2) Michigan Wolverines (2-0, 0-0, +6) - I think the Wolverines are pretty good. Devin Gardner outdueled Tommy Rees with a 21/33, 294 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT stat line, plus 82 yards and 1 TD rushing, and Michigan beat Notre Dame 41-30. Looking ahead, they have a very manageable schedule, with cupcakes Akron and Connecticut up next before they start conference play. They have two tough road trips - at Penn State on October 12 and at Northwestern on November 16 - and they finish the season at home against Ohio State. Nine wins should get Michigan a New Year's Bowl. Ten should get them a BCS Bowl. Did you know that Big Ten teams are 1-10 in the Rose Bowl since 2001?
3) Miami Hurricanes (2-0, 0-0, +6) - Well, I was thinking about picking Miami over Florida. I didn't actually pick them, but I was thinking about picking them. So, you know. Partial credit. That game was one of my favorite games to watch, just for its pure looniness, zaniness, and general Keystone-Coppery. For the record, Miami won 21-16, even though Florida outgained Miami 413-212, won Time of Possession 38:20 to 21:40, won First Downs 22 to 10, and held Miami to 50 rushing yards on 1.8 yards per carry. But, man. Turnovers. From the AP:
The one touchdown Florida had in the red zone was a gift, set up by a blocked punt in the first quarter. The other Florida trips deep into Miami territory ended thusly:
- Interception by Rayshawn Jenkins.
- Stopped on downs by Denzel Perryman and Olsen Pierre.
- Fumble by Trey Burton that was forced by Jimmy Gaines.
- Field goal
- Interception by Tracy Howard.
4) Bowling Green Flacons (2-0, 1-0, +4) - Oh, MAC. The Falcons have two "quality" wins, over Tulsa and Kent State, both 11-3 teams last year, and they can keep it going if they beat Indiana next week. But I seriously doubt that a 1-loss MAC champ will bust the BCS this year. The conference is 9-13 in non-conference play, 4-12 vs FBS, 2-11 vs. BCS. My favorite is Western Michigan's 23-27 home loss to Nicholls State.
5) Auburn Tigers (2-0, 0-0, +4) - Auburn becomes another "Stalking Deer," being ranked 5th on the strength of wins against Sun Belt champ Arkansas State and Washington State. (Who, BTW, beat USC in L.A. 10-7, their first win there in 13 years!) Auburn's next two games are against Mississippi State and LSU. So they won't be 4-0. In what feels like a slow start for the SEC, the conference is 18-4 in non-conference play, 12-4 vs. FBS teams, but only 4-3 vs. BCS teams. Next week will be interesting, with Tennessee at Oregon, Kentucky at Louisville, and Mississippi at Texas. We could be looking at a .500 SEC.
6) Illinois (2-0, 0-0, +4) - Yes, I am trolling you by having Illinois - a team that beat FCS Southern Illinois by 42-34 at home - 6th in my power rankings. However, they also beat what was supposed to be a pretty good Cincinnati team 45-17 behind a 26/37, 312 yard, 4 TD 0 INT performance from QB Nathan Scheelhaase. Next week, they take on Washington at Soldier Field in Chicago in the Library Science Bowl.
7) Stanford (1-0, 0-0, +4) - So, I, um, fell asleep during this game. But, yeah Stanford beating San Jose 34-13, that sounds reasonable. Maybe some concern about Kevin Hogan's passing accuracy ... um.... ooh! They held SJSU to 35 rushing yards on 1.5 yards per run. That's impressive. Stanford's at Army next week.
8) Washington (1-0, 0-0, +3)
9) Utah Utes (2-0, 0-0, +3) - I've done this for the other conferences, so I guess I'll do it for the Pac-12, too. In non-conference play, the Pac-12 is 15-3 total, 9-2 against FBS teams, and 1-2 against BCS schools. (Yeesh.) They play 6 BCS opponents next week, including 4 against the Big Ten. I would bet that the Pac-12 goes 4-2 in those games. Utah hosts Oregon State in the only conference game.
10) Oregon (2-0, 0-0, +2)
11) Texas A&M Aggies (2-0, 0-0, +2) - First, a disclaimer: I love hating on the SEC. Second, I'm beginning to think that, this year, Alabama may be in a class of their own in the conference. Maybe LSU can challenge them, I don't know. But not these Aggies. In their 65-28 win against FCS Sam Houston State (which is a good FCS team, but still...) Texas A&M gave up 240 rushing yards on 5.7 yards per play. Last week, they gave up 306 rushing yards to the Rice Owls on 6.0 yards per play. So, yeah. Alabama will not be allowing Johnny Richpants to throw for 426 yards against them, or even the 253 he had against them last year in that 29-24 upset in Tuscaloosa. Remember, in the 1st quarter of that game, Texas A&M had 187 yards and 20 points. In quarters 2 through 4, they had 236 total yards and 9 points. Also, Alabama has had a week off, and Nick Saban doesn't like to lose. My pick: Alabama 39, Texas A&M 9.
12) Ohio State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
13) LSU (2-0, 0-0, +2)
14) Oklahoma (2-0, 1-0, +2)
15) Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0, 0-0, +2) - One of the biggest surprises for me has been the huge success that Big Ten teams have had so far this season against non-conference opponents. In the first two weeks, they are 21-3 overall, 16-3 against FBS teams, 6-1 against BCS teams. Nebraska will try to keep it going next week against UCLA, one of four Big Ten-Pac-12 match-ups.
16) Arizona (2-0, 0-0, +2)
17) Texas Tech (2-0, 0-0, +2)
18) Ball State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
19) Northwestern (2-0, 0-0, +2)
20) Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0, 0-0, +2) - During halftime of their 45-7 rout of Eastern Michigan, Penn State honored their 1973 team that went 12-0. The AP tweeted, and then I responded:
- #PSU band spells out 12 0 in honor of 1973 team. pic.twitter.com/6ehx6qMVGO
- .@AP_Top25 @APgelston Then they formed "45", the number of counts of sexual abuse Jerry Sandusky was found guilty of.
AP Top 25 
Joel Wright Maybe not the classiest thing I have ever written. However, 1) Sandusky was the linebackers coach on that team, and 2) Penn State University should not celebrate any achievement that their football team has ever accomplished. Predictably, some folks disagree with me, and the following hilarity ensued:
- @Panase31 @AP_Top25 @APgelston 13-1. Won the Rose Bowl. Every opponent's starting QB suffered a horrific leg injury. Duh.
- @joelwrig @AP_Top25 @APgelston I don't know what the hell you're drinking but Penn State beat you 35-7 last year as you're talking shit
- @Panase31 @AP_Top25 @APgelston No, you are correct, sir. Illinois is terrible at football. Congratulations.
Cameron Panase™ Look, college football is a problem. It begins with the fact that we have established a billion-dollar industry on unpaid, highly dangerous labor. (No, tuition wavers do not count as payment.) From there we get a culture of corruption, bribery, the corporatization and privatization of publicly funded universities, (Hello, Nike!) misogyny and sanctioned sexual violence, and the spectacle of violence being executed upon Black male bodies for a White audience. And I don't want to belittle any of this very real suffering and oppression that is caused by college football, but a public university knowingly allowing a pedophile to rape children for 15 years and not preventing it because it would harm the reputation and the profitability of the football team is the worst of these crimes. So, go to hell, Penn State fans, and take your 1973 team with you.
And, yes. Illinois' a problem too.
21) Fresno State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
22) Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-0, 0-0, +2) - For entry, see "sanctioned sexual violence", above.
And now I am too sad to continue blogging about football.
23) Baylor (2-0, 0-0, +2)
24) UCF (2-0, 0-0, +2)
25) Mississippi (2-0, 1-0, +2)
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