Week 6 Power Rankings: Mostly SEC

 1) Mississippi Rebels (5-0, 3-0, +504) - Last year, the SEC got 3 teams into the 12-team playoff (Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee).  That is probably the bare minimum that the conference will get this year, and it could be as many as 6.  But who will it be?  Any team that finishes 10-2 or better will probably be considered as a de facto auto bid, but is it possible that one or more 9-3 teams could make the field?  There are ten teams with 1 or 0 conference losses at the moment, with Mississippi leading as the only 3-0 team.  They still have upcoming trips to Georgia and to Oklahoma, but it’s possible that the Rebels could drop BOTH of those games and still make the playoffs. 

Mississippi had a bye week this week.  Next week they host Washington State.  It would be funny if they lost that. 

2) Texas A&M Aggies (5-0, 2-0, +437) - The Texas A&M Aggies had been living dangerously, with a 1-point win over Notre Dame and a 6-point win over Auburn.  They righted their ship in a 31-9 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, running away in a game that was close at only 7-3 at halftime.  Texas A&M is now co-leaders, along with Mississippi, atop the SEC, but, to be honest, I don’t trust either one of them.  Maybe I’m reading too much into the brand names, the names on the front of the jerseys.  The Aggies have six more SEC opponents, and none of them are Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, or Oklahoma. 

3) Miami (FL) Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0, +426) - Miami rushed out to a 28-3 lead against the Florida State Seminoles on Friday before they took their foot off the gas, letting FSU get back into the game, before finally holding on for the 28-22 win.  The Hurricanes were once again led by their elite defense.  Florida State was eventually able to total 404 yards of total offense, but more than half of that came in the fourth quarter, when they were trying to stage a massive quarterback.  Despite some serious game management concerns, Miami should be considered the ACC favorites for now, and they don’t play another AP ranked team for the rest of the season. 

4) Ohio State (5-0, 2-0, +408)

5) Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1, 2-0, +356) - Reports of Alabama’s demise have definitely been pre, once again.  The Crimson Tide outlasted the Vanderbilt Commodores 30-14 on Saturday, and have re-emerged as an SEC powerhouse even after their opening season loss to Florida State. I still have some major concerns about the Tide, especially their offensive line, which allowed four sacks and six tackles for loss against Vanderbilt.  However, their defense seems up to the task, as they forced three turnovers, and held Vanderbilt scoreless in the second half.  Alabama remains undefeated in SEC play, so they theoretically could take another loss and still make the conference championship game. 

6) Oklahoma Sooners (5-0, 1-0, +319) - After their 44-0 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes, the Oklahoma Twitter account started tweeting out team stats, including receiver Isaiah Sategna III having 97 punt return yards, the most by any Sooner since 2012.  Against Kent State.  In my opinion, the Sooners should lose scholarships for this.  They play some team called Texas next week. 

7) Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-0, 2-0, +319) - My opinion so far this season has been that the Big 12 has a lot of good teams in it, but no really elite teams. That opinion may be starting to change. The Red Raiders defeated the Houston Cougars 35-11 in Houston, their second consecutive 24-point road win over a previously undefeated Big 12 opponent.  Houston had been averaging 29 points per game, so Tech’s ability to relatively shut them down is impressive. The Red Raiders still have some significant challenges ahead, including a trip to Tempe in two weeks to play the Arizona State Sun Devils, but I’m considering them to be the best Big 12 team for now. 

8) Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0, +315)

9) Iowa State (5-1, 2-1, +291)

10) Vanderbilt Commodores (5-1, 2-1, +282) - Despite their loss to Alabama, the Vanderbilt Commodores are still a very good football team who will continue to have an impact on the SEC title race.  Quarterback Diego Pavia had maybe the worst game of his career against the Crimson Tide, going 21/35 for 198 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and one costly fumble in the red zone.  To add insult to injury, Pavia got into a verbal altercation with an Alabama fan after the game, telling the fan “I do whatever the fuck I want.” Add this to the file of “Fans Behaving Badly.” 

11) Duke Blue Devils (4-2, 3-0, +279) - I don’t know what to make of the Duke Blue Devils.  They’re 3-0 in the ACC, with quality wins against (62) North Carolina State, (61) Syracuse, and (50) Cal.  Their two losses are to (22) Tulane and (23) Illinois.  It’s that “No Scrubs” schedule that has them ranked this highly, excepting FCS Elon.  Could Duke make a run at the ACC championship?  I mean, yeah, in the sense that really anyone could.  A big showdown against undefeated Georgia Tech awaits them next week.

Meanwhile, another complete fucking mystery are the California Golden Bears.  They have shown big improvement this season by reaching 4-2, but to be fair, two of their wins are against probably the two worst Power teams, Boston College and Oregon State. (Yes, I’m still counting Oregon State.)  Cal also could make a run in the ACC, and they should be favored in their next two games against North Carolina and Virginia Tech. 

12) Virginia (5-1, 3-0, +277)

13) Arizona State (4-1, 2-0, +274)

14) Indiana (5-0, 2-0, +261)

15) Cincinnati (4-1, 2-0, +254)

16) LSU (4-1, 1-1, +237) 

17) Memphis (6-0, 2-0, +229)

18) Oregon (5-0, 2-0, +227)

19) Missouri (5-0, 1-0, +224)

20) Washington (4-1, 1-1, +209)

21) TCU (4-1, 1-1, +203)

22) Tulane (4-1, 1-0, +201)

23) Illinois (5-1, 2-1, +201)

24) BYU Cougars (5-0, 2-0, +200) - Brigham Young started the season not considered a contender in the Big 12 Conference, but BYU coach Kalani Sitake has done miracles with a roster that is mostly rebuilding.  They mostly dominated a (bad) West Virginia team on Friday night, winning 38-24 despite committing three turnovers, including one particularly egregious fumble that set up West Virginia with a first and goal right before halftime.

Meanwhile, the Big 12 has fined the University of Colorado $50,000 for their fans' inappropriate behavior towards BYU players last week.  According to Newsweek, the conference “publicly reprimanded the university (of Colorado) for a derogatory chant directed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by Buffaloes fans during the BYU game.” It will be interesting to keep tabs on this story, both for instances of fans behaving badly, and for any continued anti-LDS sentiments in college football. 

25) Houston (4-1, 1-1, +199) 

Week 4 Power Rankings: Get Indiana'd

 1) Mississippi Rebels (4-0, 2-0, +373) - The Mississippi Rebels finally made a monkey out of me on Saturday when they defeated the Tulane Green Wave 45-10 after I had picked them to be upset.  Lane Kiffin must read this blog.  Also, my lonely "Jake Retzlaff for Heisman" crusade took a big hit after the Tulane quarterback went 5/17 for 56 yards and 0 touchdowns and ended up getting benched in the fourth quarter.  Mississippi has now scored 40 or more points in three of their four games this season, and the Rebels have also now won 20 consecutive non-conference regular season games.  Their last loss? August 31st, 2019 at Memphis. 

2) Miami Hurricanes (4-0, 0-0, +330) - Miami took care of business, smothering the Florida Gators en route to a convincing 26-7 win.  Miami held Florida to 141 total yards for the game.  The Hurricanes get next week off before they travel to Tallahassee to take on the Florida State Seminoles, with the winner of that game taking the inside track to the ACC Championship. Meanwhile, Florida's season from hell continues.  They have now lost three straight, and they host AP No. 8 Texas next week.  I expect them to play with a chip on their shoulder in that game. 

3) Oklahoma Sooners (4-0, 1-0, +292) - One of the (many) drawbacks to the new Super Conferences in college football are the unbalanced schedules.  This year, this particularly hurts the Oklahoma Sooners, who - even though they are easily one of the ten or twelve best teams in the country - will be hard pressed to reach ten or even nine wins, because they have to play Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and LSU.  Oklahoma was able to beat a good Auburn team at home, 24-17, and they host Kent State next week before the Red River Rivalry.  I honestly believe that the Sooners defense might unalive Texas quarterback Arch Manning in that game, as the kids say these days. 

4) Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0, +246)

5) Iowa State (4-0, 1-0, +241)

6) LSU Tigers (4-0, 1-0, +238) - LSU won their bye week against Southeastern Louisiana, 56-10.  This sets up one of many big games in the SEC next week, when the Tigers play at Mississippi on ABC at the 2:30 slot.  This should be a fun game of contrasting styles of play, with Mississippi averaging 47 points and 543 yards per game, and LSU giving up 9 points and 225 yards per game.  The big question will be: Can LSU's offense - which looked anemic at times against Clemson and Florida - be productive against Ole Miss? 

7) Texas A&M (3-0, 0-0, +225)

8) Missouri (4-0, 1-0, +222)

9) Ohio State (3-0, 0-0, +215)

10) USC Trojans (4-0, 2-0, +202) - One of the biggest beneficiaries of uneven scheduling this year has got to be the USC Trojans, who defeated the Michigan State Spartans 45-31 on Saturday night in a classic re-creation of The Iliad.  And even though USC now has to play three consecutive games against three (previously) ranked AP teams in Illinois, Michigan, and Notre Dame, they also get to avoid playing Indiana, Ohio State, or Penn State, and they get both Northwestern (No. 93 in my rankings) and UCLA (No. 112).  The Playoff Committee could be in a pickle if USC finishes, like, 10-2. 

11) Vanderbilt (4-0, 1-0, +201)

12) Houston (3-0, 1-0, +198)

13) Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0, 1-0, +197) - The Texas Tech Red Raiders made perhaps the second biggest impression of the weekend with an emphatic 34-10 win at Utah, after Indiana.  The final score is slightly misleading, as the Utes defense kept it close until the fourth quarter, when you could tell they just ran out of gas, and the Texas Tech offense scored 21 points in the final 8:29 of the game.  The Red Raiders now emerge as the temporary favorites in the Big 12, but they still have a lot of work ahead of them, starting with a trip to undefeated Houston in two weeks.  A special shoutout should be given to the Texas Tech defense, which held Utah to 3.8 yards per play, and caused 4 turnovers. Don't be surprised if you see these two team play each other again in the Big 12 Championship. 

14) South Florida (3-1, 0-0, +183)

15) Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (3-1, 2-0, +170) - Look, the G5 representative to the College Football Playoff this year will almost certainly come from the American Conference.  However, should the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs run the table, and finish as C-USA champions at 12-1, with their only loss being to LSU, they might have a compelling case to make to the committee.  They defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Saturday 30-20, despite giving up 514 total yards of offense, and gaining only 58 yards themselves and scoring 0 points in the second half.  Louisiana Tech should be favored in all of their remaining games, with a tricky trip at the Delaware Blue Hens on November 8th, followed by a game at Washington State the next week, for whatever that will be worth.  For the record, that means that the Bulldogs will have to travel 1,293 miles from Ruston, LA to Newark, DE one week, and then 2,076 miles in the opposite direction to Pullman, WA the next week. 

16) Memphis Tigers (4-0, 0-0, +165) - Like I said, the AAC Champ should become the next G5 representative to the Playoff this year, whether that is Memphis or South Florida or Navy or North Texas or Tulane.  Memphis made their case this weekend, with a 32-31 win at home against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Tigers rallied from a 28-10 first half deficit, and took the lead on a 64-yard touchdown run by running back Sutton Smith.  Arkansas was then driving, and looked poised to hit the game winning field goal, before they fumbled it and Memphis recovered on their own 9-yard line to seal the game. 

17) Arizona State (3-1, 1-0, +164)

18) Indiana Hoosiers (4-0, 1-0, +160) - Hoo boy, I did not see that coming.  Even though I picked Indiana to beat my hometown Illinois Illini, I did not expect them to do so by 50 and, to be fair, I don't think anyone outside of Bloomington did.  The Hoosiers completely dominated this game, controlling the ball for 39:42 of game time, holding Illinois to 1/10 on third down conversions, and allowing only 161 total yards of offense, 159 of them through the air. (You do the math.) After the game, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti referred to Illinois' offensive struggles by saying "Put the Duke game on. The difference in that game was that Duke turned it over." And, I guess it goes without saying that, in the 126 years of this rivalry, this is the worst loss that Illinois has ever suffered, topping a 45-14 Indiana win in Champaign in 1979.  That Indiana team was coached by Lee Corso. 

19) Tulane (3-1, 0-0, +156) 

20) Auburn (3-1, 0-1, +155) 

21) Florida State (3-0, 0-0, +154)

22) Georgia (3-0, 1-0, +152)

23) North Texas (4-0, 1-0, +150)

24) Syracuse (3-1, 1-0, +149)

25) Maryland (4-0, 1-0, +147)

Smooth Jimmy's Locks of the Week: Week 4

1) (34) Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0, +73) at (13) Utah (3-0, 0-0, +162) - This is a big one.  With early Big 12 favorites like Baylor and Arizona State stumbling, Texas Tech and Utah have emerged as potential front-runners in the conference race.  Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has looked great in early action against the likes of UCLA and Wyoming, and maybe he'll be able to get something cooking against a Tech defense that has given up 183 passing yards per game.  Also, Utah is at home in this game, so I think the (slight) edge goes to the Utes.  Utah 28, Texas Tech 20. 

2) (42) Arkansas (2-1, 0-1, +55) at (35) Memphis (3-0, 0-0, +70) - If the American Conference wants to make a big statement in front of a nationally televised audience, this weekend is their chance.  First up will be the Memphis Tigers hosting the Arkansas Razorbacks.  These two teams have played each other only five times in history, with the latest being way back in 1998, a 23-9 win for the Razorbacks.  I really, really want to pick Memphis here, but I just can't bring myself to do it, especially since I think that Arkansas will be able to score at will in this game. But take the over.  Arkansas 49, Memphis 31. 

3) (121) Oregon State (0-3, 0-0, -145) at (21) Oregon (3-0, 1-0, +119) - The largest margin of victory in this 131-year long rivalry was in 2017, a 69-10 Ducks victory.  I don't think this one will top it, but it might.  Of course, you never know with it being a rivalry game, with Oregon looking ahead to Penn State next week, blah blah blah.  Expect a blow out.  Oregon 52, Oregon State 13. 

4) (11) Auburn (3-0, 0-0, +167) at (12) Oklahoma (3-0, 0-0, +166) - These are two teams who I did not expect to be contenders in the stacked SEC at the beginning of the season, but who both sure look like it now. I am still not sold on Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, who is right now 71/105 on the season, and has thrown for 944 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.  But I am sold on the Oklahoma defense, who is 4th in the nation in points allowed (6.3), 4th in total yards allowed (181), and 2nd in passing yards allowed (84.7). Oklahoma 23, Auburn 13.

5) (15) Tulane (3-0, 0-0, +158) at (2) Mississippi (3-0, 2-0, +251) - This is my upset special of the week.  The Mississippi Rebels have been living dangerously recently, beating Kentucky 30-23 and Arkansas 41-35.  They held lowly Georgia State to only 7 points, but also allowed 191 rushing yards on 5.5 yards per carry.  And Tulane has problematic quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who has rushed for 288 yards and 6 touchdowns on 7.2 yards per carry.  I anticipate turnovers to be a major factor in this game. Tulane 31, Mississippi 28. 

6) (75) Florida (1-2, 0-1, -8) at (1) Miami (FL) (3-0, 0-0, +268) - The terrible gauntlet for the Florida Gators continues.  And after dismantling South Florida last week, I do not expect Miami to let up this week.  Miami 38, Florida 14. 

7) (28) Illinois (3-0, 0-0, +87) at (44) Indiana (3-0, 0-0, +51) - The game of the week might be being played this week in Bloomington, Indiana.  Both the Illini and the Hoosiers are ranked in the AP Top 20, and are playing each other as ranked teams for the first time since 1950, when No. 12 Illinois shut out No. 19 Indiana 20-0 in Champaign.  And, even though Illinois is once again the higher ranked team, I have to hold my nose and pick against my hometown team.  Indiana 28, Illinois 17. 

8) (26) Michigan State (3-0, 0-0, +90) at (25) USC (3-0, 1-0, +91) - People are just starting to figure this out, but USC might be a problem.  Granted, the Trojans have been putting up video game-like stats against some of the worst teams in college football, but they are averaging 55 points per game versus 17 for their opponents.  They are averaging 9.6 yards per play from scrimmage over the course of three games. Sure, it's neat that this game is being played at ten o'clock at night, and is the Spartans versus the Trojans, but, uh, Odysseus might need more than ten years to get back to East Lansing, if you know what I'm saying. USC 41, Michigan State 21. 

 

Power Rankings - Oct. 01

1) Oregon State (3-0, 2-0, +12) Results: W @ Arizona, 38-35. Next Game: vs. Washington State.  Good Wins: vs. Wisconsin, @ UCLA, @ Arizona.

I almost jinxed the Beavers last night.  I was at the Pygmalion Music Festival with Robyn, when I checked my phone and saw that the Beavers were up on Arizona 17-0.  "Don't tell anyone," I said, "But the Beavers might actually be very good."  As soon as I said that, Arizona scored a touchdown, and started a comeback that would see them up 35-31 with 1:09 left in the game.  Oregon State bounced back, though, when QB Sean Mannion threw his third touchdown pass of the game, and then Rashaad Reynolds intercepted Arizona to seal the win 30 seconds later. 

2) Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0, +10) Results: W @ Iowa State, 24-13. Next Game: vs. Oklahoma.  Good Wins: vs. Texas State*, vs. Iowa State

I want you to think of TT as the Big 12's "placeholder." We're pretty sure that there is an elite team or two in the Big 12, but we're not sure who it is, so we'll just say it's Tech until evidence proves us otherwise, which may happen next week when the Oklahoma Sooners come to town.  (* Texas Tech got extra credit for beating this WAC team because Texas State had just beaten Houston, who last year finished 11-1, but this year kind of stinks.)

3) Oregon (5-0, 2-0, +10) Results: W @ Washington State, 51-26. Next Game: vs. Washington. Good Win: vs. Arizona

The Ducks are doing that thing where they have flashes of brilliance interrupted by long periods of mediocre football.  Against the Cougars, they let an early 20-3 lead shrink to 23-19 at halftime, before turning on the engines and winning by 25.  They also may have been the greatest beneficiaries of Stanford's loss, but let me ask you this: Will the Civil War game end up having more Rose Bowl implications this year than Stanford-Oregon?

4) Notre Dame (4-0, 0-0, +9) Results: Bye.  Next Game: vs. Miami (FL). Good Wins: vs. Michigan, @ Michigan State

Catholics versus Convicts next week. (I hate that saying.  Kind of racist, right?)  Don't look now, but supposedly hapless Miami is coming to South Bend at 4-1, on top of their division, and their only loss coming against K-State.  Their schedule is about to get more difficult, though, with Notre Dame, Florida State, and Virginia Tech all on the docket.  Still, how awesome would it be if Miami and Duke (4-1, 1-0) were playing for the division title in their season finale on Nov. 24?

5) Florida State (5-0, 2-0, +9) Results: W @ South Florida, 30-17. Next Game: @ North Carolina State Good Win: vs. Clemson

6) Rutgers (4-0, 1-0, +7) Results: Bye Next Game: vs. Connecticut Good Wins: Getting to beat South Florida before FSU got there; Arkansas after they got steamrolled by Alabama. 

7) Alabama (5-0, 2-0, +7) Results: W vs. Mississippi, 33-14.  Next Game: @ Missouri Good Win: vs. Michigan.

Alabama looked mortal for about 15 seconds yesterday, when they trailed Ole Miss 7-6 at home in the second quarter.  Christion Jones then returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.  The Tide were one of a few elite teams who looked off their game on Saturday, allowing Ole Miss to get 16 first downs, 10 of which came on third or fourth down.  Still, I see no reason to panic in Tuscaloosa. 

8) UCLA (4-1, 1-1, +7) Results: W vs. Colorado 42-14. Next Game: @ California.  Good Win: vs. Nebraska

9) Florida (4-0, 3-0, +6) Results: Bye. Next Game: vs. LSU Good Win: @ Tennessee

Next week is going to be an epic one in the SEC, with Florida hosting LSU and Georgia visiting South Carolina.  The winners of both those games will get huge boosts here, probably up to the top 5, and even the losers should have enough cache to remain in the top 25.  I'm going to want to think about this longer, but if I had to pick right now, I'd go with LSU over Florida and South Carolina over Georgia. 
 
10) Ohio (5-0, 1-0, +6) Results: W @ Massachusetts, 37-34. Next Game: vs. Buffalo Good Win: We gave them too much credit for beating Penn State in the first week. 

11) Georgia (5-0, 3-0, +6) Results: W vs. Tennessee, 51-44.  Next Game: @ South Carolina Good Win: vs. Tennessee

Another week, another opportunity to be underwhelmed by the Georgia Bulldogs.  Tennessee scored 44 points against Georgia, which means that the Bulldogs did better against Tennessee than both Akron (47) and Georgia State (51).  Georgia's defense is 6th in the SEC and 47th in the FBS in points allowed per game, tied with Maryland and Vanderbilt but just behind UCF and Western Kentucky.  In other news, how unfair is it that Tennessee has to play at Georgia, at Mississippi State, vs. Alabama, and at South Carolina while Georgia gets to trade in Alabama and Mississippi State for Mississippi and Auburn? 

12) Kansas State (4-0, 1-0, +5) Results: Bye. Next Game: vs. Kansas. Good Wins: @ Oklahoma, vs. Miami (FL)(?) 

13) LSU (5-0, 1-0, +5) Results: W vs. Towson Next Game: @ Florida Good Win: vs. Washington

Uh-oh.  For the second straight week, LSU looked vulnerable against an inferior opponent.  They fumbled 5 times, losing it 3 times.  They allowed four sacks.  They gave up 4.7 yards per rush.  Against Towson. 

14) South Carolina (5-0, 3-0, +5) Results: W @ Kentucky, 38-17. Next Game: vs. Georgia Good Wins: Still waiting.  They got four future opponents in the AP Top 25, though. 

15) Northwestern (5-0, 1-0, +5) Results: W vs. Indiana 44-29. Next Game: @ Penn State Good Wins: umm... Syracuse? ....

Northwestern's victory means that Indiana passes them as the losingest FBS team of all time, with a record 633 losses.  I'm afraid that this might be Northwestern's high point of the season, though, as they still have to play at Penn State, at Michigan, and at Michigan State. 

16) Louisville (5-0, 0-0, +5) Results: W @ Southern Miss 21-17. Next Game: Oct. 13 @ Pittsburgh Good Wins: vs. Kentucky, vs. North Carolina.  If we were playing basketball.  But the Big East as a conference is 19-10 against all other conferences, and 4-2 against that lyin', cheatin', stealin' ACC.

17) Ohio State (5-0, 1-0, +5) Results: W @ Michigan State 17-16. Next Game: vs Nebraska Good Win: @ Michigan State

Alright, I've finally figured out the Big Ten divisions: You've got the Mnimnm Division and the P-Powii! Division.  The problem is that two of the teams from P-Powii! are banned from the Big Ten Championship: Ohio State, for having players trade BCS swag for tattoos, and Penn State, for decades of institutionally sanctioned child rape.  Because those two are totally equivalent crimes.  So that means that one of Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1), Purdue (3-1, 0-0), Indiana (2-2, 0-1), or Illinois (2-3, 0-1) will be playing in the Big Ten Championship in December, with a trip to the Rose Bowl on the line.

We are also facing the first time in 8 years that the Big Ten will only have one BCS representative, and the first time since the BCS expanded from 8 teams to 10 in 2006. 

18) Texas-San Antonio (5-0, 1-0, +5) Results: W @ New Mexico State, 35-14. Next Game: Oct. 13 @ Rice.  Good Wins: Give 'em a break, they just got here, OK? 

The Fightin' Roadrunners! UTSA got their first ever FBS victory over New Mexico State.  QB Eric Soza passed for 269 yards and 3 TDs, and has a season QB rating of 159.1, with 10 TDs and 1 INT on the season.  

19) West Virginia (4-0, 1-0, +5) Results: W vs. Baylor 70-63. Next Game: @ Texas. Good Win: vs. Baylor

West Virginia QB Geno Smith's stat line from the Baylor game: 45/51, 656 yards, 8 TDs, 0 INTs.  The man had 8 touchdown passes and 6 incomplete passes. 

20) Washington (3-1, 1-0, +5) Results: W vs. Stanford 17-13. Next Game: @ Oregon. Good Win: vs. Stanford

Of my four Pac-12 teams in the Top 25, this is the one that I feel least comfortable with.  The Huskies played really well in upsetting Stanford at home, but I just can't shake that shaky win against San Diego State or that blowout loss to LSU out of my mind.  Washington gets the "trifecta" treatment in the Pac-12, playing at Oregon next week and hosting USC the week after.  If they're 4-2, then I'll start treating them as a serious Top 25 team. 

21) Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0, +4) Results: Bye. Next Game: @ Kentucky Good Wins: None.

22) Texas (4-0, 1-0, +4) Results: W @ Oklahoma State, 41-36. Next Game: vs. West Virginia. Good Win: @ Oklahoma State

How many games were there on Saturday where the favored team looked like they were in trouble until pulling it out to win the end?  I was rooting hard for OkSt., but, in the end, Texas was able to rally back from down 33-28 in the fourth quarter and get a big conference road win.  They host West Virginia next week, and the winner of that game will get a big boost in the race for the Big 12 championship.

23) TCU (4-0, 1-0, +4) Results: W @ SMU 24-16. Next Game: vs. Iowa State. Good Wins: None, really.  In fact, you could make the case that each game for TCU gets progressively harder this year, from Week 1 against Grambling State to Week 14 against Oklahoma. 

24) Louisiana Tech (4-0, 0-0, +4) Results: W @ Virginia 44-38.  Next Game: vs. UNLV.  Good Wins: None.

25) Cincinnati (3-0, 1-0, +3) Results: W vs. Virginia Tech, 27-24. Next Game: vs. Miami (OH). Good Wins: None.

My Top 25 - Sep. 30

1) Oregon State (3-0, 2-0, +12)
2) Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0, +10)
3) Oregon (5-0, 2-0, +10)
4) Notre Dame (4-0, 0-0, +9)
5) Florida State (5-0, 2-0, +9)

6) Rutgers (4-0, 1-0, +7)
7) Alabama (5-0, 2-0, +7)
8) UCLA (4-1, 1-1, +7)
9) Florida (4-0, 3-0, +6)
10) Ohio (5-0, 1-0, +6)

11) Georgia (5-0, 3-0, +6)
12) Kansas State (4-0, 1-0, +5)
13) LSU (5-0, 1-0, +5)
14) South Carolina (5-0, 3-0, +5)
15) Northwestern (5-0, 1-0, +5)

16) Louisville (5-0, 0-0, +5)
17) Ohio State (5-0, 1-0, +5)
18) Texas-San Antonio (5-0, 1-0, +5)
19) West Virginia (4-0, 1-0, +5)
20) Washington (3-1, 1-0, +5)

21) Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0, +4)
22) Texas (4-0, 1-0, +4)
23) TCU (4-0, 1-0, +4)
24) Louisiana Tech (4-0, 0-0, +4)
25) Cincinnati (3-0, 1-0, +3)

Arizona (3-2, 0-2, +3)
Western Kentucky (4-1, 1-0, +3)
Iowa State (3-1, 0-1, +2)
San Jose State (4-1, 0-0, +2)
Boise State (3-1, 1-0, +1)
Miami (FL) (4-1, 3-0, +1)
Duke (4-1, 1-0, +1)
Michigan (2-2, 0-0, 0) 
USC (3-1, 1-1, 0)
Stanford (3-1, 1-1, 0)
Clemson (4-1, 1-1, 0)
Nebraska (4-1, 1-0, 0)
Oklahoma (2-1, 0-1,-1)
Minnesota (4-1, 0-1, -2)
Michigan State (3-2, 0-1, -2)
Purdue (3-1, 0-0, -2)
Arizona State (4-1, 2-0, -2)
Utah State (4-1, 1-0, -2)
Nevada (4-1, 1-0, -2) 
Northern Illinois (4-1, 1-0, -2)
Toledo (4-1, 1-0, -2)
Tulsa (4-1, 2-0, -2)
Baylor (3-1, 0-1, -3)
Louisiana-Lafayette (3-1, 2-0, -3)
Kent State (3-1, 2-0, -3)
Middle Tennessee State (3-1, 1-0, -3)
Texas A&M (3-1, 1-1, -3)
Ball State (3-2, 0-1, -4)
Mississippi (3-2, 0-1, -4)
Central Michigan (2-2, 0-1, -5)
Missouri (3-2, 0-2, -5)
Texas State (2-2, 0-0, -6)
Tennessee (3-2, 0-2, -6)  
Fresno State (2-2, 0-0, -6)
Louisiana-Monroe (2-2, 1-0, -6)
East Carolina (3-2, 0-0, -7)
Iowa (3-2, 1-0, -7)
Indiana (2-2, 0-1, -8)
Utah (2-2, 0-1, -8)
Auburn (1-3, 0-2, -8)
Northern Iowa (0-2, 0-0, -8)
Troy (3-2, 2-1, -8)
North Carolina (3-2, 0-1, -8)
Virginia Tech (3-2, 1-0, -9)
Wake Forest (3-2, 1-2, -9)
Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1, -9)
North Carolina State (3-2, 0-1, -9)
Oklahoma State (2-2, 0-1, -9)
Missouri State (0-2, 0-0, -9)
Brigham Young (3-2, 0-0, -9)
Connecticut (3-2, 0-0, -9)
North Texas (2-3, 1-1, -9)
Penn State (3-2, 1-0, -9)
UCF (2-2, 0-0, -10)
South Florida (2-3, 0-1, -10)
Maryland (2-2, 0-0, -10)
San Diego State (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Miami (OH) (2-2, 1-0, -10)
Pittsburgh (2-2, 0-1, -10)
Air Force (2-2, 1-1, -10) 
New Mexico (2-3, 0-1, -11)
Arkansas State (2-3, 0-1, -11)
Washington State (2-3, 0-2, -11)
Temple (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Vanderbilt (1-3, 0-2, -11)
Houston (1-3, 1-0, -12)
Syracuse (1-3, 0-0, -13)
Hawaii (1-3, 0-1, -14)
UTEP (1-3, 0-0, -14)
Marshall (2-3, 0-0, -15)
Buffalo (1-3, 0-1,-15)
Arkansas (1-4, 0-2, -15) 
Florida Atlantic (1-4, 0-1, -15)
Georgia Tech (2-3, 0-2, -16)
Virginia (2-3, 0-1, -16)
Illinois (2-3, 0-1, -16)
Boston College (1-3, 0-2, -16)
Western Michigan (2-3, 0-1, -16)
Kentucky (1-4, 0-2, -16)
Bowling Green (2-3, 0-0, -16)
SMU (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Navy (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Kansas (1-3, 0-1, -17)
Akron (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Wyoming (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Tulane (0-3, 0-2, -18) 
New Mexico State (1-4, 0-1, -18)
Colorado (1-4, 1-1, -19) 
Southern Miss (0-4, 0-1, -20)
South Alabama (1-4, 0-1, -21)
Florida International (1-4, 0-1, -22)
UAB (0-4, 0-1, -22)
California (1-4, 0-2, -23)Colorado State (1-4, 0-1, -23)
Rice (1-4, 0-1, -23)
UNLV (1-4, 0-1, -23) 
Army (0-4, 0-0, -24) 
Memphis (0-4, 0-0, -24)
Eastern Michigan (0-4, 0-0, -24)
Idaho (0-5, 0-0, -27)
Massachusetts (0-5, 0-1, -27)

Power Rankings - Sept. 23

1) Oregon State (2-0, 1-0, +10) - I swear, you guys, these rankings are completely unbiased.  Oregon State's #1 because they have two wins over ranked opponents.  They held star UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin to 45 rushing yards on 12 attempts in their 27-20 win in the Rose Bowl.  I always chuckle whenever commentators are surprised at the speed of Oregon State's defense.  You know they play the Ducks every year, right? Next game: at Arizona.

2) Notre Dame (4-0, 0-0, +9) - The biggest difference between this Notre Dame team and their past teams is the current version's ability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.  Against Michigan, they sacked Denard Robinson three times, had five interceptions, and forced two fumbles.  Remember, Michigan is not actually that good.  But the Irish may be at the point to upgrade their expectations from 8 wins to 10. Next game: Oct. 06 vs. Miami (FL)

3) Oregon (4-0, 1-0, +9) - It's always strange to watch your team in the local bar after the home team has just lost to Louisiana Tech by four touchdowns. It tends to end up with you bar-hopping with a group of folks from out of town, running into former co-workers, finding a ride home for the drunken bartender, going to the house of a guy who just graduated from your program and drinking - I don't know, like, amaretto and Dr. Pepper? - and then walking home the wrong way for about a mile before you give up and call a cab.  All-in-all, a good night.  Also, um, Oregon has a good defense.  Next game: at Washington State.

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

5) Florida State (4-0, 2-0, +8) - Florida State-Clemson was probably the game of the night.  I really wanted Clemson to win, but still came away genuinely impressed with Florida State.  They had 667 yards of offense in their 49-37 victory, averaging 8.9 yards per play.  However, I am still unimpressed with their defense, which probably won't get tested again until the season finale against Florida.  In terms of non-SEC teams, right now I would go: 1) Oregon, 2) Notre Dame, 3) Florida State.  I've got them all losing to Alabama.  Next game: at South Florida. 

6) Rutgers (4-0, 1-0, +7) - Please raise your hand if you put down on money at the beginning of the season on Arkansas losing at home to UL-Monroe AND Rutgers.  The Big East is better than advertised this year, and may go out with a bang on November 29th when Rutgers hosts Louisville, with a potential Orange Bowl berth on the line.  Next game: Oct. 06 vs. Connecticut.

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

8) Alabama (4-0, 1-0, +6)

9) Florida (4-0, 3-0, +6)

10) UCLA (3-1, 0-1, +6) - One thing I noticed in UCLA's loss was the speed of their receiving corps.  This, combined with a pretty good defense, has me thinking that the Bruins are one or two gimpy Trojan linemen away from winning their division.  Next game: at Colorado.  (As the Buffaloes go for two in a row!)

11) Ohio (4-0, 0-0, +5)

12) Georgia (4-0, 2-0, +5)

13) Kansas State (4-0, 1-0, +5) - The Sports Illustrated headline this morning reads: "Kansas State stuns Oklahoma."  Who, precisely, was stunned? Despite being outgained by Oklahoma 386-362, the Fightin' Snyders forced three timely turnovers in their 24-19 win.  They still have tough trips to West Virginia and TCU on the docket, but Kansas State would be selling themselves short if their ultimate goal were not a Big 12 championship.  Next game: Oct. 06 vs. Kansas.

14) LSU (4-0, 1-0, +4) - LSU's defense pitched a second half shutout against Auburn to win 12-10, meaning that they are definitely better than Louisiana-Monroe.  LSU's offensive shakiness continues to make Alabama's march to the BCS seem inevitable.  But remember, that's what I was saying last year about LSU.  The Tigers are at Florida on Oct. 06, and then host South Carolina the week after.  If they reach 7-0, then we can start talking championships again. Next game: vs. Towson. NB: Don't let me use mixed sports metaphors.  Ever. 

15) South Carolina (4-0, 2-0, +4) - I still don't have a grasp on what the SEC pecking order is.  Alabama is clearly top elephant, with LSU second tiger. (We're the Republican Party and Tammany Hall!) But then what?  Florida's pretty good, and I've still got South Carolina ahead of Georgia, because I am afraid of Jadeveon Clowney.  We'll find out soon enough, as the Gamecocks get Georgia, LSU, and Florida in October.  Next game: at Kentucky.

16) Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0, +4)

17) Northwestern (4-0, 0-0, +4) - Northwestern hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since 1996, a 41-32 loss to USC. Next game: vs. Indiana.

18) Louisville (4-0, 0-0, +4)

19) Minnesota (4-0, 0-0, +4) - Minnesota hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since 1962, a 21-3 win over UCLA. Next game: at Iowa.

20) Ohio State (4-0, 0-0, +4) - Another week, another disastrous outing for the Big Ten.  After trailing early, Ohio State was able to pull away from winless Alabama-Birmingham.  Michigan State was able to squeak past winless MAC team Eastern Michigan, but Iowa was not so lucky, falling to powerhouse Central Michigan 32-31. Michigan and Illinois also suffered non-conference losses.  Overall, the Big Ten is 33-13 in non-conference games.  Against the BCS+Notre Dame, however, they are 5-9.  Next game: at Michigan State.  If Ohio State were bowl eligible, this would be a big game.

21) Texas-San Antonio (4-0, 0-0, +4) - Congratulations UTSA Roadrunners! In their first year in the FBS, the Roadrunners have notched wins against fearsome opponents South Alabama, Texas A&M-Commerce, Georgia State, and Northwestern Oklahoma State. They open WAC play next week at New Mexico State.

22) Arizona (3-1, 0-1, +4) 

23) Texas (3-0, 0-0, +3) - My problem with the Big 12 is that they pad their stats by playing patsies in their non-conference schedule, which leads to a necessary agnosticism about their conference strength.  In non-conference play, the Big 12 is an astounding 26-2.  But against BCS opponents, they are 5-1.  (By contrast the Pac-12 is 23-9, 6-3, and the SEC is 28-7, 4-5.  Which is why the SEC isn't getting much love in these pages.) So what do we know about the Big 12?  We think that West Virginia is pretty good, based on their wins against Maryland and James Madison. Texas is better than the 11th or 12th best team in the SEC.  Oklahoma State is not as good as Arizona, which means they're double ungood when compared to Oregon, unless, of course, they turn around and beat Texas next week. Iowa State beat Iowa, so they're at least as good as Central Michigan.  And Oklahoma, the pre-season Top 5, just lost to Kansas State.  Anyone else want to get on the TCU Fiesta Bowl bandwagon? Next game: at Oklahoma State.

24) Iowa State (3-0, 0-0, +3)
25) Baylor (3-0, 0-0, +3)

My Top 25

1) Oregon State (2-0, 1-0, +10)
2) Notre Dame (4-0, 0-0, +9)
3) Oregon (4-0, 1-0, +9)
4) Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0, +8)
5) Florida State (4-0, 2-0, +8) 

6) Rutgers (4-0, 1-0, +7)
7) Stanford (3-0, 1-0, +6)
8) Alabama (4-0, 1-0, +6)
9) Florida (4-0, 3-0, +6) 
10) UCLA (3-1, 0-1, +6)

11) Ohio (4-0, 0-0, +5)
12) Georgia (4-0, 2-0, +5)
13) Kansas State (4-0, 1-0, +5)
14) LSU (4-0, 1-0, +4)
15) South Carolina (4-0, 2-0, +4)

16) Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0, +4)
17) Northwestern (4-0, 0-0, +4)
18) Louisville (4-0, 0-0, +4)
19) Minnesota (4-0, 0-0, +4)
20) Ohio State (4-0, 0-0, +4)

21) Texas-San Antonio (4-0, 0-0, +4)
22) Arizona (3-1, 0-1, +4)  
23) Texas (3-0, 0-0, +3)
24) Iowa State (3-0, 0-0, +3)
25) Baylor (3-0, 0-0, +3)

West Virginia (3-0, 0-0, +3)  
TCU (3-0, 1-0, +3)
Louisiana Tech (3-0, 0-0, +3)
Cincinnati (2-0, 1-0, +2)
Michigan State (3-1, 0-0, +2)
Ball State (3-1, 0-0, +2)
Western Kentucky (3-1, 0-0, +2)
Central Michigan (2-1, 0-0, +1)
San Jose State (3-1, 0-0, +1)
Michigan (2-2, 0-0, 0)
Washington (2-1, 0-0, 0)
Boise State (2-1, 0-0, 0)
USC (3-1, 1-1, 0)
Texas State (2-1, 0-0, 0)
Miami (FL) (3-1, 2-0, 0)
Duke (3-1, 0-0, 0) 
Clemson (3-1, 0-1, -1)
Oklahoma (2-1, 0-1,-1)
Nebraska (3-1, 0-0, -1)
Mississippi (3-1, 0-0, -2)
Purdue (2-1, 0-0, -3)
Tennessee (3-1, 0-1, -3)  
Arizona State (3-1, 1-0, -3)
Virginia Tech (3-1, 1-0, -3)
Utah State (3-1, 0-0, -3)
Wake Forest (3-1, 0-1, -3)
Wisconsin (3-1, 0-0, -3)
Nevada (3-1, 1-0, -3)
North Carolina State (3-1, 0-0, -3)
Northern Illinois (3-1, 0-0, -3)
Toledo (3-1, 0-0, -3)
Tulsa (3-1, 1-0, -3)
Indiana (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Oklahoma State (2-1, 0-0, -4)
UCF (2-1, 0-0, -4)
Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1, 1-0, -4)
Kent State (2-1, 1-0, -4)
Middle Tennessee State (2-1, 1-0, -4)
Marshall (1-1, 0-0, -4)
Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1, -4)
New Mexico (2-2, 0-0, -5)
Arkansas State (2-2, 0-0, -5)
Fresno State (2-2, 0-0, -6)
Missouri (2-2, 0-2, -6)
Louisiana-Monroe (1-2, 0-0, -7) 
East Carolina (2-2, 0-0, -8)
Hawaii (1-2, 0-1, -8)
Utah (2-2, 0-1, -8)
Auburn (1-3, 0-2, -8)
Northern Iowa (0-2, 0-0, -8)
UTEP (1-2, 0-0, -8) 
South Florida (2-2, 0-1, -9)
Buffalo (1-2, 0-1,-9)
Troy (2-2, 1-1, -9) 
Arkansas (1-3, 0-1, -9) 
Florida Atlantic (1-3, 0-0, -9)
Missouri State (0-2, 0-0, -9)
North Carolina (2-2, 0-0, -9) 
Brigham Young (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Georgia Tech ( 2-2, 0-2, -10)
Maryland (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Virginia (2-2, 0-1, -10)
Illinois (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Iowa (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Connecticut (2-2, 0-0, -10)
North Texas (1-3, 0-1, -10) 
San Diego State (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Washington State (2-2, 0-1, -10)
Boston College (1-2, 0-1, -10)
Penn State (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Miami (OH) (2-2, 1-0, -10)
Pittsburgh (2-2, 0-1, -10)
Western Michigan (2-2, 0-0, -10)
Air Force (1-2, 0-1, -11)
Temple (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Vanderbilt (1-3, 0-2, -11)
SMU (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Navy (1-2, 0-0, -11)
Tulane (0-2, 0-1, -12) 
New Mexico State (1-3, 0-0, -13)
Syracuse (1-3, 0-0, -13)
Kentucky (1-3, 0-1, -13) 
Houston (0-3, 0-0, -13)  
South Alabama (1-3, 0-0, -15)
Southern Miss (0-3, 0-1, -16)
Florida International (1-3, 0-0, -16)
UAB (0-3, 0-0, -16)Kansas (1-3, 0-1, -17)
Akron (1-3, 0-0, -17)
California (1-3, 0-1, -17)
Bowling Green (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Colorado State (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Rice (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Colorado (1-3, 1-0, -17) 
UNLV (1-3, 0-0, -17) 
Wyoming (1-3, 0-0, -17)
Army (0-3, 0-0, -18) 
Idaho (0-4, 0-0, -21)
Memphis (0-4, 0-0, -24)
Eastern Michigan (0-4, 0-0, -24)
Massachusetts (0-4, 0-0, -24)

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)