NCAA Top 25 (End of Regular Season)

1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0) LW 1
With their spot in the National Title game all wrapped up, the Irish got to sit back and watch the SEC Championship Game to see who they will play.  It will be interesting to see how Notre Dame does against the Crimson Tide who will be far the best team they played.


2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) LW 2
They didn't look pretty doing it, but the Crimson Tide were able to hold off a final Georgia drive to secure their second consecutive spot in the BCS Championship Game.  The Crimson Tide matches up well against a Notre Dame team whose offense is pretty pedestrian.  If the Tide can crack the Irish defense they could bring home another National Title.


3.  Oregon Ducks (11-1) LW 4
The Ducks might not have won their conference, but they'll make it back to another BCS Game as they face off against Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl.  The match should benefit the Ducks whose speed will give KState all sorts of fits.


4.  Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) LW 3
Its a shame that Georgia only loses two games all year but since they lost in the Conference Championship Game Florida moves ahead of them and the Bulldogs have to settle for the Capital One Bowl.  Ignoring the fact that Georgia beat Florida.


5.  Florida Gators (11-1) LW 5
By losing to Georgia and not playing Alabama in the conference title game, the Gators were able to sneak their way back into the BCS in a Sugar Bowl game against Louisville.  The Gators should make easy work out of a Louisville team that has struggled late in the season.


6.  Kansas State Wildcats (11-1) LW 6
In their final game of the season the Wildcats were able to use a 35 point 2nd half to blow out Texas and win the Big 12.  The win secures the Wildcats spot in the BCS as they face off against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.


7.  LSU Tigers (10-2) LW 7
Must be rough to be in a conference where you only lose two games, finish in the top 10, but don't make it to a BCS Game.  Because Florida took the SEC's second spot, the Tigers are now heading to Atlanta to play Clemson in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl. Should be a fun game to watch though.


8.  Texas A&M Aggies (10-2) LW 8
It was quite the first year in the SEC for the Aggies.  Picked to finish towards the bottom of their division they rode freshman QB Johnny Manziel to 10 wins and an upset over then #1 Alabama.  Their reward for this season in a Cotton Bowl match up against former Big 12 rival Oklahoma.


9.  Stanford Cardinal (11-2) LW 9
For the second week in a row the Cardinal beat UCLA.  But this time it was for the Pac 12 Title and a birth in the Rose Bowl.  But unlike their first meeting, the Cardinal needed to score 10 straight points to get out with a 3 point victory.  Next up is Wisconsin, which if your a fan of smash mouth power football you'll love.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0) LW 10
Ohio State ended their season two weeks ago with their win over Michigan.  You gotta love Ohio State's ignorance that they didn't take their bowl ban last year when they finished with a 6-6 record.  They could have easily missed out on the Gator Bowl and be possibly playing in the National Title Game this year.  But that's Ohio State for you.


11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2) LW 11
Even though they beat Georgia in the regular season by 28 points, because they lost two additional games they weren't able to go to the SEC Title Game.  They also missed out on a possible BCS Game because of it also.  Now they face off against a Michigan team in the Gator Bowl who should bring an interesting offense.


12.  Florida State Seminoles (11-2) LW 12
Florida State entered the ACC Championship against Georgia Tech as a heavy favorite.  It looked like the Seminoles would roll to an easy win after a 21-3 start.  But then their offense stalled and the Yellow Jackets were able to add 12 more points to make an interesting finish. But FSU won and will make it back to their second straight BCS Bowl.


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) LW 13

Oklahoma was all set to play Florida State in the Orange Bowl, but with Northern Illinois win over Kent State gave them enough to bust the BCS and knock the Sooners out.  So instead of a high profile match up and a big check.  The Sooners will settle for a high profile match up with a smaller check.  But it should be a fun shootout to watch against former Big 12 foe Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.


14.  Clemson Tigers (10-2) LW 14

Despite not playing for the ACC Championship or going to a second straight BCS Game it was a pretty good season.  The Tigers continue to improve and as long as QB Tajh Boyd comes back, they should be right in the mix for the ACC Championship and a dark horse candidate for the National Championship.


15.  Northern Illinois Huskies (12-1) LW 17
With their victory over Kent State the Huskies continued their record setting year and now will go to their first BCS Bowl in school's history.  This is also the first BCS Bowl that a MAC school has had.  But with their HC Dave Doren taking the NC State job, it will be interesting to see how they do since he isn't coaching.  It's too bad for the players who really matter here.


16.  Louisville Cardinals (10-2) LW 19
In a conference where it seemed nobody wanted to win, it was the Cardinals who finally won the Big East outright with their 20-17 victory Thursday night over Rutgers.  The win gets the Cardinals back into the BCS for the first time since Bobby Petrino was the HC.  But it could come at a cost as current HC Charlie Strong is top target for coaching openings this year.


17.  Oregon State Beavers (9-3) LW 21
It seems weird that Oregon State played a game on the same weekend as the Pac 12 Title game, but that was because their game got postponed due to Hurricane Issac earlier this year.  But Nichols State might have been better off canceling the game since they gave up 77 points to the Beavers in a complete route. 


18.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3) LW 15
It would be very easy for me to drop the Huskers quite a bit after their drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin.  It was an embarrassing loss in a game that the Huskers were favored to win.  But it's hard to ignore the season Nebraska had winning 10 games and their division.  Now they'll face Georgia in the Capital One Bowl and look to end the season on a high note.


19.  Northwestern Wildcats (9-3) LW 22
Northwestern doesn't get a lot of attention or praise, but their three losses all were games that they had won.  Penn State used some returns to take the lead, Nebraska came from double digits to win, and Michigan had a hail mary that allowed them to win in OT.  That's the difference between playing for the Big 10 Title and the Gator Bowl.


20.  UCLA Bruins (9-4) LW 20
Jim Mora Jr. was emphatic that UCLA didn't tank the first meeting with Stanford, but with the way they played on Friday the critics will have a lot of fuel.  Unlike their beating they took in the first game, the Bruins controlled most of the Pac 12 Championship before giving up 10 straight points to lose the game.  But the Bruins improvement this season is quite remarkable and they are set up for a bright 2013 season.


21.  Kent State Golden Flashes (11-2) 16
Their MAC Championship Game against Northern Illinois was one of the top games of the season with both teams fighting for the title.  Kent State came up short and watched as Northern Illinois got a BCS invite.  But Kent State is no slouch and should be proud of the season they had.   


22.  Michigan Wolverines (8-4) LW 23
When the season started the Wolverines had high expectations.  They were favored to win the Big 10 and contend for a National Title.  Instead they struggled against the top teams and as a result dropped four games.  But they did find out that Devin Gardner can play QB and they have somebody to build around in the post Dennard Robinson era.


23.  Utah State Aggies (10-2) LW 24
It's too bad that the WAC Bowl tie ins are so bad because Utah State's prize for winning the conference is to go to Boise to play in the Potato Bowl.  With the season the Aggies are having it would have been nice to see them matched up against a BCS caliber team.  But instead they'll have Toledo in what should still be a pretty good game.


24.  Boise State Broncos (10-2) LW 25
Well the post Kellen Moore era of Bronco football has had it's successes (10 wins) and it's struggles (55th in scoring offense).  It will be interesting to see how they continue to do.  They've always had a good QB, but this team relied on a stingy defense that only gave up 14.9 points per game (6th best).


25.  Texas Longhorns (8-4) LW 18
Texas loss to Kansas State was a perfect synopsis of how their season went.  Leading 17-14 towards the end of the 3rd quarter it looked like the Longhorns were going to pull the upset.  Instead their defense couldn't stop Collin Klein and gave up 4 straight TDs and put the game out of reach.  You have to wonder what this program will do next.  Because you have to know these years of mediocre football is not sitting right down in the heart of Texas.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 4)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) LW 1
If it wasn't for giving up a late TD, this would have been a perfect game for the Crimson Tide.  Both sides of the ball were really running on all cylinders.  AJ McCarron continues his development and is showing people he is far from just being a "game manager."  Defensively Alabama was at it's best, holding the Florida Atlantic to only 110 yards of total offense.  Pretty impressive no matter who the opponent is.  Next up for Alabama is the start of SEC conference action.  First up Ole Miss.  This should be fun!

2.  Oregon Ducks (4-0) LW 3
Don't get me wrong.  Oregon's 49-0 win over Arizona was impressive.  However I don't think Arizona was as good as some people were making them out to be.  But with their win and LSU's clunker against Auburn vaults the Ducks into the #2 ranking ahead of LSU.  Oregon scoring 49 points isn't a surprise.  Their offense is stacked and Arizona is dreadful.  But what impressed me the most was that the Ducks shut out Arizona.  This was an Arizona team under Rich Rod that averaged more than 46 points per game.  And the Ducks (whose defense isn't know for being good) shut them out.  Look for the Ducks to continue their momentum into this weekend where they face off against a Washington State team that gave Colorado their first win.  Should be another blowout.


3.  LSU Tigers (4-0) LW 2
LSU's game against Auburn is a true testimat of how tough the SEC is.  Auburn (who almost lost to Lousiana Monroe) isn't a very good team.  However they gave the Tigers a huge scare and almost upset the (previously) #2 ranked team.  Good thing LSU has such a good defense, because their offense was horrible in this game.  The big concern has to be the offense.  QB Zach Mettenberger was beginning to look pretty good, but he struggled in this game.  He only completed 55% of his passes and had 2 first half fumbles.  However the Tigers have this next weekends game against Towson to work out the cinks before they get into the heart of their SEC schedule. 

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (4-0) LW 4
Even though Vanderbilt is struggling, it's still a big accomplishment for the Bulldogs to lay the lumber to them.  Georgia started early and keep and often cruisng to an early 27-3 lead at halftime.  QB Aaron Murray continues to run this offense like a fine oiled machine.  He threw for 250 yards and 2 scores.  But the story is the defense.  Holding the Commadores to only 3 points is pretty good.  If the defense keeps playing at this level the Bulldogs should win the SEC East and have a good shot at winning the conference.  But they'll have to get past an improved Tennessee team before thier big showdown with South Carolina.


5.  South Carolina Gamecocks (4-0) LW 5
Even though there was some mismanagement of Connor Shaw, luckily he was alright and able to play in their game against Missouri.  And it's a good thing he did play, because Shaw was one of the biggest reasons that the Gamecocks were able to get an easy 21 point win.  Shaw was so good that he complete 20 straight passes in route to 249 yards and 2 TDs.  That's pretty good considering he hurt his shoulder two weeks in a row.  The Gamecock defense was also on theri game against Missouri.  Holding the Tigers high powered offense to only 10 points.  South Carolina now travels to Kentucky before their big time showdown with Georgia.  Kentucky isn't very good, but South Carolina cannot afford to look past the Wildcats because if this season is any indicator.  Anything can happen.


6.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0) LW 12
I wasn't a big believer of Notre Dame early in this season, but their wins against Michigan State and Michigan have shown us that this Fighting Irish team is their best they've had in 10 years.  And are a serious contender.  The biggest reason is the play of their defense.  Lead by Manti Te'o the Irish defense is suffacating and has help both Michigan Schools to a total of 9 points.  Pretty good considering that Michigan's Dennard Robinson is such a dynamic player.  However their downfall could be the offense.  Surprising since HC Brian Kelly is a "offensive guru."  Notre Dame needed back up QB Tommy Rees to come in to spark the team to get the win.  When they play against Stanford and USC they'll need more than 13 points to get the win.


7.  Florida State Seminoles (4-0) LW 11
In the battle for ACC supremiscy, the Seminoles came out the winner.  Their game against Clemson was suppose to be a battle between Clemson's high powered offense vs the Seminoles stout defense.  But it was Florida State's offense that got them the victory.  EJ Manuel was the star of the game.  He threw for 380 yards and rushed for another 102 yards.  Manuel's preformance has thrust him right into the Heisman Race.  Defensively the Seminoles were far from great, but they did enough to insure the win.  Florida State has an easy schedule ahead of them.  As long as they stay focused, their only two challenges will come from Virginia Tech and Florida. 


8.  Kansas State Wildcats (4-0) LW 14
After losing to Oklahoma by 41 points last year, the Wildcats were out for revenge and to show everybody that they are for real.  They sure did that in their win over the Sooners.  QB Collin Klein was his typcial self, but it was the play of RB John Hubert that allowed the Wildcats to get the victory.  Hubert rushed for 130 yards and a score to help take some of the burdeon off Klein.  Add in a TD off a fumble recovery and it was a good game all around for KState.  KState has a bye week before facing off against in state rival Kansas.  The bye week could allow the Wildcats a chance to regroup after a big win, but they can't get too big.  However they do face off against Kansas ni their next game.  So playing an in state rival could keep their focus.  But the Wildcats are for real and have a great shot at winning the Big 12.


9.  Stanford Cardinal (3-0) LW 8
After upsettting USC, the Cardinal had a week off to rest up before continuing their Pac 12 schedule.  Their opponent this weekend is a Washington team whose only loss came at LSU.  Mobile QB Keith Price will really test how good this Cardinal defense really is.  However if Stanford plays like they did against USC, they should have no issues with Washington.  But they can't take them lighly.  Washington is very underrated.


10.  USC Trojans (3-1) LW 9
After losing to Stanford, the Trojans were happy to get back to playing and took out some of their frustrations on California.  The Trojan offense focused their efforts to the ground and it payed off with Silas Redd and Curtis McNeal both going for over 100 yards and combining for 273 yards.  This is a good sign because USC struggled to run the ball last year.  Elsewhere, QB Matt Barkley continued to play sloppy throwing 2 INTs for the second straight week. USC has a bye week this weekend to get things in order before they get into the heart of Pac 12 play.  They'll need to get the offense back in order if they want to get victories over UCLA, Oregon State, and Oregon.


11.  West Virginia Mountaineers (3-0) LW 10
It wasn't the blowout or the video game like stats we thought we'd get from West Virginia's game against Maryland.  But the biggest thing was that the Mountaineers got the victory.  QB Geno Smith didn't complete 90% of his passes, but he still played at a high level throwing 338 yards 3 TDs and 0 INTs.  WR Tavon Austin had a career day against his home state team.  He caught 13 passes (sets the WV all time receptions record) for 179 yards and 3 TDs.  After a realtively weak non conference season, the Mountaineers begin their first Big 12 season and they drew a dousy to start.  Baylor and West Virginia will be a shootout between to high powered offenses.  However the Mountaineers appear to have the better defense and the game is at home.  But this will be a fun game to watch.


12.  Clemson Tigers (3-1) LW 7
Could you imagine how good Clemson could be if their defense was above average?  We may be talking about a National Championship contender.  They brought in Brent Venables (former Oklahoma DC) to be their new DC, but they haven't seen an immediate return.  The offense did their job scoring 37 points.  Which in most games will get you a win.  However the defense allowed Florida State to score 49.  That's just not going to cut it.  Luckily the Tigers don't have to face a lot of high powered offenses the rest of the season.  But if Clemson ever wants to get to the next level.  They are going to need to figure it out.


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) LW 6
Landry Jones' struggles were a big reason the Sooners lost to Kansas State.  Sure you can't place the entire blame on him, but he did make some crucial errors at the wrong time.  He had a critical fumble that KState ended up returning for a TD and then threw a INT that helped give the Wildcats the lead.  Landry was thought at one time to be a future top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, but his play since the middle of last year has left a lot to be desired.  Add in that backup QB Blake Bell's fumble at the goal line resulted in a FG instead of a TD doesn't make matters any better.  It's a shame because this Sooner defense is pretty good.  Oklahoma now has a bye this weekend for them to stew about this loss before they play Texas Tech before the Red River Shootout against Texas.  The Sooners cannot afford to look past the Red Riaders, because they've done it before and it's come back to bite them.

14.  Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) LW 15
Ohio State gets the win over UAB to stay perfect.  However you have to wonder when or if their struggles are going to catch up to them.  In every game so far this season the Buckeyes have struggled at some point.  Their biggest struggle is slow starts.  Those are fine when you are playing UCF and UAB, but in Big 10 play teams could jump out early and take you out.  However QB Braxton Miller has sparked the Buckeyes to get the victories.  Against UAB he was just average.  He'll need to be at the top of his game this weekend against Michigan State.  The Spartan defense is one of the best in the nation and has the athletes to contain Miller.

15.  Florida Gators (4-0) LW 16
It wasn't much of a challenge for Florida in their 38 to 0 win over Kentucky.  Florida started early and never let up.  But did you know that this shut out win was the first time the Gators have shut out an SEC opponent since 2001?  That's over 10 years!  With all the crappy offenses we've seen in the SEC lately, the Gators haven't shut one out.  That's pretty remarkable.  Florida can now shift their focus towards LSU who they play in two weeks.  Having an extra week to prepare should get the Gators extra focused.

16.  Michigan State Spartans (3-1) LW 17
I know that Eastern Michigan is improving, but seriously Michigan State?  Your going to struggle against them?  I guess you were really looking ahead to the Ohio State game.  Because there is no reason that Michigan State had to score 20 straight points to sneak away with a victory.  What's even more alarming is that Le'Veon Bell got 36 carries.  This was suppose to be a game where the Spartans could rest Bell a little before the Big 10 season.  Instead they needed all 36 carries to get the win.  What's worse is that the Spartans now face an Ohio State team that has a ton of talent.  Michigan State is going to need QB Andrew Maxwell to really show up if they want to win.

17.  Texas Longhorns (3-0) LW 18
Texas enjoyed a nice weekend off in preperation for the start of Big 12 season.  Texas starts off conference play with back to back tough games against the state of Oklahoma.  Oklahoma State is up first.  This ain't your Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon Oklahoma State teams, but they still know how to score and they're going to put Texas defense to the test.  After Okie State, Texas then travels up to Dallas for the Red River Shootout against Oklahoma.  The Sooners have dominanted lately, but there coming off a loss to KState and the Longhorns now have some stability at the QB position.  Because history has told us that the team with the best QB usually wins that game.


18.  Louisville Cardinals (4-0) LW 19
Even without Teddy Bridgewater at the top of his game, the Cardinals were able to secure a victory over Florida International and get revenge from last year's defeat.  Bridgewater threw for more incompletions in this game than he had all three previous.  Add in 2 INTs and it wasn't what we've seen so far this year.  However he throw 2 TDs and rush for another one to help keep Lousiville undefeated.  Louisville now moves on to face Southern Miss who despite an 0-3 record is still a dangerous team.

19.  TCU Horned Frogs (3-0) LW 20
It was a complete game victory for the Horned Frogs.  Defensively TCU played up to their reputation.  They held Virginia to 7 points and forced 4 turnovers.  offensively QB Casey Pachall had a game.  He threw for 305 yards and 3 TDs.  WR Brandon Carter was the leading receiver and made a highlight one handed catch that put TCU ahead for good.  TCU now moves on to face in state rival SMU to finish out the non-conference schedule.  SMU should be an wasy win and give the Horned Frogs their 12 straight win.


20.  Virginia Tech Hokies (3-1) LW 21
Virginia Tech couldn't wait to get back onto the field after their horrible loss to hapless Pittsburgh.  What better way to do that then to beat up on a MAC school.  That's exactly what VaTech did in their 37-0 victory over Bowling Green.  QB Logan Thomas didn't put up eye popping numbers, but he ran and passed for 209 yards and 3 TDs.  But what is alarming is that VaTech has to rely on Thomas to help their running game.  That will be something they figure out soon because it could cost them a few games.  Especially if Thomas gets banged up.  The Hokies now travel to Cincinnati which has all the firepower to knock off the Hokies.


21.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) LW 23
When you schedule a FCS opponent your suppose to be them like Nebraska did against Idaho State 73-7.  Severly overmatched the Bengals just couldn't do much against the Huskers.  Heck Nebraska even rested QB Taylor Martinez in the 1st quarter.  The game didn't accomplish much, but it did allow the Huskers to get RB Rex Burkhead back on the field and get some reps before their game against Wisconsin.  The Big 10 is wide open this year and it may come down to whose offense is playing the best.  And right now the Huskers are the only team (besides Ohio State who is ineligible) whose offense has shown that can put up points consistantly.  Add in Wisconsin's struggles so far and this should allow the Huskers to get revenge from last year's beat down in Madison.


22.  Baylor Bears (3-0) LW 24
After knocking off Arkansas and then almost getting Auburn, the Lousiana Monroe Warhawks almost got another BCS conference team.  Baylor needed two late TDs to take then lead and then get some breathing room.  Baylor was lead by QB Nick Florence's 351 yards 4 TDs.  But the big concern with Baylor is always their defense.  If they give up 42 points to Lousiana Monroe, how many are they going to give up against West Virginia?  That game could be a track meet.


23.  Tennessee Volunteers (3-1) LW 25
Everybody was real quick to write off Tenessee after their loss to Florida.  However they almost won that game and still have looked pretty impressive so far this season.  They followed up the loss to Florida with a 21 point win over Akron.  The offense continues to score a boat load of points, but if they want to make some noise in the SEC, they'll have to play some defense.  Georgia is their next opponent and that will be tough.  However they have the firepower to do so.


24.  Northwestern Wildcats (4-0) LW NR
One of the surprise teams so far this season has to be Northwestern.  The Wildcats are 4-0 and have three wins over BCS conference schools.  It's not like Northwestern's success is a product of their schedule.  They've looked impressive in wins over Vanderbilt, Syracuse, and Boston College.  The schedule also sets up where they can be 7-0 heading into the game against Nebraska.  The same team Northwestern beat in Lincoln last year.  The Big 10 is wide open right now and with the scoring they can do, they could be a sleeper in the Lengends Division.


25.  Michigan Wolverines (2-2) LW 13
Michigan was everybody's darling to start the season.  With Dennard Robinson back, Greg Mattison's defense, and Brady Hoke's personality the Wolverines were going win the Big 10 and be a contender for the National Championship.  Their dominating loss to Alabama in the first game was a huge blow, but their latest loss against Notre Dame was even more damning.  We all knew that there were questions about their defense, but the loss to Notre Dame raises questions about their ability to score.  Notre Dame has a good defense, but Michigan should be able to score at least a TD.  Michigan now moves on to face a Purdue team that is underrated.

Dropped From the Rankings:  UCLA

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.