10

Nebraska's struggles continue, however unlike their first three games they weren't able to still get the win. Against a very good Wisconsin team Nebraska was exposed. Too many errors on offense, and the inability to cover in the passing game was their downfall. If the Huskers want to get a rematch with Wisconsin they are going to have to realize they can't have Taylor Martinez throwing to win games. If this continues it'll be Michigan State or Michigan in the first Big 10 Championship Game.

20. Baylor Bears (3-1) LW 17

Robert Griffen III had been amazing this year. He has thrown for over 1,300 yards 18 touchdowns and only 1 INT. However that one INT came at the worst time. With Baylor up by two points and needing to run out the clock, RG3 threw a pick that set up the go ahead FG. That allowed KState to get the victory and end Baylor's three game winning streak. Now that the undefeated season is over, the Bears can refocus and work on finishing in the upper tier of the Big 12. Next week they face off against an Iowa State team that just got smashed by Texas. This would be a great game to get their confidence back before playing A&M.

21. Illinois Fighting Illini (5-0) LW 23

Facing off against in-state rival Northwestern, it looked like the Illini's four game winning streak was going to come to an end. But 21 4th quarter points and a TD with 13 second left on the clock got them a win. QB Nate Scheelhaase continues to play well. He threw for 391 yards and 3 TDs and ran in for another one. Illinois should continue their winning ways against Indiana next week before matching up with a struggling Ohio State team. Its too bad that Wisconsin is in their division or they could have a realistic shot at playing in the Big 10 Championship Game.

22. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1) LW NR

It wasn't pretty but the Sun Devils were able to get a win against a bad Oregon State Beavers team. Brock Osweiler didn't have his best game throwing for 3 INTs, but he ended up with 258 yards and 2 TDs which helped get the victory. ASU isn't going to be able to win games like this again with Utah on their schedule next and Oregon after them.

23. Texas A&M Aggies (2-2) LW 16

If football games only lasted one half, the Aggies would be undefeated. For a second straight game the Aggies have had a lead at halftime only to end up losing. If the Aggies want to finish strong in their final season in the Big 12 they are going to need figure out their defense after halftime. Won't help with the passing attack of Texas Tech coming next week.

24. Michigan State Spartans (4-1) LW NR

It was a defensive struggle, but the Spartans were able to get the victory over the Buckeyes. This victory also ended a seven game losing streak to Ohio State. However if the Spartans want to make a run at the Legends Division Title they are going to have to score more points than 10 to do so.

25. Florida State Seminoles (2-2) LW 25

After two straight loses it probably suits the Seminoles good to have a week off. Hopefully they've been able to get EJ Manuel healthy and ready for the rest of the season. With him in there their offense is much better. Nothing against Trickett, but he isn't on the same level as Manuel. But whoever is starting on Saturday the Seminoles should get the victory over Duke.

Dropped Out: South Florida, TCU Horned Frogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Mississippi State Bulldogs

NFL Draft: Stock Watch

Rising

TY Hilton WR Florida International
We've heard of TY Hilton before the season, but he was more or less a late round pick due to his kick return skills. But his play this year has really impressed and he has shown the ability to possibly contribute to an NFL offense. At Louisville he was a one man wrecking crew. His 200+ yards single handily helped the Panthers win their first game against a BCS team. The key for Hilton is the 40 yard dash at the combine. If he can run in the 4.29-4.40 range he could easily be a Day 2 pick like Titus Young was last year.

Nate Potter OT Boise State
I've always been a big fan of Nate Potter's. He has good size, length, and quick feet. All things you like out of a left tackle. The one thing he does not have is that overall brute strength. Going into this season some people considered him to be a guard at the next level. However Potter has been great so far and against Georgia he showed he has what it takes to be a LT in the NFL. He'd be a perfect fit in a zone blocking scheme that utilizes his athletic ability.

Dont'a Hightower LB Alabama
Its not so much him showing improvement on talent, but more about him showing that he is back to 100% after a knee injury two years ago. Two years later, Hightower is back to the explosive player he use to be when everybody thought he was better than Rolando McClain. Hightower is a versatile linebacker who can play both inside and out. He should be in that late 1st round area come draft time.

Dwayne Allen TE Clemson
Michael Egnew was thought to be the only TE that was worth drafting early, but after four weeks of play Dwayne Allen is showing everybody that you can put him into that category too. Freshman WR Sammy Watkins has been the star, but Allen has been the security blanket for QB Tajh Boyd. In their win over FSU it was Allen who kept coming up with big time catches on 3rd downs to extend drives. Add in Allen's blocking skills and you have yourself an all around TE. Allen should be a Day 2 pick at the least.

Nick Toon WR Wisconsin
The person that has benefited the most from Russell Wilson coming to Wisconsin is Toon. Toon finally has a QB that is able to get him the ball and he is thriving. Toon isn't a speedster, but he knows how to position himself and he has great body control. With his size (6'2 220) he is a red zone beast. Look for Toon to rise up draft boards and now he finds himself in the Day 2 category.

Falling

Stephen Gilmore CB South Carolina

Gilmore was considered to be one of the top CBs in this class (behind Dre Kirkpatrick) and a mid 1st round pick. However the more and more I watch him, the less and less I think of him. Gilmore is very passive in coverage. He plays off the receiver quite a bit and isn't very active in the run game. He seems like a player that doesn't like contact. He has also struggled against bigger receivers in jump ball situations. Not something you want out of a 1st round CB. I wouldn't touch him in the first round if I were a NFL GM.

Cordy Glenn G Georgia
He has started since his freshman year. He is a guard prospect, but the Bulldogs have moved him to tackle to take advantage of their best lineman. Glenn was thought to be the next guard that went late in the 1st round. However matched up against the "supposedly smaller weaker" Boise State Broncos, Glenn was over matched and whipped. Not what you would want out of a 1st round pick. Right?

Donte Paige-Moss DE North Carolina
Paige-Moss was suppose to be on the next Tar Heel defensive lineman who go in the first round. He has the athletic ability to be a feared pass rusher off the edge. However he has just been non-existent this year. You would think with Quinton Coples on the other side that Paige-Moss would at least be able get after the QB without much attention his way. But he hasn't. DPM is still a talented player and will probably have to move to the rush linebacker spot in the 3-4, but he's falling past the likes of Brandon Jenkins and Devin Taylor.

Shayne Skov LB Stanford
This has nothing to do with Skov's talent, or lack of production. But all about an injury. Skov is out for the season with a knee injury. Skov is the best defensive player on the Stanford team and his play was elevating him into the early 2nd round category. Instead, look for Skov to return to Palo Alto for his senior year and hopefully he can get back to 100%.

Tank Carder LB TCU
After a great Rose Bowl performance against Wisconsin, everybody seemed to jump on the Tank Carder bandwagon. They raved about his range and tackling ability. However this season Carder hasn't matched what he did last year. He looks slow and his production is down. He is either going to have to kick it into gear or he'll be a late round pick.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 4)

1. LSU Tigers (4-0) LW 3
It's hard for a team to jump up to the #1 ranking with the two teams ahead of them not losing. But when the Tigers have beaten 3 ranked teams it makes a ton of sense. The LSU defense might be their best one in years and the offense continues to get better. As long as Jarrett Lee doesn't turn the ball over this team can win every game on their schedule.

2. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) LW 1
Even though they beat a good Florida State team and a tough Missouri team, they do fall a spot in the rankings. They are still one of the elite teams in the country but they don't have the resume of LSU. But Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles lead this offense and the defense is one of the best in the nation. They should win the Big 12 easily.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) LW 2
Arkansas was thought to be a potential sleeper in the SEC West, but the Tide had little trouble with them. Alabama's defense slowed down one of the best offenses in the country and QB AJ McCarron continues to improve. The key is whether McCarron can make plays on 3rd down against elite SEC teams. That will be the difference between being a Champion and being a Cotton Bowl team.


4. Boise State Broncos (3-0) LW 4
Although dominating wins over lesser teams are nice to have, it would be great to see Boise State play better competition. QB Kellen Davis continues shine and while the Broncos should coast till their match up against Air Force at the end of October.

5. Stanford Cardinal (3-0) LW 5
The Cardinal got a week off after beating a high powered offense in Arizona. The rest will be well deserved for this power running team. Andrew Luck has gotten even better this year completing a higher percentage of throws compared to last year despite not having two of his top weapons. Colorado should offer no trouble to this team.

6. Wisconsin Badgers (4-0) LW 6
It was another dominating week of Wisconsin football. In their game against South Dakota the Badgers did what they were suppose to do. Dominate. That's what they have done against three lesser opponents. This team led by Russell Wilson looks like the class of the Big 10 and a contender for a National Title. Their match up against Nebraska this weekend should be a must watch.

7. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-0) LW 7
For the first time under Steve Spurrier, the Gamecocks are 4-0. They also beat a Vanderbilt team that has been playing some good football lately. If the Gamecocks want to continue their undefeated streak they are going to have to get better production out of Stephen Garcia. 4 INTs against any other team in the SEC might result in a loss.

8. Oregon Ducks (3-1) LW 8
After their loss to LSU, its been very quiet for the Ducks. They aren't getting a whole lot of attention, despite putting up some gaudy numbers. But that might be the best thing for this program to get their confidence back. This past week they drubbed Arizona 25. It also marked the second straight game that LeMichael James has rushed for over 200 yards.

9. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-0) LW 10
After trailing 20-3 in the first half of their game against Texas A&M you had to be wondering if the Cowboys were overrated? But the Cowboys regrouped and dominated the second half in route to a one point victory over the previously #12 ranked Aggies. Justin Blackmon who was contained in the first half was a big reason for the Cowboys offense in the 2nd half, but it was the turnovers that sealed the deal.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-0) LW 11
It may have not been pretty, but the Huskers are 4-0 heading into their first ever Big 10 conference schedule. And they'll be greeted by the #6 ranked Wisconsin Badgers. If the Huskers want to continue their unbeaten streak they need to sure up the defense that was once feared, but not is giving up points and yards to teams that are the bottom of the rankings.

11. Clemson Tigers (4-0) LW 18
Clemson may finally be living up to their potential. They got their second straight big win over a Florida State team that was ranked as high as #5 in the AP Poll. This is a team that you have to watch out for. They have a good defense lead by their defensive line and their offense is full of play makers. But their toughest test will come this weekend when they face off against #12 ranked Virginia Tech in Blacksburgh. A win over the Hokies would be huge for this team.

12. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-0) LW 13
The Hokies took care of business against Marshall in their final non-conference game. A 20 point win wasn't spectacular, but it got the job done. Now the Hokies have to get ready to host #11 ranked Clemson who might be one of the hottest teams in college football. This could also be a preview of the ACC Championship game. The Hokies are known for their defense and have to bring it against a very explosive Tiger attack.

13. Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1) LW 9
In a game that a lot of people had their eyes on, it wasn't much of a fight for the Razorbacks. Alabama's stout defense held down the Arkansas offense and only allowed them 14 points. Arkansas needs to bounce back from this game and it starts with former Southwest Conference rival Texas A&M this weekend. The Razorbacks have a chance to keep the Aggies reeling after their collapse against Oklahoma State. But the Razorbacks have to pick it up on defense.

14. Florida Gators (4-0) LW 16
The Gators continue to roll after knocking off SEC foe Kentucky. They struggled at first but the combination of Demps and Rainey took control and produced over 200 yards between the two of them. But we'll find out how good this Gator team is when they host #3 ranked Alabama. The key will be if the Gators offense can put up points on the Alabama defense. If they can they have a shot to win. But that isn't an easy task.

15. South Florida Bulls (4-0) LW 17
South Florida started early and never looked back in their win over UTEP. The Bulls continue to look strong as they prepare themselves for Big East play. BJ Daniels lead the way with 202 yards passing and another 130 yards rushing. Now they have to face off against a Pitt team that had both Notre Dame and Iowa beaten in 4th quarter before losing.

16. Texas A&M Aggies (2-1) LW 12
Going into halftime it looked like the Aggies were on their way to a victory over #10 ranked Oklahoma State. They held the Cowboys high powered offense to only 3 points and had a 17 point lead. However they let the Cowboys back into the game and costly turnovers swung the momentum away. A&M needs to forget about this loss and get ready to play an Arkansas team that is also coming off a tough loss.

17. Baylor Bears (3-0) LW 19
Baylor improve their record to 3-0 off of a huge victory over Rice. Robert Griffin lead the way with 338 yards passing and 5 touchdowns and 51 yards rushing and another score. Rice was completely over matched the the Bears lead was never in question. Next week the Bears get an easy conference opener against a Kansas State team that knocked off Miami.

18. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-1) LW 15
Despite a strong performance of QB Geno Smith, the LSU defense was too much of a match for the Mountaineers. Smith was picked off twice and recovered two more fumbles that enabled them to rout the Mountaineers. Now we all knew that West Virginia wasn't on the same level, but you have to take note that they were able to move the ball against arguably the top defense in the nation. But West Virginia does need to shore up a defense that let LSU's pedestrian offense score over 40 points.

19. Texas Longhorns (3-0) LW 20
Texas enjoyed a week off after they defeated UCLA two weeks ago. This break will allow new starting QB Chase McCoy more time to get familiar with the 1st string offense. This week they face off against an Iowa State team that is also undefeated and looking to knock off the Longhorns two years in a row.

20. TCU Horned Frogs (3-1) LW 21
It was a struggle for most of the first half for the Horned Frogs, but when they got going they rolled FCS Portland State 55-13. TCU continues to get better from their opening week loss to Baylor and is starting to get more comfortable with their personal. However they did loose their leading tackler Tanner Brock to injury.

21. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-0) LW 23
In a match up of ACC surprises the Yellow Jackets were able to get the better of the UNC Tar Heels and improve to a perfect 4-0 record. After a down year, Georgia Tech has gotten their groove back running ball. Up next is a NC State team that has been a major disappointment so far this season. The Yellow Jackets should stay unbeaten before a tough three game stretch against Miami, Clemson, and VaTech.

22. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1) LW 22
It looks like the Buckeyes have found their QB. Freshman Braxton Miller was impressive in his first start of the season in a win over Colorado. Now with if the Buckeyes can sneak a victory away from Michigan State they could be a good position with 5 key players returning from suspension. This could be a Buckeye team on the rise.

23. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-0) LW 24
After the high of knocking off Arizona State, the Illini suffered a scare to Western Michigan. Illinois had to come back in the 2nd half to knock off the MAC foe and improve to a 4-0 record which is the best since 1951. Now they have to face off against in state rival Northwestern to look to continue this hot start.

24. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-2) LW 25
It took overtime, but the Bulldogs snapped their two game losing steak and returned their record to .500. I know some people have dropped Mississippi State from their rankings, but I still feel this is a quality team that is going to knock off some SEC powers. Just wait and see.

25. Florida State Seminoles (2-2) LW 14
I never really bought into the Seminole hype. The AP had them ranked as high as #5 before their loss to Oklahoma. Now they have lost two straight and look to be trailing Clemson in the division. Now I'm not saying that FSU is a bad team. But they are young and had to face Clemson without starting QB EJ Manuel. But the Noles still have a lot to prove before I'm ready to move them back into the upper half of the top 25.