NCAA Top 25 (Finals Standings)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NCAA Top 25 (Week 13)

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) LW 14

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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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


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

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


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

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


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

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

NCAA Top 25 (Week 12)

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


14.  Oklahoma Sooners (8-2) LW 13

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

NCAA Top 25 (Week 11)

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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


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


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


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


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

Dropped From the Rankings:  Toledo, Mississippi State, Northwestern

NCAA Top 25 (Week 10)

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


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


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


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


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


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

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


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

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

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

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


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

13.  Louisville Cardinals (9-0) LW 13

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

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

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


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


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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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



Dropped From the Rankings:  Texas Tech, West Virginia

NCAA Top 25 (Week 6)

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

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


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

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


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


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


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


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

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

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



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


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

NCAA Top 25 (Week 5)

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


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


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


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


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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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


Dropped From the Rankings: Virginia Tech