College Football Bowl Update

Now that we've gotten all the sub-par games out of the way, we can finally focus on some games worth watching. The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl should be the best available game today. Although likely to be low scoring, plenty of talent will be on display.

A few interesting observations from last week:

The Mountain West is a surprising 4-0 in bowl competition so far and could go 5-0 if Air Force knocks off Cal. Even if Air Force loses, the MWC will still be the odds-on favorite to win the Bowl Challenge. The SEC is also 2-0 and will be favored in 5 of 7 remaining games.

Perhaps my memory is a little fuzzy but it seems like the bowls have always produced several surprising upsets. Some teams come in motivated while others show up disappointed. However, the only upset we've seen so far is East Carolina over Boise State, and perhaps Mississippi State over UCF. I don't see any upset possibilities today, with the exception of Air Force over Cal. Cal is currently a 4.5 point favorite, but at 6-6 and losers of six of their last seven, I don't know that Cal deserves to be favored over anyone. It should interesting to see how Florida State performs against Kentucky, given that about a third of their team has been suspended. The line has gone from Kentucky -3 to Kentucky -7 since the suspensions were announced.

Keep your eye on a couple of New Year's Day games. Michigan-Florida will be a high scoring affair, and I hope to see Tebow run roughshod all over Michigan, much like Dennis Dixon did. Everyone will be anxious to see how Hawaii plays against its first BCS opponent, Georgia. I expect Georgia's D to put the clamps on Colt Brennan, but I think the game will produce some fireworks.

Bonus: NFL observations

How the heck is Seattle 10-6? Oh yeah, they play Arizona, San Fransisco and St. Louis twice a year. In a sixteen game season, Seattle somehow managed to play only three teams with a winning record, going 1-2 in those games. I think Washington should be favored in that playoff game, although it looks like Seattle is an early four point favorite.

Congrats Tom Brady and the Pats. It will be that much sweeter for the rest of us when lose your first playoff game.

Tough luck, Browns. Nice finish, though. After starting 2-3, Cleveland was able to go 8-3 over its last eleven games and finished with a record equal to or better than four NFC playoff teams.

Sippin' on some Hater-ade

Adrian Peterson? Yeah, he's a shoe-in for NFL Rookie of the Year, but come on...The press has been all over this guy like the second coming of Eric Dickerson. Even now, media types claim that "if Adrian Peterson hadn't missed those two games, he would have broken Eric Dickerson's rookie record (1808) for sure!" Considering that he currently has 1305 yards, it's a pretty big leap to assume that he would have gotten 500 yards in those two games plus this weekend's upcoming game. Sure, the guy's good, but he has only broken 100 yards five times this season. In fact, he barely has over 100 yards in his last three games combined, including a 14 carry, 3 yard performance at San Fran. Yep, that's a .2 rushing average. Adrian Peterson will be great, but let's not annoint him just yet.

Tom Brady? Sure, he's got three Super Bowl rings, dates the hottest chicks and has led his team to a 15-0 record (basically the NFL version of Derek Jeter) but aren't we giving him a little too much credit? He plays behind a fantastic offensive line and works within a great offensive scheme. Let's look at his last four games: Three out of four games with under a 55% completion percentage and a QB rating of less than 80. I think the Patriots will win and go 16-0, but I'm stating here that the Patriots will not make it to the Super Bowl.

Ohio State? Ha, just kidding, this one is way too easy.

Boston Celtics? Okay, they have basically one of the greatest trios to ever grace a basketball court, but I'm not 100% sold. Team USA used to think it was a good idea to throw together a bunch of superstars. It's easy when the team is winning, but a few losses and how will these egos handle it? The Celtics may have a 23-3 record, but are only 5-2 against teams with records of at least two games over .500, which surprisingly includes the Hawks. Throw in the OT loss to Cleveland and suddenly that record doesn't look so great. And what happens when Pierce or Ray Allen gets injured? These guys are getting older (all over 30) so they may not have as much gas when the end of the season rolls around.

Bowl Season: Let us feast!

After a three week hiatus, college football swings into action once again, starting tomorrow with the highly anticipated San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Two renowned powerhouses in Navy and Utah will lay it on all the line for the Magic Poinsettia. Or whatever trophy the bowl committee gives out…

Okay, so pretty much no one will be watching that game except alums of those schools and people with nothing better to do on a Thursday night. And of course, gamblers. Money is really the reason people watch these crappy second (maybe third) tier games. There are an astonishing 32 bowls scheduled for this year. Aside from the Championship, all of these games fall within a two week window. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact these games have been scheduled in such a fashion that one could watch almost every single one of them in their entirety, with very few exceptions.

On December 28th, viewers will be forced to choose between watching the Texas Bowl (Houston v TCU) and the Emerald Bowl (Oregon State v Maryland), starting at 8:00 and 8:30 respectively. It should be noted the four teams participating in these two games have a combined nineteen losses, but hey, why not give these guys another opportunity to increase that total? December 28th, however, is a Friday, so I am guessing that ratings will not exactly go through the roof for either of these games, especially the Texas Bowl, which will only be shown on the NFL Network.

December 31 presents the next viewing challenge for college football fans. The starts are staggered so that viewers will at least be able to watch at least a half of most of the games. The Armed Forces Bowl kicks off at 12:30 (Air Force v Cal), so we can all watch at least until halftime. At 2:00, viewers will have to decide between watching the second half of that game and switching to one of two other games: Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl (Fresno State v Georgia Tech) and the Sun Bowl (South Florida v Oregon). The Music City Bowl (Kentucky v Florida State) kicks off at 4:00, the Insight Bowl (Oklahoma State v Indiana) kicks off at 6:30, and the final game of the night, the Peach Bowl (Clemson v Auburn) kicks off at 7:30.

January 1 is the final viewing decision day. The Cotton Bowl (Missouri v Arkansas) kicks off at 11:30. Viewers will once again be able to watch the first half before having to decide between the Capital One Bowl (Michigan v Florida) and the Gator Bowl (Virginia v Texas Tech).

So basically, you, as a college football fan, will be able to watch every game in its entirety except one on December 28, three on December 31, and 1 ½ on January 1. Assuming that each game lasts for three and a half hours, you could theoretically spend roughly 93 hours watching football over the next two week, or close to four days. I recommend that you grab a few cases and several dozen wings before embarking upon this journey. Enjoy!

Never mind that I only have a true (read: non-monetary) interest in about ten of the games…

One of the main interests that fans have in the bowl games is watching how teams from their conference perform. For example, as a Tennessee fan I generally root against Alabama and Florida. However, put Florida against a Big Ten team and I become a Gator fan. I am tired of listening to Big Ten shenanigans about how their conference is superior to the SEC, so I am hoping that this year will go a long way towards proving that. The Big Ten and SEC usually only play a handful of bowl games against each other. This year there are three such matchups, and the SEC is favored in all three. LSU and Florida are clear favorites over Ohio State and Michigan, and Tennessee is a slight favorite over Wisconsin.

In looking at the current Vegas lines for the bowl games, it could end up being a very disappointing bowl season for the Big Ten. Out of eight bowl participants, only two are favored: Purdue over Central Michigan and Penn State over Texas A&M. Not surprisingly, the SEC is favored in six of its nine contests. One conference to look out for in this year’s Bowl Challenge Cup, given to the conference with the highest winning percentage in at least three bowl games, is the Mountain West. MWC teams are currently favored in 4 out of 5 games. Other conferences looking good are the ACC (5/8), Big 12 (5/8), and Big East (3/5). It is probably safe to write off the MAC, WAC and Conference USA, who are only favored in a combined three out of ten games.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I still need to fill out my bowl picks...

Dream Deferred

This season, the NFL has finally achieved its dream: Parity. Sixteen of the NFL’s 32 teams are within three games of .500. With three games left in the season, only eight teams have officially been eliminated from the playoffs (although it’s pretty much over for 5-8 Cincinnati) and, you guessed it, the remaining eight teams have essentially locked up playoff spots.

Of last year’s twelve playoff teams, six will likely not be making a return trip to the postseason, including Chicago, the NFC’s Super Bowl representative. Two 4-12 finishers from last year (Tampa and Cleveland) are currently projected to make the playoff field. Three of last year’s AFC playoff teams (Kansas City, Baltimore and New York) have already been eliminated from the playoff hunt and stand at no better than 4-9.

Only a total of nine teams have failed to make the post-season in the last three years, and only four (Arizona, Buffalo, Detroit, Houston) have failed to make the playoffs this century. For comparison’s sake, Major League Baseball is a little more dynastic, as twelve teams have not qualified for the post-season over the last three years. Of those twelve, nine have not made the playoffs this century. Granted, there are fewer available post-season slots, but the difference is noticeable.

However, given the increasing level of parity, how impressive does that make the New England Patriots look? And perhaps more (un)impressively, how about the Miami Dolphins? These teams clearly did not get the memo on NFL parity. While 0-13 Miami currently holds the fourth longest NFL playoff drought, the Patriots are one Super Bowl win away from creating a dynasty. New England won three Super Bowls over the 2001-2004 seasons and are looking to add a fourth this year. Only three of New England’s wins this year have come by less than seventeen points, and they have been held to under 30 points only twice. Meanwhile, only four New England opponents have put up more than 20 points.

On the flip side, given the number of average (mediocre) teams in this era, it is hard to believe that a team could actually go winless. It is interesting to note that, of the Dolphins thirteen losses, six have come by exactly three points. You would think that one of those games would go the Dolphins’ way sooner or later. Who knows, in Bizarro World, the Dolphins could be 6-7 and still fighting for that last playoff spot. Of course, of the Dolphins seven other losses, six were arguably blowouts. So maybe they really are that bad, and were lucky to even get close in their three-point losses.

Things don’t get any easier for Miami. This weekend, the Dolphins will face an angry Baltimore team riding a seven game losing streak of their own. Miami is currently listed as three point home underdogs. I personally hope to see Miami lose this game so next week they can face a (hold for daunting, spooky music) undefeated New England team. Talk about two worlds colliding.

I don’t have the facts verified, but I’m fairly confident that a team has never gone undefeated this long at the same time another team has gone winless. I’m even more confident that two such teams have never faced each other. I can only imagine what the Vegas line will be on this game. 30 points? No matter what happens, this will make for killer television, and I’d much rather watch a 14-0 team run over an 0-14 team than watch two 5-7 teams cling to faint playoff hopes.

Hopefully, I don’t jinx things and ruin the possibility of such a historic event. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s good to have great teams for an extended period of time. If teams can’t compete, too bad for them. For reasons that may never be clear, Arizona and Detroit continue to be the laughingstock of the NFL. It is on them (and only them) to fix their teams instead of hoping to get lucky with high draft picks and poaching players from better but more salary-cap strapped teams.

How satisfying is it to follow a team for years, and then once it finally seems that they are on the rise, the mirage disappears and they fall back down to earth? Then the three year cycle starts over. Take the Bears, for example. Stifling defense and a power running attack propelled the Bears back to the Super Bowl. The Bears are back! But wait, this year the Bears are but one of a dozen middling teams with no real identity. I think the fans deserve more than this Communist, lottery-like system. Congratulations…Tampa Bay! This year you get to go to the Super Bowl! We’ll see you again in three years…

In trying to satisfy everyone, the only thing that can be sure is that no one will end up satisfied. Give me the Patriots and their dominance. Give me the Colts and Peyton Manning running wild every year. Give me the Dolphins and their 0-13 record. Give me the Lions and Cardinals sucking every year. But don’t give me a lottery league.

Final Regular Season NCAA Power Rankings

With the regular college football season at a close, we have a few weeks to settle before the bowls swing into action. Without question, most of the discussion will center around the BCS, who made it, who didn't, and who will take home the national championship.

I like LSU to win it all, but even if they do win, critics will have plenty of ammunition to argue the validity of that championship. In preliminary Vegas lines, LSU is favored by 5.5 over the Buckeyes. In a voter-decided online sixteen team playoff at SI.com, it looks like Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU and Florida are likely to advance to the semi-finals. Ohio State and LSU hold paper-thin leads over West Virginia and USC, respectively, which tells me that that public does not see Ohio State and LSU as the clear cut top two teams.

Of course, the games are decided on the field, not paper, so we'll have to hold our judgment until early January. Then let the speculation start up once again...

Here are my final rankings. Keep in mind that I am ranking teams based on which teams I feel are the best, not who has the best record. Current form holds more weight than the beginning of the season, strength of schedule must be considered, and of course some subjectivity is required to separate teams that seem equal on paper.

1.) Georgia (10-2)
Key Wins: Florida, Auburn, Kentucky
Loss(es): South Carolina, Tennessee
I had Georgia ranked third last week, and with the Missouri and WVU losses I bumped them up to number one. Unlike the media, I don't consider it a great sin that Georgia did not win its conference. The Bulldogs are likely disappointed that they did not get a chance to play for the National Championship, but a Sugar Bowl trip is a nice consolation prize.
2.) Oklahoma (11-2)
Key Wins: Texas, Missouri (twice)
Loss(es): Colorado, Texas Tech
I gave the Sooners a big bump based on their dominating performance against Missouri. When they want to, Oklahoma can beat anyone. West Virginia should prove to be a good challenge for this team.
3.) LSU (11-2)
Key Wins: Virginia Tech, Florida, Tennessee
Loss(es): Kentucky, Arkansas
LSU scored a less-than-convincing win over Tennessee and magically jumped from number 7 in the BCS to number 2. I can't argue against the Tigers' resume, but I'm not convinced they are the number two team in the country. Having a healthy Matt Flynn will certainly help.
4.) Florida (9-3)
Key Wins: Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida State
Loss(es): Auburn, LSU, Georgia
You may be asking yourselves, why is a three-loss team ranked ahead of Ohio State? Well, I consider Florida to be the better team. Two of Florida's losses came to teams listed in my top three. Florida lost to Auburn on a last second field goal, lost to LSU after they made 6/6 fourth down conversions, and did not have a healthy Tebow against Georgia. Looking at recent form, Florida is on fire, having scored forty or more in its last four games, including wins over South Carolina and Florida State.
5.) Ohio State (11-1)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan
Loss(es): Illinois
If Ohio State had to play LSU and Georgia instead of Minnesota and Washington, would they have finished 11-1? Fair or not, I haven't seen enough from Ohio State to believe that they deserve the number one ranking that's been handed to them. Incidentally, Steve Spurrier also ranked Ohio State fifth in his final poll.
6.) Virginia Tech (11-2)
Key Wins: Clemson, Virginia, Boston College
Loss(es): LSU, Boston College
Virginia Tech was impressive in avenging its earlier loss to Boston College. A date with Kansas awaits. Interesting to note that Virginia Tech actually finished first in the BCS computer rankings, but the voters looked at the LSU blowout and never gave Virginia Tech a chance.
7.) USC (10-2)
Key Wins: Oregon St, Cal, Arizona State
Loss(es): Stanford, Oregon
USC has been talked about as one the "hottest" teams right now, but I don't see it. Yes, they were impressive in beating Arizona State, but the week before that they only scraped by Cal (who just lost to Stanford) and the week after the ASU game they struggled a bit before finally putting away UCLA.
8.) Missouri (11-2)
Key Wins: Illinois, Texas Tech, Kansas
Loss(es): Oklahoma (twice)
The Tigers were absolutely shredded by Oklahoma and went from number 1 and playing for the national title to playing in the Cotton Bowl in a few short hours.
9.) WVU (10-2)
Key Wins: Rutgers, Cincinnati, Connecticut
Loss(es): South Florida, Pitt
West Virginia's loss was even more inexplicable, losing to 4-7 Pitt. At home, no less. Sure, Pat White was injured, but that can't be an excuse in a game like this, against an opponent like Pitt.
10.) Hawaii (12-0)
Key Wins: Boise State
Loss(es): None
Hawaii finished its perfect season with an impressive comeback against Washington. Unfortunately, beating a 4-8 Pac-10 team did not provide Hawaii the opportunity to make a statement win. Otherwise, voters very well may have put Hawaii into the title game.
11.) Kansas (11-1)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): Missouri
Kansas did not play, but I felt compelled to move them down after the team that gave Kansas its only loss was so thoroughly dominated. Kansas doesn't have a much more difficult schedule than Hawaii, so they should be glad they are going to BCS game instead of a perhaps more deserving Missouri team.
12.) Illinois (9-3)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State
Loss(es): Missouri, Iowa, Michigan
A lucky beneficiary of the antiquated Rose Bowl good ole boys club, Illinois is headed to Pasadena to face USC.
13.) ASU (10-2)
Key Wins: Oregon St, Cal, UCLA
Loss(es): Oregon, USC
Arizona State will face Texas in the Holiday Bowl in what should be one of the more intriguing non-BCS bowls.
14.) Boston College (10-3)
Key Wins: Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Clemson
Loss(es): Florida State, Maryland, Virginia Tech
Unfortunately for Boston College, they were unable to defeat Virginia Tech a second time and lost out on a big BCS payday. Boston College falls all the way to the ChampsSports Bowl, where they face a perennially underachieving Michigan State squad.
15.) Clemson (9-3)
Key Wins: Florida State, Wake Forest, South Carolina
Loss(es): Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, BC
Auburn awaits in the Peach Bowl. Clemson fans will wonder what could have been after another season falls just short of expectations.
16.) Tennessee (9-4)
Key Wins: Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky
Loss(es): Cal, Florida, Alabama, LSU
Tennessee certainly had its chances against LSU, but two late Erik Ainge interceptions, one for a touchdown, doomed the Vols. Tennessee will make a second consecutive trip to the Outback Bowl.
17.) Texas (9-3)
Key Wins: Texas Tech
Loss(es): Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M
Texas will have its hands full with Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.
18.) Cincinnati (9-3)
Key Wins: Oregon St, South Florida, UConn
Loss(es): Louisville, Pitt, West Virginia
This team probably deserved better than the papajohns.com bowl, but if they hang on to head coach Brian Kelly for a few more years, this program will only continue to improve.
19.) South Florida (9-3)
Key Wins: Auburn, West Virginia
Loss(es): Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincinnati
This program didn't even exist ten years, and now they will line up against one of the top Pac-10 teams in the Sun Bowl. Even better, they will probably be favored.
20.) Virginia (9-3)
Key Wins: UConn, Wake Forest
Loss(es): Wyoming, NC State, Virginia Tech
Virginia certainly overachieved this year, exceeding all expectations. The Cavaliers will face off against Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl. Sorry Notre Dame, you won't be seen back in the Gator Bowl for quite a few years.
21.) Auburn (8-4)
Key Wins: Florida, Arkansas
Loss(es): South Florida, Miss St, LSU, Georgia
As mentioned, Auburn will face Clemson in the Peach Bowl. The stadium should be filled with orange, and at least everyone will be cheering for the Tigers.
22.) Arkansas (8-4)
Key Wins: Mississippi State, LSU
Loss(es): Alabama, Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee
Darren McFadden may have one last chance to put on a Razorbacks jersey, and the whole team should be excited to face off against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. Arkansas was able to knock the number one team in the country, so they should no problems with an ex-number one, right?
23.) BYU (10-2)
Key Wins: Arizona, Air Force
Loss(es): UCLA, Tulsa
The voters seem to like BYU, and there aren't exactly alot of other quality teams out there. BYU will get a re-match against UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.
24.) Texas Tech (8-4)
Key Wins: Texas A&M, Oklahoma
Loss(es): OK State, Missouri, Colorado, Texas
We will see if the Oklahoma win was fluke when the Red Raiders take the field against Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
25.) UCF (10-3)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): Texas, East Carolina, South Florida
Central Florida finished with ten wins and captured the Conference USA title. Plus, they have a guy (Kevin Smith) who has run for over 2400 yards.

Travis Henry 1, NFL 0

Congratulations, Travis Henry. You managed to beat the drug test rap, without even having to resort to the Whizzinator.

Apparently the league was not very convinced by Henry’s defense. League spokesman Greg Aiello on the case: “The defense of hair samples and lie detector tests was irrelevant and unconvincing.” So it’s not particularly clear how Henry avoided the potential year-long suspension. Perhaps the league felt that Mr. Henry’s increasingly large family would be better off with an employed patriarch.

Oh, and in case you’re curious as to why I have a Tennessee Titans Travis Henry photo and not a more recent Broncos shot, well it’s the most recent photo I could find on “The Official Travis Henry Website”. The site has a 2007 copyright date and has recent Travis Henry news, but apparently they didn’t feel it was important to update the simple fact that he had changed teams.

Post BCS Thoughts

What a fitting end to this college football season. #1 Missouri losing to Oklahoma was not a huge surprise, considering that Oklahoma was favored and had beaten the Tigers handily earlier this season, but absolutely no one could have anticipated that West Virginia would fall. Even you Buckeye and LSU fans can’t claim that you really thought this would happen.

The fallout of yet another round of upsets leaves us with an Ohio State-LSU title game and a host of disappointed teams. Georgia is likely feeling the most slighted. The Bulldogs entered the weekend ranked fourth in the BCS, watched two of the three teams ahead of them lose, and yet somehow moved down one position in the BCS and ended up fifth.

I am not saying that Georgia deserves to be in the title game in place of LSU or Ohio State (although they would certainly have a good argument) but if voters felt that LSU and/or Oklahoma was that much better than Georgia, shouldn’t they have ranked those teams higher to begin with? You can’t honestly tell me that the shaky 21-14 win over Tennessee was enough to vault LSU from 7th to 2nd in the BCS. Politicking played a huge role in that jump, and it makes me a little sick. I can certainly understand how critics of the SEC would point to the preferential treatment the conference seems to garner.

I also find it a little curious that Ohio State received a virtual pass to the Championship game while voters were tripping over themselves trying to find someone other than Georgia to play for the title. An ESPN poll (I know, not exactly the most scientific) showed that over 50% of the country does not believe that Ohio State is one of the top two teams in the country, and yet their credentials were not questioned at all when it came time to vote.

The truth is that no one knows who the two best teams are in the country right now. As I mentioned prior to this weekend’s games, it is much easier to narrow down the top eight or so teams than it is to select the top two, especially when nearly all have the same record and have suffered similarly unexpected losses over the course of the season. I still believe that the eight teams I listed would still make a compelling playoff, although their order might have shifted a bit over the last week.

Obviously, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma, USC and Virginia Tech have the strongest arguments. Hawaii also gets a pass for its unblemished record. The eighth position would be open for considerable debate (West Virginia, Missouri and Kansas all ended their season with losses, which could open it up to Arizona State or Florida) but I believe it would be much better to have a debate for the eighth spot of a playoff than the second participant in a title game.

Of course, we’re all probably wasting our time asking for a playoff when the BCS bigwigs are content to roll with the way things are. We can only hope that the BCS fallout will produce some signficant changes in the near future, because no matter who wins this year's Championship, the result will be questioned for years to come.

Initiating Self-Destruct Sequence in 5...4...3...2...

Let the annual playoff talk begin. This year’s BCS is headed towards perhaps its worst result since its inception. To be fair, this really isn’t the fault of the BCS. No team has stepped up to the plate and truly laid claim to a rightful spot in the BCS Championship. Unlike in previous years, we have no dominant teams (see: USC/Texas 2005) that clearly deserve to be number one or number two, head and shoulders over the competition.

In reality, we have one undefeated team, four teams with one loss, and nine two-loss teams. You could make compelling arguments for a good percentage of those teams, as well as arguments against each of them. The BCS can only truly work when the chips fall perfectly into place, ie two teams that clearly deserve to play for title actually do play for the title. When you have three or more deserving teams, one will get the shaft, like undefeated Auburn in 2004. No non-playoff system will ever solve that problem.

Sometimes we forget that the BCS really is an improvement over the old system, when airtight bowl allegiances did not allow conference champions from the Pac-10 and Big Ten to play bowl games against other conference foes, the SEC Champion always played in the Sugar Bowl, and so on and so forth. This often led to split national titles and produced bowl games that left fans wondering ‘what if…’ However, I sincerely doubt that you could find a single person who believes that the BCS is perfect, or that it is even the best available solution.

I will admit I have waffled a bit on the playoff debate. I used to be 100% for a playoff system, but this year I started thinking otherwise. The regular season really is special in college football. Not to say that it isn’t in other sports, but regular season college football seems to carry a bit of added mystique. Once you lose, you are essentially eliminated from contention. As this season has progressed, we have seen that come to light, as team after team (South Florida, Boston College, Kansas) has been a contender and then just as suddenly fallen. You could argue that the current system works as a de facto playoff.

The one problem with this is the assumption that eventually a team will step up and prove it deserves to be number one. My biggest complaint is that Ohio State, who lost its second-to-last game, is a better-than-50% bet to play in this year’s National Championship, considering that number one Missouri is a three point ‘dog to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship. If the regular season truly worked as de facto playoff system, there is no way Ohio State would still be alive. True, this problem has popped up before in the BCS, with 2003 Oklahoma losing in its conference championship and still making the BCS Championship (and summarily getting blown out) and 2001 Nebraska losing its season finale and still playing for the national title. But that does not make it right.

Let’s break down the top title contenders:

Undefeated:
Hawaii – Currently ranked 12th in the BCS, Hawaii has zero shot at making the BCS Championship. Their schedule has been knocked, and deservedly so. Of course, Hawaii had originally been scheduled to play Michigan, but the Wolverines backed out at the last minute. Michigan’s new opponent: Appalachian State. Nice work, Big Ten. The truth is, though, that none of the big boys want to play Hawaii. The bottom line is that Hawaii is the only team in the nation to not lose a game. How can you argue against that?

One-loss teams:
Missouri – Currently number one in the BCS, Missouri needs only to knock off Oklahoma to reach the title game. How much sense does it make, though, when the number one team in the nation is the underdog on a neutral field? Basically, Missouri is number one because no one else is. They do have two victories over top 15 teams in Illinois and Kansas, but were convincingly defeated in their prior game against Oklahoma.
West Virginia – West Virginia has looked solid this year, but their schedule is not quite as tough as some of the other contenders. All of West Virginia’s wins except two (Louisville, Cincinnati) have come by at least 17 points. A bit of a question mark, but they would certainly present a tough matchup for anyone in the field right now.
Kansas – What to make of Kansas? Their biggest win is Texas A&M, which isn’t saying much, but they did manage to make it through the season with only one loss, to rival Missouri. Kansas showed heart in coming back against Missouri but ultimately fell short. That loss should eliminate them from title contention, but it would be interesting to see how they stack up against the other contenders.
Ohio State – Winners of the Big Ten, almost by default, Ohio State finished an unexpected 11-1. The Buckeyes did not garner a significant victory all year, but the closest they came was either the win over struggling Michigan or PJ Hill-less Wisconsin. Like West Virginia, Ohio State dominated against a weaker schedule, winning 9 of 11 games by 16 points or more. However, the late loss to Illinois (Ohio State’s toughest opponent) is hard to ignore.

Two-loss teams:
Georgia – Arguably the hottest teams in college football right now, the Bulldogs hold victories over two top 25 BCS teams (Florida, Auburn) and have been a team on a mission since the demolition at Neyland Stadium. Of course, you can’t ignore that loss, or the early loss to South Carolina, but the ‘Dawgs have the best argument of any two-loss team. Also, they haven’t lost since October 6th, which few teams can claim, including Missouri, Kansas and Ohio State.
LSU – LSU had two shots at being number one and blew it both times. The Tigers probably peaked after blowing out Virginia Tech and appear to have been holding on for dear life ever since. To their credit, both losses have come against respectable opponents in overtime, and like Georgia, LSU has beaten both Florida and Auburn. Winning the SEC could garner LSU some additional votes.
Oklahoma – I’m willing to give Oklahoma a mulligan for the Texas Tech loss, since they lost their star QB in that game, but the Colorado loss is another story. The Sooners have looked less than impressive in several of their victories as well. On the flip side, Oklahoma has beaten number one Missouri and will have the chance to do it again. Win that game (and the Big 12), and Oklahoma deserves to be mentioned as a top contender.
Virginia Tech – Unless they beat Boston College, forget about them. They were blown out by LSU and lost to BC. They do have a couple of impressive wins in Clemson and Virginia, but the ACC Championship game will determine whether they are a contender or an also-ran.
Boston College – See above. Boston College’s losses (Florida State, Maryland) are much worse than Virginia Tech’s, but then again they beat Virginia Tech head-to-head. BC probably does not deserve to play for the title, but could cause problems for someone in a playoff format.
USC – Certainly interesting, given USC’s recent play. The win over Arizona State was impressive, but can we really allow a team who lost to Stanford to play for the national title? Let’s see how the Trojans fare against UCLA, because I’m not 100% sure they will win that game.
Arizona State – No, thanks. They lost to the top two contenders in their conference and their best win is Oregon State, so no chance of competing for the national title.
BYU – A good story, but not a serious contender.
Boise State – Eliminated when they lost to Hawaii. No strong wins of note.

And we haven’t even mentioned Florida (three losses), who could probably beat at least half the teams in the list. With all that said, I think you can seriously consider about eight teams for the National Championship: Hawaii, West Virginia, Ohio State, Missouri/Oklahoma winner, Georgia, USC, Virginia Tech/Boston College winner, and LSU (if they beat Tennessee convincingly). And maybe Kansas, depending on how this weekend goes for the other teams involved. Except for the unknown Hawaii factor, I think any team in this list would have a chance.

Would it really be so difficult to arrange an eight team playoff? The rest of the field could still go to their same crappy Outback bowls. The Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange Bowls could host the first round of the playoffs, and only three additional games would be required. Or two, if you consider that we already have a separate BCS Championship bowl game. I think that the March Madness selection process should be the model for selecting the eight participants, considering such factors as computer rankings, schedule strength, and recent form. Leaving the selection up to just a computer rankings system (like the BCS) would never work, we need to have human judgment evaluate who is and is not deserving.

There has been some talk of going to a “plus one system” but I don’t trust the BCS to handle that scenario. The general proposal would be to have the top four teams play two games and then have the two winners face off for the National Championship. But who decides the top four? Straight BCS rankings? Teams like Hawaii would still be left out. With parity increasing across college football, I’m not sure that having essentially a four team playoff is drastic enough. Plus, teams like Ohio State would continue to benefit as they sit idly (and rise) while other teams risk defeat in conference title games.

Based on current BCS rankings and Vegas’ projected outcomes for this weekend, the field would look something like this:

1.) West Virginia vs 8.) Hawaii
2.) Ohio State vs 7.) USC
3.) Georgia vs 6.) Oklahoma
4.) Virginia Tech vs 5.) LSU

Those would be some interesting matchups. Food for thought…

1.) Missouri (11-1)
Key Wins: Illinois, Texas Tech, Kansas
Loss(es): Oklahoma
Welcome to the top, Missouri. Don’t get comfortable, though. Missouri is the underdog headed into the Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma. Missouri clinches a spot in the BCS Championship game with a win.
2.) WVU (10-1)
Key Wins: Rutgers, Cincinnati, Connecticut
Loss(es): South Florida
All that stands between West Virginia and the BCS Championship Game is pesky Pitt. I doubt that West Virginia will have any trouble getting amped for this rivalry game.
3.) Georgia (10-2)
Key Wins: Florida, Auburn, Kentucky
Loss(es): South Carolina, Tennessee
On the outside looking in for both the SEC and the National Championship, Georgia should at least claim a spot in the BCS as an at-large. A minor miracle would be required to vault the ‘Dawgs into the BCS title game.
4.) LSU (10-2)
Key Wins: Virginia Tech, Florida, Auburn
Loss(es): Kentucky, Arkansas
After suffering another overtime loss, LSU will miss out on the National Championship. Perhaps Les Miles can now focus on more important things, like the Michigan job, or, you know, the SEC Championship game.
5.) Kansas (11-1)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): Missouri
Kansas fought hard but came up short against bitter rival Missouri. The Jayhawks should still be rewarded with a BCS bid, but won’t challenge for the national title. Given Kansas’ history, fans should be plenty satisfied with this outcome.
6.) Florida (9-3)
Key Wins: Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida State
Loss(es): Auburn, LSU, Georgia
Tim Tebow gave another Heisman performance and Florida walked all over Florida State. The polls aren’t showing the Gators the same kind of love that I am, but I still feel the Gators are deserving of this rank.
7.) Ohio State (11-1)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan
Loss(es): Illinois
Ohio State was idle last week, and will be this weekend as well, but don’t be surprised to see the Buckeyes move into the BCS Championship should Missouri or WVU lose. Oklahoma and Pitt flags will be flying all across Ohio.
8.) Oklahoma (10-2)
Key Wins: Texas, Missouri
Loss(es): Colorado, Texas Tech
Win and Oklahoma is likely headed to the Fiesta Bowl. Lose, and they could end up in the Holiday Bowl. Oh, and a win knocks Missouri out of the National Championship game.
9.) Virginia Tech (10-2)
Key Wins: Clemson, Florida State, Virginia
Loss(es): LSU, Boston College
Virginia Tech will have a chance to avenge its earlier loss to Boston College, with the ACC Championship and BCS bowl berth hanging in the balance.
10.) USC (8-2)
Key Wins: Oregon St, Cal, Arizona State
Loss(es): Stanford, Oregon
Last year, UCLA knocked off USC. Can the Bruins do it again? Under a very unlikely set of circumstances, UCLA could get to the Rose Bowl, starting with a win over USC. I don’t think that is going to happen, but we’ve seen crazier things…
11.) Boston College (10-2)
Key Wins: Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Clemson
Loss(es): Florida State, Maryland
As mentioned with Virginia Tech, this ACC Championship game is for all the marbles. Matt Ryan has been impressing Heisman voters once again, so who knows? Maybe he could vault himself back into contention with a thorough beating of Virginia Tech.
12.) Tennessee (9-3)
Key Wins: Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky
Loss(es): Cal, Florida, Alabama
In one of the most thrilling games in recent memory, Tennessee just barely survived against Kentucky, keeping the nation’s longest streak against a single opponent intact. I counted at least three times that I had internally resigned myself to the fact that Tennessee would lose, only to see the Vols miraculously stay alive. Tennessee will need a little more luck if they hope to knock off LSU and win the SEC.
13.) Illinois (9-3)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State
Loss(es): Missouri, Iowa, Michigan
With their regular season finished, the Illini are only waiting to find out what bowl they will go to.
14.) Hawaii (11-0)
Key Wins: Boise State
Loss(es): None
With the win over Boise State, Hawaii has proven that it has a solid team and will likely get to showcase its talent against the best the SEC has to offer in the Sugar Bowl. Quite frankly, I’m a little nervous about their crazy passing schemes.
15.) Clemson (9-3)
Key Wins: Florida State, Wake Forest, South Carolina
Loss(es): Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, BC
Clemson knocked off South Carolina to help ease the pain of the come-from-ahead loss to Boston College. The season will still be viewed with some level of disappointment as another Clemson season ends without a title of any kind.
16.) ASU (9-2)
Key Wins: Oregon St, Cal, UCLA
Loss(es): Oregon, USC
Arizona State was thoroughly outclassed by USC and unfortunately ends the season on a bit of a down note with losses to their two chief competitors, Oregon and USC. ASU still has a shot at the Pac-10 crown if UCLA knocks off USC.
17.) Texas (9-3)
Key Wins: Texas Tech
Loss(es): Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M
Finally! It was only a matter of time until Texas showed their true colors. What does it say about the Big 12 that it took this long for someone to knock them off? Granted, they didn’t face Missouri or Kansas, but Texas somehow managed to scrape together a nine win season without beating anyone of consequence.
18.) Oregon (8-3)
Key Wins: Michigan, USC, Arizona State
Loss(es): Cal, Arizona, UCLA
You have to feel for this team. They have been completely shell-shocked since Dennis Dixon went down and were blanked by a mediocre UCLA squad. Perhaps the Ducks were a tad overrated with Dixon, but his impact is crystal clear. Without him, Oregon is barely a top 25 team.
19.) Cincinnati (9-3)
Key Wins: Oregon St, South Florida, UConn
Loss(es): Louisville, Pitt, West Virginia
Cincinnati’s regular season is complete. Having just accepted a bid to the prestigious papajohns.com bowl, the Bearcats will not have to deal with the stress of waiting to learn which bowl they will make..
20.) South Florida (9-3)
Key Wins: Auburn, West Virginia
Loss(es): Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincinnati
South Florida ended its season on a positive note and will play in this year’s Sun Bowl, earning their first ever bowl appearance. South Florida will face off against a Pac-10 opponent, perhaps Oregon.
21.) Virginia (9-3)
Key Wins: UConn, Wake Forest
Loss(es): Wyoming, NC State, Virginia Tech
Virginia played decently in a respectable loss to Virginia Tech, which indicates that maybe Virginia was more good than lucky this season, despite being on the lucky end of so many close games.
22.) Auburn (8-4)
Key Wins: Florida, Arkansas
Loss(es): South Florida, Miss St, LSU, Georgia
Auburn improved its bowl position with a hard-fought victory over Alabama in the annual Iron Bowl. Auburn will never be confused with an offensive juggernaut, but they get the job done with defense and tough running.
23.) Arkansas (8-4)
Key Wins: Mississippi State, LSU
Loss(es): Alabama, Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee
Behind the amazing Mcfadden, Arkansas trampled all over LSU’s vaunted defense and ruined the SEC’s hope of taking home a National Championship. The Heisman race could likely come down to Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. For all the great players that have come out of the SEC, the conference hasn’t won a Heisman since Danny Wuerffel in 1996.
24.) Texas Tech (8-4)
Key Wins: Texas A&M, Oklahoma
Loss(es): OK State, Missouri, Colorado, Texas
They knocked off Oklahoma two weeks ago, but are too inconsistent to be a national threat. They sure are a fun team to watch, though. Freshman receiver Michael Crabtree will be a force over the next two or three years.
25.) BYU (9-2)
Key Wins: Arizona, Air Force
Loss(es): UCLA, Tulsa
I guess.

Others given consideration:
Wake Forest
Wisconsin
Oregon State

God Save the Queen...and English Football

Sorry, England. Mighty David Beckham has struck out.

As surely many of you are unaware, this past weekend England met its ultimate failure – failure to qualify for the European 2008 championship. England went into this past Wednesday’s home match against Croatia needing only a draw to punch their ticket to Austria/Switzerland 2008. Somewhere along the way, Croatia decided to show up and make a mess of things.

England fell behind quickly, facing a 2-0 deficit after only 14 minutes of play. With the help of a questionable penalty call, England battled back to a 2-2 tie and appeared sure to advance. Less than ten minutes later, however, Mladen Petric put Croatia up for good with a 77th minute strike, his seventh goal in seven qualifying appearances.

In truth, England’s goose was cooked long before this match even got underway. Numerous missed opportunities will haunt the English side for the next four years, including a miserable 0-0 home draw against weak sister Macedonia and an earlier loss to Croatia. Perhaps the worst result was the 2-1 away loss to Russia that came less than a month after England had soundly defeated the Russians 3-0 at Wembley Stadium. In the end, England finished tied for third (with noted soccer powerhouse Israel) and finished a mere one point behind Russia and qualification.

As much as English football fans do not want to admit it, England can no longer be considered a soccer power. Sure, they invented the game, but what has England done in the last forty years? Since capturing their only World Cup title in 1966 (on English soil), England has advanced past the quarterfinals only once, reaching the semifinals in 1990. England followed up on that semifinal appearance by flaming out in 1994 World Cup qualifying and missed the tournament completely. England’s record in the European Championship is even worse, with no titles and only two semifinal appearances since 1960, most recently in 1996.

For comparison’s sake, the Netherlands (who have never actually won a World Cup) have managed to reach the World cup semi-finals three times and have two runner-up finishes, and have five European Championship semi-final appearances and one Championship over the same time period. Rival Germany has eight World Cup semifinals appearances and two titles, as well as six European Championship semi-finals appearances and three championships since 1966. France has reached four World Cup semi-finals, including one title, and has twice won the European Championship. Italy has won the World Cup twice and the European Championship once, as well as numerous semi-final and final appearances in both.

In addition to being out-performed by Europe’s traditional powers, English supporters have had to watch the likes of Denmark and Greece win recent European Championships. Portugal, Russia, and the Czech Republic have all advanced further in the last twenty years than England ever has. In fact, England is rated as only the 13th most successful European side in the history of that tournament, which can only be considered mediocre at best.

Perhaps the world is starting to become aware of England’s shortcomings: England did not receive one of the nine top seeds in last week's Europe World Cup Qualifying draw, and as fortune would have it, England was drawn into the same group as Croatia. Perhaps some redemption is in order, but, more likely, England supporters should start bracing for another round of heartache.

Say hello to my little friend

I'll admit it - I haven't really dedicated much time solely to the SEC. So on this holiest of football days - Thanksgiving - I will give the masses what they desire. And by masses, I mean the handful of my friends who bothers to read this.

The SEC has had quite an interesting year. At times, seven teams were ranked in the top 25. Currently, five are ranked, with two more receiving votes. LSU certainly appears to be in the drivers seat with respect to the BCS Championship. Tim Tebow is the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy. And once again, the SEC will send two teams to the BCS games. This level of dominance is not often seen. In fact, this dominance evokes memories of a once-prominent businessman who reigned over this country - Tony Montana. Yes, the legendary Cuban drug dealer immortalized in the masterful film Scarface.

I believe that the SEC will reign longer than Tony Montana (and hopefully avoid a shotgun blast to the back) but the level of power is eerily similar. In fact, you can take individual members of the SEC and relate them to characters in the film:

Sosa (LSU) - Sosa is the undisputed leader of the drug world. His every command is carried out with swift and ruthless execution. His power is shown when he orders Tony Montana's assassination, which is carried out by an army of at least 50 people. LSU has been equally oppressive, with four top 5 Coaches Poll finishes in the last five years, including the 2003 National Championship and this year's number one ranking. LSU looks to add to its legend with another SEC title and BCS title this year.

Tony Montana (Florida) - Tony is ruthless, ambitious and feared by his rivals. He quickly rises to power and immediately becomes the center of attention in whatever situation he enters. However, he is ultimately undone by his personal flaws, greed and a love of cocaina. Florida shares these traits, especially Tim Tebow. Florida's reliance on Tim Tebow cost them the Georgia game, when Tebow's bruised shoulder prevented him from running the ball and Georgia was able to key in on the rest of the offense. Also, Tim Tebow carries himself on the field with a reckless abandon that Tony Montana would appreciate. Urban Meyer also represents the "ambitious new guy" side of Tony Montana, winning a National Championship in only his second season at Florida.

Manny (Georgia) - Manny is the second fiddle to Tony's lead. Everyone loves Manny, but no one fears him. Manny is not willing to take that last step to becoming the number one guy. Georgia always seems to fall into this role. As a Tennessee fan, I have no hatred for Georgia (like I do for Florida and Alabama) and I don't get the sense that many other fans fear and hate Georgia. The 'Dawgs will probably finish this season with at least 10 wins, but yet will fall just short of being a nationally acclaimed team.

Frank Lopez (Tennessee) - Frank is in charge of the Miami market, at least until the ambitious Tony knocks him off his perch. Frank is used to doing things the old way and doesn't want to ruffle any feathers and take big risks. Tennessee, and especially Phil Fulmer, fits this description. Fulmer has taken some heat over the last couple of years for his traditional offense and seems to be in danger of losing his job to a flashy newcomer. It has become clear that some changes are needed if Tennessee is to make a run for the spot at the top.

Elvira (South Carolina/Kentucky) - Elvira (played by Michelle Phfieffer) is the beautiful girl that Tony must have no matter what. She is classy, desirable, and witty. By the end of the film, however, Elvira is nothing more than a coked-out blonde with no life skills. The parallel is fitting for these two SEC East teams, South Carolina and Kentucky. Both were once ranked in the top ten in the same week, before they both lost in the same weekend (10/20) to begin a sad trend down towards irrelevance. Including those first two losses, these teams have combined for a total of seven losses since reaching their top ten rankings.

Omar Suarez (Alabama) - Frank's second-in-command, Omar Suarez is accompanied by Tony Montana on a business trip to Peru, where Sosa accuses Omar of being a "stoolie" and has him thrown out of an airborne helicopter. Alabama has always been a traditional power, however once the NCAA cracked down on Alabama for various recruiting and booster violations and placed the team on probation (allegedly on a tip from Tennessee and Phil Fulmer), Alabama has not been the same. Losing numerous scholarships and dealing with a postseason ban was devasting for Alabama's recruiting. The Tide has not participated in meaningful bowl game since the 1999 season Orange Bowl, when they won the SEC.

Gina Montana (Arkansas) - Gina is the beautiful sister of whom Tony is so protective. In fact, Tony is so protective that he murders his best friend Manny when he found out that Manny had been sleeping with Gina. Of course, what he didn't know was that the two had just gotten married. Darren McFadden (more than Arkansas) is the Gina of the SEC. McFadden continues to get Heisman support and any SEC fan will howl if his name is not mentioned in the top five. While Gina was riddled with bullets in the film's finale, McFadden's Heisman hopes have already been riddled by his team's multiple losses and some subpar offensive performances.

Rebenga (Vandy) - A minor character, Rebenga is the Communist leader who Tony assassinates for a green card at the beginning of the film. I don't know much else about him, but I can assume if Rebenga was a Communist government leader that he was fairly well-educated. Vanderbilt is likely fielding the most intelligent team in the SEC, but it doesn't prevent them from being eviscerated on a regular basis by their more brutish counterparts.

The Diaz Brothers (Miss St/Ole Miss) - The Diaz brothers are Tony and Frank's rivals in the early goings of the film. They never make an appearance but are spoken about on occasion. Mississippi State has played in only one New Year's Days bowl since 1940 (a 38-11 loss in the 1998 Cotton Bowl), while rival Ole Miss has been only moderately more successful. These two teams rarely factor into any SEC discussion, unless they happen to be playing a team competing for the SEC or National Championship.

Mel Bernstein (Auburn) - Mel is the crooked Narcotics detective who is regularly paid off by Tony and Frank, until Tony decides he has had enough and kills Mel. Mel always has a smug look on his face and a feeling of invulnerabilty, given his badge status. Obviously, it doesn't help him in the end. Auburn is in the same position, as they are not quite as good or powerful as they think they are. Outside of their 2004 13-0 season in which they did not have a chance to compete for the National Championship, Auburn does not have any BCS bowl appearances. You can bet that Auburn fans will be screaming to the grave about the injustice of 2004.

No, you take it...No, no, I insist

Not everyone can be perfect. We've seen that again and again in college football this year, and the imperfection isn't confined to the field. So-called experts make errors in judgment all the time, but how many times do you see them call themselves out in next week's column? I'll tell you how often: Never. To be fair, you will occasionally see guys like Dr Z and Pat Forde go back at the end of the season and take a look at their early-season mistakes, but it is pretty rare to see someone say "Man, what was I thinking last week? I can't believe I thought Ohio State and Boston College were the two best teams in college football!"

In light of this, I'd like to take this opportunity to call myself out on a couple of bonehead comments.

1.) "Nail-biter loss to LSU doesn't diminish the fact that Alabama has re-established itself as [a]contender." (11/5/07)
Perhaps my only mistake was not clarifying that I meant Alabama was a contender to be the first SEC team to lose to a Sun Belt team this year. Consecutive losses to Mississippi State and Louisiana-Monroe have put Alabama in jeopardy of not even making a bowl game.

2.) Mario Manningham as a Heisman candidate (11/13/07)
Manningham looked lost against Ohio State, as he was unable to hold onto the ball all day. I counted at least three drops. I'm not talking 'leaping into the air and ball bounces of fingertips' drops - I'm talking 'hit-me-in-the-numbers' drops. When he did manage to hold onto the ball, he only racked up a total of 34 yards. Maybe next year...

As far as the BCS Championship is concerned, we are getting dangerously close to having a game that no one will care about. With Oklahoma and Oregon going down, more and more teams will be able to make their case for a spot in the Championship. It isn't unreasonable to imagine LSU falling to Arkansas or Tennessee/Georgia. What if the Kansas/Missouri winner turns around and loses to Oklahoma?

I harped on this last week, but we really would have a huge mess if a couple more teams fall. A West Virginia-Ohio State matchup is a very real possibility, and a potentially disastrous one at that. West Virginia and Ohio State are (or will be) the respective champions of the Big East and Big Ten, which this year are widely rated as the fifth and sixth best conferences in the country, out of the six BCS conferences. Do we really want to reward these teams that are clearly not the best in the country with the chance to compete for the title, just because they haven't had to play anyone?

Both Ohio State and West Virgina have beaten only one team ranked in the Sagarin top 25: Ohio State over Michigan (#25) and West Virginia over Cincinnati (#14). Meanwhile, Georgia has wins over three top 20 teams (Florida, Kentucky, Auburn) but has almost no chance to advance to the title game due to their two SEC losses. Maybe I'm getting worked up for nothing, but I think it would be a shame to see Ohio State in the title game just because the rest of the field is busy knocking themselves off in conference championship games and difficult conference matchups.

And on to this week's rankings...

1.) LSU (10-1)
Key Wins: Virginia Tech, Florida, Auburn
Loss(es): Kentucky
Talk of Les Miles bolting for Michigan may prove to be a distraction for the top ranked Tigers. LSU certainly will have its hands full with Darren McFadden this weekend, so they will have to focus to avoid a letdown.
2.) Missouri (10-1)
Key Wins: Illinois, Texas Tech
Loss(es): Oklahoma
I think Missouri is a pretty tenuous number two right now. Missouri hasn't really been tested, outside of its loss to Oklahoma. I believe they will knock off Kansas, but I'm not sure they can win a re-match with Oklahoma.
3.) WVU (9-1)
Key Wins: Rutgers, Cincinnati
Loss(es): South Florida
West Virginia continues to take care of business, as its competitors are falling over themselves trying to get out of the title race. A couple more breaks and the Mountaineers might find themselves with a new set of flight plans.
4.) Kansas (11-0)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): None
Kansas has moved all the way up to number two in the BCS standings, which as history has shown this season is not the ideal place to be. A relatively untested Kansas team will face a stiff challenge with Missouri this weekend.
5.) Georgia (9-2)
Key Wins: Florida, Auburn, Kentucky
Loss(es): South Carolina, Tennessee
Georgia held on to beat Kentucky, which keeps the Dawgs' SEC title hopes alive for one more week. Now Georgia must turn around and root for the Wildcats to upset Tennessee.
6.) Florida (8-3)
Key Wins: Tennessee, Kentucky
Loss(es): Auburn, LSU, Georgia
Florida has regrouped following the disappointing loss to Georgia. With Tim Tebow's shoulder apparently fully healed, the Gators have been unstoppable, scoring 49 or more points in the last three games.
7.) Ohio State (11-1)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan
Loss(es): Illinois
Ohio State scored a sloppy win over archrival Michigan, claiming the Big Ten title in the process. The defeat also signaled the end of an era for Michigan and Lloyd Carr.
8.) Oklahoma (9-2)
Key Wins: Texas, Missouri
Loss(es): Colorado, Texas Tech
Oklahoma suffered a shocking loss to Texas Tech that was precipitated by the loss of star freshman quarterback Sam Bradford. If Bradford is not able to play in this week's game, Oklahoma could face the daunting prospect of not even making the Big 12 championship game.
9.) Virginia Tech (9-2)
Key Wins: Clemson, Florida State
Loss(es): LSU, Boston College
Virginia Tech stomped all over Miami last week and now faces in-state rival Virginia for the right to play Boston College for the ACC Championship. I give Virginia Tech the edge in both of those potential matchups.
10.) Oregon (8-2)
Key Wins: Michigan, USC, Arizona State
Loss(es): Cal, Arizona
Like Oklahoma, Oregon's title hopes have been dashed with the loss of their starting quarterback. With two relatively tough Pac-10 games coming up (UCLA, Oregon St) Oregon will be lucky to stay this high in the rankings.
11.) ASU (9-1)
Key Wins: Oregon St, Cal, UCLA
Loss(es): Oregon
Arizona State hosts USC in what should decide the Pac-10's Rose Bowl participant. Arizona State will have had an extra week to prepare for this game.
12.) USC (8-2)
Key Wins: Arizona, Oregon St, Cal
Loss(es): Stanford, Oregon
Like Arizona State, USC has also had an extra week to get ready for this week's game. A USC win would throw the Pac-10 into a three-way tie.
13.) Texas (9-2)
Key Wins: Texas Tech
Loss(es): Kansas State, Oklahoma
Left for dead after two straight Big 12 losses to open the season, Texas amazingly could sneak into the Big 12 Championship with an Oklahoma loss. A loss by both Oklahoma and Texas could potentially open the door for Oklahoma State, but I don't know all the tie-breakers...
14.) Tennessee (8-3)
Key Wins: Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas
Loss(es): Cal, Florida, Alabama
Tennessee held on for dear life against Vanderbilt, with a last-second missed field goal ensuring a Tennessee victory. The Vol Nation is hoping for a dominant performance against Kentucky that will spill over into the SEC Championship.
15.) Illinois (9-3)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State
Loss(es): Missouri, Iowa, Michigan
Illinois finished its impressive season with a dominant win over Northwestern and now must simply wait to find its bowl destination. A couple of breaks could afford the Illini a BCS at-large bid.
16.) Boston College (9-2)
Key Wins: Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Clemson
Loss(es): Florida State, Maryland
Led by another Matt Ryan comeback, Boston College broke the hearts of Clemson fans across the nation. The ACC Championship is now within reach.
17.) Boise State (10-1)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): Washington
The stage is set for this Friday's showdown with Hawaii. The winner will likely end up in a BCS bowl.
18.) Clemson (8-3)
Key Wins: Florida State, Wake Forest
Loss(es): Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, BC
More of the same for Clemson as another season ends in disappointment. Clemson dropped a sure touchdown in the closing seconds and once again fails to finish a promising season on a high note. Pounding rival South Carolina will ease the sting, but once again the critics will be calling for Tommy Bowden's job.
19.) Virginia (9-2)
Key Wins: UConn, Wake Forest
Loss(es): Wyoming, NC State
Not many people expected Virginia to be in this position, but a win over Virginia Tech would give Virginia a spot in the ACC title game. I think the Cavaliers have used up all their good luck for the year and will fall just short.
20.) Hawaii (10-0)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): None
As mentioned before, Hawaii hosts Boise State for all the marbles - WAC conference title, a possible BCS berth, and most of all, some needed respect.
21.) Cincinnati (8-3)
Key Wins: Oregon St, South Florida, UConn
Loss(es): Louisville, Pitt, West Virginia
Cincinnati played admirably but their fourth quarter rally fell just short at West Virginia. Still, this team has exceeded all expectations and deserves to be applauded.
22.) Auburn (7-4)
Key Wins: Florida, Arkansas
Loss(es): South Florida, Miss St, LSU, Georgia
With both Alabama and Auburn not meeting expectations this year, the Iron Bowl will determine bragging rights for the state of Alabama for the next year to come.
23.) Connecticut (9-2)
Key Wins: South Florida, Rutgers
Loss(es): Virginia, Cincinnati
With a win over West Virginia, Connecticut would claim the Big East title and a spot in a BCS bowl. I don't see it happening, but impressive nonetheless that UConn is even in this position.
24.) South Florida (8-3)
Key Wins: Auburn, West Virginia
Loss(es): Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincinnati
South Florida has bounced back with two straight 40+ point performances after suffering a three game slide, and re-enters the top 25.
25.) Kentucky (7-4)
Key Wins: Arkansas, LSU
Loss(es): South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi State, Georgia
Kentucky couldn't quite get the job done against Georgia, but they have one more chance to post another credible victory when they host Tennessee this weekend. With Andre Woodson at the helm, this Kentucky team is a far cry for its 1990's doormat days.

Also given consideration:
Texas Tech
BYU
Arkansas

Tragedy strikes Oregon!

OK - so as soon as I say that I would like to see an LSU-Oregon title match, this happens. With Dennis Dixon's season appearing to be over, Oregon is essentially out of the title race, and probably the Pac-10 race as well. I can see Oregon falling to around number 9 or 10. Fair or not, Oregon will be judged a little more harshly because the Ducks will have to play their remaining games without Dixon, and they are clearly not the same team without him.

In a somewhat ironic, Shakespearean tragedy twist, Dennis Dixon's injury showed the nation just how valuable he is to his team and validated his standing as a top Heisman contender. With Dixon at the helm, Oregon moved down the field with ease against Arizona. Once he went down, Oregon looked average at best. Unfortunately, with his season over, the injury will drop him out of the Heisman race. We haven't heard any official news, but it doesn't look good. Tough break for a guy who was really coming on strong this year.

To make matters worse for Oregon, the Ducks will now have to hand the reins over to Brady Leaf. Some of you may recall Brady's older brother, Ryan. For everyone's sake, let's hope Ryan hasn't been giving Brady his "How to deal with the media" and "How to make your teammates like you" instructional tapes. And what kind of name is Brady anyway? Two of the most annoying quarterbacks in the NFL have Brady in their names (Tom and Quinn) so I can only expect the worse from Brady Leaf.

What!? How can you say that about Tom Brady?? The guy is the best quarterback in the NFL! He has three Super Bowl rings! Forget Tom Brady. He is this generation's Troy Aikman. Sure, Troy was great and is in the Hall of Fame, but he was never a great quarterback who would win you games. He had great surroundings, great defense, great coaching, but was never on the level of Joe Montana or Dan Marino. Dan Marino may have never won a Super Bowl, but are you really going to tell me that Troy Aikman was better than Dan Marino?

Obviously, this is my personal metaphor for the Tom Brady/Peyton Manning debate. Peyton Manning is the best pure quarterback of this generation, last week's 6 INT game notwithstanding, and it pissed me off to no end all the crap the Manning took until he finally won the Super Bowl. For example, see the following clip:


I actually think this is pretty hilarious, so it doesn't really help my argument. But this general kind of discussion pissed me off. So deal with it, Brady fans.

And fuck Brady Quinn. That's all I have to say about him.

College Football Rankings

Another week of crazy college football. No one seems to want to win the National Championship this year. Only one undefeated BCS-conference team remains, and Kansas has done it while managing to play only two teams with records currently over .500: 6-5 Texas A&M and 6-4 Central Michigan. Fortunately for us, Ohio State finally decided to lose and save us the trouble of having to watch them get blown out by another SEC team in the BCS Championship.

Right now we are set up with an LSU-Oregon matchup, which I believe would be a fantastic game. Oregon has not played a team with LSU's speed, but LSU has the advantage of having already faced a dynamic running quarterback in Tim Tebow. However, I would not be surprised to see LSU fall to Georgia or Tennessee in the SEC Championship, which could leave us with an Oregon-Oklahoma/Missouri/Kansas matchup. If Oregon slips up against UCLA and/or Oregon State (it could happen) then I honestly have no idea who would end up in the National Championship.

I doubt that the country would vote in two Big 12 teams, since 2 of the 3 will have another loss when all is said and done, so who knows? Maybe Arizona State or West Virginia could sneak back into the race with a couple of upsets. If Georgia gets a lucky break (i.e. Tennessee slips up against Kentucky or Vanderbilt) and knocks off LSU, they would have as good an argument as anyone else.

Speaking of Georgia, they are about as impressive as anyone in the country right now. One of their knocks has always been inconsistency, so we'll see if they can avoid a letdown against Kentucky and in-state rival Georgia Tech. Knowshon Moreno has been impressive, however I was surprised to see that Mel Kiper currently has Moreno listed in his top five for the Heisman. I think he may have just been trying to make a statement on just how good the kid could turn out to be (Herschel Walker anyone?) but to have him rated as top five in the country is a little extreme.

(Segue to...)

Which brings me to my opinion on this year's Heisman race. Much like the race for the National Championship, this year's Heisman race has been completely up for grabs, with no real standout contender. I generally agree with the current consensus of Dennis Dixon, Tim Tebow, Darren McFadden, Chase Daniel and Pat White. I could also see arguments for Sam Bradford (leads nation in QB rating) and Todd Reesing (0 INT's in 8 of 10 games) to be in the top five, as well as Kevin Smith (UCF) and Matt Forte (Tulane) who are both on pace to surpass 2000 rushing yards. I hadn't heard of these running backs until a couple of days ago, so I imagine most people haven't either. But anytime someone runs for 2000 yards, you figure a guy has to be pretty decent.

One last guy who has received almost no national acclaim is Mario Manningham (Michigan). This wide receiver has continually kept Michigan in games, especially as of late, with Chad Henne and Mike Hart injured. He has the highest YPC of any receiver with at least 50 receptions, has over 1000 yards and has 100+ yards in his last six games. But more than anything else, the guy gets open and scores touchdowns - he's currently tied for fifth in receiving TD's.

So with all that said, my top five for the Heisman would look like this:

1. Tim Tebow
2. Darren McFadden
3. Dennis Dixon
4. Chase Daniel
5. Mario Manningham

Now that I've done enough rambling, on to this week's edition of my top 25 rankings.

1 – LSU (9-1)
Key Wins: Virginia Tech, Florida, Auburn
Loss(es): Kentucky
The Tigers romped in their late-season non-conference matchup with neighbor Louisiana Tech, but LSU cannot afford to take their collective foot off the gas. They may be tempted to let up with an SEC title game berth already wrapped up, but you can bet that Les Miles will have his Tigers prepared for Ole Miss and Arkansas.
2 – Oregon (8-1)
Key Wins: Michigan, USC, Arizona State
Loss(es): Cal
Oregon moves into prime BCS Championship territory after Ohio State's letdown. Oregon's remaining schedule is not incredibly difficult, but you never know what can happen over three Pac-10 games.
3 – Oklahoma (9-1)
Key Wins: Texas, Missouri
Loss(es): Colorado
The Sooners took care of business against Big 12 weakling, Baylor, and are hoping for their own shot at the BCS title. An underrated Sam Bradford continues to lead this team in the right direction.
4 – Missouri (9-1)
Key Wins: Illinois, Texas Tech
Loss(es): Oklahoma
Another Big 12 team with a high performing quarterback in Chase Daniels, the Missouri Tigers are hoping to avenge their early-season loss to the Sooners. They'll have to get through undefeated Kansas first, though.
5 – West Virginia (8-1)
Key Wins: Mississippi State, Rutgers
Loss(es): South Florida
West Virginia was not particularly dominating in its Thursday night matchup against Louisville, but remain in the hunt for a BCS championship berth. Wins over ranked Cincinnati and UConn could gain the Mountaineers a few votes.
6 – Kansas (10-0)
Key Wins: None
Loss(es): None
Kansas was as good as advertised in pulling away from Oklahoma State. While Big 12 scheduling prevented Kansas from having a regular season matchup with Texas or Oklahoma, a win over Missouri in two weeks would pit the Jayhawks against Oklahoma for the Big 12 Championship, and, with the BCS Rankings the way they are, a possible BCS Championship bid.
7 – Georgia (8-2)
Key Wins: Alabama, Florida, Auburn
Loss(es): South Carolina, Tennessee
Georgia was absolutely dominant in thrashing SEC rival Auburn. I watched this game and can attest that Matthew Stafford is a legit quarterback. The kid can throw.
8 – Ohio State (10-1)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin
Loss(es): Illinois
I'd like to say "I told you so" but that seems so juvenile. To be fair, no one expected the Buckeyes to last this long, or to even be in a position to compete for the Big Ten title after losing so many players last year. But still... I told you so...
9 – Florida (7-3)
Key Wins: Tennessee, Kentucky
Loss(es): Auburn, LSU, Georgia
Tim Tebow put up a performance for the ages against South Carolina, accounting for 80 percent of Florida's offense and ALL of its seven touchdowns. Wow. There does seem to be a trend for players to have career performances against South Carolina as of late (see: Darren McFadden) so even the Ol' Ball Coach may have to start paying a little attention to his defense in practice now.
10 – Virginia Tech (8-2)
Key Wins: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
Loss(es): LSU, Boston College
Virginia Tech pulled away late from Florida State to avoid the same fate as ACC colleague Boston College. I find myself having difficulty getting excited about this team, but they could very well win the ACC.
11 – Arizona State (9-1)
Key Wins: Cal
Loss(es): Oregon
Arizona State won last week, so it might seem unfair to drop them three spots, but I just don't feel the same way about this team anymore. A win over USC this weekend might help me find that lovin feelin again.
12 – USC (8-2)
Key Wins: Cal
Loss(es): Stanford, Oregon
USC has almost the exact same resume as Arizona State, aside from the embarrassing loss to Stanford, so it's fitting that they meet this weekend. Oh, and they have hot cheerleaders (See: excuse to run this photo)
13 – Texas (9-2)
Key Wins: Texas Tech
Loss(es): Kansas State, Oklahoma
Texas continues to win after its early season miscues, and with only one game left(Texas A&M), the Longhorns are running out of time to screw things up again.
14 – Tennessee (7-3)
Key Wins: Georgia, Mississippi St, Arkansas
Loss(es): Cal, Florida, Alabama
Tennessee earned some measure of respect in dominating Darren McFadden and the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tennessee seems to be a team that either blows you out, or gets blown out. Only one game (South Carolina - OT) has been decided by less than two touchdowns.
15 – Clemson (8-2)
Key Wins: Florida State, Wake Forest
Loss(es): Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech
Talk about turning on the jets at the right time. Clemson has scored 30 or more points in its last four game while allowing 17 or less in that same span. A win against Boston College ensures a spot in the ACC Championship.
16 – Illinois (8-3)
Key Wins: Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State
Loss(es): Missouri, Iowa, Michigan
Illinois boasts an impressive Big Ten resume. Granted, that doesn't carry as much weight this year as it has in the past, but 3 for 4 against the big time programs (Penn St, OSU, Wisconsin, UMich) is hard to ignore. With Juice Williams and Rashard Mendenhall returning next year, the Illini should be a Big Ten favorite.
17 – Boise State (9-1)
Key Wins: Fresno State
Loss(es): Washington
Boise State shut out Utah State, which makes sense, since Utah State has also been shut out of the win column this year. I probably have Boise State too high, but I don't feel like adjusting this anymore.
18 – Virginia (9-2)
Key Wins: Georgia Tech, UConn, Wake Forest
Loss(es): Wyoming, NC State
Virginia is getting a lot of love after blanking Miami in the last game at the Orange Bowl. I still see the team that has managed to win six games by five points or less. Sure, they deserve credit for pulling out the close ones, but one or two bounces the other way and no one is talking about Virginia.
19 – Cincinnati (8-2)
Key Wins: Rutgers, South Florida, UConn
Loss(es): Louisville, Pitt
Back in the rankings after dominating UConn, Cincinnati has an even bigger test against West Virginia this weekend. Can you imagine if Cincinnati ended up in a BCS bowl? It could happen if they beat West Virginia and UConn loses to West Virginia.
20 – Michigan (8-3)
Key Wins: Penn State, Illinois
Loss(es): Appalachian St, Oregon, Wisconsin
Tough to penalize the Wolverines for the loss to Wisconsin when Henne and Hart did not play, who were obviously being rested for the deciding Big Ten game against the Buckeyes, but I will a little bit.
21 – Kentucky (7-3)
Key Wins: Arkansas, LSU
Loss(es): South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi State
After managing to squeak by Vanderbilt, Kentucky is still in position to win the SEC East. As I said last week, though, not gonna happen. They need to knock off Georgia and Tennessee to reach the promised land.
22 – Boston College (8-2)
Key Wins: Wake Forest, Virginia Tech
Loss(es): Florida State, Maryland
Another week, another loss to an unranked foe. Some redemption could be in order as they travel to play at Clemson in what should decide the ACC Atlantic Division champion.
23 – Hawaii (9-0)
Key Wins: Fresno State
Loss(es): None
Hawaii struggled but still won when Colt Brennan was knocked out of last week's game. They are still in position to impress with games against Boise State and Washington. To be honest, Boise State will be a tougher matchup than Pac-10 also-ran Washington.
24 – Auburn (7-4)
Key Wins: Florida, Arkansas
Loss(es): South Florida, Miss St, LSU, Georgia
The Tigers were embarrassed at Georgia last week. Perhaps they were intimidated by the "black-out" but whatever the case may be, Auburn has two weeks to re-group for the season finale against in-state rival Alabama
25 – Penn State (8-3)
Key Wins: Wisconsin
Loss(es): Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State
Penn State waltzed by Temple and finishes up at Michigan State, who haven't been able to stop anyone on defense all year.

Also given consideration:
Wisconsin
Connecticut
Miss State
Cal
Alabama

Sexy Rexy is back!

Hide the women and children - the Sex Cannon is back! When starter Brian Griese suffered a shoulder injury against the Oakland Raiders, Lovie Smith brought in Rex Grossman, who proceeded to lead the Bears to a 17-6 victory. Notably, Grossman fired a 59 yard bomb to Bernard Berrian (who was not even triple covered) to clinch the game.

No word from Sex Cannon caretaker Lovie Smith on the Cannon's availability for next week's game, but I suspect we will see an encore performance. One of Grossman's many criticisms has been that he turns the ball over too much, but replacement Griese has thrown 10 picks in his last six games, and clearly does not possess the downfield capabilities that Grossman has.

Bears fans unite! Rex Grossman Era 2.0 begins now!

Tough Break, NBC Sports

Notre Dame's season just keeps getting better and better. For non-Notre Dame fans, of course. The Irish managed to make a bad season infinitely worse by falling to long-time whipping boy Navy. For the first time in 44 years. Let's make this a little more real for our readers. 44 years ago, Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy. Dr. Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech. President Kennedy was assassinated. The University of Alabama admitted its first black students ever. And 44 years ago, Navy defeated Notre Dame.

One positive note, Notre Dame managed to put up nearly as many points against Navy (44) than it had in its previous seven losses (60). Now for more bad news - Notre Dame's leading rusher (James Aldridge) has a grand total of 374 yards, or 8 fewer yards than Darren McFadden has put up in his last two games. Notre Dame's leading receiver (Robby Parris) has a grand total of 312 yards, or 9 fewer yards than what Jordy Nelson of Kansas State has gained in his last two contests.

Not to be outdone, Nebraska lost a lengthy streak of its own, losing to Kansas for the first time in 39 tries. The Cornhuskers amazingly gave up 76 points to its former doormat.

In honor of these fallen streaks, I would like to mention of few streaks that still live on:

Tennessee holds the nation's longest winning streak over a single opponent (22 over Kentucky) but that streak is anything but safe as the resurgent Wildcats hope to finally exorcise their orange demons.

Michigan State continues to own the nation's longest streak for most consecutive seasons with a fourth quarter meltdown. Nice work against Michigan. We knew you had it in you.

New England moved to 9-0 , longest active winning streak in the NFL.

Bill Belichick is still the biggest douchebag alive.

Travis Henry hopes to continue his streak of impregnating a woman in each city where he plays. Still some work to be done, but you'll get there, big guy.

Escobar Season lost its fifth straight fantasy matchup. Unfortunately, not all of Travis Henry's 'scores' count in the standings. I think I need to speak with the commissioner.

Now on to this week's college football rankings.

1.) LSU
LSU just managed to scrape by a motivated Alabama squad. Four consecutive SEC games decided by a touchdown or less have Tiger fans on the edge of their seats. Louisiana Tech should give LSU a breather this week.
2.) Oregon
Oregon dominated Arizona State with an even balance of run and pass. Assuming that Dennis Dixon's injury is nothing serious, Oregon will have plenty of ammunition to support its run to the BCS title game.
3.) Ohio State
Ohio State slogged its way to a 17-17 fourth quarter tie with the PJ Hill-less Badgers before blowing the game open. The Buckeyes defense looks to be for real, having allowed 17 or fewer points in each of its contests so far. Illinois and Michigan have the playmakers to test Ohio State's defense.
4.) Oklahoma
Oklahoma has struggled at times over the last month, but was clicking on all cylinders against the hapless Aggies. Barring an unexpected collapse, the Sooners look to take on Missouri or Kansas in the Big 12 Championship.
5.) Missouri
Kansas is starting to gain support and has passed Missouri in the polls. Don't forget that Missouri blew out Nebraska 41-6 (nearly the same margin as Kansas) while also blowing out a Colorado team that hung tough with Kansas. Until Kansas beats Missouri, I don't believe that the Jayhawks deserve to be ranked ahead of Missouri.
6.) WVU
Idle this past weekend, WVU faces a still-dangerous Louisville team this week. With the early loss to South Florida, West Virginia cannot afford any slipups in the Big East.
7.) Kansas
Kansas managed to go from underrated to overrated somewhere in between its ninth and tenth touchdown against Nebraska. Kansas travels to OK State in what could be the Jayhawks' toughest challenge yet.
8.) ASU
Arizona State was beaten by a better team in the de facto Pac-10 championship game last weekend. Other than its win against Cal, ASU doesn't have alot to stand on. Consecutive wins against UCLA and USC would go a long way towards proving that Arizona State still belongs in the top ten.
9.) Georgia
The 'Dawgs gave up 34 points to Troy State, who probably deserves more credit than they have received, but nonetheless the game raised a few questions. This weekend's game against Auburn is HUGE. A loss effectively knocks either team out of the SEC championship race.
10.) Florida
Florida avoided a letdown by thrashing Vanderbilt. You can bet that the Gators will be excited for this week's game: Florida travels to South Carolina to face the Ol' Ball Coach.
11.) Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech really put the screws to a weak-looking Georgia Tech, who missed the presence of star running back Tashard Choice. A suddenly dangerous Florida State team comes into Blacksburg this Saturday.
12.) Auburn
Auburn cruised over lightweight Tennessee Tech, but the schedule ends in tough fashion with games against rivals Georgia and Alabama. Two wins would certainly vault the Tigers into BCS at-large consideration, despite the three losses.
13.) Michigan
One cannot say enough about Mario Manningham. This playmaker has bailed Michigan out of more tough situations than I can remember. Michigan travels to Wisconsin this weekend and then next weekend (sh!) the Buckeyes come into town. I think I speak for all SEC fans when I say that I would love to see Michigan win the Big Ten. It's not everyday that a team that loses to a I-AA team is in position to win the Big Ten.
14.) BC
The wheels finally came off of BC's pumpkin carriage and Matt Ryan's Heisman hopes. The loss to Florida State still leaves BC in position to win the ACC and chance at a BCS bowl, but no dice on competing for the National Championship.
15.) USC
USC has a chance to post its first notable win of the season. The Trojans face off against Cal this weekend.
16.) Connecticut
After routing Rutgers, Connecticut certainly looks like the real deal. Imagine if someone had said that sentence five years ago. That would have just sounded plain ridiculous.
17.) Texas
Another fourth quarter comeback for the Longhorns ensures that they stay in the Top 25. Jamaal Charles has been the savior of this team, racking up 470 yards in his last two games. Texas Tech's porous defense shouldn't present much of a challenge for the Texas running game, but their aerial attack should trouble the Longhorns defense.
18.) Cal
After three straight losses, Cal was able to hold off Washington State and get the win. A win at home over USC this weekend would help ease the pain of falling from #2 to Pac-10 also-ran.
19.) Alabama
Nail-biter loss to LSU doesn't diminish the fact that Alabama has re-established itself as contender. The Crimson faithful is eagerly anticipating the season finale against hated Auburn.
20.) Tennessee
Tennessee looked like a finely tuned offensive machine against last week's opponent. Unfortunately, that opponent was 1-8 Louisiana Lafayette. The Volunteers' questionable defense must be very nervous at the prospect of chasing down Darren McFadden and Felix Jones this Saturday.
21.) Boise State
Boise State was impressive in handling San Jose State. With winless Utah St and 1-9 Idaho next on the schedule, Boise State should have plenty of time to prepare for Colt Brennan and the Hawaii Warriors.
22.) Clemson
Clemson has blown out all of its weaker opponents, but struggled against anyone presenting a moderate challenge (Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech) so it will be interesting to see if Clemson shows up for Wake Forest, BC and South Carolina.
23.) Kentucky
Kentucky was idle last week. If Kentucky can knock off Tennessee and Georgia, they could be right back in the thick of the SEC East race. I consider that to be a pretty big 'if' at this point, though.
24.) Virginia
Not quite dead yet, Virginia eked by Wake Forest to stay atop the ACC Coastal division.
25.) Hawaii
Hawaii finally gets a chance to prove itself this week. The Warriors face off against Fresno State in a battle of WAC contenders.

Others warranting consideration: Florida State, Illinois, Penn State, Cincinnati, Arkansas