Rankings Reaction – Rankings based on the USA Today Coaches Poll

• Florida proved too tough for LSU and shut them down. Not exactly the ideal offensive output, but not having Tebow all week led to a little rust.
• Looks like there might be a trend of BCS teams passing over Boise. USC did the leap frog this week. Chris Petersen’s Broncos continue to take care of business and slip down in the polls.



• Bama still rolling and starting to get some #1 love with 5 votes.
• Ohio State is getting better and better as they whooped Wisconsin.
• LSU dropped to 10. They better get the offense going or they could free fall.
• Iowa pulled out another close one. Can they keep this up? My gut says “No.” The pick that sealed Michigan’s fate late.



• Zac Lee and the Huskers woke up in the rain and got a big win in Columbia.
• Sammy B is back for Red River; Watch out Horns!
• Cincy and South Florida gear up for a battle of unbeatens Thursday in Tampa. The Cats look for some fireworks with the Bulls this week.



• South Carolina, Houston, and Notre Dame jump back in. Notre Dame welcomes the rival Trojans and the Cocks have Alabama on the road. Both could be right back out on Sunday.

All rankings are based on the USA Today Coaches Poll

Last week’s rankings reaction was more of a general rundown of what was happening with the teams ranked in the Top 25. This week I will give more of an opinion on what I think about certain teams, questions that remain unanswered, and the general direction a team may or may not move in the rankings.

1. Florida 4-0 The Gators were off this past weekend. Tebow’s still out for now. Their first big…and I mean BIG test is this weekend at #4 LSU. Tebow or not, it’s going to be a war. LSU has three tough road wins already and while it hasn’t been pretty, they remain unbeaten. Florida has a ton of talent and a brilliant coach, so even if the golden boy can’t give it a go, I think Florida will win.

2. Texas 4-0 It’s hard to gage the early season success. Texas Tech has been the only remotely good team on their schedule. It only gets harder for Texas. The Horns face a beastly road slate with the neutral site Red River shoot-out, followed by trip to Mizzou and OK State. I think they drop at least one of the three.

3. Alabama 5-0 Honestly, they look like the best team right now. They clearly have a dominant D. They run the ball well and McElroy looks better than his predecessor John Parker-Sucks. By the way, how does SEC scheduling work? They miss Florida in the regular season for the second year in a row.

4. LSU 5-0 See above. They still have Bama and unbeaten Auburn theaux.

5. Virginia Tech 4-1 Interesting case. This ranking is probably a little high. Their only loss was to Alabama on a neutral site and they looked great against the U, but they squeaked by Nebraska late, and did not exactly blow out Duke.

6. Boise State 5-0 There’s not really a method for the voters apparently. The Broncos won easy and dropped a spot. They’ve proven they can win BCS games and win in the non-conference and they should not lose the rest of the way.

7. USC 4-1 They proved me wrong after a couple of ugly performances. The Trojans get a week off before a rivalry game with Notre Dame. They undoubtedly have the talent to beat anyone but I think they’ll trip up at least one more time.

8. Ohio State 4-1 I’m sold on the Buckeye defense, but not their offense. Wisconsin will give us a pretty good barometer of just how good they are. The Bucks should run the ball early and often to set up the play-action to make things easier for TP.

9. TCU 4-0 The Horned Frogs are sittin’ pretty so far but Mountain West melees lie ahead with BYU and Utah.

10. Cincinnati 5-0 The Bearcats rose quickly in the ranks and perhaps too fast. They have major issues on defense and let a bad Miami team hang around for awhile this past weekend.

11. Miami 3-1 The tough part of the schedule is over. Luckily Sammy B was out. I was in Ft. Lauderdale Saturday and the atmosphere was electric after the game. The schedule is pretty favorable from here on out.

12. Penn State 4-1 A win over Illinois doesn’t hold much weight anymore. They need to prove that their offensive line can hold up against a good team to show that they’re ready to contend for a BCS birth. They’ll get plenty of chances with Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State still on the docket.

13. Oklahoma State 3-1 Which Cowboy team will show up? The one that out manned Georgia or the won that couldn’t stop Houston? Hopefully we see the real deal in Big 12 play.

14. Iowa 5-0 It’s safe to say that Iowa wins ugly. Key word = WINS. Five and Oh is 5-0 no matter how you read or write it. No matter if it’s I-AAs…I mean FCS schools…or Sun Belt Southern Belles. The Hawkeyes can make believers out of everyone if they can squash Michigan’s spread attack Saturday.

15. Kansas 4-0 So far, so good. A spot in the Big XII title game is within reach but not without obstacles. Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas Tech litter the schedule. We won’t see them back in the BCS.

16. Ole Miss 3-1 The #4 ranking was a result of too much hype. This is a good team, not a great one. They have their toughest games at home and could pull an upset, but I think this is a Cotton Bowl team at best.

17. Oregon 4-1 The Ducks have a strong resume to date but they have four more road games in conference, USC at home, and the Civil War at home too. They’re going to have to bring it every week.

18. Missouri 4-0 Still unblemished. Off last week to prepare for the Huskers Thursday. Sill too early to tell with the Tigers.

19. Auburn 5-0 Back in familiar Top 25 territory. This likely won’t last long. Pollsters forgot about them and they beat a bad Tennessee team, so suddenly they vault to 19. Makes sense right? They have a brutal SEC slate to negotiate and the only gimme is a home date with Furman.

20. BYU 4-1 The FSU loss looks worse but Brigham Young will stay the course and focus on the conference. Maybe we’ll see some Holiday Bowl heroics again. No BCS for Max Hall and co.

21. Oklahoma 2-2 No team with two losses should be ranked right now. Now, granted they are two 1-point losses to good opponents without your QB…but losses are losses. All is not lost for OU though. Bradford is progressing and the Soooners could legitimately win out. Voters may take the injury into consideration. Stranger things have happened. Don’t sleep on Stoops!

22. Nebraska 3-1 Big Red moved up two spots despite not playing. Hopefully the Big 12 North will start sorting itself out with Mizzou-NU Thursday.

23. Georgia Tech 4-1 The Yellow Jackets bulldogged Mississippi State in Starkville and continue to impress since their downer against Miami.

24. South Florida 5-0 Last year, they garnered too much acclaim, too soon. This year may be their year. The landmark win over FSU put them on the map in Florida, but in the Big East, there are bigger fish to fry. UC is next.

25. Wisconsin 5-0 They have crept into the rankings with some good wins of late and have a big chance to leap frog a lot of teams with a win in C-Bus Saturday.

NCAA Top 25 Rankings Reaction

1 – Florida 4-0…This should be a “Gator Blowout, Continue to Roll” sort of tag but they received a scare as the golden child Tim Tebow left the game with a concussion.  His status is uncertain.

2 – Texas 4-0…The Horns stomped UTEP.  Colorado will be a warm-up for the Red River Shootout.

3 – Alabama 4-0…Bama steamrolled the Razorbacks and head on the road to Lexington and Oxford.

4 – LSU 4-0…The Tigers were a yard away from a significant drop in the polls, but there is something to be said for a tough goal line stand on the road.  It only gets harder as they head between the hedges this week in Athens.

5 – Boise State 4-0…Broncos handled Bowling Green; Return home to UC-Davis.  Might be #4 next week.

6 – Virginia Tech 3-1…The Hokies have endured a vigorous schedule and after a thrashing of Miami, they continue to get better.  Easy win over Duke this week.

7 – USC 3-1…The Trojans won easy but enter a gauntlet that includes four conference road games sandwiched around the only team to beat them last year (Oregon State).

8 – Oklahoma 2-1…With the exception of a certain Heisman QB, the Sooners are coming off two easy wins and a bye, and should be fresh for the Canes on Saturday.

9 – Ohio State 3-1…Since a rough start, the Buckeyes are starting to get going.  The defense has pitched two straight shut outs and are poised to keep it going against the upstart Hoosiers in Bloomington.

10 – TCU 3-0…Gary Patterson led his troops too two road ACC victories and has his Horned Frogs feeling good heading into the conference slate.

11 – Cincinnati 4-0…The Bearcats sweated out a tough home win over Fresno State.  They’ll take the drive up to Oxford and return with the Victory Bell this Saturday.

12 – Oklahoma State 3-1…The Pokes picked on Grambling this weekend and get a week off before a trip to College Station.

13 – Penn State 3-1…The Nittany Lions got shut down by Iowa and now have a very small margin for error if they’re to return to Pasadena.  They go to struggling Illinois Saturday.

14 – Georgia 3-1….The Dawgs gutted out a win over Arizona State and host LSU this weekend.  Big game to earn some SEC respect.

15 – Houston 3-0…Another Big 12 foe falls to Case Keenum and the Cougars.  Three straight road games will test this talented bunch.

16 – Kansas 4-0…Reesing rallied Rawk Chawk to a win in their first real opponent as KU prepares for Big 12 play.

17 – Iowa 4-0…Apparently the scare vs. Northern Iowa struck a nerve with the Hawkeyes.  They have responded with four straight convincing wins.  After a tune-up with Arkansas State, Michigan comes to Iowa City.

18 – Ole Miss 2-1…The Rebels looked terrible in their Thursday night loss to South Carolina.  They look to get back on track at Vandy.

19 – California 3-1.Hopefully the Bears don’t hibernate thru the rest of the season.  USC is next.

20 – Michigan 4-0…The weak Wolverine defense couldn’t stop the juggernaut that is Indiana football.  They will need a much better showing to take home the Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan trophy.

21 – TIE:  Miami 2-1…The U didn’t live up to the hype they generated.   A visit from the Sooner Schooner could bounce them out of the rankings this week.

21 – TIE:  BYU 3-1…Back on track after the FSU debacle.  Utah State this week.

23 – Missouri 4-0…Road win at Nevada on Friday night.  A win over Nebraska will get people talking about the Tigers again.

24 – Nebraska 3-1…A one point loss to Virginia Tech is not a bad loss.  A weekend romp of Louisiana-Lafayette has them primed for Mizzou.  The winner will take a step toward the Big 12 title game.

25 – Oregon 3-1…Since getting smurfed in week 1 and the whole Rocky 28 audition by Lagarrete Blount, the Ducks are on a roll with three big wins in a row.  Please keep the old school unis!