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 3)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) LW 2
It's easy to say now, but even if USC were to have beaten Stanford Alabama would have moved up into the #1 spot.  Even though they lost so many elite players off their team, they have dominated.  Just look at the Arkansas game.  Alabama was favored, but nobody would have guessed that they would roll to a 52-0 win.  The way that the Crimson Tide are playing they should roll into the LSU game undefeated and face a familiar situation as they did last year.

2.  LSU Tigers (3-0) LW 3
It was what it was suppose to be against Idaho.  A complete butt kicking.  Idaho never stood a chance in this one.  LSU jumped on them early and besides a 14 point 2nd quarter the Vandals didn't have much to show for it (except a check to come play there).  QB Zach Mettenberger continues to improve, completing 77% of his passes and throwing for 222 yards and 2 TDs.  As he continues to get better, the Tigers chances of getting back to the National Title game keep rising.  Their game against Auburn this weekend shouldn't be too tough, but at least tells us more of how good this team is.

3.  Oregon Ducks (3-0) LW 4
Oregon is finally done with their weak non-conference schedule which did nothing more than glorified scrimmages.  The Ducks have to hope that all these games against WAC, Sun Belt, and FCS schools where nothing more than dress rehearsals for the Pac 12 season.  All three games were blow outs with the offense putting up video game numbers.  But there has to be some concern that the defense, which is suppose to be the best Chip Kelly has had, has give up more than 20 points twice.  That could become problematic with their match up this weekend against Arizona whose offense is running on all cylinders under Rich Rod.  It could be a track meet between these two teams.

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) LW 5
To say Georgia dominated is an understatement.  Not only did Georgia win by 36, but they amassed over 700 yards of offense against FAU.  They must have felt bad for the Owls to only put up 56 points in the win.  But the game gave the Bulldogs a chance to get ready for a stretch run that will be pretty tough.  Vanderbilt is their next opponent who will give them everything they have.  That is followed up by Tennessee and South Carolina.  Georgia cannot afford a slip up, because they have a shot at a really good season.

5.  South Carolina Gamecocks (3-0) LW 6
The Gamecocks got the big win many expected by defeating UAB 49-6, however they may have been the true losers here.  Instead of sitting QB Connor Shaw against an easy win, they forced the issue and it came back to bite them.  Shaw left the game in the 2nd quarter after re injuring his shoulder.  I have no idea why they would play him in this game with the SEC starting soon.  Especially after backup Dylan Thompson played so well last weekend.  Now Shaw is likely out next week against Missouri and could be even rustier against Georgia in three weeks which could decide the SEC East.  I hope it was worth it.

6.  Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) LW 7
Oklahoma enjoyed a weekend off before their match up against #14 Kansas State.  The game against KState will be a true test to see how good both teams are.  Has Oklahoma improved from their struggles last year that had them finishing out of the top 2 spots in the conference?  Are they back to the juggernaut and regular BCS Bowl team we are use to?  What Oklahoma team are we going to see?  The team that struggled at UTEP?  Or the team that rolled over Florida A&M?  Because Kansas State is no slouch, especially if Colin Klein gets going.  We'll have to watch to find out.

7.  Clemson Tigers (3-0) LW 8
Not that Furman stood much of a chance, but the Clemson Tigers avoided a trap game in anticipation of their huge game against Florida State.  What's even better is that stud sophomore WR Sammie Watkins returned from his two game suspension and got his feet wet before facing off against the Seminole defense.  QB Tajh Boyd continued his steller play throwing for 310 yards and 2 TDs.  They'll need a big game from Boyd if they want their chance at a possible National Championship.

8.  Stanford Cardinal (3-0) LW 21
Stanford makes a huge jump here moving up 13 spots from 21 to 8.  The biggest reason is that the Cardinal had to prove that they were still the real deal after losing Andrew Luck and company.  Their narrow win over San Jose State in week 1 didn't help things out.  But they proved the doubters wrong with their big upset victory over our previous #1 USC.  Stanford's defense was especially impressive shutting down the potent Trojan offense that had so many weapons.  Stanford has the week off, which is probably a good thing after this big win.  But they still have some big games coming up and their next game, against Washington, isn't a push over.

9.  USC Trojans (2-1) LW 1
The big talk going into this season was USC possibly winning the National Title in their first year off suspension.  QB Matt Barkley was returning and the addition of Silas Redd was going to put them over the top.  However there was always questions about their run defense and that was exactly what was exposed against Stanford.  The Trojans allowed the Cardinal to rush for 202 yards which was the difference in the wni.  Add in a couple of miscues by QB Matt Barkley in the final drive and there is no wonder why they dropped the game.  But this isn't the end for the Trojans.  They still have games against 4 ranked opponents and as long as they take care of business they still have a shot to win the Pac 12 and just maybe sneak back into the National Championship picture.

10.  West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0) LW 13
It hasn't necessarily been the fact that they've beaten any "big names" that has caused the Mountaineers from rising up the rankings, but more of how they've beaten the two teams they've played.  Both games so far have been complete blowouts and the Mountaineer offense is running on all cylinders.  Add in that there isn't a lot of defense played in the Big 12 and West Virginia is going to be tough to beat.  This weekend should be no different.  They play host to a poor Maryland program that has struggled under head coach Randy Edsall.  It should be another easy win for the Mountaineers.

11.  Florida State Seminoles (3-0) LW 14
There isn't a lot to say about their win over Wake Forrest.  They were suppose to blow out a bad team.  I've yet to fully trust this Florida State team.  Many voters and "experts" have proclaimed them back and have a top 5 ranking in both the Coaches Poll and AP.  However the Seminoles haven't shown me anything yet.  Yeah they've won a few games by a wide margin, but they haven't played anybody yet (Suppose to play West Virginia last week).  Remember this is still the program that lost four games last year.  We'll find out how good they really are this weekend against Clemson.  A win there would be huge because their remaining schedule isn't very daunting (Only Virginia Tech and Florida will be ranked when they play). 

12.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0) LW NR
Much like Florida Sate I'm not too quick to call Notre Dame back.  Beating Navy and Purdue are nothing to get excited about.  However their win against Michigan State was.  The Fighting Irish was able to shut down the Michigan State offense and not allow a single TD.  Everybody talks about how good of an offensive mind HC Brian Kelly is, but it's the Irish defense that is the bread and butter of this team.  If the Irish keep playing like they have, they should find their way back to a BCS game.  However they have a tough test this weekend against Michigan.  Dennard Robinson will give them fits, if they can shut him down like Alabama did, then we might be talking about the Irish in the top 10 for the first time in a while.

13.  Michigan Wolverines (2-1) LW 12
The nice thing about the non-conference games is that if you suffer a bad loss at the beginning of the season, you can get your confidence back back quickly.  That's exactly what Michigan has done this year.  This weekend they got to run up the score on UMass and get the team pumped up for a top 15 match up with the surging Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  This is exactly what the Wolverines need to show everybody that their game against Alabama was a fluke.  But they'll have to face off against a very strong Notre Dame defense that is going to pose a lot of problems for QB Dennard Robinson.

14.  Kansas State Wildcats (3-0) LW 15
You can't help but wonder if the Wildcats were looking past North Texas to their game against Oklahoma.  That could explain the dud that they put up.  If it wasn't for QB Colin Klein we could be talking about KState suffering a big time loss right before the start of conference play.  Instead we have another clutch performance from Klein that has thrust him right in the middle of the Heisman Race.  If KState wants to beat Oklahoma they are going to have to have a big game from their defense (mainly Arthur Brown) and have some offensive players not named Klein step up. 

15.  Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) LW 11
Maybe this whole transition to Urban Meyer isn't going to happen overnight after all.  Sure they're 3-0 and Braxton Miller is looking like the perfect Urban Meyer QB.  But there is still a reason for concern.  Mainly the fact that a bad Cal team took Ohio State to the wire and gave them a real scare.  The defense was suppose to be the strong suit with a ton of talent.  Instead they give up 28 points to Cal.  What's going to happen when they face off against offenses like Michigan or Nebraska?  Luckily they have time to figure that out before conference starts.  Their game against UAB should be nothing but a blowout. 

16.  Florida Gators (3-0) LW 16
The Florida Gators are starting to really hit a stride under new HC Will Muschamp.  After welcoming Texas A&M into the conference, the Gators had the task of facing off against a surging Tennessee team.  For most of the game it looked like Tennessee was going to get the win, but the Gators exploded for 24 straight points and pulled away with the win.  RB Mike Gillislee continues to be the star of the team giving the Gators a consistent runner which has done wonders to help QB Jeff Driskel become more acclimated to the offense.  With Kentucky being their opponent this weekend it should give them a easy win before the meat of the SEC comes.

17.  Michigan State Spartans (2-1) LW 9
They had their chance to really make an early impact on the season.  Sitting at #9 a win over Notre Dame would have jolted the Spartans closer to the top 5 and we may have heard some talk about them being a National Title contender.  But then they went out and layed an egg against Notre Dame.  Actually more like they got dominated by Notre Dame.  The Irish exposed QB Andrew Maxwell and the Spartans inability to throw the ball.  That lead to them stacking the box against Le'Veon Bell and taking the Spartan offense out of the game.  However on the bright side, the Spartans are still the favorites in the Big 10 and still have the best shot of getting to the Rose Bowl.

18.  Texas Longhorns (3-0) LW 17
Texas scored early and often in their 66-31 route of Mississippi.  Ole Miss isn't a good team, but this win gave the Longhorns some road experience before they start Big 12 conference play.  QB David Ash continues to shine.  Against the Rebels Ash threw for 326 yards and 4 TDS on 19/23 passing.  Now Texas can enjoy a nice weekend off before their 1st game of conference play against Oklahoma State. But they'll need to sure up their defense, because if they gave up 31 points to Mississippi Okie State will put up double that.

19.  Louisville Cardinals (3-0) LW 18
It looked like Louisville was going to cruise to an easy win over North Carolina.  At halftime it was 36-7.  However the Cardinal offense stalled and the North Carolina offense caught fire.  It took a deflected pass in the endzone to help preserve the victory and help the Cardinals stay perfect on the season.  A close call, but something the Cardinals don't want to repeat anymore.  But the good news is that Bridgewater continues to be so efficient.  Another game another solid performance.  23/28 (82%) for 279 yards and 3 TDs.  Add in 114 yards rushing from Jeremy Wright and it was a good day.  Now if the defense would have held up their end of it.  Next week the Cardinals look to avenge a loss to the FIU Panthers from last year. 

20.  TCU Horned Frogs (2-0) LW 20
Conventional wisdom would suggest that when a new team to a conference makes their debut, they would bring everything they got.  Especially when that team is coming from a lower conference and wanting to show that they are the real deal.  So when TCU drew Kansas as their 2st opponent in the Big 12 everybody was assuming we would see a blow out.  Instead we saw an uninspired performance and only a 14 point victory over a Kansas team that is flat out awful.  If TCU wants to have a good first year, they are going to need to step it up.

21.  Virginia Tech Hokies (2-1) LW 10
After Pittsburgh lost to Youngstown State and Cincinnati (in blowout fashion) it seemed that the highly ranked Hokies would breeze past the Panthers.  Well the Hokies must have thought that too and Pittsburgh caught them.  Oh boy did they catch them.  Pitt got on VaTech early and never let up.  Jumping out to a 14 points lead, the Hokies who have started out slow never could catch up.  This loss ends the Hokies shot as a dark horse candidate for a National Championship and it also ruins QB Logan Thomas' shot at the Heisman.  But at least it wasn't a conference game (yet) and the Hokies still are right in the thick of things with Clemson.

22.  UCLA Bruins (3-0) LW 23
The combination of QB Brett Hundley and RB Jonathan Franklin have struck again.  Both players were dynamic in their 37-6 win over Houston.  The win avenges the Bruins loss to the Cougars last year.  Hundley was the star of the game.  The redshirt freshman QB continues to shine throwing for 320 yards and 2 TDs.  With their easy schedule the Bruins should continue to roll and will probably come close to the top 10 before their showdown with Arizona on November 3rd.  But they can't look past Oregon State who knocked off Wisconsin two weeks ago.

23.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-1) LW 25
After the debacle that was their defense against UCLA, the Huskers bounced back to take care of things against a dangerous Arkansas State team.  Even with head coach Bo Pelini being taken to the hospital (for precautionary reasons) at halftime, the Huskers made quick work and cruised to a 42-13 victory.  This was a much need victory in the sense that it got the Huskers back on the field and has the momentum going the right way.  But the Big 10 season could get long if the Huskers revert back to their poor tackling ways.

24.  Baylor Bears (2-0) LW 22
Baylor was one of the many schools who took their bye week this wee after only two weeks into the season.  Sometimes it just works that way, but you would think teams would better manage their off weeks to better utilize them, rather than just having them randomly.  But maybe they did that because the Bears face off against one of the peskiest teams in college football.  Lousiana Monroe comes to down just off of beating Arkansas and almost beating Auburn.  Baylor better be on top of things, or they could suffer the same fate as the Razorbacks.  But the thing the Bears have going for them is their explosive offense.  Something that Arkansas and Auburn don't have this year.

25.  Tennessee Volunteers (2-1) LW 19
It looked like the Volunteers were finally going to knock off their long time rival Florida and continue this great start to the year, but they just couldn't hold onto the lead and gave up 24 straight points to let the game slip through their fingers.  If Tennessee can learn from this game they still have a shot to have a great season, but if they stay too down on this game they could really go south.  Luckily they face off against Akron this weekend and can get back on track before their game against Georgia.

Dropped From the Rankings:  Arkansas Razorbacks

College Football Top 25 (Week 3)

1.  USC Trojans (2-0) LW 1
Not even a lighting storm could stop the Trojans in their win over Syracuse at Met Life Stadium.  Behind QB Matt Barkley's 6 TDs passes the Trojans cruised to an easy victory.  This game also saw former Penn State RB Silas Redd surpass the 100 yard mark for the first time as a Trojan.  The only cause for concern may be USC's defense.  They gave up 29 points to Syracuse and even though the game was already decided it raises some red flags for bigger games.  Either way the Trojans should get their first true test with Stanford next.

2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) LW 2
In the week leading up to the game Alabama Head Coach took the local media to task about taking Western Kentucky too lightly.  It was all a motivational ploy to make sure his players didn't let up after drilling Michigan the week before.  Saban probably didn't need to do so, but none the less the Crimson Tide rolled Western Kentucky and even shut out the Hilltoppers.  Next week Saban shouldn't have any trouble motivating his players as they travel to Arkansas.  And even though Arkansas lost to Louisiana-Monroe, they are still a very dangerous team with the ability to upset the Tide.

3.  LSU Tigers (2-0) LW 3
In what what was thought to be a be a good match up between up and coming Washington and the 3rd ranked Tigers turned out to be a blowout.  Behind a strong running game, the LSU Tigers were able to manhandle the Huskies to the tune of 242 yards and 3 TDs.  Alfred Blue lead the way with 102 yards and a score while Kenny Hilliard had two scores also.  QB Zach Mettenburger also step up his game from week 1 and looked a lot more comfortable running the offense.  Next week should be an easy one for the Tigers as they play host to Idaho.  Which should serve as another warm up game to get ready for SEC play.

4.  Oregon Ducks (2-0) LW 4
The running backs were main story in Oregon's 42-25 victory over Fresno State.  Kenjon Balmer was the star of the game with his 201 yards rushing and 3 TDs.  His running mate De'Anthony Thomas chimed in with 102 yards and 2 TDs also.  Oregon was able to do what ever they wanted rushing the ball and it showed.  The Ducks have one more tune up game (Tennessee Tech) left before they start the Pac 12 season.  They'll use it to get even more experience for QB Marcus Mariota who they'll need to have a big year if they want to make it back to their 2nd National Championship game in three years.

5.  Georgia Bulldogs (2-0) LW 5
After trailing for most of the game, Georgia had to rally late to get the win.  Welcoming Missouri to the SEC.  A huge reason for the comeback was the play of start OLB Jarvis Jones.  Jones  forced a fumble when he sacked Missouri QB James Franklin and then on the next series he picked off a Franklin pass which he nearly took back for a TD.  Those two plays really jump started the Bulldogs and allowed them to cruise to a 41-20 win.  This win had to be extra satisfying mainly because Georgia had to endure Missouri players running their mouth about the Bulldogs playing "Old Man Football."  This weekend the Bulldogs should have an easier road against Florida Atlantic which should allow them to work out some cinks.

6.  South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0) LW 6
When it was announced that QB Connor Shaw wasn't going to play, I didn't get all the concern people where having.  Sure not having your starting QB is a big issue.  But when your team is build around the running game and defense and your playing a average at best CUSA team it shouldn't be too big of a concern.  That proved to be right when the Gamecocks roared out of the gates and won by 38 points and backup QB Dylan Thompson looked very good.  330 yards and 3 TDs good.  Thompson played so good I would rest Shaw in their game against UAB to make sure that he is fully rested.  UAB isn't very good and Thompson should be able to lead them to victory.

7.  Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) LW 7
It was your typical top 10 team vs FCS type of game here.  Oklahoma overwhelmed Florida A&M in route to a 69-13 victory.  It's hard to gauge much from a game like this, but Sooner fans have to be excited about the play of junior RB Damein Williams.  Williams stole the show with 156 yards and 4 TDs.  The speedster had scores from 89 and 65 yards.  The Sooners were also able to get Penn State transfer WR Justin Brown into the action and hopefully get him some chemistry with QB Landry Jones.  Oklahoma has a week off before their big showdown with #15 Kansas State. 

8.  Clemson Tigers (2-0) LW 8
Clemson's offense is really starting to take off and they still haven't had stud WR Sammie Watkins who was still serving a suspension.  QB Tajh Boyd has continued to improve his accuracy and running this team.  His play in big games could be the difference between them going undefeated or losing a key game or two.  But none the less this Clemson offense is going to be even more dangerous than last year.  The biggest key will be their defense which didn't get tested against Ball State and probably won't against next week's opponent, Furman. 

9.  Michigan State Spartans (2-0) LW 10
After their big victory over Boise State in week 1, the Spartans had an easier road against in state Central Michigan.  RB Le'Veon Bell didn't have a huge game, but Michigan State didn't need him to do so.  Instead they used this opportunity to get QB Andrew Maxwell's confidence going.  And they definitely did that here.  Maxwell passed for 275 yards 2 TDs and 0 INTs.  Right now Michigan State looks like the cream of the crop of the Big 10 and they're going to need a big season out of Maxwell if they want to continue this positive momentum.  They get a big opportunity this weekend when they host Notre Dame.  Notre Dame has played well so far, so a win by the Spartans could jump them past a few teams here in the rankings.

10.  Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0) LW 12
It's always nice to have a cupcake game right after a hard fought contest to start the year.  After beating Georgia Tech and their triple option offense the Hokies got a break facing off against FCS foe Austin Peay.  In their win it was vintage Beamer Ball.  VaTech had a blocked punt and a near punt return for a TD to help get things going before they open things up offensively in route to a 42-7 victory.  You have to wonder if slow starts like they've had both games could come back to hurt them once they get to ACC play.  We'll find out this week as they face off against Pittsburgh who is struggling now, but still has a ton of talent.

11.  Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) LW 13
Braxton Miller continues to shine in Urban Meyer's spread offense.  This week he did it mainly with his legs.  Miller rushed for 141 yards and 3 TDs and is putting fear into defensive coordinator minds.  However he did struggle passing the ball which could hurt him come conference season.  But with a strong defense the Buckeyes are going to be one heck of a team to beat.  This upcoming weekend they'll face off against California who got back on track after losing to Nevada to start the season.

12.  Michigan Wolverines (1-1) LW 14
After being embarrassed at the hands of Alabama, the Wolverines were anxious to get back on the field and show everybody that they are a much better team that what they showed in that game.  Against Air Force their offense showed that they are still very dangerous.  QB Dennard Robinson bounced back and had a combined 426 yards and 3 TDs.  However there are still some concerns since they only beat an average Air Force team by 6 and gave up 25 points.  What will happen when they play Michigan State, Ohio State, or Nebraska whose offenses are far superior than them.

13.  West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) LW 15
After a big blowout of Marshall, West Virginia enjoyed an off week.  I'm not a big fan of off weeks this early in the season, but at least it five st eh Mountaineers to fine some mistakes they saw in the opener.  If there were any.  This weeks match up against James Madison should be interesting.  Meaning how many points is Dana Holgerson and QB Geno Smith going to put up on the FCS school.  Will they approach the 84 that Oklahoma State put up on Savannah State or will they call of the dogs early?

14.  Florida State Seminoles (2-0) LW 17
Just think what could have been.  FSU was scheduled to play West Virginia this game, but because the Mountaineers went to the Big 12 they had to opt out of this game.  FSU then was forced to schedule Savannah State because they had no other option.  Instead of a top 15 match up we got to see FSU just steam roll a team that might be lucky to win 2 games against FCS competition.  Luckily the game was called in the 3rd quarter due to lightning and we didn't have to endure too much more of it.  As of right now we still don't know how good of a team FSU is, but we'll get a better look this weekend as they face off against a much improved Wake Forrest team.  This could be a trap game with a trip to Clemson on the horizon.

15.  Kansas State Wildcats (2-0) LW 19
With Miami coming to town everybody was primed for hard fought game between two good teams.  Well KState quickly showed that they were the better team and asserted their dominance winning 52-13 over the Hurricanes.  The Wildcats jumped on Miami right out the gate and never stood a chance.  With 281 yards and 4 TDs total, Klein has shown everybody that he is a real contender for the Heisman Trophy.  Look for more the same with the Wildcats when they face off against North Texas this weekend.  But a big time showdown with Oklahoma is right around the corner.

16.  Florida Gators (2-0) LW 21
Along with Georgia, the Florida Gators had the luxury of welcoming a newcomer to the SEC.  Here it was Florida traveling to College Station to face off against the Aggies.  It didn't start out very good for Florida who gave up 17 points in the first half and trailed 17-10 at halftime.  But the Gator defense stepped up and shut the Aggies down in the 2nd half to get their first win for HC Will Muschamp when trailing at halftime.  Along with a stellar defensive performance, the Gators were able to make the comeback largely due to their running game.  RB Mike Gillislee had another strong showing rushing for 83 yards and both Florida TDs.  But Florida won't be able to start off slow against their next opponent, because the Tennessee Volunteers offense is one of the best in this young season.  Their game should be a must watch and will really tell us where both of these teams stand.

17.  Texas Longhorns (1-0) LW 18
It was a dominant performance on both sides of the ball for the Texas Longhorns.  Defensively they did give up 241 yards to the Lobos, but they were able to shut them out and force two turnovers.  But the big story was the play of QB David Ash.  Ash threw for 221 yards and 2 TDs and even had a nice 49 yard run for a TD.  If Texas wants to get back to the top of the Big 12 they are going to need David Ash to become a big time player.  Otherwise they'll get lost in the schuffle like they have for the past couple of years.  Their game against Ole Miss should be an interesting gauge.  Ole Miss comes into this game 2-0 and a win over UTEP.  This was the same UTEP team that gave Oklahoma fits. 

18.  Lousiville Cardinals (2-0) LW 20
Sophomore QB Teddy Bridgewater used a career day to help the Cardinals soar past FCS Missouri State.  Bridgewater threw for 344 yards and 2 TDs, but what has been the most remarkable stat for Bridgewater has been his accuracy.  Against Missouri State he completed 77% of his passes.  No matter who you play that is pretty damn good.  Add in that the Cardinals defense held the Bears to only one TD and it was a pretty successful day. 
19.  Tennessee Volunteers (2-0) LW NR
One of the biggest stories to this young college football season has been the Tennessee Volunteers.  Picked by many to finish as one of the worst teams in the SEC might have a legit shot to winning the SEC West.  The biggest reason has been the play of their offense.  QB Tyler Bray is a potential top 10 pick and he has a couple very talented WRs that he can get th ball to.  In their game against Georgia State WR Justin Hunter was unstoppable grabbing 8 balls for 146 yards and 3 TDs.  But we'll really see if this Tennessee team is for real when they face off against lon time rival Florida this weekend.  A win there would really give the Vols a ton of momentum to carry themselves through the season.

20.  TCU Horned Frogs (1-0) LW 22
With their win over Grambling State, TCU head coach Gary Patterson has become TCU's all time winningest coach.  The Horned Frogs definitely decided to get him his win in easy fasion.  What's most impressive in this game is that QB Casey Pachall threw for 201 yards completing all 9 of his passes. Pretty fantastic.  But this year will be a true test of how good of a program Patterson has built.  Coming from the Mountain West to the Big 12 (Which was rated as the #2 conference last year) it's going to be a step up week in and week out.  But at least the Big 12 did them a favor by scheduling their first conference game with Kansas.  Which should be an easy win.

21.  Stanford Cardinal (2-0) LW 24
In what could have easily been a trap game, the Caridnal were able to quickly dispose of Duke without the fear of an upset.  Drew Terrell was the star of the game with a punt return for a TD and a TD reception.  So far this season the Cardinal have aired it out a lot more.  And why not, they know what they have in Stepfan Taylor and they might as well work on the pass game before their big game against USC this weekend.  This game will really show what this team will be like without Andrew Luck and company.

22.  Baylor Bears (1-0) LW 25
It was an off week for the Bears before they play host to Sam Houston State.  If Baylor can play at the same high level they did in their opener against SMU they should be able to win convinclingly against the FCS school.  However don't sleep on Sam Houston State.  It was Sam Houston State that made it to the FCS National Championship game and lost in a close game.  So they won't be a push over.  However Baylor just has too much fire power for the Bearkats to handle.  This should be an easy one.

23.  UCLA Bruins (2-0) LW NR
This doesn't look like your UCLA teams of the past 10 years.  New head coach Jim Mora Jr. has really done wonders with this roster.  The biggest difference has been the intensity.  In their win against Nebraska their defense was all over the field and laying the lumber to the Husker players.  Offensively offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone has the offense running at an extremely high level.  QB Brett Hundley is a threat both on the ground and through the air.  But the true star is RB Jonathan Franklin.  Against Nebraska he ran for 217 yards while scoring on the game clinching TD reception.  Watch out for this team, because they have a ton of talent and schedule that should allow them to get off to a great start.

24.  Arkansas Razorbacks (1-1) LW 9
It was a very bad day for the Razorbacks.  Not only did they lose a bad game to a Lousiana-Monroe team that they should have never lost to.  But starting QB Tyler Wilson suffered a concussion and may be out of action for a while.  Not what you want when you have to face off against Alabama this next week.  But if Arkansas can't fix their issues on defense it won't matter who is playing QB for them. 

25.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-1) LW 16
Nebraska let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers.  UCLA is a much better team than they have been in the past, but the Huskers were a better team and still should have won.  Their defense was the huge issue giving up 653 total yards.  UCLA spread them out and beat them in one on one situations.  Offensively they had things rolling in the first half, but stalled in the 2nd.  And once they got behind they became very predictable.  The sky isn't falling, but the Huskers now have to fix some major holes on defense if they want to challenge Michigan and Michigan State for the division crown.

Dropped From Rankings:  Wisconsin Badgers, Oklahoma State Cowboys

College Football Top 25 (Week 2)

1.  USC Trojans (1-0) LW 1
USC did exactly what they were suppose to do.  They dominated a lesser team.  In this case it was Hawaii.  The Trojans looked like one of the best teams in the nation.  Their offense was running on all cylinders with QB Matt Barkley throwing the ball all over the field to the tune of 372 yards and 3 TDs.  197 of those yards were to MarQise Lee.  The defensive was also showed what they have.  Holding Hawaii scoreless for the first half and only allowing 10 points to a team that has the ability to score points.  This team looks like the real deal.

2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0) LW 3
I don't normally like moving a team ahead of somebody in the top 3 with both teams winning.  However it is too hard to not be impressed with Alabama's thrashing of Michigan.  Sure I know that Michigan was probably overrated, but Alabama still dominated the game.  And that's hard to ignore.  Their defense had to replace a lot of players, but they are still deep with talent and they shut down one of the most dynamic players in college football.  Watch out SEC, Alabama ain't going anywhere!
3.  LSU Tigers (1-0) LW 2
LSU moves down a spot, but it really doesn't have anything to do with them.  It's more of what rival Alabama did.  But LSU took care of their business and it was largely due to the play of their defense and RB Kenny Hilliard.  Hilliard rushed for 141 yards and 2 TDs, one of which he took to the house from 60 yards out.  This is a good sign for the Tigers because the team will only go as far as the offense takes him.

4.  Oregon Ducks (1-0) LW 4
Even with a redshirt freshman QB starting for the first time, the Ducks are still the high flying team we've come to know.  QB Marcus Mariota looked like a season pro throwing for 3 touchdowns in his first game.  I'm glad to see that Oregon is still using De'Anthony Thomas in the hybrid RB/WR role.  With so much talent at RB it is a great way to keep him on the field.  The Oregon defense did give up 34 points, which isn't great for their "best defense under Chip Kelly" but most of it was late so that could be a factor. 

5.  Georgia Bulldogs (1-0) LW 7
The good news for Georgia is that they blew out Buffalo and true freshman Todd Gurley showed some glimpse of becoming a threat at the running back position.  That bad news is that their defense gave up 23 points and 347 yards to a Buffalo team that isn't very good.  That also diminishes Gurley's accomplishments.  55 of his 100 yards were on 1 play.  But none the less once the Bulldogs got things going they played at a high level.  The Bulldogs get a big test this next weekend when they face off against SEC new comer Missouri.  Missouri has a high flying offense that should really test how good the Bulldog defense is.  Should be a good one!

6.  South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0) LW 8 
When QB Connor Shaw went down with a shoulder injury, the Gamecocks offense really struggled.  Luckily he came back and was able to lead South Carolina to a hard fought victory over an improved Vanderbilt team.  Marcus Lattimore rushed for 110 yards, but if the Gamecocks want to win the SEC Title, they'll have to develop some playmakers on offense, or it will be hard to score on the elite SEC defenses they'll see later.

7.  Oklahoma Sooners (1-0) LW 6
Sooner fans had to be sweating bullets going into the 4th quarter only up 3 points on lowly UTEP.  But two TDs later and the Sooners got out of the game with a 17 point victory.  Not what you'd expect out of a top 10 team.  Even if they did have to go to UTEP.  They should have won that game by 30 points or more.  But the bright side is that the defense was stellar.  They didn't give up a single point (only UTEP TD was on a blocked punt) and will need to keep playing at a high level if the Sooners want to get back to a BCS Bowl or in the National Title picture.

8.  Clemson Tigers (1-0) LW 10
After the debacle that was the Orange Bowl last year, the Clemson Tigers were very eager to start the season and show everybody that they are an improved team.  It wasn't a blow out, but the Tigers won a hard fought game against a top 25 contender Auburn.  They did it without their top playmaker in WR Sammie Watkins who was suspended for the game.  However they did get a huge boost from RB Andre Ellington who rushed 231 yards and WR DeAndre Hopkins who set a school record with 13 receptions.  Watkins will be back next game, but they'll need to keep having their defense step up when they need them if they are going to make noise this season.

9.  Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0) LW 11
You can really tell that the Razorbacks are anxious to move past the whole Bobby Petrino drama and have the type of season everybody was talking about before Petrino crashed his motorcycle.  QB Taylor Wilson was a big part of that setting a school record for most yards in an opening game with 367.  He did that without his top three WRs returning from last year.  The Razorbacks did get RB Knile Davis back and that will really help balance this offense out which was pretty pass heavy last year. 

10.  Michigan State Spartans (1-0) LW 13
 We learned a couple of things from Michigan State's narrow victory over Boise State.  First is that their defense is as good as advertised.  Holding Boise without a TD is pretty good.  I don't care if Kellen Moore and Doug Martin aren't there, that is still a pretty good accomplishment.  Second, Le'Veon Bell is a stud and thrust himself into the Heisman race with his 210 yard 2 TD performance.  But the real story is the play of Andrew Maxwell.  In his first start Maxwell didn't look good.  He threw 3 interceptions and threw into coverage several more times.  MSU has the chance to have a special season, but they'll need Maxwell to improve. 

11.  Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) LW 9
It took a batted down pass on 4th down in Wisconsin territory for the Badgers to escape with the win.  No this win wasn't against Michigan State or Ohio State.  It was against Northern Iowa.  No not Iowa, Northern Iowa.  The FCS school.  Yes Northern Iowa is a top FCS program, but Wisconsin is suppose to be a top FBS program.  They should be manhandling UNI with their over sized offensive line and talent everywhere.  Instead the Badgers struggled.  Badger fans better hope it was just one game, but with a practically new coaching staff and new players all over it could be a long season.

12.  Virginia Tech Hokies (1-0) LW 12
Anytime you play Georgia Tech it's going to be a long game.  Whether you have a month to prepare or just a week their triple option attack is so unique that it puts a strain on any defense.  That showed in VaTech's 20-17 win in overtime.  The star of the game was VaTech kicker Cody Journall whose kicks at the end of regulation and in overtime won them the game.  QB Logan Thomas was solid, but not spectacular.  However he came up big when his team needed him the most.  The biggest thing is that the Hokies got out with a win.

13.  Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) LW 14
It took till the 2nd quarter, but Ohio State made quick work of Miami (OH) in new HC Urban Meyer's debut with the Buckeyes.  QB Braxton Miller was the star of the game and looks to be the perfect QB for Meyer's offense.  He rushed for 161 yards and passed for 207, but the key was that he looked very comfortable running the offense.  The Buckeyes now move on to face Central Florida in what should be a step up in competition.  However the Buckeyes have a ton of momentum.  Too bad for them they can't play in any post season competition.

14.  Michigan Wolverines (0-1) LW 5
Every year there is a team that gets over hyped.  This year it was Michigan.  It's understandable.  What they did last season was remarkable.  And with a lot of talent returning on offense many people thought they'd be one of the top teams in the nation.  Well they fell flat on their face against Alabama.  The Crimson Tide dominated the game and it wasn't close.  It could be just one game and it could be Alabama being a really good team.  But Michigan better get their stuff in gear, cause Michigan State, Ohio State and Nebraska all looked very good in their season openers.

15.  West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) LW 18
West Virginia had so much fun scoring more than 60 points in a game against Clemson in the Orange Bowl, they decided to do it again.  This time it was against in-state rival Marshall.  QB Geno Smith was practically flawless completing 88% of his passes and throwing for 323 yards and 4 TDs.  Pretty impressive.  That performance has to have defensive coordinators in the Big 12 scrambling to think of a way to stop this offense.  But a little advise from me, good luck!

16.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0) LW 19
With defending Conference USA champion Southern Miss coming to town, the Huskers knew they'd have their hands full.  However it turned out to be pretty easy for Nebraska.  QB Taylor Martinez showed off his new and improved throwing mechanics to the tune of 354 yards and 5 TDs.  Not too bad coming from a QB that use to shot put the football to the receivers.  However there was a little bad news for the Huskers in that star RB Rex Burkhead left the game in the 1st quarter with a strained MCL.  He should be fine, but the offense relies so much on him and if the injury lingers that could spell some trouble.  But if Martinez keeps playing like that they should be fine.

17.  Florida State Seminoles (1-0) LW 17
What a day to be a Florida State Seminole running back.  Especially with their top three backs each scoring at least 2 TDs a piece.  Heck maybe I could have gone out there and rushed for one?  Probably not, but it was a great sign for an offense that needs to find an idenity this year.  Defensively the Seminoles look like the dominant group that finished last season 4th overall in total defense.  Bjoern Werner lead the way with 4 sacks and the defense held the Racers to only 156 total yards and 3 points.  Pretty good day for the 'Noles, but I'm still not ready to believe they are a top 10 team.  Still have a lot to prove.

18.  Texas Longhorns (1-0) LW 15
Texas was placed on upset alert after a first quarter where they allowed 9 points and 178 yards.  However the defense stepped up and the Longhorn RBs were able to take control and roll to a 20 point victory.  Texas was lead by two headed monster Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron who both eclipsed the 100 yard mark.  This is a vast difference than the teams Mack Brown had the past several years where they struggled to find somebody that would keep defenses honest.  Now they have two!  Things are looking good for the Longhorns.  Especially after Oklahoma struggled against UTEP.

19.  Kansas State Wildcats (1-0) LW 16
Late in the 3rd quarter the Wildcats were tied 9-9 with FCS Missouri State and fans had to be thinking they could lose this game.  But then KState rifled off 42 straight points (35 in the 4th quarter) to blow the game open and cruise to a 42 point lead.  Winning by 42 points has to feel good, but you have to worry that starting the game off slow could come back to burn the Wildcats later in the season.  Especially when Big 12 game start and they are facing offenses like West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Baylor.  Won't be able to afford to fall behind against those teams.
20.  Lousiville Cardinals (1-0) LW 22
Head Coach Charlie Strong has done a great job of building a team at Louisville.  Especially after the debacle that was the Steve Kragthorpe era.  Against in state rival Kentucky, the Cardinals blew through them on their way to a victory.  It was a pretty efficient day for Louisville.  QB Teddy Bridgewater completed 19-21 passes 232 yards while both Jeremy Wright and Senorise Perry both rushed for over 100 yards.  Louisville is clearly the class of the Big East, but I'm looking forward to their match up with FIU on Sept 22.  That will be a battle of two very underrated teams.

21.  Florida Gators (1-0) LW 20
This game was not what most Gator fans thought they were going to get.  14-14 tie in the middle of the 3rd quarter against the Bowling Green Falcons.  Yet another top 25 team struggling with a lower tiered school.  But this shouldn't be too big of a surprise considering that the Gators offense has struggled since Tim Tebow left three years ago.  Here the Gators relied on the running game to get the win, getting 148 yards from Mike Gillislee.  But the Gators are going to need QB Jeff Driskel to step up if they are going to beat the likes of Georgia and South Carolina.

22.  TCU Horned Frogs (0-0) LW 23
TCU is one of the few teams that didn't have a game this past weekend.  Instead they'll be opening up their season this upcoming weekend against FCS Grambling State who is already 0-1 to start the year.  TCU shouldn't have too much trouble with Tigers.  TCU is lead by QB Casey Pachal who got off to a slow start last year before really catching stride half way through the season.  Now he is the leader of the team and the expected star player.  They'll need him to be huge now that they are in the Big 12 and playing against top level competition game in and game out.  It should be interesting to see how they fare.

23.  Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0) LW NR
84 points.  Those are the combined points in the Oklahoma State Savannah State game.  But the kicker is that OSU scored all 84 of them.  Sure it was a FCS team (tell that to Pittsburgh and Wisconsin) but anytime you score 84 points in college football that is quite the feat.  Oklahoma State is doing their best to show that they are going to still stick around and have success even without Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden.  And after a game like that, I believe them.

24.  Stanford Cardinal (1-0) LW 21
We quickly found out how much the Cardinal are going to miss Andrew Luck and company.  In their opening game against San Jose State the Cardinal struggled to score points and had to rely on a interception to preserve the win.  They better get things figured out because SJSU is suppose to be their easiest game of the year.  It could be a long year on the farm.

25.  Baylor Bears (1-0) LW NR
RG who?  Robert Griffin III may have brought national attention to the Baylor program, but QB Nick Florence is doing all he can to help people forget about RG3.  Florence threw for 341 yards and 4 TDs and that was only through 3 quarters.  Not too bad.  But Florence isn't a stranger to Baylor fans.  As a freshman he was their starter for the 2nd half of the season when RG3 tore his ACL.  His prior experience and all the talent around him will allow the Bears to stay right in the thick of the Big 12 and help from having Baylor slip back into anonymity.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 9)

1. LSU Tigers (8-0) LW 1

It's only fitting that both LSU and Alabama have byes the week before they meet. This is practically the defacto National Championship Game. The key to LSU winning the game will be on QB Jarrett Lee. If he plays well and doesn't turn the ball over the Tigers have a great shot at winning. Their defense is going to give Alabama fits because they are so fast and juts fly to the ball. Let's see if CB Tyronn Mathieu can continue to make plays in big games.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) LW 2

Alabama's key to winning against LSU will be making QB Jarrett Lee beat them. The Crimson Tide defense is very talented and going to give Lee a lot of different looks. Look for the offense to rely on Trent Richardson even more than normal here. A win here and a big game from Richardson might jolt him on top of the Heisman Race.

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

I don't think anybody was surprised that Oklahoma State beat Baylor, but you'd be a liar if you thought they'd blow out the Bears. Their 59-24 point victory was pretty impressive mainly because their defense was able to keep the dangerous Robert Griffin III under wraps. The Cowboys cannot afford to get ahead of themselves because they have to face off against Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma to end out the season.

4. Stanford Cardinal (8-0) LW 3

What a game against USC on Saturday Night. It took 3 OTs, but the Cardinal were able to get out of Los Angeles with a victory. The legend of Andrew Luck continues to grow as he lead the Cardinal to the victory with 330 yards and 2 TDs. But what is even more important is that Stanford is still unbeaten. They get a little breather this upcoming week against Oregon State, before facing off against Oregon in two weeks.

5. Boise State Broncos (7-0) LW 5

Boise State enjoys a nice week off before they finish up their first season in the Mountain West. Well you could almost say that they have two weeks off when they travel to UNLV which Boise State should dominate. But after their game with UNLV they have to play an improving TCU team and a still tough San Diego State. But the Broncos should continue to win games and hope that others keep losing around them.

6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1) LW 8

After losing to Texas Tech the week before, Oklahoma was looking to make a statement against undefeated Kansas State in Manhattan. They sure did that, beating KState 58-17. Landry Jones shredded the Wildcats for 505 yards and 5 TDs. Now the Sooners host a Texas A&M team that is coming off a loss to Missouri, but still able to beat them. But it looks like the Sooners are refocused.

7. Oregon Ducks (7-1) LW 7

I don't know if it is the injuries they've had this year, but the Ducks do not look like the same team that we saw last year in the National Title game. They did win big, 43-28, but Washington State hung around a lot longer than they should have. But we'll see how good they are the next three weeks when they face off against Washington, Stanford, and USC. They are good, but they might just be the 2nd best team in their conference this year.

8. Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1) LW 14

The famed "Blackshirt" defense had been pretty non-existent so far this season. However against Michigan State the defense's play was the biggest reason Nebraska won the game. The young secondary really stepped up and shut down the Spartan passing attack. On offense Rex Burkhead carried the load with over 100 yards rushing and 3 total touchdowns. With the win Nebraska finds themselves in the drivers seat in the Leaders Division.

9. Arkansas Razorbacks (7-1) LW 11

For a while it looked like the Razorbacks were going to get upset by Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt missed a FG in the closing seconds that would have sent the game into overtime. Taylor Wilson paced the Razorbacks with 316 yards and a TD. Arkansas cannot afford to start off slow next week when they face off against South Carolina.

10. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-1) LW 12

In their first game without RB Marcus Lattimore, the Gamecock offense was trying to figure out what they wanted to do. But luckily they were doing that against Tennessee and not somebody tougher. QB Connor Shaw continues to improve as the season goes forward. How he plays will determine if they make it back to the SEC Title game for 2nd straight year. But things don't get easy when they travel to a very talented Arkansas team.

11. Clemson Tigers (8-1) LW 6

You can't be surprised that Clemson's winning streak ended. Especially since they've been a slow starting team lately. That came back to bit them in the butt this week. Georgia Tech is a good team and with their running attack it's almost impossible to come back from double digits. Now the Tigers season isn't' over. They'll still have their opportunity to win the ACC and make it to a BCS Bowl, but they have to figure out how to start games the right way.

12. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1) LW 13

VaTech was on upset watch for most of their game against Duke. Now that's not something that you really want, but what matters the most is that Virginia Tech still won the game. RB David Wilson continues to play well, but they need more consistent play out of QB Logan Thomas if they want to continue to win games. But they have to be glad that they have a good defense, or this game could have been bad.

13. Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) LW 10

The story of Wisconsin this year should be a warning to top teams to not schedule such a weak non conference slate. In their first six games they looked to be the real deal. The addition of Russell Wilson looked to be the move that put them over the top. However in their last two games their weaknesses on defense have been exposed. Michigan State and Ohio State (heck even Nebraska in the 1st half) took advantage of their slow defense to win the games. Now Wisconsin finds themselves in a position where they have to fight back to get their place to get to the Big 10 Championship Game.

14. Michigan State Spartans (6-2) LW 9

After their huge win over Wisconsin, the Spartans laid an egg against Nebraska. It was a complete mess for Sparty. Offensively they just couldn't do anything. They got impatient with their running game and that put them in an early hole. On defense their normally stout run defense gave up big yards to the Huskers. What was even worse was that they kept shooting themselves in the foot with dumb penalties. If the Spartans want to get things going again they have to avoid committing penalties and play a smarter game plan on offense.

15. Michigan Wolverines (7-1) LW 16

You can really tell that things are changing in Ann Arbor. In previous years this would be the time that the Wolverines would start their decline. Instead they look like they are getting better. What is even better is that they enjoyed a career day from RB Fitzgerald Toussaint who ran for 170 yards and 2 TDs against Purdue. Now if Toussaint can continue to get yards on the ground, that could take some of the workload off of Denard Robinson which will only make him better.

16. Houston Cougars (8-0) LW 17

It wasn't even a contest against Rice on Thursday night. QB Case Keenum did whatever he wanted in route to throwing for 534 yards and 9 TDs. But what surprises me is that HC Kevin Sumlin decided to leave Keenum in the game late throwing the ball when they had the game won. I know he wants Keenum to break records, but for a guy that has a history of injuries, it could have came back to bite them. I mean have we not seen how bad this team is without him?

17. Arizona State Sun Devils (6-2) LW 19

What is the best remidy after getting blown out by Oregon? How about a game against Colorado? Arizona State got back on track and rolled the Buffaloes 48-14. Brock Oseweiler threw for 307 and 2 TDs while Cameron Marshall ran for 114 and 3 TDs. The Sun Devils remaining schedule sets up pretty good for them with UCLA, Arizona, Washington State, and Cal. All four of those should be wins and should get ASU in the first ever Pac 12 Title Game.

18. Auburn Tigers (6-3) LW 20

Auburn made little work with lowly Ole Miss beating them 41-23. QB Clint Moseley only threw for 160 yards, but he did throw 4 TDs. Auburn may have 3 losses, but they are continuing to exceed expectations. With only three games left, the Tigers have a chance to make some noise. Georgia and Alabama are still on tap and if the Tigers could get some consistent QB play, they could pull off an upset.

19. Georgia Bulldogs (6-2) LW 22

After losing their first team games of the season, he Bulldogs have ripped off 6 straight and are putting themselves in a position to make it to the SEC Title Game. This past weekend they were able to beat rival Florida in the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" 24-20 in a game where they had to overcome a lot of self inflected mistakes. But luckily the Bulldogs get to face off against New Mexico State this next week before a tough match up against Auburn in two weeks.

20. Kansas State Wildcats (7-1) LW 15

Kansas State might have been undefeated going into this past weekend, but nobody really considered them to be one of the best teams in the Nation. And their 58-17 loss to Oklahoma they were exposed for who they really are. What makes matters worse is that they have to continue their tour of Oklahoma and now face off against #3 ranked Oklahoma State. I guess when it rains, it pours.

21. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) LW 21

They have only one loss on the season and that was to the #2 ranked team in Alabama. But if you've seen Penn State play you know that their next losses will probably be coming soon. The Nittany Lions have a very good defense, but their offense is flat out awful. They get no consistent QB play and the running game isn't very good either. Joe Paterno got his record setting 409th career win in the game, but needed a missed Illinois FG as time ended to win the game. They need to use the bye week to figure out the offense before a surging Nebraska team comes to town.

22. West Virginia Mountaineers (6-2) LW 23

In a snowy game at Rutgers the Mountaineers prevented a two game losing streak. West Virginia needed to come back from behind and did so relying on QB Geno Smith. Smith threw for 218 yards and 2 TDs, but it was his rushing TD in the 4th quarter which was the biggest. Now the Mountaineers must beat a Louisville team that just beat Syracuse who blew out West Virginia two weeks ago.

23. USC Trojans (6-2) LW NR

You don't usually see teams move up in the rankings after a loss, but when you take the #4 ranked team to the limits in triple OT you start to turn some heads. Despite all the drama that has happened at USC, they are quietly having a good season with only two losses (Stanford and Arizona State) and a remaining schedule that is winnable. The only tough game they have left is against Oregon who they should be able to hang with. For a team that doesn't have a whole lot to play for (can't play in the conference championship or a bowl game) but is still playing very hard.

24. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1) LW NR

Not too many people have expected much from Cincinnati, especially since they struggled mightily last year after former HC Brian Kelly left. But quietly the Bearcats have gotten off to a 6-1 record and have a chance to win their 2nd Big East Title in three years. But they'll have to do it against the best the Big East has to offer.

25. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-2) LW NR

Take away the Virginia and Miami games and the Yellow Jackets have played some of the best football in the ACC. That was shown in their huge victory over previously unbeaten Clemson. They got off to a great start against Clemson and because of their running game, they were able to play keep away and hold the explosive Clemson team to only 17 points. But the schedule doesn't get easier with #12 VaTech and #19 Georgia left on the schedule.

Almost Made It: Southern Miss

Dropped From Rankings: Texas A&M, Texas