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The theme to this college football season has to be Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust". This past week it was Oregon and Oklahoma losing their quarterback and national title aspirations on the road. In the musical spirit, "Who's Next"? The way the BCS rankings are currently set up, we can expect LSU vs. Kansas as the flavor of the week in the title game because only a loss would allow a chasing team to pass them. LSU has the dynamic running backs of Arkansas coming in this week. They also possess a top 4 run defense nationally in yards per carry (2.4) and per game (78.3). If Tennessee wins at Kentucky it will be the Volunteers in the SEC title game. Otherwise Georgia comes knocking. Both teams have good quarterbacks, but the Tigers are in the top 10 nationally for pass defense too.

 

 

 

Kansas has the "#2 curse" hanging around their neck. They also have 10-1 Missouri (#4) and probably 9-2 Oklahoma staring back at them. Unlike previous teams ranked second they would not be losing to an unranked opponent. West Virginia (#3) is not out of the woods yet. Connecticut is a dangerous opponent with a defense that has allowed just one team to score 20+ points this season. Then there's that whole "Backyard Brawl" with Pittsburgh.

 

 

 

Ohio State (#5) is almost sitting pretty right now since their season is over at 11-1. Arizona State (#6) looms as a sleeper because they can impress voters with a win over USC. Then it would be a matter of avoiding the upset against rival Arizona who just ruined Oregon's season. Georgia (#7) is the only team with two losses who can dream of a national championship game. They need a team not involved in the chase to lose though. If Tennessee does falter at Kentucky and the Bulldogs upset LSU things could get interesting in a hurry. Georgia figures to move up at least two spots past LSU and the Kansas/Missouri loser. Oklahoma winning the Big XII could secure them a third leaving them possibly a USC victory over Arizona State this Thursday away from a top 3 position. At that point some momentum might swell that their resume in the SEC even with two losses trumps what West Virginia (Big East) and Ohio State (Big Ten) did in weaker conferences.

 

 

 

Last week's ranking in ( )'s. NR = not ranked. W = watch list. (AP, USA, Harris, BCS)

 

 

 

 

#1 (1) Kansas (11-0): Dare I say they are playing like a top ranked team? After opening with a punt they drove 82, 80, 81 and 75 yards for touchdowns on consecutive possessions to blow it open against Iowa State. These are the same Cyclones who lost by 10 against Oklahoma and 14 at Missouri just a few weeks ago. On defense they didn't allow a drive over 31 yards in the second half while giving up 234 total yards. Reesing completed 80.8% of his passes for 253 yards and 4 touchdowns. Now that Oklahoma has stumbled it looks like only the winner of their battle with Missouri this week has a shot to represent the Big XII in the BCS title game. (2, 2, 2, 2) 

 

#2 (3) LSU (10-1): Where has the defense gone? After allowing 466 total yards in a 41-24 win over Mississippi they are a far cry from the team that terrorized Virginia Tech. Some of the yardage this week came when they were in control, but isn't this a team trying to prove they are worthy of a spot in the national championship? If they are giving up better than 200 yards rushing to the Rebels I think Tiger fans should worry about Arkansas with McFadden long before figuring how who might trip them up in the SEC title game. (1, 1, 1, 1)

 

 

#3 (4) Arizona State (9-1): With Oregon's loss the Sun Devils spent their week off pondering a return to the national title game picture. This Thursday's meeting with USC now looms even larger. A victory leaves them a home win over rival Arizona, who just ruined the season for the Ducks, away from winning the Pac-10 and staking their claim for a BCS title bid. Unfortunately their resume is not as good as Oregon's was because there is no signature win at Michigan to fall back on. Their hope is that Oklahoma wins the Big XII with voters looking at the lone common opponent. That would be Colorado. Arizona State beat them 33-14 at home while Oklahoma lost 27-24 on the road. (7, 6, 6, 6)

 

 

 

#4 (6) West Virginia (10-1): After opening a 28-10 lead at Cincinnati they tried to fumble the game away, but held on for the win. The lead was built on long scoring drives in the opening three quarters as they went 70, 80, 73 and 67 yards for their touchdowns before a 36 yard final quarter. Their defense made enough plays to get it done, holding the Bearcats to 4/13 on third down while delivering 5 sacks and forcing two fumbles. White was effective as usual, balanced in his own way with 140 yards passing and 155 yards rushing. Next up is what amounts to the Big East title game against upstart Connecticut as the Mountaineers try to sneak into the BCS title game. (4, 3, 3, 3)

 

 

 

#5 (5) Hawaii (10-0): Most teams would be happy to see their backup quarterback finish 33/46 for 358 yards and two touchdowns. The Warriors are one of the exceptions in their pass happy offense. It almost ended their BCS dream at Nevada, their final road game this season. In the end it was their defense making the big plays to win the game. The last three Wolfpack possessions totaled 9 plays for 13 yards. Now the challenge will be regrouping on a short week to prepare for Boise State what amounts to the WAC title game. (14, 13, 13, 15)

 

 

 

#6 (9) Missouri (10-1): For a team trying to play into the national championship game they let Kansas State hang around for far too long. If the Wildcats hadn't lost the turnover battle 3-0 it might have been a lot closer than 49-32. The Tigers benefited from starting four drives inside opposing territory and had only three drives over 49 yards against a defense that Nebraska ate up for 73 points last week. Defensively they gave up 9/18 conversions on third down, but produced those turnovers and 4 sacks to keep them out front. Leading 21-18 at halftime was not where anyone expected them to be in this game. Now they battle Kansas for the Big XII North title. (3, 4, 3, 4)

 

 

 

#7 (10) Georgia (9-2): The first quarter against Kentucky could not have gone much worse. They turned it over three times and allowed three drives totaling 140 yards to dig a 10-0 hole. Then the Bulldogs took control, outscoring the Wildcats 24-3 the rest of the way. The defense sacked Woodson five times as he completed just 58.5% of his passes. Moreno and Brown controlled the game for the offense with 22 carries each totaling 197 yards rushing. Ironically, they now need Kentucky's help, a win over Tennessee, to reach the SEC title game. Otherwise perhaps the team playing best in the conference will be watching at home. (6, 7, 7, 7)

 

 

 

#8 (2) Oregon (8-2): What a tough way to lose out on the national title game and possibly the Pac-10 title. With their Heisman candidate Dixon on the sideline it was a solid effort defensively in the second half, but the offense couldn't deliver. Arizona's final 10 drives, starting midway through the second quarter, totaled just 134 yards on 50 plays and produced only the game clinching field goal. The offense sputtered badly in the second and third quarters though. They had the ball 9 times, once driving 53 yards for a field goal but other than that totaling 31 yards on 32 plays. Brady Leaf couldn't deliver the ball down the field and obviously isn't the playmaker Dixon is. Now the task is to regroup for a trip to UCLA as they adjust their goals to gaining a BCS bid. (9, 10, 10, 9)

 

 

 

#9 (12) Boston College (9-2): Sometimes momentum can be a funny thing. They hit the road after losing two in a row against a Clemson team who had won four straight by an average of 48-13. In the end Matt Ryan restarted his Heisman campaign with 315 yards passing including a beautiful touchdown launch to win the game. Their defense had allowed 69 points during the two losses, but limited the Tigers to 273 yards in this one. They also came up with a huge sack prior to Clemson's last ditch field goal attempt. If not for that 6 yard loss the kick might have had enough distance to force overtime. Only a wounded Miami, FL team stands in their way of win #10. (15, 16, 16, 14)

 

 

 

#10 (8) Ohio State (11-1): The Buckeyes secured a Big Ten title by simply dominating Michigan. The Wolverines had just 8 first downs and 91 total yards, converting a dismal 3/18 on third down. Their only offense was Chris Wells rambling for 222 yards on 39 carries, but that's all it took. When Western Michigan beat Iowa it marked the fourth team in the conference to suffer an embarrassing loss this season. That could come into play if this team sneaks back into the national title picture. Don't laugh. They are the only team near the top without a game to lose. (5, 5, 5, 5)

 

 

 

#11 (13) Virginia Tech (9-2): A week after their rivals dusted Miami, FL they took a turn with a 44-14 romp. The Hurricanes did all of their offensive damage on four consecutive drives starting in the second quarter, but marches of 72, 56, 30 and 53 yards ended in just 14 points. Their other 8 possessions totaled 5 (yes, five) yards on 25 plays. The Hokies had their problems on offense despite the big point total, but did take it 57+ yards on five occasions. Now the Coastal division is on the line at Virginia with a spot in the ACC title game at stake. (8, 8, 8, 8)

 

 

 

#12 (14) USC (8-2): Everyone seems to have forgotten about the Trojans, but they have slugged their way into contention for a stunning defense of their Pac-10 title. Winning this Thursday night at Arizona State would leave them in a three way tie with each team having split with the other two. Their final task is beating rival UCLA, but no doubt they would be the highest rated conference team in the BCS so the Rose Bowl is certainly within sight. (11, 12, 12, 11)

 

 

 

#13 (7) Oklahoma (9-2): Chalk them up as one more team who had their national title hopes crumble when their starting quarterback went out. I loved the fight in them as they rallied from a 34-13 deficit including a terrible call going against them on what should have been a touchdown on a fourth down play. The troubling element is allowing Harrell to pass for 420 yards because the defense should have stepped up. Instead they gave up four consecutive scoring drives of 55+ yards. All of a sudden they need to beat Oklahoma State (6-5) to get into the Big XII title game. (10, 9, 9, 10)

 

 

 

#14 (11) Clemson (8-3): Boston College just has a hex on them right now. Even if their last gasp field goal had gone through it would have only forced overtime. The Eagles broke their hearts in OT the last two times these teams met. In this one Cullen Harper couldn't lead the way as he has most of the season. Nine times this season he has thrown 2+ touchdowns, but for the second time he was held without one. The other was their 13-3 loss at Georgia Tech. Next they try to extend the misery of bitter rival South Carolina from the SEC. (21, 22, 22, 22)

 

 

 

#15 (15) Florida (8-3): The Gators were a minute away from heading into halftime up 28-20 on Florida Atlantic. This is a team that lost to Louisiana-Monroe although maybe they're not so bad after beating Alabama this week. I'm just not buying into the SEC power this season. They separated in the second half, but that's what a team loaded with stars is supposed to do in the first half against this kind of opponent. Tebow's 338 yards passing will keep him in the Heisman conversation, but he wouldn't get my vote after losing his most important games. The Gators close against Florida State in a game that used to be must see television. (12, 14, 14, 12)

 

 

 

#16 (16) Virginia (9-2): It was about time for them to register a rout and their bye week came at a great time as they prepare to host rival Virginia Tech for the ACC Coastal title. All year they have lived on the edge, and that certainly plays into their favor against the Hokies who excel in pressure situations historically. The knock on the Cavaliers is that they have yet to register a really big win other than squeaking by Connecticut. That would change if they win the ACC title game. (16, 15, 17, 16)

 

 

 

#17 (18) Tennessee (8-3): Their home fans must have been shocked to see them struggle against Vanderbilt the way they have been playing on their turf lately. It was a weird game in that they held the Commodores to 13 yards or less on 8 of 11 drives. The others were 78, 76 and 75 yard touchdown marches which were enough to stake the visitors to a 24-9 lead into the fourth quarter. However, Tennessee was ending a 10 play, 72 yard touchdown drive as the quarter opened and later went 83 for another touchdown in the comeback. Ainge completed 67.4% of his passes for 3 touchdowns without a turnover and was not sacked. Now only a visit to Kentucky stands in their way of meeting LSU in the SEC title game. (19, 19, 19, 18)

 

 

 

#18 (20) Texas (9-2): The Longhorns are a rivalry win next Friday away from a totally unimpressive 10-2 finish. They have sputtered against the mediocre Big XII teams including Nebraska while losing big to Kansas State at home and not even playing Kansas or Missouri. Their signature performance is losing close to Oklahoma. It would be criminal to involve this team in the BCS. (13, 11, 11, 13)

 

 

 

#19 (21) Boise State (10-1): After allowing Idaho to close within 17-14 late in the second quarter they decided enough was enough. The defense finally started to play and the offense kept pouring it on. In 13 drives the Broncos posted 8 touchdowns and a field goal. They finished 10/16 on third down, limiting the Vandals to 4/16. This was a perfect tune up for their monster road trip to Hawaii this week for the WAC title. (17, 17, 15, 19)

 

 

 

#20 (17) Cincinnati (8-3): Their offense consistently moved the ball, but they never broke the West Virginia defense. Drives of 45, 44, 40 and 73 yards ended up with a total of 3 points. Defensively they let the Mountaineers march 53+ yards on five occasions and four of those ended in touchdowns. That was the difference in the game as Mauk's 323 yards passing failed to rally them from a 28-10 fourth quarter deficit. This was still a strong season for the Bearcats who would love to play Louisville and Pittsburgh again. (24, 26, 24, 24)

 

 

 

#21 (19) Connecticut (9-2): No one can name any of the Huskies, but here they are playing for the Big East title. Against Syracuse they simply let them implode with three turnovers, a missed field goal and four sacks. The offense built a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter and coasted home. Can they win at West Virginia? In this crazy season anything is possible. (20, 21, 21, 20)

 

 

 

#22 (23) BYU (8-2): Their march through the Mountain West has been largely ignored by experts who fail to recognize how solid this conference is. A victory this week against Utah will clinch the title for the Cougars who just won a 35-10 romp in Wyoming in case you didn't notice. This is not a recording, just another great effort from quarterback Max Hall with 331 yards passing with 70% of his passes completed. No one wants to face this team in a bowl. (23, 23, 23, 25)

 

 

 

#23 (24) South Florida (8-3): The pressure is off this team and they are back to playing well. A week after ripping Syracuse they laid a 55-17 beat down on Louisville. In the process they terrorized Brohm who completed just 48.6% of his passes with 3 interceptions. Grothe had an efficient day going 17/23 for 194 yards and two touchdowns, adding 67 yards rushing with another score. The Bulls really left no doubt by scoring touchdowns on four of their first five possessions, adding two defensive scores for a 41-10 halftime lead. With a win over Pittsburgh they can bolster West Virginia's national title game hopes because pollsters will consider that the Mountaineers' only loss was to a 9-3 team. (27, 30, 26, 23)

 

 

 

#24 (26) Illinois (9-3): The third down conversion numbers tell the story as they often do. They were 8/14 while Northwestern was 2/10. The outcome was never in question after the Illini drove 71, 84 and 97 yards for touchdowns sandwiched around a punt in their opening four possessions. If it ever was a question they answered it by opening the second half with 76 and 94 yard touchdown drives. Their reward is a tie for second place in the final Big Ten standings. Do you think they will wonder what could have been if they had beaten Iowa? How about a trip to the Rose Bowl? (18, 18, 18, 17)

 

 

 

#25 (28) Auburn (7-4): After a poor start to the season the Tigers are in danger of fading at the end as well. Last week's blowout in Georgia erased a lot of their momentum. Next up is bitter rival Alabama. Suddenly the team that beat Florida and tested LSU could be staring at finishing 7-6. Spending this week off will give them time to prepare for avoiding such a fate. (25, 25, 25, 26)

 

 

 

#26 (29) Wisconsin (9-3): They never trailed in the fourth quarter, but it was an ugly win over a Minnesota team who finished 1-11. Their defense allowed 501 total yards including five scoring drives of 54+ yards. Offensively they went 49+ yards seven times in a defense optional game. At least for one day Brown made people forget Hill is hurt with 29 carries for 250 yards rushing. Their bowl should be entertaining. (22, 20, 20, 21)

 

 

 

#27 (22) Kentucky (7-4): This team has now lost four of their past six and Woodson isn't doing much to stop the bleeding. Other than his 70% completion day against Florida he has sputtered under 60% during the other losses and failed to take this team on his back. They didn't have the running game to protect an early 10-0 lead at Georgia. Their longest drive after the first quarter was 44 yards. Their season can be saved in a way by upsetting Tennessee who has designs on the SEC East title. A loss would render their win over LSU as a relative fluke in the eyes of most people. (28, 29, 29, 28)

 

 

 

#28 (NR) Texas Tech (8-4): With Harrell and Crabtree the Red Raiders always have a chance. This time they got up on Oklahoma who was reeling when Bradford went down. Crabtree now has 1,861 yards receiving with 21 touchdowns on 125 receptions. He is making a case for the Heisman as a freshman. The offense went sour in the second half as they struggled to hold the big lead. Their final six possessions totaled 64 yards on 21 plays and their quick strike attack almost hurt them because they couldn't run down the clock. Who wants to face this offense in a bowl game though? (26, 24, 28, 27)

 

 

 

#29 (NR) Oregon State (7-4): Since a disastrous, turnover laden 40-14 loss to UCLA this team has rallied to win five of their last six games. With Dixon out they can almost be considered favorites at rival Oregon. Their latest victory was the product of their defense which came up with 7 interceptions, making Washington State's veteran quarterback Brink look like a freshman. Offensively they opened with three touchdowns in their opening four possessions to get a big lead early. With Bernard healthy this could be a dangerous team in a bowl. (34, 40, 37, 37)

 

 

 

#30 (NR) Utah (8-3): The Utes have to be wondering how their season might have gone if not for the 1-3 start, or perhaps if conference games hadn't been two of those early losses. The answer comes this week at BYU. If they win this one it won't give them a Mountain West title unless the Cougars also stumble at San Diego State, but it will put an exclamation point on their strong finish. (36, NR, 38, NR)

 

 

 

Dropped Out:

#25 Michigan (29, 28, 30, 30)

#27 Penn State (35, 32, 31, 31)

#30 California (32, NR, 36, NR)

 

 

 

Last week's ranking in ( )'s. NR = not ranked. W = watch list. (AP, USA, Harris, BCS)

 

 

#1 (2) Kansas (10-0): The end of the world is upon us. I have no problem voting them in the top spot because to stay there it will require wins over Missouri and Oklahoma. This week they were getting it done on both sides of the ball. Don't let the 43-28 final over Oklahoma State fool you, or the 471 yards allowed. The Cowboys drove 53, 82, 89 and 64 yards during the final quarter and a half after Kansas was up comfortably 33-14. Those drives ended in a turnover, two touchdowns and downs. The Jayhawk offense went 46+ yards eight times and is the most disrespected unit in the nation. Seven times they have scored at least 43 points. (4, 4, 4, 3)

 

 

 

#2 (3) Oregon (8-1): If ever a coach needed to sit his team down on an off week this is it for Belotti. The BCS title game is within reach, but now they hit the road for two teams capable of giving them trouble. First up is Arizona on Thursday night with the national spotlight followed by UCLA. Neither team is in their class if they play well, but both fall into the category of "trap" games. The finale is the Civil War against rival Oregon State, another potential pitfall. One stumble and they could be out of not only the BCS title chase, but without a Pac-10 championship. (2, 2, 2, 2)

 

 

 

#3 (4) LSU (9-1): After four straight tough, close SEC games it must have been a relief for them to step out for a 58-10 whooping of Louisiana Tech. In the meantime they suprisingly clinched a spot in the SEC title game with losses by Alabama and Auburn. They were not perfect, but we were reminded how good this defense can be. On 13 of 17 possessions the Bulldogs failed to move the ball more than 17 yards. Offensively it wasn't a perfect effort, just enough to do the job. What surprises me is to see that of their 18 drives only three times did they keep it more than 5 plays. A quick strike offense was part of the problem with TD drives of 5, 3, 3, 3, 3, 6 and 5 plays. They won't stumble in Mississippi so now it's just Run DMC's Arkansas and the title game, likely against Georgia or Tennessee, keeping them from "hosting" the BCS championship. (1, 1, 1, 1)

 

 

 

#4 (5) Arizona State (9-1): Hitting the road following an emotional first loss can be tough. Just ask Cal who lost to UCLA on this field after losing their perfect season. The Sun Devils pulled it out in a game that was fun to watch if you enjoy punts, all 19 of them. It's easy to see how they controlled the Bruin offense with yet another quarterback leading the way. Their three drives over 28 yards all covered 54 yards, but none of them produced points. Carpenter was not sharp, going just 16/31 for 200 yards while taking 6 sacks. Nevertheless they drove the ball 47, 91, 67 and 64 yards on consecutive possessions in the third quarter to retain control of the game. After a week off they get a Thanksgiving showdown against USC for a possible trip to the Rose Bowl on the line. (9, 8, 8, 8)

 

 

 

#5 (6) Hawaii (9-0): The final score of 37-30 over Fresno State isn't impressive, but it wasn't that close. Their offense was only forced into third down 8 times all game and the Bulldogs only had the ball one time (their opening possession) with a chance to tie the score. Brennan did his thing completing 71.8% of his passes for 396 yards. Their opening possessions went for 77, 83, 51, 67 and 80 yards as they opened a 24-7 first quarter lead. This wasn't a bad Fresno State team either. Their previous losses were to Texas A&M, Oregon and Boise State with two of those on the road. Only one more trip off the island, this Friday night when they visit Nevada. (13, 12, 11, 16)

 

 

 

#6 (7) West Virginia (9-1): They picked a bad time to blow a 31-14 lead. Sure, they answered back to beat Louisville who for all of their woes has still yet to lose by more than 9 points during a disappointing 5-5 campaign. However, this is the time for style points on national TV late in the season. Even as Pat White dazzled with 181 yards passing and another 147 yards receiving with 3 total touchdowns he had fumbling issues. Steve Slaton was contained and the defense let Brian Brohm pass for 345 yards even with no semblance of a running game. It was far from a perfect effort, but they get an extra day to prepare for a trap, uh, trip to Cincinnati. (5, 5, 5, 6)

 

 

 

#7 (8) Oklahoma (9-1): Can a freshman win the Heisman? If so, Sam Bradford could be the guy. This week marked his seventh games over 240+ yards passing (353) or two touchdowns (2) as he completed 20/25 passes. Obviously they controlled the action against Baylor with a trio of rushers carrying the ball 37 times for another 180 yards. Eight times they rang up drive of 49+ yards, but the defense was a little shaky giving up six drives of 58+ with most of those coming when the outcome was in doubt. The Sooners now make a trip to Texas Tech where another super frosh, receiver Michael Crabtree, makes his own case for a historic Heisman win. It fits into the "trap" category. (3, 3, 3, 4)

 

 

 

#8 (1) Ohio State (10-1): Maybe I jinxed Boeckman talking him up for a possible Heisman with comparable numbers to last year's Buckeye winner Troy Smith. He had a disastrous effort with 3 interceptions on 13/23 passing for 156 yards. There is blame to be spread on the defense as well after they allowed Illinois to grind away the final 8:09 following Boeckman's final interception. This came directed after an 11 play drive took away 6:11 even though they went just 32 yards and punted. A great defense has to get the ball back when it matters most and they failed. Now they probably have to settle for the Rose Bowl because selling a BCS title berth without a win over a team in the top 20 is tough to do. (7, 7, 7, 7)

 

 

 

#9 (9) Missouri (9-1): In their home finale I expected a sharper performance. As it was they kept Texas A&M at bay and continued to pour on the points. They have scored 38+ in every outing save their loss, 41-31 to Oklahoma. Chase Daniel is carving out a great season with 3,306 yards passing and 26 touchdowns against 9 interceptions. He was sharp against the Aggies completing 77% of his passes for 352 yards and 3 touchdowns without an interception. The defense started off very strong limiting A&M to 16 yards or less on seven of their eight first half possessions. In the second half they were touched up for 75, 52, 45 and 65 yards prior to sealing the game with a safety. The lead was preserved by holding two of those marches to field goal attempts with one failing. Next up is a trip to Kansas State who should be smarting off a puzzling 73-31 loss to Nebraska. (6, 6, 6, 5)

 

 

 

#10 (13) Georgia (8-2): Maybe they were just waiting for the right moment to pour it on against Auburn. After falling behind 20-17 and coming off four possessions totaling -4 yards on 11 plays the light bulb went on. Four touchdown marches ensued covering 68, 43, 65 and 59 yards to blow it open. Defensively they were sharp, holding the Tigers to 216 total yards and intercepting Cox 4 times. This is clearly the best team in the SEC East right now, but a flat effort at Tennessee in a 35-14 loss is standing in their way of a title game appearance. Right now I think LSU fans are probably cheering for the Volunteers to win out so they won't have to deal with the Bulldogs. Their offense can give fits to an LSU unit that has been touched up in conference play. (8, 9, 9, 9)

 

 

 

#11 (15) Clemson (8-2): The Tigers are no longer in the shadows. After a 44-10 thrashing of a pretty good Wake Forest team they are poised to win the ACC Atlantic and possibly avenge one of their losses against Virginia Tech in the title game. They were unstoppable in this game, punting just twice. Their defense was tough as well holding the Demon Deacons to 287 total yards. Of that 125 came on their final two drives when the game was well in hand. They had no turnovers, gave up just 2 sacks and committed only 4 penalties which is a good way to blow a team out. Now the Atlantic division is on the line as they host reeling Boston College. (15, 16, 16, 15)

 

 

 

#12 (10) Boston College (8-2): The defense simply didn't hold up at Maryland. The Terrapins punted only once in the opening three quarters with six scoring drives of 57+ yards top open a 42-21 lead. Matt Ryan threw two more interceptions, but had 421 yards passing and you get the feeling that if he had gotten the ball again this game would have gone to overtime. I'm not ready to throw out all of their accomplishments including the win over Virginia Tech just yet. This week they can still clinch the ACC Atlantic by winning at Clemson. Will they win to earn a BCS bid or lose to expose themselves as overrated all along? (18, 18, 18, 17)

 

 

 

#13 (12) Virginia Tech (8-2): They are probably wishing LSU wasn't on this season's schedule right about now. If not for that loss this team might be in the national title game conversation. After outplaying Boston College in defeat they have blown past two teams who are otherwise 6-3 the past two weeks. Sometimes it feels like "Beamer Ball" is a little bit of smoke and mirrors though. In the second half their offense was dismal, especially the third quarter with 16 plays for 30 yards. Their defense was equally stifling in response to that though, holding Florida State to 28 yards on their last 13 plays covering six possessions. They had better be ready for their rival Virginia in two weeks on the road. (10, 10, 10, 10)

 

#14 (14) USC (8-2): It felt like an SEC game in the constant rain at Berkeley. Chauncey Washington saved their Rose Bowl aspirations with 220 yards rushing. This game seemed to be constantly driven by third downs with USC winning that battle converting 7/14 to Cal's 4/13. The Trojans had a conservative approach and it worked to perfection while patiently grinding this one out. They waited for Cal to make mistakes and Longshore obliged with 3 turnovers. With a back loaded schedule this is their biggest win to date. Next is a trip to Arizona State on turkey day for what looks like a bid to the Rose Bowl on the line. Anyone want to see Ohio State vs. USC in Pasadena? (11, 13, 13, 11)

 

 

 

#15 (18) Florida (7-3): I questioned Tebow as a Heisman candidate prior to this week's games because of the three losses. He promptly went out and showed why he is on everyone's list with 304 yards passing, 120 yards rushing and 7 total touchdowns at South Carolina. The Gators were 12/16 on third down and if not for 3 turnovers plus a failed fourth down this might have been much uglier than 51-31. Their defense was shoddy in the second half giving up drives of 47, 65, 43, 88 and 23 but they were playing with a comfortable lead. I can't begin to figure out their path to the SEC East title because it is so unlikely. I do know LSU would want no part of a rematch. (14, 14, 14, 12)

 

 

 

#16 (20) Virginia (9-2): The Cavaliers are having a record setting season for close wins which makes their 48-0 stomping over Miami, FL to close down the Orange Bowl so surprising. Seven of their wins have been by a grand total of 23 points. Perhaps they realized it is time to step it up. The ACC Coastal division will be decided on their field in two weeks and they will be off until then getting ready. The destruction of the Hurricanes was complete. They forced 5 turnovers, held them to 3/15 on third down and 189 total yards while finishing it off with a defensive touchdown. Only one Hurricane drive went over 21 yards. The only question is how ready they are for the Hokies having not played Clemson or Boston College from the Atlantic. (16, 17, 17, 14)

 

 

 

#17 (27) Cincinnati (8-2): After two losses to Louisville and Pittsburgh the Bearcats have rallied to beat two of the better teams in the Big East. Their latest victim was this year's Cinderella and it felt like midnight for Connecticut I'm sure. Only three times did the Huskies march over 15 yards, those being drives of 26, 38 and 74 with a 3/16 showing on third down. They will need some help to win the Big East title, but West Virginia might be surprised to find out how good this team is next week. (21, 25, 24, 22)

 

 

 

#18 (21) Tennessee (7-3): If they hosted the national title game I would take the Volunteers. In four road games they have been blown out three times, but at home their record is 6-1 with five wins by 20+ points. The latest victim is Arkansas who was held to 145 yards rushing after their record setting performance last week. The Razorbacks were held under 10 yards on 8 of their 13 drives, putting up just 49 yards on 21 plays in the first half as Tennessee built a 20-3 lead. If the Volunteers want to win the SEC East they have to hit the road once more, visiting Kentucky after this week's game against Vanderbilt. (19, 19, 19, 20)

 

 

 

#19 (11) Connecticut (8-2): The rigors of a tough conference schedule finally caught up to them on the road. Even after their 27-3 loss to Cincinnati the title still comes down to the finale at West Virginia. This week it was a disaster. Lorenzen was just 18/37 passing for 182 yards. Dixon had 12 carries for 35 yards. They were never in it. Their task now is to get well at home against a bad Syracuse team. Regardless of the outcome they can win the Big East the following week by upsetting the Mountaineers. (25, 26, 26, 24)

 

 

 

#20 (22) Texas (9-2): I'm not sure where the defense has gone for this team. For the sixth time they allowed at least 25 points and have given up 78 the past two weeks against teams who aren't supposed to be in their class. Graham Harrell did his thing for Texas Tech with 466 yards passing and 5 touchdowns, hitting stud freshman Michael Crabtree 9 times for 195 yards and two of those scores. McCoy had much more balance with his 268 yards and 4 touchdowns because Charles ran for 174 yards. Both teams went up the field at will with 8 drives of 40+ yards each. I still don't know how good the Longhorns are because they didn't play three of the Big XII North's four best teams and lost big to the one they did (Kansas State). (12, 11, 12, 13)

 

 

 

#21 (23) Boise State (9-1): Other than their crazy 69-67 quadruple OT win over Nevada the Broncos have been on a serious roll since stumbling at Washington. That was their only win on the season by less than 10 points and this marked their fourth win by 35+ points. Utah State is a bad team and they treated them as such. With Ian Johnson back in the fold their offense is going very well. They went 10/15 on third down with Tharp completing an insane 26/29 for 283 yards and 2 touchdowns. Before shutting it down in the fourth quarter they went 38+ yards on all of their first 8 possessions. There will be no letdown against 1-9 Idaho this week and even a monumental loss wouldn't prevent the following week's Friday night showdown at Hawaii from being for the WAC title. (17, 15, 15, 18)

 

 

 

#22 (25) Kentucky (7-3): They recovered from a crushing loss to Mississippi State, but were far from impressive at Vanderbilt in escaping with a 27-20 win. Woodson had another flat performance going 17/28 for 222 yards and 1 touchdown although he didn't turn it over. In the last tough back to back of their schedule they split with LSU and Florida, both at home. Now they travel to Georgia with designs on spoiling their hopes for the SEC East title. If they fail the spoiler hat stays on as they host Tennessee. Losing both would expose this team as pretty mediocre with a huge upset over a great team mixed in. I tend to think that's the case unless Woodson steps up. (22, 20, 21, 23)

 

 

 

#23 (26) BYU (7-2): Another big day for Max Hall, but the team sputtered past TCU on their home field, failing to put them away until a decisive defensive stuff. Still it was a fairly clean effort with only one sack allowed, 4 penalties and 2 turnovers. Next up is a trip to Wyoming against a team who beat Virginia to open the season. Everyone seems to either have forgotten or never known that. I will say it right now to be on record - the Mountain West is going to do some damage in bowl season. (28, 27, 28, 29)

 

 

 

#24 (30) South Florida (7-3): It took playing Syracuse to get this team back in the win column following their free fall from the #2 ranking. They either scored or drove the ball 48+ yards on 9 of their first 11 possessions. The battle in rushing yards was a little bit of a landslide at 346-15, and they won the turnover battle 4-1. If they hadn't pulled up in the fourth quarter the 41-10 final would have been much worse. Closing out the Big East schedule will be Louisville and a trip to Pittsburgh as they keep hopes alive for their first 10 win season. (29, NR, 30, NR)

 

 

 

#25 (16) Michigan (8-3): It was apparent they were saving themselves for Ohio State and I can't say I blame them. Without Hart or Henne it seemed like their soul was missing in a lackluster effort at Wisconsin. Brown and Minor combined for 64 yards rushing on 18 carries while Mallett threw a pair of interceptions. They did show some spunk fighting back from a 17-0 deficit to close within 23-21. The bottom line is that the Big Ten title is still determined by their trip to Ohio State this week. That's the time to put everyone on the field and fire all the guns. (23, 23, 22, 21)

 

 

 

#26 (W) Illinois (8-3): If not for a tough loss at Iowa this team might be an Ohio State win over Michigan away from winning the Big Ten. They have quietly gone about their business all season, and now a 40-34 opening loss to Missouri is starting to look pretty impressive considering what the Tigers have done since. Going to Ohio State and taking away their national title hopes was huge. They did so by playing a clean game. No turnovers, 1 penalty and 1 sack allowed while going 8/17 on third down. They intercepted Boeckman 3 times to ruin his Heisman dream and chewed up 14:20 off the clock while running 26 plays over their final two possessions. A 10 win season would be quite an accomplishment for Ron Zook's team. (20, 21, 20, 19)

 

 

 

#27 (W) Penn State (8-3): There isn't much to do against a bad team like Temple except shut them out which the Nittany Lions did. Kinlaw piled up 168 yards on 27 carries while the defense held the Owls to 3/14 on third down with 242 total yards. There really isn't much else to say. Now the task is to win at Michigan State as they jockey for bowl position against a Spartan team coming off a big victory. (26, 22, 25, 26)

 

 

 

#28 (17) Auburn (7-4): This team really sputtered at the start of the season, but had played very well since opening up 1-2. Then they went to Georgia this week and for almost three quarters it was looking pretty good. At that point the Bulldogs simply took over. Auburn was totally stuffed on their final five drives covering -3, -4, 0, 36 and 0 yards with three Cox interceptions during that span. Meanwhile the defense allowed 235 yards during four consecutive touchdown drives. Now comes an ideal time for a week off as they prepare for rival Alabama with both teams trying to post a winning record in SEC play. (27, 28, 27, 28)

 

 

 

#29 (W) Wisconsin (8-3): They were clearly the team taking the game more seriously and it showed from the outset. Over the first three quarters they were driving the ball consistently as they built the lead. After that it was just a matter of holding on. In Hill's absence Brown filled in nicely with 27 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Donovan completed 13 of his 14 passes to either Hubbard or Beckum, but they were both over 100 yards with some big plays. Next up is conference doormat Minnesota and with a bowl victory this could be a 10 win team. (24, 24, 23, 25)

 

 

 

#30 (19) California (6-4): I was surprised I couldn't find another team to rank here. Alabama had less impressive wins (both beat Tennessee, Cal beat Oregon while the Tide beat Arkansas). Speaking of the Razorbacks they were just blown out by Tennessee. One thing Cal has going for them is never being routed. Their losses are by 3, 9, 11 and 7 points playing in a quality conference. They were in all of their games and definitely had an opportunity to beat USC. However, Longshore just hasn't been the same since getting hurt late in the Oregon win. In his first five games he had 6 touchdowns against 2 interceptions. The four games since he has another 5 touchdowns, but 8 interceptions. This week he turned it over 3 times including twice in the final 7 minutes. Forsett kept them alive with 209 total yards. Now they hit the road against bottom feeding Washington and Stanford. (30, 33, 29, NR)

 

 

 

Dropped Out:

#24 Alabama (34, NR, 34, NR)

#28 Arkansas (32, 30, NR, NR)

#29 Wake Forest (NR, NR, NR, NR)

 

As much as people are trying to push Oregon vs. LSU on everyone, where is the sentiment that undefeated teams should be pushed to the top of the BCS rankings? What will the BCS do if Ohio State and Kansas run out? Explode? Well, we can hope.

#1 (1) Ohio State (10-0): Make no mistake the Buckeyes were in trouble against Wisconsin who was playing without star running back P.J. Hill. Then when it mattered most they answered in a big way. Once the Badgers tied it 17-17 their next three possessions went for touchdowns on drives of 80, 48 and 25 yards. Defensively they held Wisconsin's next five drives to 5, 5, -5, 11 and -3. This team knows how to respond to adversity. (1, 1, 1, 1)

 

 

 

#2 (3) Kansas (9-0): This was an eye popping display of offense, even against a battered Nebraska team. They opened with a three and out while closing with a punt. Their middle 12 possessions ended with 11 touchdowns and a missed field goal. It hardly mattered that the defense was erratic. It is hard to blame them from losing focus while the offense destroys an opponent. Now I believe they should be the favorite over Missouri in what is ostensibly the Big XII North title game on November 24. I also think Oklahoma wants no part of these guys. (5, 5, 5, 4)

 

 

 

#3 (4) Oregon (8-1): With the Pac-10 title on the line they never let Arizona State have a chance. Their opening three drives went 76, 73 and 75 yards for touchdowns to open a 21-3 lead. The offense was erratic after that, but it didn't matter. They added two third quarter touchdowns and never allowed the Sun Devils closer than 5 points, holding them to 2/13 production on third down. Now it's a week off before a Thursday night trip into the desert at Arizona which could prove dangerous. (3, 3, 3, 3)

 

 

 

#4 (5) LSU (8-1): As crazy as it sounds, their defense made the difference in a 41-34 win. Only three times did Alabama really drive the ball, twice for 80 yards and a touchdown and their first drive of 43 for a field goal. Their other 13 possessions covered a total of 105 yards on 57 plays. They also created the game winning turnover. It was an emotional game going up against Saban and the result was a few big plays allowed. In the end they got it done yet again in a close game. Not since the final week in September have they won by more than 7 points, a stat that will change this week against Louisiana Tech. (2, 2, 2, 2)

 

 

 

#5 (2) Arizona State (8-1): It sure didn't look like Rudy Carpenter missed practice. He had 379 yards passing, but lost to a more efficient Dennis Dixon who beat him in the touchdown department 4-2. The offense took too long to get going and when it did in the fourth quarter they were undone by an interception and fumble following two promising drives. While those drives were happening the defense was shutting Oregon down in the fourth quarter, an Arizona State specialty this season, with drives of 23, 19, 3 and 15 ending in Duck punts. Now they hit the road to play mysterious UCLA while hoping Oregon stumbles. (9, 9, 9, 9)

 

 

 

#6 (7) Hawaii (8-0): They have an opportunity over the final month to make up some ground in the BCS, but it is probably a long shot for them going to the national championship. This week they were off and it was good timing because a pretty good Fresno State team comes over the Pacific to play them this week. Those two games at the end of the year still loom (Boise State, Washington) but it looks like a BCS at-large is all they will get. (14, 12, 10, 16)

 

 

 

#7 (8) West Virginia (8-1): If not for their loss to South Florida we might be talking about the #1 team in the country. Their wins have all come by 17+ points and they will be favored in their final four games, three of which are at home. This week they were off to prepare for a still dangerous Louisville team. Then it's off to another potential stumbling block at Cincinnati before closing at home with Connecticut and Pittsburgh. Everything is in front of them now. (6, 6, 6, 7)

 

 

 

#8 (9) Oklahoma (8-1): The offense rolled right along against Texas A&M, reeling off six touchdown drives of 61+ yards with at least one of them coming in each quarter. Bradford completed 70% of his passes with 284 yards and 5 touchdowns while a trio of backs totaled 40 carries for 173 yards. Is it any wonder they went 8/14 on third down? This is a balanced attack capable of marching towards a possible BCS title game. The defense did their thing when the outcome was in doubt. Texas A&M's first 7 drives totaled just 55 yards on 27 plays as they built a 35-0 lead. (4, 4, 4, 5)

 

#9 (10) Missouri (8-1): In what could have been a trap game, they threw the Buffaloes into it instead, rolling up a 55-10 win at Colorado. After falling behind 10-7 they went on a 48-0 run to close it out. The total yards went 598-196 showing just how much the Tigers dominated. Nine times they marched at least 37 yards and never allowed a drive over 31 yards. When they did lose the lead, what followed was defensive domination. Colorado's next 7 drives failed to produce a first down and their most productive drives totaled 4 plays. If they can handle Texas A&M and Kansas State (road) it should be an exciting Big XII North "title game" in Kansas. (7, 7, 7, 6)

 

 

 

#10 (6) Boston College (8-1): Last week I said I expected them to stumble on the road. They didn't wait that long. The curse of the teams ranked #2 took a week to kick in, but an erratic Matt Ryan did them in. Their 80 yard march in the opening quarter ended in an interception, and when they fell behind 20-17 another Ryan interception was taken in for the game clinching touchdown. Perhaps equally troubling was their defense allowing 452 points to Florida State who is not an offensive power. Now the Eagles have to rally on the road, and if they can't beat Clemson on their field in two weeks they likely won't even play for the ACC title. (8, 8, 8, 8)

 

 

 

#11 (11) Connecticut (8-1): The Huskies opened up a 25-6 lead in the second quarter with offense, defense and special teams. Most of their success was in rendering a lot of yards by Rutgers (511) pointless as drives of 72, 83, 69, 42, 36, 38 and 59 ended with a total of 6 points. The phrase "bend but don't break" comes to mind. Their offense kept control of the game with drives of 74, 67 and 75 consecutively starting midway through the third quarter. Like it or not they are in control of the Big East. If West Virginia should stumble against Louisville or at Cincinnati this team could back into the conference title. Otherwise they will need to earn it against the Mountaineers in their stadium. (16, 16, 16, 13)

 

 

 

#12 (13) Virginia Tech (7-2): After a disheartening loss to Boston College it showed a lot about their character seeing them hit the road to crush a decent Georgia Tech team 27-3. They drove the ball well over the course of the first three quarters when the result was in doubt, six times moving it 40+ yards. Their defense never allowed the Yellow Jackets to move it more than 45 yards, allowing just 271 yards total with 2 sacks and 6 turnovers. They still have a great shot at a rematch with Boston College in the ACC title game. (11, 11, 13, 11)

 

 

 

#13 (12) Georgia (7-2): Stepping out of SEC play late in the season they probably wanted a walkover, but instead Troy gave them a tussle. Their offense really never got into rhythm thanks to a 2/11 showing on third down. Despite scoring 44 points only three of their drives were over 38 yards. They let Troy march 63+ yards on them five times. The Trojans are a decent team, but usually a Georgia defense wouldn't let a team like this pile up 488 total yards and 34 points. Still, they were in charge throughout and never really in danger of losing. (10, 10, 11, 10)

 

 

 

#14 (14) USC (7-2): The Trojans took full advantage of an Oregon State team playing without stud rusher Yvenson Bernard. USC's defense had an opportunity to flex their muscles and held them to just 176 total yards and 3/17 on third down while sacking Canfield 9 times. Offensively it wasn't pretty, but they made plays in the second quarter to build the 24-3 lead and didn't need more. Booty returned to have a mediocre game (19/33 157 yards 2 TD, no turnovers) and at least stave off the people who think this team is finished. They won't be defending their Pac-10 title unless something crazy happens, but can prove a few people wrong with road wins over the next two games (Cal, Arizona State). (12, 15, 14, 17)

 

 

 

#15 (21) Clemson (7-2): Very quietly the Tigers have climbed back into the picture and suddenly control their own destiny in the ACC Atlantic. Their most recent 47-10 rout of Duke has them right back in the mix. Defensively they allowed only two drives over 31 yards, recorded 3 sacks and forced 2 turnovers. On offense they pushed it down the field every other time they had it, five times going 50+ yards in a thorough beat down of a bad team. If they can beat Wake Forest it sets up an Atlantic division "title game" on their home field against Boston College in two weeks. (20, 20, 20, 21)

 

 

 

#16 (16) Michigan (8-2): My prevailing thought during their come from behind win over Michigan State was that this team has no chance of beating Ohio State. The Spartan defense held them to drives of 8, 6, 0, 7, 7 and -2 in the meat of this game. Eventually the Wolverines wore them down with two touchdown marches covering 79 and 66 yards to win the game. How an offense with four NFL prospects can struggle this much is a mystery to me. Thus far they have proven to be the second best team in one of the weakest conferences, and I would not be surprised to see them lose at Wisconsin next week. (13, 13, 15, 12)

 

 

 

#17 (18) Auburn (7-3): Much of the SEC was stepping outside of the conference to stomp terrible teams and this was no exception. Right out of the gate they went exactly 64 yards on their opening three possessions for a 21-3 lead and never looked back. I don't blame them for coasting as they prepare for a tough game at Georgia this week. Any threat against them ended with the defense producing a turnover. Now the Mississippi State loss haunts them because they are out of the SEC West race. (18, 17, 18, 18)

 

 

 

#18 (20) Florida (6-3): They finally unleashed Percy Harvin and he had almost 200 total yards in the first half, finishing with 223 and two touchdowns on 20 touches. It was an utter thrashing of Vanderbilt as they took out some frustration. Their opening 9 possessions went for 7 touchdowns, a missed field goal and an interception before they shut it down. Defensively they held the Commodores to no more than 21 yards on six of their first seven drives to set the tone. It would take a weird turn of events for them to win the SEC East, but stranger things have happened this season. (17, 18, 17, 15)

 

 

 

#19 (22) California (6-3): The defense finally showed up for the Golden Bears and then the offense went into hibernation. On Washington State's first nine possessions spanning the opening three quarters they never drove more than 41 yards. Cal's offense was erratic at best with marches of 80 (TD) and 91 (FG) surrounded by 0, 5, 0 and 8 among six total possessions where they failed to gain 10 yards. When it mattered they closed it out with a long touchdown from Forsett, but this was a lazy effort from a team trying to break a losing streak. Their season now comes down to USC where a win could propel them to another 10 win campaign. (24, 27, 25, 27)

 

 

 

#20 (26) Virginia (8-2): All the Cavaliers do is win games and for the fifth time they did so by 2 points or less. This could really be a 3-7 team if a few breaks went the other way, but they will play for the ACC Coastal title in three weeks against Virginia Tech regardless of how their game at Miami, FL this week turns out. Against Wake Forest they survived despite punting 7 times and giving it away on downs. Never did they move it more than 58 yards, but they held the Demon Deacons under that number on all but one of their drives as well. It was a slugfest and they made the final punch. (23, 21, 21, 19)

 

 

 

#21 (23) Tennessee (6-3): It was the kind of demolition you would expect when facing a team with one win out of the Sun Belt. They punted once after driving 24 yards. Other than that they scored touchdowns on all but one drive, an opening 57 yard march for a field goal. The defense gave up some yards despite holding Louisiana-Lafayette to 7 points and that might be the only bad thing that happened. Even against a weak opponent they needed this to keep up their confidence as they prepare for Arkansas and Vanderbilt. (22, 24, 24, 24)

 

 

 

#22 (25) Texas (8-2): Are you kidding me? After digging a 35-14 hole at Oklahoma State thanks in part to three McCoy interceptions they marched for a total of 298 yards to score 24 points and beat the Cowboys. The defense gave up 594 yards, but a short missed field goal bailed them out. Charles is apparently in charges with another 180 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. I still don't know how good this team is and we won't find out against Texas Tech or Texas A&M (road). (15, 14, 12, 14)

 

 

 

#23 (29) Boise State (8-1): This is probably the best team in the WAC right here. They had everything going for them in a 42-7 rout of San Jose State, a team who took Hawaii into overtime. After fumbling deep in Spartan territory the first time they had the ball and then punting they reeled off five touchdown drives in a row to make it a rout. On defense they allowed just one drive over 25 yards and gave up a total of 198 yards. San Jose State was 2/14 on third down. If Ian Johnson, who played for the first time in two weeks, can stay healthy for their trip to Hawai this could be the BCS buster from the WAC. (19, 19, 19, 20)

 

 

 

#24 (17) Alabama (6-3): It felt like they stayed in the game against LSU with smoke and mirrors, losing the yardage battle 475-254. When your quarterback completes only 35% of his passes it is hard to win in the SEC. They hung around on Flynn's mistakes, but had a lot of unsuccessful drives on a tough defense. After opening with a 43 yard march for a field goal, 13 of their next 15 drives failed to go over 24 yards. LSU went 54+ yards five times and made the key plays when it mattered most. Now that the SEC West title is out of the picture they need to focus at giant killer Mississippi State this weekend. (21, 23, 22, 22)

 

 

 

#25 (28) Kentucky (6-3): Over their final three games this team has to decide if they are simply a team fortunate enough to upset LSU or one that can compete with anyone in the nation. After taking this week off they head to Vanderbilt and Georgia prior to a home finale against Tennessee. A sweep could give them the SEC East title in remarkable fashion. They need to tighten up the defense though. Six teams have scored at least 27 points on them. (24, 22, 23, 25)

 

 

 

#26 (30) BYU (6-2): Max Hall had himself a game with 355 yards passing and 3 touchdowns to lead them past Colorado State. The Cougars showed no ill effects of having their game against San Diego State postponed last week due to the wildfires. They are in complete control of the Mountain West with a two game lead over four teams, two of which they have already beaten. Next up is a dangerous TCU team that occasionally shows up big. (28, 30, 32, 32)

 

 

 

#27 (NR) Cincinnati (7-2): In a battle of teams who had lost their last two games the Bearcats were more interested in snapping their losing streak at South Florida. A wild first quarter featured two non-offensive touchdowns for each team, but Cincinnati got the better of the offensive action to lead 31-14. From there it was just a matter of holding on. South Florida mounted some drives, seven times going 43+ yards but turnovers ended two of them and the last died with the final gun. Suddenly now Cincinnati can get back into the Big East race because Connecticut and West Virginia visit them the next two weeks. (27, 28, 27, 30)

 

 

 

#28 (NR) Arkansas (6-3): I never stopped believing this was a good team. They just needed a couple of patsies to regain their swagger for this game against South Carolina. McFadden's 323 rushing yards set an SEC record which is saying something considering the likes of players who have come through this conference. It was part of a 541 yard rushing attack with Felix Jones chipping in 163 yards and 3 touchdowns. Only three times did they fail to gain 47 yards in a drive as they terrorized South Carolina. Now they try to spoil the SEC East title aspirations of Tennessee. (31, 32, 31, 33)

 

 

 

#29 (19) Wake Forest (6-3): In a defensive showdown they were forced into third down on offense too many times, delivering on 8/20. Six of their twelve drives failed to go 10 yards and when you're playing Virginia it is wise to build more than a 16-10 lead. It was a relatively mistake free game on both side and the Cavaliers simply have that magic going this season. Now the Demon Deacons try to recover from blowing a chance at getting back into the ACC Atlantic race by visiting Clemson. (34, 34, 35, 35)

 

 

 

#30 (15) South Florida (6-3): Matt Grothe made too many mistakes for his team to overcome. His three first half interceptions all took place in Cincinnati territory with one returned for a touchdown. He was trying to sling them back into the game on 31/54 passing for 382 yards. Eight turnovers is simply too much and you can blame the Bearcat defense that earlier this year forced 7 against Oregon State. The Bulls have taken a huge stumble from their #2 BCS standing, but can finish strong by beating the lesser teams in the Big East the next three weeks. (33, 37, 33, 28)

 

 

 

Dropped Out:

#24 South Carolina (35, 35, 34, 34)

#27 Rutgers (NR, NR, 39, NR)

 

 

 

Watch list:

Florida State (6-3) 26, 31, 30, 26                    

Fresno State (6-3) NR, 40, 40, 41

Illinois (7-3) 30, 29, 29, 31

Penn State (7-3) 29, 25, 26, 23

Texas Tech (7-3) NR, 33, 38, 37                    

Troy (6-3) 37, NR, NR, NR

Wisconsin (7-3) 33, 26, 28, 29

Enjoy more good stuff on www.thefootballexpert.com

I have some BCS title game stuff in the can for the middle of the week when I will add the "games to watch" segment. Until then enjoy the rankings.

Last week's ranking in ( )'s. NR = not ranked. W = watch list. (AP, USA, Harris, BCS)

#1 (1) Ohio State (9-0): This was the kind of performance one would expect from the top ranked team in the country. They went to Penn State, punched them in the mouth and never let up. After opening with drives of 46 and 80 yards to take a 10-7 lead they took over the game with a huge march down the field. Fifteen plays, 91 yards and 6:26 off the clock capped off by a touchdown. Defensively they allowed the Nittany Lions to have spotty success on offense, but only two drives over 32 yards. (1, 1, 1, 1) 

 

#2 (2) Arizona State (8-0): For the third time this season they allowed 13 points before scoring, but once again it didn't matter. Carpenter was as sharp as a marble, and that was meaningless as well. They ultimately controlled the game with a solid yet unspectacular running game despite having their lead rusher sidelined. Herring and Nance both averaged 4.0 yards per carry, combining for 45 carries and 181 yards. They controlled Cal's ground game and had a pair of important interceptions of Longshore. Now they are ostensibly two road wins (Oregon, UCLA) from winning the Pac-10 title. (6, 6, 6, 4) 

 

#3 (4) Kansas (8-0): Eventually the pollsters will catch up to me, but for now the Jayhawks continue to take care of business. While building a 19-0 lead on the road at Texas A&M they dominated the opening three plus quarters. Including each team's first possession in the fourth, Kansas had 7+ drives of at least 40 yards while Texas A&M had just two marches (39, 69) over 13 yards. By the time the Aggies drove 70 and 80 yards to tighten the score it was all but over. (8, 8, 8, 8) 

 

#4 (6) Oregon (7-1): The Ducks played a little scared after building a two touchdown lead against USC. Their three meaningful fourth quarter possessions all went three and out, leaving it up to their defense to clinch the game with an interception. I wanted to see a little more swagger from them, but what I did see was a defense that controlled the Trojan running game. Stewart had his yards rushing (103) and Dixon wound up with 233 yards with his arm and legs. Thanks to some favorable scheduling they also host Arizona State next week with a chance to grab the Pac-10 by their webbed feet. (4, 4, 5, 5) 

 

#5 (5) LSU (7-1): I really don't understand the voters who prematurely ranked them #1 last week. The Tigers looked invulnerable earlier in the season. Then they spent three weeks slugging it out against teams everyone seems to think are great, but do we really know? As I illustrated last week Florida has beaten no one outside the SEC, Kentucky barely beat a weak Louisville team and Auburn split with Kansas State and South Florida. That's not a lot of evidence to prove the SEC is world beaters. Now two of those teams lost this week and all of them have 3 losses. (3, 3, 3, 3) 

 

#6 (3) Boston College (8-0): Everyone wanted to see if they could step up in their biggest challenge of the season. For most of the game they floundered in the rain. Then Matt Ryan channeled Doug Flutie to bail them out, but it took a recovered onside kick to make it happen. I'm not sure Virginia Tech's touchdown was a good call so they do earn points for holding the Hokies down. If not for that play it might have been a 7-6 final. Based on this performance I think it will be hard for the Eagles to beat four consecutive winning teams and they should stumble on the road in the middle of that sandwich at either Maryland or Clemson. (2, 2, 2, 2) 

 

#7 (7) Hawaii (8-0): This was the kind of win the Warriors needed if they want to move up the rankings. New Mexico State isn't a high quality opponent, but they did travel to Auburn and lose 55-20. It's more impressive when consider the score was 21-10 at halftime. In Hawaii the Aggies were down 20-3 at half and never closer than 16 after the opening 20 minutes. Brennan had his typical 425 yards and 6 touchdown passes as the team averaged 8.2 yards per offensive play. They can make the WAC a two team race by beating Fresno State this week. (12, 11, 10, 14) 

 

#8 (9) West Virginia (7-1): Last week I wondered if people had forgotten how good the Mountaineers can be, and this week they proved it by thumping Rutgers 31-3 on the road. White, Slaton and Devine ran all over the Scarlet Knights to the tune of 44 carries for 269 yards and 4 touchdowns. They let Ray Rice have some yards, but kept him from a big play (15 yard long) and rendered the passing game futile as Teel went 14/130 for 128 yards and 2 interceptions. In all West Virginia had 5 scoring drives of 60+ yards, only allowing Rutgers to move it over 50 yards twice, with the results being a missed field goal and interception. After a week off they host Louisville with the Big East title still in their control. (7, 7, 7, 7) 

 

#9 (11) Oklahoma (7-1): The Colorado loss keeps getting pushed back in people's minds as they spent the week off preparing to take advantage of controlling their Big XII South destiny. First up is Texas A&M, then Baylor followed by their lone road game remaining in Texas Tech and the finale against Oklahoma State. I wouldn't bet against the Sooners in any of those games and it might lead to a title game against upstart Kansas. (5, 5, 4, 6) 

 

#10 (12) Missouri (7-1): The Tigers have been through a few emotional games in a row so I'm not surprised to see them sputter against Iowa State who also tested Oklahoma last week. The Cyclones hung around with a  short passing game and a big day from Robinson running the ball (21 carries 149 yards, 7.1 average). Missouri avoided mistakes though with just 1 penalty, 1 turnover and no sacks allowed. Next up is a dangerous trip to Colorado as they close with three of four on the road trying to get a rematch with Oklahoma. (9, 9, 9, 9) 

 

#11 (16) Connecticut (7-1): Here's yet another team I had ranked high much earlier than the pollsters and they showed why by beating South Florida. It was their defense saving the day again, holding yet another team to 17 points or less. They bent at times, but only allowed one drive to end with a touchdown. Two ended with missed field goals and the Bulls were just 4/16 on third down. Dixon did his impression of Rice with 32 carries for 167 yards (5.2 average) and they won the turnover battle 3-1. Next week it will be interesting to see them face off when Rutgers comes to town. (16, 20, 19, 13) 

 

#12 (21) Georgia (6-2): With a resounding win in Jacksonville against Florida the Bulldogs suddenly sit atop the SEC East. However, it would take wins over Auburn and Kentucky while Tennessee loses one of their three remaining SEC games for Georgia to win. This victory was built on third down when they went an insane 10/13. Through the air they did it with big play touchdowns of 84 and 53 yards. On the ground it was all Moreno all day, 33 rushes for 188 yards. Tebow's running was totally neutralized. (10, 10, 12, 10) 

 

#13 (10) Virginia Tech (6-2): Without their trademark dazzling plays on special teams or defense they relied on just shutting down Matt Ryan while also holding Boston College's running game in check. It worked for almost the entire rainy night, but when it mattered most they faltered. Honestly I still don't know how good this team really is. Other than pounding Clemson on the road they have done nothing impressive this season, but with a bevy of ranked teams losing this week they fall only a little. (11, 13, 14, 11) 

 

#14 (13) USC (6-2): The Trojans proved more in defeat than they have in victory all season, falling just short at Oregon. Sanchez had a solid outing as the starting quarterback, but would like to have his game ending interception back. He completed 63% of his passes for 277 yards and was sacked only once despite facing a defense that controlled USC's running game and pursued him incessantly. Perhaps their "dynasty" is over considering they still have two tough road games at Cal and Arizona State to deal with. When was the last time they lost 3 games in a season? (13, 15, 13, 19) 

 

#15 (8) South Florida (6-2): Quarterback Matt Grothe (189 yards passing, 146 yards rushing) had 76% of the team's offense. He also made two killer interceptions, one that Connecticut returned for a touchdown and the other preventing South Florida from a chip shot field goal. Without those two plays they win 18-15. Instead they have probably played themselves out of Big East contention before the race really started. However, you can expect this team to make a strong push towards a 10-2 season. (20, 21, 20, 18) 

 

#16 (20) Michigan (7-2): Still no Hart and still no problem running the ball. Minor and Brown combined for 34 carries for 289 (8.5 average) yards and 3 touchdowns. Henne was also out at quarterback so Mallett did the smart thing, getting the ball to Manningham (162 yards) and not turning it over. Yeah it was Minnesota, but they held them to 2/13 on third down and 231 total yards. The defensive touchdown put them in a 10-0 hole. Unlike their early season losses they didn't panic. Now they hit the road to Michigan State and Wisconsin. (15, 14, 15, 12) 

 

#17 (23) Alabama (6-2): They have LSU at home after their open week, but the Tigers were also off so you can expect Miles vs. Saban to be an exciting, unpredictable game. The Tide would have loved to play them this past week when LSU was coming off three hard fought games, but they can still take the SEC West lead with an upset although to win they also have to take care of Auburn on the road. (17, 18, 17, 17) 

 

#18 (26) Auburn (6-3): Their defense suffocated Mississippi from the start and never let up. Consider that the Rebels had the ball 10 times and just twice moved it more than 10 yards. One of those ended in a field goal at the first half gun, and the other closed with an interception. Auburn's offense wasn't spectacular with a fumble and missed field goal hurting their chances to win more impressively than 17-3. (19, 16, 18, 16) 

 

#19 (25) Wake Forest (6-2): I have never lost track of the Demon Deacons who have now won six in a row after blasting North Carolina 37-10. They did it on defense with 3 turnovers, taking one back for a touchdown, and on special teams with a kickoff return for another score. Offensively it wasn't pretty, but they ran the ball effectively and never turned it over. When you're playing with a lead I think that is smart football. Next up is a visit to Virginia as they play three of their final four on the road. (21, 28, 25, 24) 

 

#20 (14) Florida (5-3): The defending champs will have to watch someone else in the title game this year. As crazy as this season has been, three losses will not qualify the Gators for a return trip to the BCS championship. After closing to within 35-30 their defense let Georgia march 68 yards for the game clinching touchdown. It was their fifth touchdown march covering at least 65 yards. Where is the trademark SEC defense this season? Mixing in the six sacks, Tebow's rushing amounted to -15 yards. Of his 236 yards passing, 55% of it came on 4 big completions. Still, they have yet to lose to a bad team and barring a loss in South Carolina will easily run out from here. (18, 17, 16, 20) 

 

#21 (W) Clemson (6-2): The Tigers are likely out of the ACC Atlantic race, but have been setting themselves up for an interesting end run should they play well. This week they went to Maryland and flat out smacked them. After the Terps drove 59 yards for a field goal on their opening march, they didn't move the ball over 31 yards again until their final two meaningless possessions when they were down 30-3. Clemson's backfield of Davis and Spiller combined to rush 46 times for 233 yards (5.07 average) and a touchdown. (25, 24, 29, 25) 

 

#22 (18) California (5-3): The last three weeks must seem like an instant replay to fans of the Bears. Maybe then it is no coincidence that all three of those games were "homecoming" dates for the home teams, first Cal's against Oregon State, then UCLA, and finally Arizona State. The Sun Devils didn't overwhelm them. It was simply a matter of wearing them down. Suddenly Cal found themselves down in the fourth quarter yet again and unable to make any key plays to get back into it. Remember, this team still beat Oregon and Tennessee. Only a home date with USC could ruin their shot at 9-3, but is it time to bench Longshore for Riley? (27, 27, 26, 30) 

 

#23 (NR) Tennessee (5-3): So many teams lost that the Volunteers jumped back into the rankings despite three blowout losses this season. Those defeats were all to ranked teams, and now they have a pair of good wins to fall back on, plus the virtual lead in the SEC East. If they run out (Arkansas, Vanderbilt, at Kentucky) they win. In this one it looked like their typical stout effort at home building a 21-0 lead, but it took some luck on a late field goal in regulation after blowing the lead to pull it out in overtime. They also gave up 501 yards to a South Carolina team with quarterback issues coming in. Their second half plus OT featured 8 drives totaling 77 yards on 36 plays, but they held on despite allowing drives of 70, 39, 86, 66 and 65 yards. (24, 30, 30, 27) 

 

#24 (17) South Carolina (6-3): By the time they got rolling against Tennessee (see above) it was too late. Mitchell was a bright spot at quarterback (31/45 290 yards, 1 TD 1 INT) while Boyd ran all over Tennessee (20 carries 160 yards). Turnovers will ruin you every time and they lost that battle 4-1. Their drive of 46 yards to open the game ended in a fumble past midfield, and another long march (65) also resulted in a fumble inside the Tennessee 20. With better luck in OT they would control their destiny in the SEC East having beaten Georgia (both would have been 4-2) but now they must travel to troublesome Arkansas before hosting Florida and Clemson (ACC) trying to salvage their season. (23, 25, 23, 26) 

 

#25 (28) Texas (7-2): Throughout this game I thought to myself how it was exactly the reason I had hesitated to rank the Longhorns. Everyone has used Nebraska as a punching bag, but here they were down 17-3 in the third quarter against them on their home field no less. It took a monstrous, record second fourth quarter from Jamaal Charles to produce a 28-25 win. The defense made Sam Keller look better than he has in a month, and their own quarterback Colt McCoy did more important damage with his legs (55 yards rushing) than his arm (181 yards passing). Still, they continue to sputter along against a horrible schedule towards a possible 10-2 finish. In my mind they stumble this week at Oklahoma State and possibly next week against Texas Tech as well. (14, 12, 11, 15) 

 

#26 (15) Virginia (7-2): The Cavaliers have been winning close games all year. It finally caught up to them against N.C. State. After retaking the lead early in the fourth quarter they allowed a quick strike touchdown drive to give it right back two possessions later. Their starting quarterback Sewell was only able to lead a three and out before being replaced due to injury. His backup failed to generate anything and suddenly their seven game winning streak was over. Now it is time to regroup against a Wake Forest team that has won 6 in a row. They still lead the ACC Coastal with a date to play Virginia Tech in their finale. (29, 26, 27, 23) 

 

#27 (22) Rutgers (5-3): Let's get one thing straight, they were overwhelmed by West Virginia. It was as bad as the 31-3 score indicated. However, the Mountaineers are looking like an elite team again. Ray Rice got no support from the passing game and as a result it was hard for Rutgers to keep long drives going. Not once did they go three and out or fail to gain 13 yards, but their best efforts were 45 (FG) 49 (interception) 56 (miss FG) and 62 (interception). If all of those ended in touchdowns, they still lose which speaks to West Virginia's control. The good news is that this week at upstart Connecticut is the only game left they won't be favored to win. If they pull off the upset this is a 9-3 team. (39, NR, 35, NR) 

 

#28 (19) Kentucky (6-3): I am starting to wonder if this team is thought of so highly by association this season. In their biggest games they have been wiped out at South Carolina, controlled by Florida and outlasted LSU in 3 OT. If the LSU game is a loss, an easy assumption, would they even be a top 40 team at this point? Their 31-14 home defeat to Mississippi State is troubling. Again they were never in the game, and Woodson threw 3 more interceptions. All of them came in the fourth quarter when guys like Matt Ryan are leading comebacks against better defenses, on the road. Next up they hit the road with Vanderbilt and Georgia. Do they come back 6-5? (28, 23, 24, 28) 

 

#29 (27) Boise State (7-1): After their latest win over Fresno State put them on a 43-1 run in the WAC I think it is time this team starts scheduling some BCS teams. They ran right over the Bulldogs without their best running back Ian Johnson. Fresno State earlier this year took Texas A&M to triple OT on the road. In fairness they also lost 52-21 in Oregon after trailing 42-6 at one point, but that was the following week after the war with the Aggies and a lot of travel. The Broncos I think still have BCS aspirations if they can roll the WAC capped off by a victory in Hawaii. (21, 22, 22, 22) 

 

#30 (30) BYU (5-2): The Cougars got an unexpected week off due to the fires, and now stay home for games with Colorado State and TCU. Losing a shootout to Tulsa took away a likely shot at a BCS game so they have to focus on a 10 win season and Mountain West title. (32, 34, 37, 35) 

 

Dropped Out:

#24 Penn State (30, 31, 31, 31)

#29 UCLA (35, NR, 32, NR)

 

Watch list:

Georgia Tech (5-3) NR, NR, NR, NR

Illinois (6-3) 38, 32, 33, 32

Kansas State (5-3) 34, 33, 36, 33

Miami, FL (5-3) NR, NR, NR, NR

New Mexico (6-2) 37, NR, NR, NR

Oregon State (5-3) NR, 40, 39, 41

Purdue (7-2) 31, 29, 28, 29, NR

Troy (6-2) 33, NR, 38, NR

Vanderbilt (5-3) NR, 38, NR, NR

Wisconsin (7-2) 26, 19, 21, 21 

The BCS rankings are out and they might be the ugliest in the history of the controversial formula. In a system that is supposed to reward victories by any margin, undefeated Arizona State (7-0) is #4 behind LSU (7-1). Kansas is also 7-0, but they are behind four more teams with a loss at #9. Hawaii? Their 7-0 record is good for #17. Part of the reason could be voters overvaluing the SEC. Seven of the 12 teams are ranked in the top 25. I have a few of the teams a little lower and a couple in different order, but can be considered equally guilty. Here is the concern I have with this system. How can we be sure the SEC is truly this good? Who have they beaten exactly?  

 

LSU has a huge 48-7 win over BCS #8 Virginia Tech. That's notable. Florida's only quality OOC (out of conference) opponent is Florida State (4-3, 1-3 in the ACC) who they don't play until the finale. Troy and Western Kentucky are their OOC wins so far. Kentucky beat Louisville which looked big at the time, but now the Cardinals are 4-4 having also lost to Syracuse. The Wildcats have trashed the likes of Eastern Kentucky, Kent State and Florida Atlantic.  

 

South Carolina's "test" has been a trip to now 2-5 North Carolina, a game they won 21-15. Otherwise they beat Louisiana-Lafayette and South Carolina State. Like the Gators their toughest OOC comes in the finale against rival Clemson (5-2). Georgia delivered a notable win for the conference, 35-14 over now 5-3 Oklahoma State (3-1 in Big XII). The Cowboys also lost to Troy but they just knocked Kansas State out of the rankings.   

 

Alabama played a tough OOC, and lost at Florida State. Their wins have been over Western Carolina and Houston. Auburn is the only team so far with two BCS opponents in their rear view mirror, with a win over 4-3 Kansas State (23-13) and a loss to 6-1 South Florida (26-23, OT).  

 

Collectively this conference's best seven teams have a 5-2 mark against notable teams. Some would consider it 3-2 because Louisville and Kansas State could easily fade. This is not a lot of evidence to go by, which is why the SEC is a tough conference to figure out as their heavyweights (or are they?) continue to beat each other up. Here is my poll this week:  

 

Last week's ranking in ( )'s. NR = not ranked. W = watch list. (AP, USA, HARRIS, BCS)  

 

#1 (2) Ohio State (8-0): Steve Martin had an old comedy routine where he joked about liking to punt on first down. Late in the third quarter it seemed like a good idea for the Buckeyes after Michigan State turned two Boeckman turnovers into touchdowns inside of five plays. Aside from that they absolutely looked like the #1 team, especially on defense where they limited the Spartans to 15 yards or less on six of their eleven drives and over 26 on just two. It wasn't a dominant offensive effort, but the Buckeyes can silence their doubters with wins in their next four games over teams currently resting in the top half of the Big Ten standings. (1, 1, 1, 1)  

 

#2 (4) Arizona State (7-0): I saw a great stat in reference to their schedule thus far and it has changed my mind about their ranking. Three of the teams they have beaten went on to defeat teams then ranked in the top 3. First they beat Colorado (Oklahoma) then Oregon State (California) and finally Stanford (USC) so why the lack of respect for the Sun Devils? Now they get the Pac-10's "Big 3" in their next four games. (7, 7, 8, 4)

 

#3 (3) Boston College (7-0): In a season filled with upsets I think most highly ranked teams enjoy being off as the Eagles were this week. They are now rested for a tough conference stretch featuring three of the next four on the road. It starts in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech on Thursday night. This will be a stiff test for Matt Ryan and the offense.  (2, 2, 2, 2)

 

#4 (5) Kansas (7-0): It is time for everyone else to start taking them seriously. This defense can play and the offense did something Oklahoma's couldn't - go into Colorado and win. The defining drive started in the third quarter and lasted into the fourth covering 7:08 off the clock. They went 95 yards on 15 plays to score a touchdown for a 19-7 lead to really take control. This team isn't good enough to take anyone for granted, but they figure to be favored in their next four which could set up a huge showdown with Missouri for the Big XII North title. (12, 10, 11, 9)

 

#5 (7) LSU (7-1): I don't know whether I should be impressed at how resilient they are or critical of the fact that lesser teams keep standing toe to toe with them. I still view them as a rare elite team in this season of upsets and hold them to a higher standard. In the second half they really took this game by the throat. Their drives covered 56, 45, 58, 84, 55 and 58 yards. Three of those ended in field goals, one in an interception and two in touchdowns. Meanwhile Auburn was going 0, 31, 7, 6 before they took the lead with an 82 yard march. Right now I'm not sure I favor them in two weeks at Alabama, but if they win it is looking like a BCS title bid to me. (3, 3, 3, 3)

 

#6 (9) Oregon (6-1): This is a team that knows how to play the BCS system. A lot of the voters will fail to realize Washington had the Ducks locked up 31-31 into the fourth quarter before exploding to a 55-34 win. The key was tightening up the defense because their offense was cruising all day to the tune of a ridiculous 43 first downs and 663 total yards. They ran for 467 yards and had 9 drives covering at least 44 yards on the day. Oregon comes home for USC and Arizona State the next two weeks. A sweep would put them right in the BCS title game mix.  (5, 5, 5, 5)

 

#7 (6) Hawaii (7-0): People still don't know what to make of this team. Twice they have escaped in overtime on the road, but four of their final five are at home following this week's bye. Three quarterbacks have combined for 541.8 yards per game and 5 touchdown passes. If they run out it will be interesting to see where they fall in the BCS bowls.  (16, 14, 14, 17)

 

#8 (1) South Florida (6-1): They were not ready for the pressure, but a lot of things went right for Rutgers to beat them including trick plays on a punt and field goal. Well within their control was a terrible 2/14 showing on third down, 10 penalties for 99 yards and a drive that went nowhere (worse yet -5 yards) after starting from the Rutgers 40 with 4:09 left trailing by 3. Even after getting a second chance they turned it over in Rutgers territory to close out the game. Now the expectations get more realistic as in vying for the Big East title.  (11, 12, 12, 10)

 

#9 (13) West Virginia (6-1): People who have forgotten how good this team can be should just watch their first quarter against Mississippi State. After striking for a 65 yard touchdown on the game's first play, a Patrick White run, they went 76, 17 and 48 yards to score on their next three possessions and built a 31-0 lead after fifteen minutes of play. On defense they held the Bulldogs to 28 total yards on their first 14 plays covering five drives. With all of the madness this is a team very much in the BCS conversation, but they need to play well at resurgent Rutgers this week.  (6, 6, 6, 7)

 

#10 (14) Virginia Tech (6-1): Since getting blown away at LSU they have reeled off five convincing victories in a row. Now they are off and here comes Boston College in a battle of ACC division leaders. It will probably wind up being replayed in the title game. For now the Hokies have a great opportunity to shoot up the rankings.  (8, 9, 10, 8)

 

#11 (12) Oklahoma (7-1): It was a very lackluster effort against a bad Iowa State team coming off a 56-3 thrashing at the hands of Texas. They failed to take control of the game until two third quarter possessions totaling 25 plays for 158 yards both ended in touchdowns to take a 14-7 advantage. Other than those drives only one other drive lasted took more than 1:43 off the clock. The Cyclones were equally inconsistent on offense and made a crucial interception late when they were driving for a possible tie. Now the Sooners take a week off and probably will shoot up the BCS rankings before next taking the field.  (4, 4, 4, 6)

 

#12 (15) Missouri (6-1): The Big XII is not just Oklahoma and Texas this season. The Tigers shook off a loss to the Sooners and turned Graham Harrell into a mess on the score sheet while killing Texas Tech 41-10. His 397 yards passing were meaningless after 4 interceptions. Missouri let him drive the ball over 36 yards just twice, and one of those was the final time the Red Raiders had the ball. Offensively they opened the second half with touchdown drives of 60, 76 and 63 yards which led into the fourth quarter and erased any doubt about the outcome. The only challenge now is beating good teams down the stretch having to play three of their final four on the road.  (13, 13, 13, 13)

 

#13 (16) USC (6-1): It took a game against the hapless Irish to put the Trojans back in their groove. They still have beaten only one team (Nebraska) with more than 2 wins, but at least they were convincing for the first time in a month. Seven times they drove it 38+ yards while limiting Notre Dame to no more than 15 yards on twelve of their fifteen possessions. Sanchez looked pretty good with no sacks or turnovers while tossing 4 touchdown passes. Now comes their first real test of the season at Oregon.  (9, 8, 7, 12)

 

#14 (18) Florida (5-2): This week at Georgia is the end of a pivotal four game stretch in their schedule, the last three of which were on the road. They finally got a win last week at Kentucky to make a complete mess of the SEC East standings. The Gators were an impressive 7/11 on third down, didn't turn it over or allow a sack and committed just 4 penalties for 25 yards. It hardly mattered that Woodson completed 70% of his passes for 415 yards and 5 touchdowns.  (9, 11, 9, 11)

 

#15 (23) Virginia (7-1): Sure, they are four field goals from being a 3-5 team but they just keep winning. Would you bet against them at N.C. State next week? How about against Wake Forest or at Miami, FL? They could be 10-1 hosting rival Virginia Tech for the ACC Coastal before anyone realizes it. They held a good Maryland team to 233 total yards and made an incredible 15 play, 90 yard touchdown march that ate up the final half of the fourth quarter to pull out the win. (21, 18, 20, 15)

 

#16 (26) Connecticut (6-1): I might be the only one who hasn't overlooked the Huskies this season. They stand alone atop the Big East although it is early in conference play. Perhaps some of the doubters watched their Friday night shutdown of Brian Brohm and Louisville. The weather played a part, but so did a defense that has yet to allow over 17 points all season. They intercepted Brohm twice and kept most of his passes short. Next up is a week off to get ready for South Florida. (29, 28, 29, 23)

 

#17 (10) South Carolina (6-2): This was a strange game. The Gamers never really let Vanderbilt drive the ball on them. The longest drives went for 57 (TD) 43 (INT) and 36 (FUM) yards. The rest were all under 30. South Carolina had plenty of ugly possessions of their own though, moving it 12 yards or less on 11 of 15 possessions including their first six. Four turnovers and seven sacks didn't help their cause either. This was a kill shot to their national title hopes, but the SEC East race is far from over.  (15, 17, 17, 16)

 

#18 (8) California (5-2): The wheels have come off for the Golden Bears. This week their offense had some nicked up parts and they were never able to get into a rhythm. Longhore had plenty of rust from essentially three weeks of inactivity and literally tossed Cal's chances away with a terrible throw on what could have been the game winning drive. Forsett ran like he was hurt, and other than Jackson no one made an impact through the air. Overall they played as if UCLA was going to roll over and die. They didn't.  (18, 20, 18, 21)

 

#19 (11) Kentucky (6-2): Woodson put up gaudy numbers to pad his draft status, but Florida kept them at bay after the first twenty minutes of play. When they kicked a field goal to trim the Gator lead to 14-10 it was the last time they possessed the football with an opportunity to tie the score, so they were never really in this one despite Woodson's 411 yards passing and 5 touchdowns. Every punch had a counterpunch and while this is still a very good team the SEC elite is still a step above them.  (14, 15, 15, 14)

 

#20 (25) Michigan (6-2): Back on September 8 I never thought I would say this, but great win going to Illinois without the services of Hart. Now they essentially just have to win two of their next three starting with what should be a walkover (Minnesota) to set up ostensibly the Big Ten title game against Ohio State. They held the Fighting Illini to 253 total yards and just two drives over 39 yards. Right now their confidence is growing with each victory.  (19, 21, 21, 20)

 

#21 (22) Georgia (5-2): The SEC East is a mess and they will have a chance to play themselves right into the conference championship game without leaving their home field. All three of their remaining SEC games are at home against Florida, Auburn and Kentucky. It won't be easy but they have had a week off to regroup for a possible run.  (20, 19, 19, 18)

 

#22 (W) Rutgers (5-2): They are back in the picture after knocking off South Florida, and because of the Thursday night game will get extra rest before hosting West Virginia this week. Another win puts them in the driver's seat for the Big East title. The offense has been consistently effective having scored 23+ every week and this win marked their fifth 30+ output. Most of their damage against the Bulls came on four 70+ yard drives among the first 8 times they had the ball. After that they fell flat, but held on.  (25, 27, 25, 27)

 

#23 (24) Alabama (6-2): After staggering to two wins over lesser teams they really came up big against Tennessee. It was an offensive clinic against a Volunteer defense that just can't get it done on the road. On their first 10 drives they scored eight times and moved it 56+ yards on six occasions. The defense was in full "bend but don't break" mode after allowing two long touchdown drives in the opening quarter. Wilson passed for 364 yards and 3 scores without a turnover or sack taken. Now they have the week off to prepare for LSU and a shot to stand alone atop the SEC West.  (22, 22, 24, 24)

 

#24 (28) Penn State (6-2): The Nittany Lions were fortunate to escape Indiana with a 36-31 win. The Hoosiers lost 4 fumbles including three on their final five possessions. This was crucial because the other two drives each went 80 yards and ended in touchdowns. Penn State's offense was frequently effective, driving 54+ yards five times to score. They also avoided a road trap heading into this week's battle with Ohio State. (24, 22, 22, 25)

 

#25 (29) Wake Forest (5-2): It is always a challenge facing run happy Navy and they weathered the storm. Six players had at least 7 carries or 34 yards rushing for the Midshipmen, but the Demon Deacons had 199 yards on the ground themselves and went 10/14 on third down. Skinner completed 79% of his throws and they won the turnover battle 3-0 during a relatively easy win. They still need help to win the ACC Atlantic, but are a win over North Carolina this week from being bowl eligible.  (28, 36, 30, 26)

 

#26 (17) Auburn (5-3): I usually don't like rewarding teams too much for losing close games, but they have played a lot of good teams this season so there is no shame in having three defeats. They were stung by a great play at LSU or this might be a top 10 team this week. It was a very clean effort with no turnovers, only 3 penalties and just 2 sacks taken. They are likely out of it in the SEC West, but with Mississippi and Tennessee Tech next their bowl resume will get padded.  (23, 23, 23, 22)

 

#27 (30) Boise State (6-1): It wasn't a great start at Louisiana Tech, but a 28-7 run in the second half put a win in the books. They need to win more impressively in the WAC to earn national respect, but with a lot of other highly regarded teams staggering there is something to be said for staying in the "W" column. Next up is a test at Fresno State during this stretch where they play three of four away from the blue turf.  (27, 26, 28, 29)

 

#28 (W) Texas (6-2): I'm still not sure the Longhorns deserve to be ranked, but there aren't a lot of teams left to choose from. Those who wonder why I have been so hard on them have to look at their wins to date, not their reputation. At 4-3 only UCF has a winning record of the teams they have beaten and South Florida clocked them 64-12 while these guys battled out a 35-32 win. When a team with "Central" in it is your biggest win it's a problem. Baylor was a challenge for them into the fourth quarter. Still, I have to favor them in their remaining four games (Nebraska, at Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, at Texas A&M).  (17, 16, 16, 19)

 

#29 (NR) UCLA (5-2): The Bruins are a tough team to figure out. At their worst they are Notre Dame's only win and Utah's whipping boys. At their best they crushed Stanford and Oregon State while turning away BYU, Washington and Cal. Those are some pretty good wins when you consider the big picture. It hasn't been pretty, but they are leading the Pac-10 which counts for something. Now they hit the road for Washington State and Arizona which should be two wins. That means they will probably lay a pair of eggs and go into the tank as is their pattern in the Dorrell era.  (26, 31, 27, 28)

 

#30 (NR) BYU (5-2): The Cougars have rebounded nicely from a pair of road losses early in the season to assume control of the Mountain West. They have already stomped otherwise 6-1 Air Force (31-6) and recorded a road win at New Mexico (31-24) so the path to a conference title should be fairly smooth. Only rival Utah (5-3) has a winning record on their remaining schedule, but the Utes will need BYU to stumble if that season finale is to have any Mountain West title implications.  (34, 37, 39, 39)

Dropped Out:

#19 Maryland (NR, 38, NR, NR)

#20 Tennessee (36, NR, 41, NR)

#21 Texas Tech (33, 30, 32, 32)

#27 Kansas State (39, 39, 36, NR)

Watch list:

Clemson (5-2) 30, 32, 35, 35

Fresno State (5-2) 37, 35, NR, NR

Georgia Tech (5-3) NR, NR, NR, NR

Miami, FL (5-3) NR, NR, NR, NR

Purdue (6-2) 41, 29, 31, 31

Texas A&M (6-2) 42, 34, 33, 36 

Troy (5-2) 35, NR, NR, NR

Wisconsin (6-2) 31, 25, 26, 30

 

 

10 GAMES TO WATCH:  

 

Boise State (6-1) @ Fresno State (5-2): The Broncos have gone off the blue turf only twice this season, losing 24-10 at Washington and last week struggling to separate from Louisiana Tech until late during a 45-31 win. Three of their next five are on the road and this will decide which team has the best chance to unseat Hawaii for the WAC title. The Bulldogs are coming off a shutout of San Jose State and both their losses are to BCS teams on the road. First came a heartbreaking 47-45 defeat in triple overtime to Texas A&M, then Oregon manhandled them 52-21. This will be a good one.  

 

West Virginia (6-1) @ Rutgers (5-2): Last year these teams were part of the "Big 3" in the Big East, but this season Louisville has fallen out of that group while South Florida, Connecticut and until losing their past two Cincinnati have joined the party. Last week the Scarlet Knights put a major crimp in South Florida's national title hopes after the Bulls entered the game #2 in the BCS. Now they hope to deliver a kill shot to the Mountaineers who come in at #7 but can't take a second loss. Equally important is each team trying to avoid a second loss in conference where things are just starting to heat up.  

 

Indiana (5-3) @ Wisconsin (6-2): Nothing brings out excitement more than desperation. Neither team is going to win the Big Ten, but the Badgers still have BCS bowl aspirations while the Hoosiers want to get bowl eligible. I am feeling a high scoring game between two teams who will cut loose.  

 

USC (6-1) @ Oregon (6-1): Both teams have stumbled in Pac-10 play, but the winner could still make a run towards a national title. This is the first of three road games for the Trojans against the top half of the conference. They also host Oregon State and UCLA who both have winning records as do all of their remaining opponents. Their computer rankings should soar if they can run the table. The Ducks have an easier path having this and next week's battle with Arizona State at home. They also have national respect which will swell if they can beat a team like USC.  

 

Florida (5-2) @ Georgia (5-2): As crazy as things have been in the SEC East where every team has at least two conference losses at this point a third would be a killer. That makes this an elimination game. The Bulldogs escaped their trap last week at Vanderbilt and spend the next month on their home field including two more SEC battles with Auburn and Kentucky. The Gators are finishing a murderer's row of opponents having gone 1-2 thus far. They have to look at this as the biggest game in their season. Winning gives them a third tiebreaker with past victories over Tennessee and Kentucky already. They control their own destiny since both of their SEC losses came to teams in the West.  

 

South Florida (6-1) @ Connecticut (6-1): The Bulls have gotten a ton of attention as a Cinderella this season, but the Huskies have received none. That tends to happen when you win at Auburn and then knock off a top 5 West Virginia team. Connecticut has not looked impressive, but they are still winning. This is their chance to stand up on their home field and be counted. Their defense has yet to allow more than 17 points which includes last week's game against a Louisville team led by Brian Brohm. South Florida might overlook them on the road with a bit of a hangover from their first loss at Rutgers.  

 

Kansas (7-0) @ Texas A&M (6-2): Last week the Jayhawks survived their first trip outside of Kansas. Now they look to do it again against the Aggies who just won the "Buyout Bowl" at Nebraska. Franchione can make strides towards keeping his job by knocking off the Big XII North leaders, but this is the first of four in a row against top 20 opponents, two of which are on the road. Kansas has just one ranked team on their entire schedule, a home tilt with Missouri to close the season. If they can win this game they should continue to rise weekly in the BCS standings until then.  

 

South Carolina (6-2) @ Tennessee (4-3): Just when we thought the Volunteers might be back they were torched at Alabama. The good news is that they are at home where they are 3-0 with wins by 20, 21 and 21 points. The wild SEC East is totally undecided and Tennessee has three of their final four conference games at home starting here. The Gamers stubbed their toe against Vanderbilt last week and play consecutive road games before hosting Florida which is a much more difficult task. They need it more, but will they get it?  

 

Ohio State (8-0) @ Penn State (6-2): Before last week's 24-17 win over Michigan State every Buckeye win had come by 16+ points. It would have been another if not for two defensive touchdowns from the Spartans in a wild five play sequence. Now they face by far the most difficult portion of their schedule against four teams with winning records and cumulatively 23-9. If their #1 ranking is perceived as undeserved, winning out will end that discussion. The Nittany Lions are probably out of the Big Ten race having already lost twice in conference, but with Purdue next week followed by trips to Temple and Michigan State a case can be made for a 10-2 finish if they can upset the Buckeyes so a BCS bowl is still a possibility.  

 

California (5-2) @ Arizona State (7-0): A few weeks ago fans at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley were chanting "We're #1" only to watch their team suffer an upset to Oregon State. Now they are in full spoiler mode with only an outside shot at the Rose Bowl. The Sun Devils have almost zero national respect, but have rested a week to prepare for a rough month of games. After this they travel to Oregon and UCLA before returning home for USC. Six times they have scored at least 33 this season and face a Bear defense that has struggled. Cal's offense has been potent at times, but really sputtered last week at UCLA. It is anyone's guess what to expect from this one.