NCAA Top 25 (Finals Standings)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1)
It was a complete domination for the Crimson Tide in the BCS Title Game giving Alabama their third National Title in four years.  Pretty amazing what they've done this year after losing all that talent from last year's team.

2.  Oregon Ducks (12-1)
Oregon just had too much speed for KState and ran away with an easy 35-17 win.  But you have to wonder what could have been if they would have survived the Stanford game.

3.  Texas A&M Aggies (11-2)
Easily the hottest team in college football right now is A&M.  Lead by Heisman winning QB Johnny Manziel, they ran wild on Oklahoma and gave the National Champs their only loss.

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (12-2)
Georgia didn't let their SEC Title shortcomings carry over to bowl season.  Instead they put up record offensive numbers in a 14 point win over Nebraska.

5.  Stanford Cardinal (12-2)
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't have too much faith in Stanford.  But they proved me and a lot of others wrong showing that they are here to stay and will be a force in the Pac 12 for years to come.

6.  Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0)
The Buckeyes finished the season undefeated, but didn't play in the Big 10 Title game or a bowl because of NCAA sanctions.  I would have had them higher, but they struggled through most of their weak schedule and just can't justify them over the five teams ahead of them.

7.  Florida Gators (11-2)
It's too bad that the Gators got the 2nd SEC spot in the BCS game, because they really didn't seem to excited to be playing.  That showed in their loss to an average Louisville team.

8.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1)
Wow, didn't see their blow out loss against Alabama coming.  But a Notre Dame fan I know summed it up great noting that the Irish players looked jittery before the game.  But looking back on their season they really didn't beat a good team, except Stanford.  But that was on a controversial goal line play.

9.  South Carolina Gamecocks (11-2)
5 SEC Teams in the final top 10?  I guess it says wonders about the talent atop the conference.  South Carolina struggled with Michigan for a while, but took over when it counted.

10.  Florida State Seminoles (12-2)
They didn't win by a huge margin, but the Seminoles dominated Northern Illinois despite a lack luster effort on their part.  But what do you expect when you have to face a MAC team who lost to their only BCS opponent (Iowa, yuck!).

11. Clemson Tigers (11-2)
This was a good news/bad news game for the Tigers.  Good news is that the Tigers got a huge win over LSU and had their defense play well.  But the bad news is that Tajh Boyd played great and that could cause him to declare for the draft and ruin any big time hopes they have for a huge year next year.

13. LSU Tigers (10-3)
Not even a poor Clemson defense allowed the bad LSU offense to score enough points to get the win.  Now the Tigers have to hope that their backups are ready to step up for all the NFL talent leaving.  Otherwise they could fall down in the SEC West pecking order.

12. Kansas State Wildcats (11-2)
In what was suppose to be a match up that could have been for the National Title, it ended up being just like the Alabama/Notre Dame game.  But its' too bad KState's lack of speed was exposed and they got ran by the Ducks.

14. Louisville Cardinals (11-2)
You have to wonder where this Louisville team was against Syracuse and UConn.  But the Cardinals end the season on a big high and should be the favorite to win the Big East again.  With the move to the ACC on the way, the future is really bright for the Cardinals.

15.  Oklahoma Sooners (10-3)
Do you remember when Oklahoma had a lock down defense?  Yeah it wasn't that long ago, but after giving up 41 points and nearly 700 yards it seems like light years ago.

16. Texas Longhorns (9-4)
A lot of people picked Oregon State to win this game in the Bowl Pools, but the Longhorns actually showed up and got the upset.  But it's too bad that this once proud program is just average.  And it will be as long as Mack Brown is still the coach.

17. Boise State Broncos (11-2)
One thing that you don't bet against is Boise State in bowl games.  You give Chris Peterson a couple of weeks to prepare and he'll get you.  A talented (but inconsistent) Washington team found that out.

18. Oregon State Beavers (9-4)
The Beavers had the lead and looked to be on their way to win until they allowed Texas to rally in the 4th quarter to steal the win.  But that sums up Oregon State's season.  Lots of promise, but failed in critical times.

19. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4)
Yeah they got steam rolled against Wisconsin, but they bounced back and had Georgia on the ropes till the 4th quarter.  The Huskers return all their weapons on offense and if they can get their D figured out, they could be dangerous.

20.  Northwestern Wildcats (10-3)
In all the Big 10 vs SEC match ups it was the Wildcats that actually got the win for the conference.  The win was also the first time the Wildcats have won a bowl game since the 1960s.  That's pretty amazing.

21. Utah State Aggies (11-2)
This season was bittersweet for the Aggies.  They won 11 games this year and won their second bowl game in schools history.  The Aggies are on their way to the Mountain West and have a bright future ahead of them.  But because of their success they lost ther head coach Brian Anderson to Wisconsin.  But they hired from within and look to keep the momentum going.

22. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-4)
Penn State wasn't able to play in a bowl game, but they had to feel like they were winners during Bowl Season.  Mainly because their head coach Bill O'Brien turned down NFL offers to stay with Penn State.  That was great for this school.

23.  Northern Illinois Huskies (12-2)
People shouldn't be hammering Nothern Illinois for being in the Orange Bowl, but because it's not their fault.  But it's not good when they can't beat an uninspired Florida State team.  However they should have never been put into this spot with their them not beating a single BCS Conference team all year long.

24. San Jose State Spartans (11-2)
The job that Mike MacIntrye did at San Jose State is quite remarkable.  For the longest time SJSU has been one of the worst FCS teams in America.  But he turned them into a WAC contender and a team that was ranked in the final BCS standings.  But that's also why he got hired at Colorado.

25.  Arkansas State Red Wolves (10-3)
One of the hottest teams at the end of the season was the Red Wolves of Arkansas State.  They really took to Gus Malzahn's coaching and built off of the success that Hugh Freeze started the year before.  But they'll have to try and keep that going with their fourth coach in four years.  All while switching from a spread based offense to a power based. 

NCAA Top 25 (Week 13)

1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0) LW 1
It's now official the Fighting Irish are now in the National Championship Game with their 22-13 win over USC.  Now Notre Dame gets to wait to face the winner of the Alabama and Georgia game.  The good thing about the Irish is that with their elite defense and neither Alabama or Georgia having explosive offenses, they'll have a great shot to win.


2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) LW 2
There was no sleep walking in Alabama's final regular season game against rival Auburn.  The 49-0 beatdown of the Tigers puts the Tide in the SEC Title game and helps the Tigers end one of the worst seasons in their program's history.  Now the Tide moves on to Georgia and a chance at the National Title.


3.  Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) LW 3
Just think about this for a second.  It was two years ago that Georgia finished 6-7 on the season.  Then in 2010 the Bulldogs lost their first two games of the season.  Richt's seat was red hot and he was in danger of losing his job.  The Bulldogs rattled off 10 straight wins and he kept he job.  Now he has the Bulldogs at 11 wins and a chance to go to the National Title Game. 


4.  Oregon Ducks (11-1) LW 4
Even with their win over Oregon State, there is nothing the Ducks can do to get into the Pac 12 Title Game.  That's unfortunate for a team that only lost one game all year.  Instead they'll have to wait and see what bowl game they will be going to.  They are likely headed the the Fiesta Bowl against either KState or maybe Oklahoma.


5.  Florida Gators (11-1) LW 7
The Gators won a hard fought battle with in state rival Florida State.  The game went back and forth, but a 24 point 4th quarter gave the Gators the final lead.  The win gives the Gators their 11th of the season, but that one loss to Georgia is keeping them out of the SEC Title Game and possible National Title Game.  But we should see the Gators back in the BCS as an at large team.


6.  Kansas State Wildcats (10-1) LW 6
After losing the week before the Wildcats have an extra week to stool about it.  But with Texas coming up this weekend they can't think too much about Baylor or they could suffer a second straight loss and really ruin their once promising season.  A win against the Longhorns would give the Wildcats their first conference title since 2003.


7.  LSU Tigers (10-2) LW 8
It got a little nerve racking in the second half, but the Tigers were able to hold off Arkansas and secure their 10th win of the year.  But the season didn't go the way they wanted with two losses and no BCS game in their future.  Instead they'll have to settle for the Cotton Bowl against a 2nd tier Big 12 team.


8.  Texas A&M Aggies (10-2) LW 9
In a battle of former Big 12 teams and now new SEC foes, the Aggies were able to keep their momentum going and keep Missouri's struggles going for another week.  Not only did A&M win 59-29, but Johnny Manziel might have sown up the Heisman by breaking Cam Newton's single season yardage record in the SEC.  Not a bad year for their first in the SEC.


9.  Stanford Cardinal (10-2) LW 11
Not too many people gave Stanford a chance this year.  Losing all those pieces on offense and another year removed from Jim Harbaugh.  Instead they exceed expectations and with the win against UCLA the Cardinal got their 3rd straight 10 win season.  But they can't get ahead of themselves because if they want to win the Pac 12 they'll have to beat UCLA twice in two weeks.  A very tough thing to do.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0) LW 12
Without a chance at winning the conference or going to a bowl game, the Buckeyes finished the season with a perfect 12-0 record.  They did so by beating hated rival Michigan with 9 straight points to get a 5 point win.  They may be undefeated, but I'm not sold on this team as one of the best.  They did win their games, but they struggled in all but one.  I'd take every team ranked ahead of them here any day over the Buckeyes.


11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2) LW 13
Steve Spurrier loves to talk and he has never pulled any punches against in state rival Clemson.  However Spurrier and the Gamecocks were able to back it up.  South Carolina's defense was able to slow down the Clemson offense  and put 27 points on the board themselves.  The win also made Spurrier the all time winningest coach in South Carolina history.


12.  Florida State Seminoles (10-2) LW 5
The Seminoles may have lost against the Gators, but they are still going to the ACC Championship Game and with a win over Georgia Tech will get back to a BCS Bowl.  But you have to look at their two losses and wonder what could have been.  They lost in the final seconds to NC State and then lost a 2nd half lead against Florida.  Win those two and they could be in the National Title Game.


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) LW 14

Landry Jones threw for 500 yards and 3 TDs in Oklahoma's overtime win against Oklahoma State.  But you have to wonder what has happen to the Sooners defense.  Remember when that is what they were known for.  I mean Bob Stoops is suppose to be a defensive genius.  Instead it's their offense that is getting them most of their wins.  They finish the season against TCU who is looking for a signature moment to end their season.


14.  Clemson Tigers (10-2) LW 10
With all the talent on the Clemson team, they just can't beat their in state rival South Carolina.  Their 27-17 loss was their 4th straight to the Gamecocks.  Offensively they were held to only 17 points which is 25 points under their average.  You would have thought if they held SC to only 27 they would probably win with their offense.  Not the case here. 

15.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) LW 15
It had all the makings of a trap game.  The Huskers had the Legends Division all but wrapped up and were looking ahead to the Big 10 Title Game and possibly their first conference title since 1999.  All that stood in their way was a 4 win Iowa team.  And for the better part of the game it looked like they were going to lose.  But a late Rex Burkhead TD gave them the lead and they never looked back.


16.  Kent State Golden Flashes (11-1) 22
Kent State continued their record setting season with win over Ohio in their season finale.  The 28-6 win was impressive considering many thought Ohio could go undefeated this year.  Now the Golden Flashes will face off against another 11 win team in Northern Illinois to decide the MAC Title. 

17.  Northern Illinois Huskies (11-1) LW 25
In one of the worst weather condition games of the year, the Huskies were able to throttle Eastern Michigan 49-7 and set up their match up against Kent State in the MAC Title Game.  The win was even more impressive considering that the field was covered in snow and had to be hard to move at full speed.  But that didn't stop the Huskies from racking up the yards.


18.  Texas Longhorns (8-3) LW 16
Just when you think Texas righted the ship after a couple of losses, they fall right back down with an ugly loss against TCU.  QB David Ash was terrible with 3 turnovers and was pulled for Chase McCoy.  It's too bad because they have a ton of talent on that team, but just can't put it together at the QB position.  With KState coming this weekend, it could get worse.


19.  Louisville Cardinals (9-2) LW 17
In typical Big East fashion, the Cardinals dropped a game they should have won heading into their final game against Rutgers.  But that is the story of the Big East.  Just when you think you have a team or two separating themselves, they end up losing to a weaker team.  Now we have a four way tie atop the conference standings.  These teams are lucky that they still have a automatic bid to the BCS, because if this was next year, we wouldn't see a Big East Champion in the BCS.


20.  UCLA Bruins (9-3) LW 18
With UCLA's loss to Stanford that sets up a rematch with the Cardinal this week in Palo Alto.  It will be interesting to see how the Bruins do in the second game.  You would think that their chances would go down since they already lost to Stanford at home and now the game is at Stanford.  Unless you buy in that UCLA didn't go 100% in the first match up.


21.  Oregon State Beavers (8-3) LW 19
Unlike most Pac 12 teams, the Beavers season is not over.  They still have Nichols State this weekend in a game that was suppose to be played first week but because of a hurricane was pushed back.  This will allow the Beavers to finish their season on a high note after getting blown out in state rival Oregon.

22.  Northwestern Wildcats (9-3) LW NR
The Wildcats have been a yo-yoing in and out of the top 25 the past couple of weeks.  However with their win over in state rival Illinois the Wildcats got their 9th win of the season and a pretty successful season at that.  It's too bad that the Wildcats are in the Legends Division because they could have easily won the Leaders Division and made it to the Big 10 Title Game.


23.  Michigan Wolverines (8-4) LW 20
On the surface 4 losses isn't a great season.  But when you look at who they lost to, it's still a good season none the less.  The Wolverines dropped games to #1 Notre Dame, #2 Alabama, #10 Ohio State, and #14 Nebraska.  It's not like they were losing to Illinois or Purdue.

24.  Utah State Aggies (10-2) LW NR
Gotta give some love to the Aggies from Utah State.  Their win over Idaho gives the Aggies an undefeated record in the WAC and their first WAC Conference Title.  Pretty good for a program that hasn't had much success at the FBS level.  But their success comes at a price because their HC Gary Anderson is likely going to be pursued for a BCS level job and probably will be gone.


25.  Boise State Broncos (10-2) LW NR
I've been reluctant to put the Broncos in my rankings in the past because I don't feel they are that great of a team.  Top 25 sure.  But I don't see them being a top 16 team like a lot of AP voters.  Who have the Broncos really beat?  The only BCS level team they played they lost to, and Michigan State isn't very good.  Other than that, Boise has been average.

Dropped From the Rankings:  Michigan, Rutgers, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State

NCAA Top 25 (Week 11)

1.  Oregon Ducks (10-0) LW 2
Unlike last year, the Ducks didn't want to mess around with Cal and took the early lead and never looked back winning 59-17.  This was the Ducks final tune up game before facing off against Stanford and then Oregon State.  But the win also allows the Ducks to take advantage of Alabama's loss and move up into the #1 spot.  This also assures the Ducks of going to the National Title Game if they win out.

2.  Kansas State Wildcats (10-0) LW 4
I've thought about moving KState ahead of Notre Dame for a while, but finally pulled the trigger.  This is especially true after KState continues to win and the Fighting Irish seem to be stalling.  The Wildcats took care of the pesky TCU Horned Frogs with a 23-10 win.  The win keeps the Wilcats in the title game hopes and continues Collin Klein's Heisman hopes.  Now the Wildcats must hope that they're defense can slow down Baylor's high powered offense.


3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0) LW 3
Notre Dame's momentum has slowed down.  But almost a controversial win over Stanford, almost losing to Pitt and looking meh against Boston College will do that.  The Irish could really benefit by throttling Wake Forrest this week and then beating USC the next week.  But when there is three unbeatens and the Irish are the least sexy, it may be a little too late.

4.  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-1) LW 1
I'm not ready to have Alabama fall down too far.  They squandered away their undefeated season and if there is two undefeated teams the Tide will miss out on the National Championship Game.  That's too bad because Alabama is one of the better teams in the nation.  But a hot A&M team and some crucial mistakes cost them.  They have to be hoping for a few upsets to sneak their way back in.


5.  Georgia Bulldogs (9-1) LW 5
It must be nice this year when you see Auburn as your next opponent.  Nothing like cruising to an early lead and then being able to ride out the win.  The Bulldogs finish the SEC conference slate with only one loss and will likely face Alabama in the SEC Title Game.  Now the Bulldogs are on to win the state of Georgia.  They have Georgia Southern and then Georgia Tech left.

6.  Florida Gators (9-1) LW 6
Just think, if it wasn't for a blocked punt and recovery for a TD in the final seconds we could be talking about Louisiana Lafayette knocking off the Gators in overtime.  Because the way the game was going, it certainly could have happened.  But the Gators got the win and that's all that matters.  Now they face off against FCS Jacksonville State in a tune up for Florida State to end the year.


7.  Florida State Seminoles (9-1) LW 7
Florida State maintained their lead in the Atlantic Division with a win over Virginia Tech on Thursday night.  It wasn't pretty, but it isn't going to be a beauty contest to get to the ACC Championship Game.  They'll have to win out because Clemson won't likley lose.  Once they get to the ACC Title Game it should be a breeze cause the Coastal Division is a joke.

8.  LSU Tigers (8-2) LW 10
It's too bad that Zach Mettenberger is finally starting to come into his own, because it may be little too late.  LSU even with the Alabama loss won't be in the SEC Title game and are hoping for an at large birth in a BCS Bowl.  But they can't look past an Ole Miss team that is vastly improved.


9.  Texas A&M Aggies (8-2) LW 16
What a win for the Aggies.  I'll be the first to admit that I didn't see this coming.  A&M has improved, but I thought that Alabama's veteran defense would be too much for freshman QB Johnny Manziel.  Mainly because he struggled in the 2nd halves against LSU and Florida.  But Manziel was able to continue his ascension and get the huge upset victory.  Now he finds himself in the middle of the Heisman Race


10.  Clemson Tigers (9-1) LW 8
The Tigers continue stay under the radar with their blowout win over Maryland.  They need FSU to lose another game to get to the ACC Championship game, but even without going there they still have a shot at a BCS Game if they can beat in state rival South Carolina.


11.  Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0) LW 9
Ohio State had a bye this week and it gives them a chance to get healthy before their final two games of the season.  QB Braxton Miller needed the rest more than anybody and it will better serve them as they face off against Wisconsin and then Michigan.  Both games will be very tough.  But you have to wonder why Ohio State didn't take the bowl ban last year when they only won 7 games and not look forward to this year.  Too bad  because they could be a BCS Bowl team.

12.  South Carolina Gamecocks (8-2) LW 11
South Carolina may have beaten Arkansas to get their 6th SEC win of the year, but with Georgia's win it eliminates the Gamecocks from the SEC Title Game.  But the Gamecocks are in a position where if they win out they could get an at large birth in the BCS.  They just have to beat Woffard (easy) and then in state rival Clemson (not that easy). 

13.  Oklahoma Sooners (7-2) LW 12
The win over Baylor moved HC Bob Stoops into second place in the Oklahoma all time wins list.  He did it by slowing down the nations best passing team while getting 277 yards and 2 TDs from QB Landry Jones.  The Sooners continue to roll and hoping that KState falls off a cliff.  But that likely won't happen.

14.  Stanford Cardinal (8-2) LW 15
It wasn't nationally known as a big game, but Stanford's win over Oregon State was huge for the Cardinal.  Both teams were fighting for 2nd place in the conference and at a chance of sneaking their way into the Rose Bowl.  Stanford's defense came to play and QB Kevin Hogan was able to give them the lead with a late TD pass.  Now Stanford's reward for the win, a trip to Eugene.  A win there would be hard, but people said that about Texas A&M and Alabama.

15.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2) LW 17
Can we call the Huskers the "cardiac kids?"  Mainly because the way they have been coming from behind for wins has to be giving Husker fans all sorts of heart issues.  Their win over Penn State was their fourth win this season after trailing by double digits.  Heck their the anti Texas A&M from last year.  Now Nebraska just has to not lay an egg against Minnesota and Iowa and they are set for the Big 10 Championship and a possible Rose Bowl.

16.  Texas Longhorns (8-2) LW 18
Just when we thought that Texas was struggling and the push for HC Mack Brown to retire was starting to heat up, the Longhorns have gathered themselves and are on quite the roll.  They were able to fly past the pesky Iowa State Cyclones and now could play spoiler on KState who they play the last weekend of the year.  But don't look past TCU who is no slouch themselves.

17.  Louisville Cardinals (9-1) LW 13
After having a few close games earlier in the season, the Cardinals couldn't keep the winning going and dropped their first game of the season to Syracuse.  Not only did they lose, they got dominated by Syracuse who controlled the entire game left little doubt.  Adding insult to injury, the Cardinals also lost star RB Senorise Perry for the season when he tore his ACL in the game.  Louisville should still win the Big East, but their hopes for the BCS could be lost.

18.  USC Trojans (7-3) LW 19
This is going to be a make or break two weeks for the Trojans.  USC faces off against rival UCLA this weekend in a battle for Las Angeles.  The winner of this game will represent the South Division against Oregon.  Then USC hosts Notre Dame.  A win there would ruin the Irish's undefeated season.  Both games are winnable, but they both could be losses.  If the Trojans lose both games they will finish the year at 7-5 and be a huge disappointment from a team that was #1 to start the year.


19.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (9-1) LW 20
It was a lot closer than LaTech would have hoped, but they beat Texas State 62-55 and improved their record to 9-1.  Now the Bulldogs must face off against a very tough Utah State team in what is the de facto WAC Championship Game.  If the Bulldogs keep winning they might be able to sneak into the BCS, but they could also lose their HC Sunny Dykes who is becoming a hot name for a better job.


20.  UCLA Bruins (8-2) LW 21
Can you remember the last time that the Bruins vs Trojans match up was actually meaningful?  Well this year it is as they face off to decide who goes to the Pac 12 Title Game.  UCLA has steadied themselves after two early season conference losses, but ends the season with the Trojans and then Stanford.

21.  Oregon State Beavers (7-2) LW 14
For a while it looked like the Beavers were going to pull out the win against Stanford, but the defense couldn't hold and the Cardinal got the late TD to get the win.  The loss practically ends the Beavers chances off winning the Pac 12 North and will need to upset Oregon if they want to go to the Rose Bowl.  Likely won't happen.


22.  Michigan Wolverines (7-3) LW NR
When Dennard Robinson went down with the nerve injury against Nebraska and QB Russell Bellomy struggled immensely.  But WR Devin Gardner was moved back to QB and the Wolverines offense has taken off.  Heck the offense might be better off than it was with Robinson because Gardner is a better thrower.  Don't be surprised when Dennard comes back they keep Gardner as the starter and work Robinson in at other spots.


23.  Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-3) LW NR
After losing to Texas, the Red Raiders bounced back to knock off Kansas.  It was a lot closer than it should have been, but a win is a win.  Now the Red Raiders taken the #1 passing offense into Stillwater to face an Oklahoma State team that is no slouch passing the ball either.  It should be a shootout and that could favor the Red Raiders who have the better defense.


24.  Kent State Golden Flashes (9-1) LW NR
So far I've kinda had a jinx of small conferences in the rankings.  At the beginning of the season I had FIU ranked #24 and they fell apart.  Then I had Ohio in the rankings and they lost.  Toledo jump up and then they lost.  Now I have Kent State.  Oh no, will it continue?  But it's hard to ignore the season that Kent State is having.  They gave Rutgers their only loss and have gone through the MAC schedule so far without a loss.  Their only loss so far is to Kentucky which now looks a lot worse than what it was at the time.


25.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-1) LW 25
Rutgers was able to do what they couldn't do the week before and win against an inferior team.  After losing to Kent State the week before the Knights were able to beat Army to get some momentum back.  Now Rutgers enters the final stretch that sees them playing Cincinnati and then Louisville.  Rutgers season will be defined by how they do in those two games. 

Dropped From the Rankings:  Toledo, Mississippi State, Northwestern

NCAA Top 25 (Week 10)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0) LW 1
There was a point in the 4th quarter where I was thinking that Oregon was going to move up to the #1 spot, but AJ McCarron lead the Crimson Tide to a come from behind win and keeps the Tide's undefeated record in tack.  There's no rest for Alabama as they must host a red hot Texas A&M team looking to prove themselves in their new conference.


2.  Oregon Ducks (9-0) LW 2
USC made it interesting towards the end, but Oregon was in control of this game from the start.  RB Kenjon Barner was the star with his 321 yard 5 TD night.  The defense wasn't great, but they did enough to slow down the high powered USC attack enough to ensure the win.  Now Oregon must avoid a trap game against Cal before facing off against Stanford.


3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-0) LW 3
It took two OTs, but the Fighting Irish avoided a terrible loss to Pittsburgh and keep the undefeated mark intact.  But things had to be a little nerve racking when Notre Dame was down 20-3.  Luckily the defense regained their form and Golson got the offense back on track.  Now the Domers move on to face off against Boston College in the annual Catholic Bowl.


4.  Kansas State Wildcats (9-0) LW 4
Kansas State may have won the game against Oklahoma State, but they may have lost their Heisman front runner and heart and soul of the team.  QB Collin Klein left the game in the 3rd quarter and never came back.  He didn't look to bad on the sidelines during the game, but with KState not sharing any info about injuries and it will keep us wondering all week long.  Because without Klein, the Wildcats might be toast.


5.  Georgia Bulldogs (8-1) LW 6
After having a horrible game last week against Florida, QB Aaron Murray bounced back for the tune of 384 yards and 4 TDs to give the Bulldogs their 8th win of the season and put them one step away from getting to the SEC Championship Game.  All they have to do is not get upset by a very bad Auburn team.


6.  Florida Gators (8-1) LW 7
After getting beat by Georgia even though they picked off Aaron Murray 3 times, the Gators were looking to bounce back and get back to their dominating ways.  Instead they played another clunker and should have lost to Missouri.  Missouri QB James Franklin threw 4 INTs and they were all bad.  If he could have just taken care of the ball the Tigers would have escaped with the win.  Florida better figure things out because Florida State is just around the corner.

7.  Florida State Seminoles (8-1) LW 8
The Seminoles had the weekend off as they get ready to travel to Virginia Tech on Thursday.  Must be nice having a bye week before playing a short week.  But VaTech is struggling and the Seminoles should have an easy game.  But week day games have the tendency to get crazy and VaTech isn't without talent.  FSU better come ready to go, cause the Hokies would love to knock them off.


8.  Clemson Tigers (8-1) LW 9
I don't know why Clemson isn't getting very much attention.  They've only lost one game and it was a close one to Florida State and yet they get no talk in the media and it's taken them a while to get back into the top 10 in both the AP and Coaches Poll.  There tied with FSU for their Division and if the 'Noles lose another game, the Tigers will go to the ACC Championship game.  Don't get it.

9.  Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0) LW 10
Don't think that I'm not listing Ohio State higher because of their NCAA sanctions.  They may be undefeated, but they really haven't played a tough schedule and haven't really been winning to convincingly (expect Nebraska).  They should have lost to a bad Purdue team and almost got knocked off by Cal.  I don't see them beating any of the teams ahead of them in these rankings.  The biggest reason they are having such a great year is Braxton Miller.  Without him they could easily have 3 or 4 losses.

10.  LSU Tigers (7-2) LW 5
If I were to tell you that QB Zach Mettenberger played his best game of the year and the Tigers were winning in the final minutes of the 4th quarter you'd probably assume they'd win.  But the Tiger defense just couldn't get that one last stop and allowed Alabama to drive the field and score the winning touchdown.  Now the Tigers must bounce back against a Miss State team that just got embarrassed against A&M to avoid dropping their third game of the year.

11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) LW 11
The Gamecocks had a weekend off after narrowly beating Tennessee the week before.  This week they face off against a Arkansas team that has struggled all year.  This is a must win for South Carolina as they have to hope that Georgia and Florida lose so they can back their way into the SEC Title Game.  But that's a lot to ask.


12.  Oklahoma Sooners (6-2) LW 12
Even though the game was never really that close score wise, the Sooners had their hands full with the pesky Cyclones looking to knock off the Sooners.  But Landry Jones had another big game throwing for 405 yards and 4 TDs to lead the way.  Now the Sooners will move on to their game against  Baylor hoping they can do enough to get an at large BCS berth.

13.  Louisville Cardinals (9-0) LW 13

When Temple returned the opening kickoff and then added another score in the first quarter it looked like Louisville was going to be in for a tough game.  However the Cardinals quickly overcame that deficit and shut down the Owls to take a commanding lead.  QB Teddy Bridgewater was amazing again for the Cardinals as he threw for 324 yards and 5 TDs.  He may not make it as a finalist for the Heisman, but he's giving leading the Cardinals to an undefeated season and should be a favorite in next year's race.

14.  Oregon State Beavers (7-1) LW 14
After losing their first game of the season against Washington, the Beavers bounced back and avoided a second straight loss.  Oregon State took control in the early parts of the 2nd quarter and didn't look back.  The win gives the Beavers their 7th win and puts them in contention of making their first BCS Bowl since 2000.  But they'll have to knock off Stanford this next weekend if they want to make it to the Rose Bowl.

15.  Stanford Cardinal (7-2) LW 18
It must be fun for Pac 12 schools when they see Colorado as their next opponent.  Colorado is terrible and Stanford wasted no time ending this game in a hurry.  Stanford used a 28 point 2nd quarter to blow the game up before ending with a 48-0 win.  But the big story was that Stanford made a QB move.  Kevin Hogan replaced the struggling Josh Nunes.  But it won't be till the Oregon State game before we see if he is any better.


16.  Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) LW 19
In a battle of SEC West teams the Aggies made little work of Miss State and cruised to a 38-13 win.  The game was not even as close to what the final score was.  QB Johnny Manziel was dynamic in this game and basically did whatever he wanted.  He threw for 311 yards and rushed for 129 yards.  A&M now moves on to face Alabama and will be Alabama's last hurdle for an undefeated regular season.


17.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2) LW 20
Ever since the Huskers lost to Ohio State they have been a different team.  That was evident in their win over Michigan State.  Down 10 in the later stage of the 4th quarter the Huskers stepped up the defense and got two TDs that helped them pull out the victory.  If Nebraska can beat Penn State this Saturday they have a great shot at a 10 win season and should be the Big 10 Champions.  But they can't afford any slip ups.


18.  Texas Longhorns (7-2) LW 21
Going into their match up against Texas Tech there was a thought that the Longhorns weren't the best team on the field and that the Red Raiders would win.  Especially with the struggles Texas has had lately on both sides of the ball.  QB David Ash regained his earlier form throwing for 264 yards and 3 TDs.  Defensively the Longhorns held Tech to only 22 points which helped ensure the win.  If the Longhorns can keep playing good defense they should have a good end to their season.

19.  USC Trojans (6-3) LW 16
Well it wasn't the blow out that many people thought could happen, but the Trojans couldn't slow down the Ducks enough to get the win.  You would think that 51 points would win you most other games, but the lack of depth on defense really hurt the Trojans.  The loss is their 3rd on the season and with games against UCLA, Notre Dame, and possibly Oregon left, the Trojans can't afford any more losses.

20.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-1) LW 22
Their game against Texas San Antonia was a penalty fueled game that saw the Bulldogs pull away in the 4th quarter to get 9th consecutive WAC conference win.  LaTech was lead by QB Colby Cameron who had 348 yards passing and 3 TDs.  The Bulldogs now turn their attention to another FBS newcomer Texas State, which should be another easy win.

21.  UCLA Bruins (7-2) LW NR
The Bruins have kinda be a forgotten team lately after a couple of tough losses, but with their 66-10 win over Arizona it's clear that the Bruins have gotten the ship righted.  Also pair in USC losing to Oregon, the Bruins have a chance to make it back to the Pac 12 Title Game, but this time they won't be backing their way into it.  But to do so they'll need to beat USC and Stanford.


22.  Toledo Rockets (8-1) LW NR
Toledo makes their first appearance in the rankings and have done so with a great season under HC Matt Campbell.  Their only loss on the season is to Arizona to start the year, but they have a big win over Cincinnati on their record.  The Rockets are the favorites to in the MAC West Division and match up with either Ohio or Kent State in the conference championship game.  But to do so, they still have to beat Northern Illinois who has only 1 loss on the season also.

23.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-2) LW 15
It was interesting to see Miss State climb so high in the polls despite the fact that they really haven't played anybody that good.  Before the Alabama and Texas A&M games their toughest opponent was either Tennessee or Arkansas.  Not really juggernauts.  But they even climbed to the top 10.  But when the played teams like Alabama and A&M they got blown out.  Heck I almost dropped them out of the top 25 because of that.  But for another week they get to stay.

24.  Northwestern Wildcats (7-2) LW NR
I don't think that people truly appreciate the success that Northwestern is having this year.  They are 7-2 and the two teams they've lost to they had a chance to win the game.  Penn State and Nebraska scored in the final seconds to win those games.  That's pretty good for a private school that doesn't get very many top athletes.  But if the Wildcats want to earn some more respect they'll need to beat a Michigan team that wants to sneak into the Big 10 Title Game.  Should be a tough one.


25.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-1) LW 25
After dropping their last game to Kent State the Knights had an extra week to think about losing their undefeated season to a MAC school.  Now Rutgers has to face off against an Army team that is coming off a huge win against Air Force.  Rutgers can't find themselves looking past Army to their game against Cincinnati or they could drop a second game in a row.



Dropped From the Rankings:  Texas Tech, West Virginia

NCAA Top 25 (Week 8)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) LW 1
The Crimson Tide kept their roll going against an reeling Tennessee team.  QB AJ McCarron lead the way with 306 yards passing and 4 TDs.  McCarron continues to improve and is no longer simply a game manager.  They'll need McCarron to be at his best when they play host to undefeated Mississippi State this weekend.  Should be a good test for Alabama who hasn't really been tested so far.


2.  Oregon Ducks (7-0) LW 2
If you happened to turn the channel to watch the NFL game or ran a quick errand, you probably came back to the game being practically over.  Oregon jumped out to a quick 43-7 lead at halftime and cruised their way to the victory.  Oregon continues to roll and should until they face USC in two weeks.  Until then, Colorado is just another speed bump.


3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-0) LW 3
There are some people that are freaking out about Notre Dame only beating BYU by 3 and having to come back to do so.  However people need to relax.  Notre Dame did win and they were able to rush for 270 yards on at top 5 rushing defense.  That's pretty impressive for an offense that has had it's struggles.  Now Notre Dame moves onto their game at Oklahoma.  This will be Notre Dame's toughest test and a win would really set them up for a run at the National Title.


4.  Florida Gators (7-0) LW 4
Any questions on whether Florida is for real or not have been answered.  With a win over LSU already, the Gators destroyed a South Carolina team many thought would be the favorite to win the SEC West.  Their 44-11 was even more impressive considering Florida's offense isn't very explosive.  But the Gators can't get too confident because they have to travel to Georgia this weekend.  A win there would lock them into the SEC Title Game.


5.  Kansas State Wildcats (7-0) LW 5
It's safe to say that Kansas State's win over West Virginia was  statement game.  Not only did KState beat West Virginia to remain unbeaten, they steam rolled the Mountaineers and established themselves at the team to beat in the Big 12.  QB Collin Klein was amazing.  He had over 300 total yards of offense and 7 TDs.  Klein is now the front runner for the Heisman and the Wildcats are contenders for the National Title Game.  But Texas Tech looms this weekend.  The Red Raiders are better than most people think and have the ability to knock off KState.


6.  LSU Tigers (7-1) LW 6
For most of the first half it looked like the Tigers were going to suffer their second loss of the season.  But 14 quick points at the end of the 1st half gave LSU the lead and they never looked back.  RB Jeremy Hill lead the way with 127 yards rushing and a TD.  But QB Zach Mettenberger continues to struggle.  The Tigers have a week off, but they then have to face Alabama.  Their going to need Mettenberger to step up if they want to win there.


7.  USC Trojans (6-1) LW 8
It was against Colorado, but it was still nice to see USC's offense break out.  Especially QB Matt Barkley who has had a pretty underwhelming year so far.  But against the Buffaloes Barkley completed 19/20 passes and threw 6 TDs.  The Trojans have to hope that this game was a sign of things to come because USC has some big games on the horizon.


8.  Oklahoma Sooners (5-1) LW 10
RB Roy Finch made an impact on special teams returning two kick offs 100 yards to get the Sooners going from the start.  Add in another great game by QB Landry Jones and the Sooners are ready to go for their huge match up against Notre Dame.  The Sooners could really use the win to get them back into the National Title race.  But they'll need to do it against one of the best defenses in the nation.


9.  Oregon State Beavers (6-0) LW 15
It's still amazing the season that Oregon State is having.  After beating Utah 21-7 the Beavers improve their record to 6-0 and have moved into the top 10 in the rankings.  But they can't get too comfortable because they have to travel to Washington this weekend.  This is the same Washington team that knocked Stanford out of the top 10.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) LW 9
After surviving a scare with Braxton Miller and an near upset by Purdue, the Buckeyes are ready for their showdown with Penn State.  It's amazing that these two teams are probably the best in the Big 10 and neither team is eligible for the post season.  If not, this could be a game that would be for the Leaders Title.  Instead it will just be one heck of a game to watch.


11.  Florida State Seminoles (7-1) LW 14
Looking to move their way back into the top 10, Florida State had to beat in state rival Miami.  The Seminoles started off slow and struggled throughout the first half, but were still able to take the lead and then took control in the second half.  Florida State better hope that they can get things figured out because they will face off against Duke this weekend and the Blue Devils are no longer a push over.



12.  Clemson Tigers (6-1) LW 11
Last year the Clemson Virginia Tech game would have been a must see game to help decided ACC supremacy.  Instead VaTech is struggling and the Tigers don't have a lot of hype around them.  But that didn't stop them from taking control in the second quarter and getting out with the victory.



13.  South Carolina Gamecocks (6-2) LW 7
After beating Georgia it looked like the Gamecocks were going to be the team to beat in the SEC East.  Instead they dropped two straight games and are in a free fall.  QB Connor Shaw has struggled and even got benched against Florida.  Luckily the Gamecocks get a break and face off against a Tennessee team is is on their own losing streak.  Which one will come to an end?

14.  Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) LW 13
Kentucky was suppose to be an easy bounce back win for the Bulldogs.  They won, but it was too close for comfort.  But as they say a win is a win.  That's especially true since South Carolina lost again and that puts the Bulldogs right back into the SEC East Title race.  If they can beat Florida this weekend they will be in the lead.  But Georgia will need their defense to step up and stop the run.  No easy task. 


15.  Louisville Cardinals (7-0) LW 16

It took a Tedd Bridgewater TD pass with 1:35 left in the game to take the lead and win the game.  In a case of looking ahead, the Cardinals looked past South Florida to their showdown with Cincinnati and were lucky to escape with the win.  But unlike Cincinnati, they got the win.  Louisville now can focus on the Bearcats and a win would give them one of the two wins they need to win the Big East.

16.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-0) LW 17
With their victory over Middle Tennessee State, the Bulldogs got their easy part of the schedule out of the way.  Now the Bulldogs move into the hearth of their SEC schedule and we'll get to see how good this team really is.  First up in Alabama. 

17.  Penn State Nittany Lions (5-2) LW 21
Penn State went into their game against Iowa looking to continue their hot streak.  Not only did they win, they took the Hawkeyes behind the shed and whooped them.  They lead Iowa by 31 at one point.  Now Penn State moves on to host Ohio State in what could have been a game that would decide the Leaders Division.  Instead with both teams ineligible, it's just a game between two very good teams. 

18.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-0) LW 19
Trailing 10-0 at halftime it looked like Temple was going to spoil Rutgers perfect season.  But QB Gary Nova lead the Scarlet Knights to 35 straight points and the defense held the Owls scoreless and we ended with a blowout.  Now Rutgers has to try not to look past MAC foe Kent State or they could suffer the same fate that Cincinnati did against Toledo.

19.  West Virginia Mountaineers (5-2) LW 12
Do you remember a couple of weeks ago when West Virginia had just out dueled Texas and moved up to top 5 territory.  Geno Smith was the front runner for the Heisman.  All was good in Morgantown.  Then two straight losses and the Mountaineers are reeling.  Was it just games against two tough teams or was most of the season a fluke?  But West Virginia couldn't have a bye week at a better time.  Rest up and fix what has been going wrong.

20.  Ohio Bobcats (7-0) LW 20
After cracking the Top 25 for the first time in school history the Bobcats enjoy a weekend off before their game at Miami of Ohio.  This bye week will allow the Bobcats a chance the heal up and prepare for a possible undefeated season.  This is especially true for QB Tyler Tettleton who is a little banged up.


21.  Stanford Cardinal (5-2) LW 22
There wasn't any bands on the field nor did this game come down to the wire.  It was basically a butt whooping.  Even though the score (21-3) didn't indicate it, Stanford manhandled Cal and did whatever they wanted to.  And when you do that it's easy to win games.  Stanford will look to do that again when they host Washington State this Saturday.


22.  Michigan Wolverines (5-2) LW 23
Michigan hasn't beaten Michigan State in four straight years.  Nobody on Michigan's team has beat the Spartans.  So it must have felt pretty good when Brendon Gibbons' FG made it's way through the uprights and gave the Wolverines the win.  This is also quite the turnaround for Michigan who looked dead in the water earlier in there year.  Now all they have to is beat Nebraska and they have the Legends Division and a possible Big 10 Title within their grasps.

23.  Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-1) LW NR
After Texas Tech lost big to Oklahoma many thought their early season success was nothing more than just feasting on inferior competition.  But wins against West Virginia and now TCU have people thinking that the Red Raiders are for real.  The biggest different in this years Red Raider teams is that they are playing defense.  That defense will be put to test this weekend as they travel to KState and face off against Collin Klein and the Wildcats.  A win there would really throw a monkey wrench into the Big 12 standings.


24.  Texas Longhorns (5-2) LW 25
Texas survived a shootout with Baylor to improve to 5-2 on the season.  The win was a good one in that it gets them back on track after their blowout loss to Oklahoma the week before.  Things only get better as the Longhorns get to travel to Lawrence to face the Jayhawks.  That should be an easy win.

25.  Texas A&M Aggies (5-2) LW 18
They have new coaches, new schemes and some new players, but the Aggies are suffering the same problems that they had last year.  Holding on to leads.  In both of the Aggies losses they had double digit leads only to let the game slip away.  Against LSU they were up 10 points but then gave up two quick TDs at the end of the second quarter and were never able to make up for it.  But they do catch a break this weekend as they face off against an Auburn team that might be one of the worst teams in a BCS conference.

Dropped From the Rankings: Cincinnati

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 8)

1. LSU Tigers (8-0)

Even without their top running back and playmaker on defense, the Tigers continued to roll in defeating Auburn. But the true test will come this week when they face off against Alabama in what might be the defacto National Championship Game. If LSU wins this game they'll be in the driver’s seat to the BCS Title Game.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0)

After struggling with Tennessee for most of the first half, the Tide kicked it into gear and ended up cruising to a easy win. But they cannot afford to get off the a slow start next week when they face off against #1 LSU. We are going to witness one heck of a game and know who the best team in the Nation is.

3. Stanford Cardinal (7-0)

Because of Stanford's weak non-conference schedule, we really don't know how good they really are. This past weekend we got a good glimpse of what they might be. Washington was coming into the game at 5-1 and some thought they could give Stanford a run for their money. However behind a school record 446 yards rushing the Cardinal dominated the Huskies and showed that they are a team you have to consider for the National Title picture.

4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-0)

Missouri was no match for the high powered Cowboys in a 45-24 beat down. Oklahoma State is looking like a team that could win their first ever Big 12 Championship. However star WR Justin Blackmon suffered an apparent concussion and might miss their game against Baylor next week. If he is gone, it will be a big lose. But Baylor is reeling and the Cowboys could win in another route.

5. Boise State Broncos (7-0)

The Broncos were able to hold off the hard charging Air Force squad that gave them everything that they can handle. However the Falcons had no answer for Kellen Moore and the offense lead the way to a 37-26 victory. Just looking at the score doesn't do much for Boise State fans, but the triple option that Air Force runs is very difficult to defend. Boise State now has to hope they don't have a letdown game at UNLV before their match up with TCU in two weeks.

6. Clemson Tigers (8-0)

For a while North Carolina was right there against Clemson. However the Tigers exploded for 35 points in the 3rd quarter and blew the game wide open. Clemson is now off to their best start in years and look to be the class of the ACC. Next week they face off against Georgia Tech who has struggled the past two weeks. As long as their defense keeps playing well the Tigers have the offense to beat anybody in the nation.

7. Oregon Ducks (6-1)

It still amazes me how little we are hearing from the Ducks. Yeah they didn't look the best when they lost to LSU in the first week. But they keep blowing teams out and yet stay under the radar. Doesn't seem like the same Oregon program we have seen the past couple of years. This week they face off against a Washington State team that is improved, but Oregon shouldn't have any issues with. But don't look for the Ducks to be challenged till they face off against Stanford at the end of November.

8. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1)

Here is a great example how you can't overlook opponents. Texas Tech is improved, but they are not at the same level as the Sooners. Offensively the Sooners were good with over 500 total yards and 38 points. What makes matters worse is that they have to travel to Kansas State and face the undefeated Wildcats. But the good thing is that their schedule sets up that if they win out they can get right back into the title picture. But it won't be easy.

9. Michigan State Spartans (6-1)

For a second straight year the Spartans ruined the Badgers perfect season. This year they needed a hail marry at the end of the game to do so. If it wasn't for that loss to Notre Dame this could be ranked even higher. But the Spartans cannot rest after their big win. They have to travel to Nebraska and face off against the Huskers to see who will represent the Leaders Division in the first Big 10 Championship Game.

10. Wisconsin Badgers (6-1)

Don't be surprised if the Badgers start scheduling more difficult match ups in the non-conference season. Against their toughest opponent so far this season, the Badgers struggled and didn't look like the same team that ran all over their first six opponents. Russell Wilson wasn't his accurate self, missing wide open receivers and they made some bad mistakes on special teams that lost them the game. They still have an opportunity to get back into the hunt, but now they have to rely on other teams to lose instead of controlling their destiny.

11. Arkansas Razorbacks (6-1)

How bad would it had been for the Razorbacks if they would have lost to SEC cellar dweller Ole Miss? However we don't have to worry about that because the Razorbacks rallied from 17 points down to win the game and keep their momentum going. If the Razorbacks can beat South Carolina and LSU and beat up on the lower SEC teams they could sneak into the SEC Title game or even a BCS bowl for the 2nd straight year.

12. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-1)

South Carolina took a week off to rest and regroup before they finish the season. But they have to so without their best player RB Marcus Lattimore. That puts even more pressure on QB Connor Shaw who took over for Stephen Garcia earlier this season. This next week they travel to Tennessee before taking on an Arkansas team that is very dangerous. The Gamecocks cannot afford any slip ups if they want to get back to their 2nd straight SEC Title Game.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies (7-1)

Virginia Tech is another team that is staying under the radar. They did lose to Clemson a couple of weeks ago, but didn't look bad doing so. They regrouped after they lost and have won three straight since. Their remaining schedule is very winnable with only Georgia Tech and North Carolina who should challenge them. If they run the table they have the chance to get their rematch with Clemson at the ACC Championship game.

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-1)

The Huskers have bounced back pretty well after their Big 10 initiation beat down by Wisconsin. They rallied to beat Ohio State and thoroughly handled a bad Minnesota team. But what is most important is that their offense has seemed to find their identity as a running team that is going to wear you down and beat you deep when you load the box. However they run into a Michigan State team this weekend that is coming off of a big win against Wisconsin. Nebraska is hoping that the Spartans are still riding high after their big win and come in less focused to Lincoln. This game could decide who faces off against Wisconsin in the Big 10 Title Game.

15. Kansas State Wildcats (7-0)

In their game against in state rival Kansas, the Wildcats made it pretty clear that they were the better team. 59-21 They overpowered the lowly Jayhawks to improve their undefeated record to 7-0. But now we get to see how good the Wildcats really are. They host Oklahoma this week who is coming off an embarrassing loss to Texas Tech. Oklahoma is looking to prove that their loss was fluke and want to take it out on KState.

16. Michigan Wolverines (6-1)

After their tough loss to Michigan State two weeks ago, Michigan was one of many teams that had their mid-season break. The rest of their season sets up pretty good for the Wolverines. Every game they have left they have a shot to win. Especially the last game against of the season against hated rival Ohio State.

17. Houston Cougars (7-0)

Once again the Cougars are flirting with an undefeated season. The biggest key is having a healthy Case Keenum at QB. Keenum in his 6th season with the Cougars is the perfect QB for their Air Raid spread offense. Against Marshall this past Saturday Houston dominated putting up 68 points in the Thundering Herd. It's pretty clear that the Cougars are the class of Conference USA and shouldn't be challenged till the play against SMU.

18. Texas A&M Aggies (5-2)

The Aggies used their two headed monster at running back to run wild over the Cyclones this past week. Both Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael ran for over 100 yards in the 33-17 win. Now the Aggies have to remain focused on a down but still dangerous Missouri team before they play Oklahoma and Kansas State in back to back weeks. Can't look past the Tigers who have the talent to beat A&M.

19. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2)

After their disappointing let down against Oregon the Sun Devils took a week off to regroup for the rest of their season. A second half that doesn't look to daunting. Colorado, UCLA, Arizona, Washington State, and Cal are all games the Sun Devils should win. They should be entering the Pac 12 Title game on a 5 game winning streak and plenty of confidence before their match up with either Stanford or Oregon.

20. Auburn Tigers (5-3)

Auburn has lost 3 games this year but look who they have lost to. Clemson, Arkansas, and LSU. Defenitely not something to be ashamed of. Auburn has gone out and exceed everybody expectations so far this year. Nobody expected them to be a contender for the SEC and some (me included) didn't think they'd make a bowl game. But they have two should wins on their schedule and game against Georgia that they very well could win. This season might be a better coaching job from Chizik than last year was.

21. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1)

You probably haven't heard much about Penn State this year, but they are off to a 7-1 record and their only loss was to an Alabama team that is considered to be one of the two best teams in the nation. Now Penn State has accumulated wins this season by beating up on a pretty weak early schedule. We'll be finding out how good the Nittany Lions really are with their four game schedule to end the year. They still have to play Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin.

22. Georgia Bulldogs (5-2)

After starting the season 0-2, the Bulldogs have quietly won 5 straight and are in position to challenge South Carolina for the SEC East Title. However since South Carolina beat them earlier this year, they don't own the tie breaker. But Georgia has a very winnable 5 game stretch to end the season. It starts this week with the World Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (whoops, we aren't supposed to call it that anymore) against Florida. This is always a tough game, but the Bulldogs should have the advantage.

23. West Virginia Mountaineers (5-2)

West Virginia was looking like the class of the Big East and a favorite to run away with the conference. But then they laid an egg against Syracuse and got completely dominated in front of a national audience. What makes matters worse is that everybody knows how to attack the poor Mountaineer defense. Be physical and run right at them. West Virginia needs to win out to secure their spot as the Conference Champions and get that BCS bid they haven't had since Rich Rod left.

24. Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-2)

Not much was expected out of Texas Tech when this year started, but they have quietly won 5 games and also knocked off #2 ranked Oklahoma. Now all the Red Raiders have to do is keep their momentum going from this upset and have it carry over to the rest of the season. But it will be a challenge with Oklahoma, Texas, and Baylor still on the schedule.

25. Texas Longhorns (4-2)

After losing two straight games, the Longhorns got a much needed bye week where they had a chance to recover and get their young offense ready for the rest of the season. This week should be an easy one for Texas as they host Kansas. But after that it’s a long road ahead for the Longhorns. They still have to face off against Texas Tech, Kansas State, Texas A&M and a dangerous Baylor team. Don't be surprised if Texas doesn't go bowling for a 2nd straight year.