NCAA Top 25 (Week 13)

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) LW 14

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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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


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

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


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

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


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

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

NCAA Top 25 (Week 11)

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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


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


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


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


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

Dropped From the Rankings:  Toledo, Mississippi State, Northwestern

NCAA Top 25 (Week 10)

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


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


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


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


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


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

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


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

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

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

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


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

13.  Louisville Cardinals (9-0) LW 13

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

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

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


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


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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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



Dropped From the Rankings:  Texas Tech, West Virginia

NCAA Top 25 (Week 9)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) LW 1
Is it possible that the team that won the National Title last year and has been the #1 ranked team most of the year is underrated?  Maybe forgotten?  In a season where we are all trying to see who is the 2nd best team it seems that Alabama is being overlooked.  But they go out and dominate week in and week out.  This weekend was no different as they gave Miss State their first loss of the season.  Now they can move on to LSU.


2.  Oregon Ducks (8-0) LW 2
To me it's a shame that Oregon is #4 in the BCS.  I know it's all because of their schedule, but they are clearly the second best team in the nation.  Offensively they are unstoppable averaging over 53 points per game.  This weekend they had 56 on Colorado at half.  Defensively they are much better, but because they pull their starters so early, their scoring defense isn't a good reflection.  Their game against USC this weekend will be a good showcase of how good they truly are.


3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-0) LW 3
If you haven't taken Notre Dame serious so far this season, it's about time you do.  After racing out to a 7-0 start, the Fighting Irish had to travel to Oklahoma to face the top 10 rated Sooners.  Not only did Notre Dame win, but they pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 30-13.  Manti Te'o was the star of the game totalling 11 tackels, a sack, and the game clinching INT.  The win keeps the Irish unbeaten and gives them a great shot at a possible National Title appearance.


4.  Kansas State Wildcats (8-0) LW 5
Kansas State has had a habit of blowing out ranked teams.  After only beating Oklahoma by 5 the Wildcats smothered both West Virginia and Texas Tech in route to big victories.  With each game QB Collin Klein seems to be turning in bigger game after game.  This past weekend he had 4 TDs to go along with his 316 yards.  Will this trend continue against Oklahoma State?


5.  LSU Tigers (7-1) LW 6
LSU fans had to be pleased with the performance the Tigers had coming from behind to beat Texas A&M.  Now all the Tigers get to do is rest up and prepare to play host to Alabama.  The winner of this game would be in the drivers seat to the SEC Title Game and more than likely the National Championship game.


6.  Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) LW 14
After getting blown out by South Carolina and only narrowly beating Kentucky it looked like the Bulldogs were going downhill and their game against Florida was going to be their second loss.  Instead the defense stepped up and got them the win.  The biggest reason was that they forced the Florida offense into six turnovers!  It's pretty hard to lose when you are doing that.  But if Georgia wants to win the SEC East, they'll need Aaron Murray to play a better game than he did this weekend.


7.  Florida Gators (7-1) LW 4
All the Gators had to do was beat Georgia and they would clinch the SEC East and be assured their spot for a possible National Championship opportunity.  However it's hard to win games when you turn the ball over 6 times.  It stings even worse when you force 3 INTs your self and still lose.  But that's what happens when you have a ball control offense.  Now the Gators must hope that Georgia losses another game or their left on the outside looking in.


8.  Florida State Seminoles (8-1) LW 11
Florida State is another team that people are tending to forget about.  They were considered by some to be a National Title contender before they lost to NC State, but they've bounced back and have a great shot at meeting Florida in the final week for state supremacy.  This past weekend they handled a Duke team that surprisingly is pretty solid.  Next up is Virginia Tech.


9.  Clemson Tigers (7-1) LW 12
Wake Forrest really didn't have a chance.  Especially when QB Tajh Boyd sets school records for passing yards (428) in a game and TDs (5) and WR Sammie Watkins set the new school record for most receiving yards (202) in a game.  You also have to be impressed with the defense only giving up 13 points in a blowout.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) LW 10
I know that Ohio State isn't allowed to be ranked in the BCS standings or even the Coaches Poll, but you have to wonder how well would they do if they were?  I know the Big 10 is down, but the Buckeyes are likely go to undefeated.  Would they be a title contender?  Either way they scored a huge victory over Penn State this weekend.  Let's call it the "Ineligi-Bowl."  Braxton Miller continued to show us how good he is and that he can bounce back from his trip to he hospital.  Now it should be easy sailing for Ohio State until their end of the year rivalry game with Michigan.


11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) LW 13
They may have beat Tennessee, but it feels .like the Gamecocks lost.  Probably because of the injury to RB Marcus Lattimore is such a blow.  Not only are you losing your best player, but you feel awful for the young man that he's having to deal with this again.  They do have a weekend off to get things figured out before facing Arkansas in on November 10th.


12.  Oklahoma Sooners (5-2) LW 8
Beating Notre Dame would have given the Sooners the jump start that they needed to get back into the National Title picture.  Instead a poor fourth quarter gives the Sooners their second loss of the season and ends their chances.  Now the Sooners hope to win out and get back into a BCS Bowl.


13.  Louisville Cardinals (8-0) LW 15

All Louisville needs to do is beat Cincinnati and Rutgers and they should finish with the Big East Title and an undefeated season.  Louisville got one part of that done on Friday Night beating Cincinnati in OT 34-31.  The Cardinals intercepted Cincinnati and then kicked the winning field goal to get the "Keg of Nails" and stay unbeaten.

14.  Oregon State Beavers (6-1) LW 9
Oregon State's dream season came to an abrupt end at the hands of Washington.  It was the same Washington team that knocked off Stanford.  Oregon State mounted a comeback, but it was for not because Washington was able to get the game winning field goal.  Oregon State's season isn't over and they still have a chance to beat Oregon in a couple of weeks

15.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1) LW 16
Mississippi State didn't move a lot in the rankings because it's hard to fault a team that has only one loss and that loss was the consensus #1 team Alabama.  It's hard to gauge how good the Bulldogs really are against such a good team, but we'll find more out when they host Texas A&M this weekend. 

16.  USC Trojans (6-2) LW 7
Do you remember when USC was considered the best team in the nation and thought to go undefeated.  Well after losses to Stanford and now Arizona have ruined the Trojans season.  What makes matters worse is that they face off against Oregon this weekend and a loss there would give them their third of the season.  Add in Notre Dame at the end and we could be looking at a USC team with 4 or more losses.


17.  West Virginia Mountaineers (5-2) LW 19
This bye week couldn't have come at a better time for West Virginia.  After riding high for their first five games the Mountaineers have gotten punched in the mouth two straight weeks.  Hopefully they can take some time to get things figured out offensively and get back to the same team we saw early in the season. 


18.  Stanford Cardinal (6-2) LW 21
If it wasn't for their defense we could be talking about a Stanford team with more than two losses.  Instead the defense continues to play at a high level and give the offense enough breathing room to get wins.  After disposing of Washington State the Cardinal move on to face hapless Colorado.  That should be an easy win before they face Oregon and Oregon State.

19.  Texas A&M Aggies (6-2) LW 25
You'd be a lier if you thought A&M would be contending for the SEC West at the beginning of the season.  But the Aggies have only two losses and in both games they were leading by double digits.  A&M didn't want that to happen against Auburn where they jumped out to an early 42-7 lead at halftime and cruised to an easy victory.  Now the Aggies have a little tougher competition against Miss State this weekend.  The winner here still has an outside shot at the SEC West.  The loser will be eliminated.


20.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2) LW NR
After Nebraska lost big to Ohio State it looked like the Huskers had too many questions and not enough answers.  But the Huskers got things figured out after their bye week and got big wins at Northwestern and against Michigan.  Now Nebraska is in the lead of the Legends Division and has four winnable games to end the season.  With the Big 10 down this could be a great opportunity for the Huskers to make it back to a BCS Bowl.

21.  Texas Longhorns (6-2) LW 24
You have to be a little concerned how Texas only beat a horrible Kansas team by 4 points.  Ever since the Oklahoma game the offense has really taken a nose dive.  QB David Ash is on the verge of losing his job and the defense is a sieve.  They better get it fixed because an improved Texas Tech team in coming to town and they have a great opportunity to beat Texas and drop them out of the rankings.

22.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-1) LW NR
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs made an appearance a couple of weeks ago in the rankings but fell after a tough loss to Texas A&M.  But they've rattled off two straight wins and are setting at 7-1 on the season.  Pair that up with four very winnable games left and the Bulldogs should finish with an 11-1 record. 

23.  Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-2) LW 23
Sure Texas Tech lost to Kansas State, but they didn't get blown out and they did a lot better against the Wildcats than West Virginia or Oklahoma did.  Was it luck or are the Red Raiders better than we think?  We can find this out this weekend as they travel to Austin to face the Longhorns.  If the Red Raiders can win that game they will be in 3rd place and and chance to play in an upper tier bowl game.

24.  Penn State Nittany Lions (5-3) LW 17
Penn State's five game winning streak came to and end this weekend at the hands of Ohio State.  Going into the game the Nittany Lions were playing like one of the conferences best, but the talented Buckeye team was just too much for this undermanned team.  Penn State now faces off against a reeling Purdue team before they travel to Lincoln to play the red hot Huskers.

25.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-1) LW 18
There is something about MAC schools ruining the Big East race.  Last week it was Toledo that ended Cincinnati's perfect season, and now Kent State did the same against Rutgers.  What makes matters worse is that Rutgers now has a week off to think about the loss before they play Army in two weeks.


Dropped From the Rankings:  Ohio Bobcats, Michigan Wolverines

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