Power Rankings - Sep. 16

1) Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0, +8)

2) UCLA (3-0, 0-0, +8) - Do I think that the Bruins are the second best team in the nation?  No, of course not.  But the design of my ranking system is supposed to radically favor body-of-work over expectations or eyeball tests.  Ideally, as the season progresses, these rankings should begin to more closely resemble the national polls.  On the other hand, what if UCLA refuses to lose?  My theory is: Until someone takes it from them, the Bruins deserve this spot. 

3) Notre Dame (3-0, 0-0, +8) - You've done it now, Irish.  Their 20-3 road win over Big Ten favorite Michigan State means that Notre Dame is for real this season.  They play host to Michigan next week (AP #11 vs. #18), and a win then should officially start the BCS prognosticating.  However, remember two things: 1) ND still has four more games against AP Top 25 teams, and 2) The Big Ten is really, really bad.

4) Arizona (3-0, 0-0, +7)

5) Stanford (3-0, 1-0, +6)

6) Rutgers (3-0, 1-0, +6)

7) Alabama (3-0, 1-0, +5) - Watching Alabama crush their opponents is an almost painful experience.  They play a kind of joyless style of football, but one that worked perfectly in dismantling pre-season Top 10 Arkansas 52-0.  Unfortunately, Alabama doesn't get a boost in this poll thanks to a pesky team called UL-Monroe.  The Tide may actually be punished for their schedule, ironically: As of right now, only two more of their opponents, LSU and MSU, are ranked.

8) Florida (3-0, 2-0, +5)

9) Oregon State (1-0, 0-0, +4) - Through accidents of weather and scheduling, Oregon State now enters Week 4 of the season having played exactly one game.  They visit UCLA next week, however, and that game should give us a better picture of what the Beavers are made of.  If they win, they're almost guaranteed to be a Top 5 team in these pages.

10) Clemson (3-0, 0-0, +4)

11) Ohio (3-0, 0-0, +4)

12) Georgia (3-0, 1-0, +4) - I'm working on a theory about the SEC.  Alabama is far and away the best team in the nation, and LSU is probably #2.  Then you have this untested middle group: Georgia, South Carolina, Florida.  Every week I am unimpressed with Georgia: Coming out slow against Florida Atlantic (tied 14-14 in the 2nd quarter), letting Buffalo back in the game (24-16 at half after leading 24-3), trailing a decent Missouri team at half 10-9 before pulling away for the 41-20 win.  I'm not saying they're not good.  I'm saying they're not great.

13) LSU (3-0, 0-0, +3)

14) Oregon (3-0, 0-0, +3) - After sleepwalking through the first three weeks of the season, the Ducks finally get their chance to make a move at home against Arizona.  They're going to have to clean up their act if they want to make another run at the Pac-12 championship, though: In their 63-14 win over FCS Tennessee Tech, they turned the ball over three times and had over 100 yards of penalties. Unacceptable.

15) Kansas State (3-0, 0-0, +3)

16) South Carolina (3-0, 1-0, +3)
17) Mississippi State (3-0, 1-0, +3)
18) Northwestern (3-0, 0-0, +3)

19) Texas (3-0, 0-0, +3) - Here's my final thought on the SEC hierarchy: The bottom third or so is bad.  Kentucky is bad. (32-31 OT L to Western Kentucky) Mississippi is bad. (66-31 L to Texas) Auburn is not good. (31-28 OT W over UL-Monroe.) These weaknesses should temper some of the successes of the SEC's elite teams as they engage in conference play.

20) Louisville (3-0, 0-0, +3)

21) Florida State (3-0, 1-0, +3) - I've resisted getting on the Florida State bandwagon for over two years, but I am now willing to say that they are pretty good.  They beat a not-good-but-really-not-that-bad Wake Forest team 52-0, and now have a big showdown with defending ACC champ Clemson next week. The winner of that game will have the inside track to the ACC Championship, the Orange Bowl, and maybe, just maybe, the BCS Championship.

22) Iowa State (3-0, 0-0, +3)
23) Minnesota (3-0, 0-0, +3)
24) Ohio State (3-0, 0-0, +3)
25) Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0,+2)

My Top 25

1) Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0, +8)
2) UCLA (3-0, 0-0, +8)
3) Notre Dame (3-0, 0-0, +8)
4) Arizona (3-0, 0-0, +7) 
5) Stanford (3-0, 1-0, +6)

6) Rutgers (3-0, 1-0, +6)
7) Alabama (3-0, 1-0, +5)
8) Florida (3-0, 2-0, +5) 
9) Oregon State (1-0, 0-0, +4)
10) Clemson (3-0, 0-0, +4)

11) Ohio (3-0, 0-0, +4)
12) Georgia (3-0, 1-0, +4)
13) LSU (3-0, 0-0, +3)
14) Oregon (3-0, 0-0, +3)
15) Kansas State (3-0, 0-0, +3)

16) South Carolina (3-0, 1-0, +3)
17) Mississippi State (3-0, 1-0, +3)
18) Northwestern (3-0, 0-0, +3)
19) Texas (3-0, 0-0, +3)
20) Louisville (3-0, 0-0, +3)

21) Florida State (3-0, 1-0, +3)
22) Iowa State (3-0, 0-0, +3)
23) Minnesota (3-0, 0-0, +3)
24) Ohio State (3-0, 0-0, +3)
25) Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0,+2)



Texas-San Antonio (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Baylor (2-0, 0-0, +2)
West Virginia (2-0, 0-0, +2) 
Cincinnati (2-0, 1-0, +2) 
TCU (2-0, 1-0, +2) 
Louisiana Tech (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Illinois State (2-0, 0-0, +2)   
Michigan (2-1, 0-0, +1)
Michigan State (2-1, 0-0, +1)
Ball State (2-1, 0-0, +1)
Western Kentucky (2-1, 0-0, +1)
Washington (2-1, 0-0, 0)
Fresno State (2-1, 0-0, 0)
Central Michigan (1-1, 0-0, 0)
San Jose State (2-1, 0-0, 0)
Boise State (1-1, 0-0, -1)
Louisiana-Monroe (1-1, 0-0, -1) 
USC (2-1, 0-1, -1)
Texas State (1-1, 0-0, -1)
Miami (FL) (2-1, 1-0, -1)
Duke (2-1, 0-0, -1) 
East Carolina (2-1, 0-0, -2)
Nebraska (2-1, 0-0, -2)
Mississippi (2-1, 0-0, -3)
South Florida (2-1, 0-1, -3)
Missouri (1-1, 0-1, -3) 
Purdue (2-1, 0-0, -3)
Hawaii (0-1, 0-0, -3)
Buffalo (1-1, 0-0,-3)
Brigham Young (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Tennessee (2-1, 0-1, -4) 
Maryland (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Arizona State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Virginia Tech (2-1, 1-0, -4)
Indiana (2-1, 0-0, -4)Utah State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Virginia (2-1, 0-1, -4)
Wake Forest (2-1, 0-1, -4)
Troy (1-1, 0-0, -4) 
Wisconsin (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Oklahoma State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Nevada (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Illinois (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Iowa (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Connecticut (2-1, 0-0, -4) 
UCF (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Air Force (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Louisiana-Lafayette (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Temple (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Utah (2-1, 0-0, -2)
North Texas (1-2, 0-0, -4)
Auburn (1-2, 0-1, -4)
North Carolina State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Northern Illinois (2-1, 0-0, -4)
San Diego State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Washington State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Toledo (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Tulsa (2-1, 1-0, -4)
Middle Tennessee State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Marshall (0-1, 0-0, -5)
Texas A&M (1-1, 0-1, -5) 
New Mexico (1-2, 0-0, -6)
Indiana State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Eastern Kentucky (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Villanova (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Arkansas State (0-2, 0-0, -7)
New Mexico State (1-2, 0-0, -7)
Arkansas (1-2, 0-1, -7) 
Florida Atlantic (1-2, 0-0, -7)
Northern Iowa (0-2, 0-0, -8)
UTEP (1-2, 0-0, -8) 
Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-1, -8)
Syracuse (1-2, 0-0, -8)
Missouri State (0-2, 0-0, -9)
North Carolina (1-2, 0-0, -10)  
Southern Miss (0-2, 0-0, -10)
Boston College (1-2, 0-0, -10) 
UAB (0-2, 0-0, -10)
Kansas (1-2, 0-1, -11)
Akron (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Penn State (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Kentucky (1-2, 0-0, -11) 
South Alabama (1-2, 0-0, -11)
California (1-2, 0-0, -11)
SMU (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Bowling Green (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Colorado State (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Miami (OH) (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Pittsburgh (1-2, 0-1, -11)
Rice (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Western Michigan (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Army (0-2, 0-0, -12) 
Navy (0-2, 0-0, -12)  
Tulane (0-2, 0-1, -12)
Houston (0-3, 0-0, -13) 
Idaho (0-3, 0-0, -15)
Memphis (0-3, 0-0, -18)
Colorado (0-3, 0-0, -18)
Eastern Michigan (0-3, 0-0, -18)
Massachusetts (0-3, 0-0, -18)
UNLV (0-3, 0-0, -18) 
Wyoming (0-3, 0-0, -18)

Top 25: Sep. 09

1) Texas Tech (2-0, 0-0, +7)
2) UCLA (2-0, 0-0, +7)
3) Michigan State (2-0, 0-0, +6)
4) Arizona (2-0, 0-0, +6)  
5) Louisiana-Monroe (1-0, 0-0, +5) 

6) Alabama (2-0, 0-0, +4)
7) Oregon State (1-0, 0-0, +4)
8) Clemson (2-0, 0-0, +3)
9) Ohio (2-0, 0-0, +3)
10) Georgia (2-0, 1-0, +3) 

11) South Florida (2-0, 0-0, +3)  
12) LSU (2-0, 0-0, +2)
13) Oregon (2-0, 0-0, +2)
14) Stanford (2-0, 0-0, +2)
15) USC (2-0, 0-0, +2)

16) Kansas State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
17) Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0,+2)
18) South Carolina (2-0, 1-0, +2)
19) Brigham Young (2-0, 0-0, +2)
20) Tennessee (2-0, 0-0, +2)

21) Notre Dame (2-0, 0-0, +2)
22) Mississippi State (2-0, 1-0, +2)
23) Northwestern (2-0, 0-0, +2)
24) Texas (2-0, 0-0, +2)
25) Louisville (2-0, 0-0, +2)

Florida State (2-0, 0-0, +2) 
Arizona State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Virginia Tech (2-0, 1-0, +2)
Florida (2-0, 1-0, +2)
Indiana (2-0, 0-0, +2) 
Illinois State (2-0, 0-0, +2) 
Iowa State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Maryland (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Minnesota (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Mississippi (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Ohio State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Rutgers (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Texas-San Antonio (2-0, 0-0, +2) 
Utah State (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Virginia (2-0, 0-0, +2)
Wake Forest (2-0, 0-0, +2)
West Virginia (1-0, 0-0, +1) 
Cincinnati (1-0, 1-0, +1) 
TCU (1-0, 0-0, +1) 
Baylor (1-0, 0-0, +1)
Louisiana-Lafayette (1-0, 0-0, +1)
Louisiana Tech (1-0, 0-0, +1)
Troy (1-0, 0-0, +1)
Ball State (1-1, 0-0, 0)
Central Michigan (1-1, 0-0, 0)
Western Kentucky (1-1, 0-0, 0)
Texas State (1-1, 0-0, -1) 
Washington (1-1, 0-0, -1)
Fresno State (1-1, 0-0, -1)
New Mexico State (1-1, 0-0, -1)
Miami (FL) (1-1, 1-0, -2)
East Carolina (1-1, 0-0, -3)
Nebraska (1-1, 0-0, -3)
Missouri (1-1, 0-1, -3) 
Purdue (1-1, 0-0, -4)
Arkansas (1-1, 0-0, -5) 
Wisconsin (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Oklahoma State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Nevada (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Air Force (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Georgia Tech (1-1, 0-1, -5)
Kent State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Illinois (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Iowa (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Florida Atlantic (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Colorado State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Connecticut (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Kansas (1-1, 0-0, -5)
New Mexico (1-1, 0-0, -5)
North Carolina (1-1, 0-0, -5)
SMU (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Temple (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Utah (1-1, 0-0, -5)
UCF (1-1, 0-0, -5)



Duke (1-1, 0-0, -2)
Eastern Washington (1-1, 0-0, -5)
McNeese State (1-0, 0-0, +1)
Youngstown State (1-0, 0-0, +1)
Michigan (1-1, 0-0, 0)
North Texas (1-1, 0-0, 0)
Jacksonville State (0-1, 0-0, -1)
Arkansas State (0-1, 0-0, -1)
Savannah State (0-2, 0-0, -7)
Boise State (0-1, 0-0, -2)
San Jose State (1-1, 0-0, -1)
Northern Iowa (0-1, 0-0, -2)
Hawaii (0-1, 0-0, -3)
Missouri State (0-2, 0-0, -9)
UTEP (0-2, 0-0, -9)
Southern Miss (0-1, 0-0, -4)
Vanderbilt (0-2, 0-1, -9)
Buffalo (1-1, 0-0,-3)
Army (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Auburn (0-2, 0-1, -10)
Marshall (0-1, 0-0, -5)
Penn State (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Akron (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Appalachian State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Boston College (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Bowling Green (1-1, 0-0, -5)
California (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Colorado (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Idaho (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Idaho State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Eastern Kentucky (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Eastern Michigan (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Elon (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Houston (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Indiana State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Kentucky (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Massachusetts (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Miami (OH) (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Navy (0-1, 0-0, -6) 
North Carolina State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Northern Arizona (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Northern Colorado (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Northern Illinois (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Rice (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Richmond (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Sacramento State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
San Diego State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Syracuse (0-2, 0-0, -9)
SE Missouri State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
South Alabama (1-1, 0-0, -5)
South Dakota State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Southern U (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Southern Utah (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Texas A&M (0-1, 0-1, -6)
Toledo (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Towson (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Tulane (0-2, 0-1, -12)
Tulsa (1-1, 1-0, -5)
Middle Tennessee State (1-1, 0-0, -∞)
Murray State (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Pittsburgh (0-2, 0-1, -12)
Villanova (0-1, 0-0, -6)
UAB (0-1, 0-0, -6)
UNLV (0-2, 0-0, -12)
Washington State (1-1, 0-0, -5)
Wagner (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Weber State (0-2, 0-0, -10)
Western Michigan (1-1, 0-0, -5)
William & Mary (0-1, 0-0, -6)
Wyoming (0-2, 0-0, -12)