Kansas Jayhawks « Jaryd Wilson

Imagine “BCS Madness” in basketball

18 02 2010

Every day brings about an argument with my roommates about sports. These days, a visitor would likely hear me quibbling with one of them over the number of Big East teams that deserve to be dancing in March. During the college football season, the arguments predictably led to a debate over the current playoff system.

Which is why my eyes lit up when my roommate suggested what very few, if any, had ever thought of.

“What if college basketball used the BCS system?” he asked.

Hmm…what if?

I should say right now that I love March Madness. The tournament is a lot of fun, and I would never want to see it go away. But before you dismiss the following idea, consider the proposal below.

Let’s say college basketball did use the BCS system. There would be no tournament. The two best teams out of 347 Division 1 teams would play for the national championship. As for the rest? The next 32 could play in the NIT perhaps. Or maybe I develop “bowl” games for the 62 next-best. Either way, it’s not important. What is important is how college basketball would determine its national champion.

My roommate and I agree that if the BCS is used, it would have to triple the field to six eligible teams because there are about three times as many D1 basketball schools (347) as FBS football schools (120). So six teams make the BCS championship, and the champion is determined as follows:

#6 at #3 (winner plays at #2)
#5 at #4 (winner plays at #1)

Winner of 1 vs 4/5 plays winner of 2 vs 3/6 on a neutral court for the title.

Easy enough.

Now on to how to determine the six eligible teams.

The BCS uses the Coaches Poll, Harris Poll and average of six BCS computers to determine the football rankings. In college basketball, there is a Coaches Poll but not a Harris Poll. I suggest replacing Harris with RPI. Though I think the AP Poll is more valid than the Coaches Poll, using both AP and Coaches Polls would not be good because the top six are usually identical.

Four of the six BCS computers also rank college basketball teams (Anderson & Hester and Richard Billingsley do not), so I can use the same computer methods. Ken Pomeroy will be used as a fifth computer. Because there are only five computers, I will throw out only the median ranking, rather than the highest and/or lowest.

So who would be eligible to play for a national championship right now?

The top six in the Coaches Poll are Kansas, Kentucky, Villanova, Purdue, Syracuse and Duke.

The RPI reads Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, West Virginia and Villanova.

All five computers have Kansas ranked #1. Since both the Coaches and RPI also have the Jayhawks #1, it’s easy to give them the #1 seed in the basketball BCS. Their average is 1.

Kentucky does not do too well in the computer rankings. Only the Colley Matrix has the Wildcats #2. The median is 4 and the average is 4.5. Averaging together with the Coaches and RPI gives them a 3.17.

Pomeroy’s computer is going to bring Villanova down. The Wildcats are ranked #15 in that computer, bring the computer average to 5.75 and the overall average to 4.92.

Purdue got a big win over Ohio State Wednesday, but they are still a consistent 6 in all but one computer, giving them a 5.75 computer average. Overall, the Boilermakers are a 6.25 because of their low RPI.

Syracuse has a huge game with Georgetown tonight that could alter the rankings, but for now, the Orange have a computer average of 3.25 and an overall average of 4.08.

Duke is ranked sixth in the Coaches Poll but has the #2 RPI. The Blue Devils have a computer average of 4.5 and an overall average of 4.17.

Outside the top six, West Virginia seems to be the most likely contender. However, the computers spit out an average of 8.67 for the Mountaineers, giving them an overall average of 6.89. Purdue’s 6.25 barely beats West Virginia for the sixth spot.

The only other team in consideration is Kansas State. The Wildcats’ computer average is 9.25, pulling the overall average down to 7.75.

So the six teams in the tournament happen to be the top six in the Coaches Poll. The matchups are as follows:

(6) Purdue at (3) Syracuse
(5) Villanova at (4) Duke

Purdue/Syracuse at (2) Kentucky
Villanova/Duke at (1) Kansas

Championship on neutral court

I know you are lying if you say you would be even the slightest bit intrigued by this. Imagine how West Virginia fans would feel. The Mountaineers are the TCU of college basketball. Then again, West Virginia did lose to Purdue, who has the sixth and final spot.

How fun would it be to watch college basketball every night, knowing that a loss by any of the top six could make way for #7 or #8 to slide up into the field.

Consider reducing the field to four teams. Then Villanova, ranked #3 in the Coaches Poll, would be out.

Again, this is purely just for fun. Everyone imagines what it would be like if college football used college basketball’s system.

Thank you, roomie, for making me imagine the opposite. Even for just one day.

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Tags: Anderson & Hester, AP Poll, BCS, Big East, Coaches Poll, Colley Matrix, Duke Blue Devils, Georgetown Hoyas, Harris Poll, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Ken Pomeroy, Kentucky Wildcats, March Madness, NIT, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers, Richard Billingsley, RPI, Syracuse Orange, TCU Horned Frogs, Villanova Wildcats, West Virginia Mountaineers
Categories : Sports

Bubble growing with one month to go

15 02 2010

Four weeks from yesterday is Selection Sunday, the college sports world’s national holiday. To nobody’s surprise, the bubble seems to be growing as conference play heats up. Below is the complete list of who’s in and who’s out (at large berths only) if the tournament started on Valentine’s Day. For now, I’m just saying that the team with the best conference record in each conference is automatically in, which is why you won’t see them on the list of “locks.” In cases where teams were tied for the conference lead, I gave the team with the higher RPI the bid.

At large locks:

ACC (3)
Wake Forest
Virginia Tech
Maryland

Atlantic 10 (3)
Temple
Charlotte
Xavier

Big East (4)
Syracuse
West Virginia
Pittsburgh
Georgetown

Big Ten (3)
Ohio State
Purdue
Wisconsin

Big 12 (4)
Kansas State
Texas A&M
Baylor
Texas

Conference USA (1)
UAB

Mountain West (2)
BYU
UNLV

SEC (2)
Vanderbilt
Tennessee

West Coast (1)
St. Mary’s

This leaves 11 at large bids up for grabs. Below is who takes them (in order) as of tonight.

1) Rhode Island Rams – That’s right. The strongest bubble team is the Rams. With an RPI of 21, the 19-5 Rams have wins over Dayton and Oklahoma State, and no terrible losses. The Atlantic 10 is better than the Pac 10, SEC and Mountain West, at least in the top half.

2) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – Despite the recent slide, the Jackets have the best strength of schedule in the ACC after Duke, and still only seven losses. They have five wins against the RPI top 40, and if you’re wondering how deep the ACC is, know that Tech is currently in eighth.

3) Clemson Tigers – Clemson’s resumé is nearly identical to Georgia Tech’s. The Tigers’ strength of schedule ranks 31, and they are #30 in the RPI. They sit sixth in the ACC with nonconference wins over Butler and South Carolina, as well as wins over Maryland and Florida State.

4) Dayton Flyers – Another A-10 team deserving of a spot is the Flyers. They are 17-7 but have slipped to seventh in the conference at 6-4. They beat Georgia Tech and Old Dominion out of conference, and Xavier in conference. The RPI ranking is #32, and the strength of schedule is #30.

5) Missouri Tigers – The nonconference schedule was not great, but wins over Old Dominion and Illinois are looking better this month than they did in January. Quality losses include Richmond, Vanderbilt, Kansas, Baylor and Texas A&M. The Tigers are in sixth in the nation’s best conference.

6) Marquette Golden Eagles – Marquette has been competitive in every game this season, and the worst is behind them. However, an RPI ranked #56 and a strength of schedule ranked #54 are worrisome, but they have worked themselves into a situation where they could finish fourth in the Big East.

7) Florida State Seminoles – FSU lacks the big win, but does have enough quality victories and few enough bad losses to warrant a tournament berth. Losing to Maryland twice hurt, but they did beat Georgia Tech twice to make up for it. They are tied for sixth in the ACC.

8) Oklahoma State Cowboys – If the Cowboys’ worst loss is at Oklahoma, count them in. The Pokes have wins over Kansas State and Texas A&M, no bad losses and a strength of schedule ranked #44. The RPI is in the top 40, and they are 5-5 in the Big 12.

9) Mississippi Rebels – Ole Miss has done just enough to squeeze into the field, the biggest asset being a win over Kansas State. Four of the Rebels’ seven losses are to teams in the top 20 in RPI. The strength of schedule isn’t eye-opening, but outside of Arkansas, they’ve won all the games they’re supposed to win.

10) Illinois Fighting Illini – The Illini were a lock until the Ohio State blowout. Even so, they’re winning the games they should win in the Big Ten, and playing well at the right time. Wins over Michigan State and Purdue were a big boost for the team currently in fourth in the Big Ten.

11) Florida Gators – They’ve played a tough schedule and have only two losses against teams with an RPI below 27. Their biggest problem is lack of quality wins. Despite that, I’m still taking the Gators as my last team in with only eight losses over a Louisville team with three bad losses and nine overall losses.

On the outside looking in:

Louisville
Texas Tech
Wichita State
Mississippi State
San Diego State
Virginia
Cincinnati
Washington
South Carolina

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Tags: ACC, Arkansas Razorbacks, Atlantic 10, Baylor Bears, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Butler Bulldogs, BYU Cougars, Charlotte 49ers, Cincinnati Bearcats, Clemson Tigers, Conference USA, Dayton Flyers, Duke Blue Devils, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Georgetown Hoyas, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Illinois Fighting Illini, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Marquette Golden Eagles, Maryland Terrapins, Michigan State Spartans, Mississippi Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers, Mountain West, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Old Dominion Monarchs, Pac 10, Pittsburgh Panthers, Purdue Boilermakers, Rhode Island Rams, Richmond Spiders, RPI, San Diego State Aztecs, SEC, Selection Sunday, South Carolina Gamecocks, St. Mary's Gaels, Syracuse Orange, Temple Owls, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders, UAB Blazers, UNLV Rebels, Valentine's Day, Vanderbilt Commodores, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Washington Huskies, West Coast, West Virginia Mountaineers, Wichita State Shockers, Wisconsin Badgers, Xavier Musketeers
Categories : Sports

A lesson to all college sports fans

9 02 2010

My frustration has boiled over.

Enough for me to write about it anyway.

To start from the beginning would be to go back a long way, so I’ll just tell you what happened yesterday. I was at the library (University of Missouri) when I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. We talked about our semesters, graduation, the weather and…per usual when I’m involved in a conversation…sports. I asked him, who I will refrain from naming for his own embarrassment, who he thought would win the Kansas/Texas game. He said Texas.

Dumb. But I was the guy who said the Colts would win the Super Bowl, so I won’t fault him for a wrong pick. It was what came next that had me really peeved.

“I don’t ever want Kansas to win. I hope they lose every game.”

As a Missouri student and fan, he has blindly been led to believe that the most educated college sports fans are ones who hate Kansas. Fine. Hate Kansas. But if you’re a Missouri fan, don’t ever root for KU to lose. Ever.

This kid considers himself educated. I just had to walk away.

He’s not the only one. When Kansas loss to Tennessee, I immediately logged onto Facebook to see a barrage of status updates from my friends and classmates:

“KU sucks.”

“Rock-chalk chickenhawk”

“Kansas is overrrated.”

Joe Schmoe is no longer listed as single.

Okay, so I didn’t really care about that last one, but the first three were quite annoying coming from Tiger fans.

Here’s a lesson to all college sports fans: hate whoever you want, but want your conference opponents to win (no, I don’t get paid for my brilliance).

In college sports, strength of schedule means everything. If your conference opponents are losing, your favorite team is getting weaker without even playing a game. In Missouri’s case, every Kansas loss hurts. The Tigers play the Jayhawks twice in basketball every season. And every season, I want Kansas to be ranked number one going into those games. Why? Because beating an undefeated, top ranked team carries a lot more weight than beating an unranked bubble team.

Same goes for football. In 2007, I couldn’t believe all the idiots on Missouri’s campus who wanted Kansas to lose a football game. A golden storyline was being written every week when overachieving KU started 11-0. While nearly everyone else wanted the Jayhawks to stop flying, I recognized this for what it was – an opportunity of a lifetime for Tigers football. Undefeated Kansas vs one-loss Missouri on the last day of the regular season, playing for the Big 12 North championship, a chance to play in the Big 12 championship game, and national title hopes still very much alive for the winner. Not to mention a rivalry game, primetime on ABC, and with College Gameday at the neutral Arrowhead Stadium. But I guess all that didn’t mean anything for those Tiger fans who were rooting for a Jayhawk loss prior to the Missouri game. One Kansas loss would have destroyed that moment. Instead, it was the Tigers who boosted up to number one by beating the number two Jayhawks.

Had Kansas not come into that game unbeaten, who knows if the Tigers would have leaped West Virginia. One thing is for sure – the game got an enormous amount of publicity, propelled both schools’ football programs, and likely lured at least a recruit or two away from a Texas school to come play in Columbia. And it was because the team Missouri beat was undefeated.

The nonconference part of the schedule in any sport is the part where every Tiger fan should be rooting for all Big 12 teams, including Kansas, to go undefeated. Just like every Auburn fan should be rooting for the SEC, and every Butler fan should root for the Horizon League. In conference play, it all depends on standings, but generally you want the good teams to beat the bad ones so that the matchups with the good teams mean more.

Highly anticipated matchups leads to high attendance, which leads to money. More money means more opportunity to improve facilities, which leads to better performance. Better performance leads to more TV time, which in turn creates more exposure. More exposure leads to better recruiting, which leads to better performance. Connect the dots any way you’d like. Just know that there is no justification for rooting against a rival whom your team is going to play, especially against someone whom your team won’t play.

Missouri fans say “but it’s Kansas. We hate them. They’re our rivals.” True. True. And true. They are your rivals, and you may hate them. But rooting against them is stupid. It only hurts Missouri.

In professional sports, it’s the opposite. Hate who you want and root for them to lose. In pro sports, winning is the only thing that matters. Quality wins and strength of schedule means nada. Red Sox fans want the Yankees to go 0-162, and that’s perfectly fine. But those same Bostonians better be rooting for Notre Dame to win every game so the Boston College/Notre Dame game means more.

So Missouri fans, if you want to root against Kansas because it makes you feel good, then go for it. Call yourselves true fans. Call yourselves passionate.

Just please don’t call yourselves educated.

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Tags: ABC, Auburn Tigers, Big 12, Boston College Eagles, Boston Red Sox, Butler Bulldogs, College Gameday, Columbia, Facebook, Horizon League, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas Jayhawks, Missouri Tigers, New York Yankees, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, SEC, Super Bowl, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, West Virginia Mountaineers
Categories : Sports

List of disappointing teams growing

31 01 2010

Maybe my standards are too high. After all, when a team has two of the top six recruits in the country and returns four of its top five starters from a year ago, they should be good. Really good. But Texas, has been anything but impressive lately after losing their third game in four tries. In fact, the last time I was wowed by the Longhorns was 2009. They’ve played poorly in all of their Big 12 games so far and still go to Norman, Stillwater, College Station, Waco and Columbia, along with a game against Kansas.

Of course, you can’t talk disappointment without bringing up the defending national champion Tar Heels. Sure they lost everyone from the national championship team, but a great recruiting class and a talented group of players-in-waiting led by Deon Thompson should not have seven losses in January.

The Big East in general has been disappointing, thanks in large part to the poor performances of Louisville and Connecticut. The Huskies have a healthy Jerome Dyson, as well as returners Kemba Walker and Stanley Robinson, but they have five Big East losses and haven’t played West Virginia, Syracuse or Villanova yet. Meanwhile, Louisville, last year’s number one overall seed, has eight losses, including four of its past five in Big East play despite the expectation to contend for a Big East title with Samardo Samuels and Edgar Sosa.

Don’t forget about the Pac 10, namely Washington. There are high school conferences in Ohio that could send more teams to the dance than the Pac 10, and the Huskies are under .500 in the league and in the bottom half of the conference.

I can keep going. Oklahoma (12-9) was supposed to contend in the Big 12. I guess that’s not likely after a 17 point blowout loss at previously winless Nebraska. Michigan was supposed to do the same in the Big Ten, but the Wolverines have double-digit losses and a 4-5 conference record.

As the season progresses, so does the list of disappointments. It’s a wide open race this year with no team truly establishing themselves as “dominant.” It’s also good news for these disappointments that may still end up in the tournament.

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Tags: Big East, College Station, Columbia, Connecticut Huskies, Deon Thompson, Edgar Sosa, Kansas Jayhawks, Kemba Walker, Louisville Cardinals, Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Norman, North Carolina Tar Heels, Ohio, Oklahoma Sooners, Pac 10, Samardo Samuels, Stanley Robinson, Stillwater, Syracuse Orange, Texas Longhorns, Villanova Wildcats, Waco, Washington Huskies, West Virginia Mountaineers
Categories : Sports

The top 100 sports stories of the decade

10 01 2010

I ranked these in order of importance, number of people it affected, and how dramatic the story was. Feel free to comment or post your own rankings.

100) NHL starts winter classic
The NHL had its first ever “Winter Classic” on New Year’s Day 2008 as the Buffalo Sabres hosted Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins outdoors in front of 71,000 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Penguins won in an overtime shootout.

99) Pirates set losing seasons mark
The Pittsburgh Pirates became the first franchise in sports history to have 17 consecutive losing seasons when they finished the 2009 season 62-99. The last time the Pirates had a winning season was 1992, when the team won the division.

98) Celtics edge Bulls in dramatic series
The 2009 NBA playoffs featured an opening round series that saw the second seeded Boston Celtics defeat the seventh seeded Chicago Bulls in seven games. Four of the seven games went to overtime, and there were seven total overtime periods.

97) Four UNC players taken in top 14
The UNC draft class of 2005 was so talented, four players were taken in the top 14 of the NBA draft. The Hawks took Marvin Williams #2, the Bobcats took Raymond Felton #5 and Sean May #13, and the T’Wolves took Rashad McCants #14.

96) Rocco Mediate takes Woods to 91st hole
One of the most exciting playoffs in golf took place at the 2008 U.S. Open. Relatively unknown Rocco Mediate and Tiger Woods were tied after 72 holes. After the 18-hole playoff, the two were still tied until Woods bested Mediate on hole 91.

95) Tim Tebow sets college football legacy
Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow sat behind senior Chris Leak as a freshman and watched the Gators win a national championship in 2006. He became the starter in 2007, won another national title in 2008, and was a Heisman winner.

94) UConn women go 39-0 twice
The most dominant women’s hoops team of the decade was the Connecticut Huskies. In 2002, the women claim their second of five decade championships with a perfect 39-0 season. In 2009, they would go a perfect 39-0 again.

93) Kevin Everett suffers life-threatening injury
One of the scariest injuries of the decade was when Buffalo Bill Kevin Everett suffered a career-ending and life-threatening cervical spine injury on opening day in 2007. Everett was able to walk again even after doctors said he would not.

92) Paul Tagliabue steps down as NFL commissioner
Paul Tagliabue stepped down as commissioner of the NFL in 2006 after 17 years at the helm. During Tagliabue’s time there were no lockouts or strikes, and he introduced a strict salary cap and six new franchises to the league.

91) Four one-seeds reach Final Four.
For the first time, March Madness produces four #1 seeds in its Final Four as North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA all made it to San Antonio in 2008. Not surprisingly, the attendance for the ‘08 tournament was the highest in history.

90) Texas upsets USC in Rose Bowl
Numbers one and two all season, Texas met USC in Pasadena for the national championship in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush led an explosive USC offense, but Vince Young got the last laugh as Texas won 41-38.

89) Thirteen pitchers throw no-hitters in 2000s
Hideo Nomo, A.J. Burnett, Bud Smith, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millwood, Randy Johnson, Anibal Sánchez, Mark Buehrle (2), Justin Verlander, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Carlos Zambrano and Jonathan Sánchez threw no hitters this decade.

88) Jimmie Johnson wins AP male athlete of the year
In 2009, NASCAR racer Jimmie Johnson became the first racing athlete to ever win the AP Male Athlete of the Year Award. Johnson won the Sprint Cup Series for the fourth consecutive year in 2009, and has been in the top five every year since 2002.

87) Phillies become first franchise to lose 10,000
The Philadelphia Phillies became the first sports franchise to lose 10,000 games, losing number 10,000 on July 15, 2007. Ironically, the Phillies weren’t losers that year – they won the NL East. The Atlanta Braves have the second-most losses.

86) Pacman Jones suspended for legal troubles
Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested in 2005 for assault, in 2006 for disorderly conduct, and in 2007 for a shooting and drug deals, among other incidents. The NFL suspended Pacman for a total of 22 games in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

85) Ravens win Super Bowl with stellar defense
The Ravens throttled the New York Giants 31-7 to win Super Bowl XXXV. Baltimore proved it doesn’t need flash to win. Trent Dilfer did just enough, and the defense dominated, allowing the fewest points and rush yards in a single season.

84) Golden State shocks Dallas
The eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors defeated the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs. The Warriors, coached by former Dallas coach Don Nelson, were the first eight seed to win a best of seven series.

83) Ohio State (#1) defeats rival Michigan (#2)
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes defeated their hated rival Michigan Wolverines 42-39 in the last regular season game for both teams. The matchup featured the rivalry with a #1 ranking, the Big Ten title and a national title berth on the line.

82) Biggio records hit number 3,000
Craig Biggio, a 20-year veteran with the Houston Astros, recorded hit number 3,000 on July 28, 2007 against the Colorado Rockies. Biggio was the 27th player to join the club. Less than a month later, he announced he would retire.

81) Titans advance with Music City Miracle
Down one with 16 seconds left, the Tennessee Titans used a throwback on a kickoff return to score a touchdown and beat the Buffalo Bills 22-16 in the 2000 Wild Card round. Frank Wycheck threw laterally to Kevin Dyson, who took it 75 yards to win.

80) Super Mario rescues Jayhawks with three pointer
Dead in the water through 38 minutes, the Kansas Jayhawks stage a dramatic comeback, helped by Memphis Tiger missed free throws, to win the 2008 national championship game. Mario Chalmers’ three with two seconds left forced overtime.

79) Tom Watson makes historic British open run
Tom Watson made a historic run at the British Open Championship in 2009. The 59-year-old veteran led most of the tournament and had the gallery on his side, but three-putted the 72nd hole to fall into a playoff. He lost to Stewart Cink.

78) Lakers defeat Kings in epic seven-game series
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings in seven games in the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Robert Horry’s last-second three wins game four, Mike Bibby’s shot wins game five, and the Lakers take the last two of the dramatic series.

77) Expos move to Washington
The Montreal Expos moved to Washington D.C. and became the Nationals after the 2004 season after 35 years in Canada. Major League Baseball bought the team, and the league decided to make the move to the U.S.

76) Detroit Lions go 0-16
The Detroit Lions made NFL history in a bad way in 2008-2009 by becoming the first NFL team to lose every game of a 16-game schedule. Daunte Culpepper quarterbacked for most of the season, and Ron Marinelli coached the team.

75) Rachel Alexandra wins Preakness
Racehorse Rachel Alexandra made history in 2009 by becoming the first Filly in 85 years to win the Preakness Stakes. Alexandra actually won eight major races in 2008 and 2009, and has won nine races in a row. She will race again in 2010.

74) Rockies win 21 of 22 to make playoffs
One of the best stretches of baseball came in 2007. The Colorado Rockies won 21 of 22 games, including a dramatic one-game playoff, to win the NL Wild Card. They would sweep their way to the World Series before falling to Boston.

73) Penguins get revenge on Wings to win Stanley Cup
One year after losing to the Detroit Red Wings in six, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009, defeating the Wings in seven games. Every team won on home ice through the first six, but Pittsburgh steals game seven in Detroit.

72) Weinke becomes oldest player ever to win Heisman
After leading Florida State to two consecutive national championship games, Chris Weinke threw for 4,167 yards in his senior year and won the Heisman Trophy in 2000 at age 28. Florida State went to its third straight national championship.

71) Spurs continue decade’s best dynasty
Say what you want about the Lakers, the best NBA team this decade was San Antonio. After winning its first championship to close the 1990s, the consistent Spurs tacked on three more this decade – in ‘02-’03, ‘04-’05, and ‘06-’07.

70) Yankees begin, close decade with championship
The New York Yankees won the Subway Series, beating the crosstown rival Mets in 2000. The Bronx Bombers then went the rest of the decade without winning a title – an unusual feat for them – until beating the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009.

69) McMahon’s XFL falls flat
In 2001, WWF owner Vince McMahon created the “Xtreme Football League.” A league with custom-name jerseys and rules to “toughen” the game did not go over well, and the league failed after one season due to low TV ratings and attendance.

68) Home teams win dramatic one-game playoffs
In 2007, the Colorado Rockies scored three runs in the bottom of the 13th to beat visiting San Diego 9-8. In 2008, the Chicago White Sox rode a Jim Thome HR to a 1-0 win over Minnesota. In 2009, Minnesota walked off in 12 to beat Detroit 6-5.

67) Marlins win the World Series
No World Series winner was more unpredictable than Florida’s 2003 run. After being in the NL East basement, they fired manager Jeff Torborg, replaced him with Jack McKeon, and shocked the Giants, Cubs and Yankees to win as a Wild Card.

66) LeBron arrives in the NBA
The 2003 -2004 season was the first for LeBron James, the number one overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school. James quickly became one of the most dominant players in the league, and has an MVP and a gold medal.

65) Terrell Owens can’t stay in one place
Terrell Owens, one of the greatest wide receivers in the NFL, might be better known for his unwillingness to cooperate. Owens left the San Francisco 49ers in 2003 and played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills.

64) Florida wins back-to-back basketball titles
Lead by a superb frontcourt that included Joakim Noah and Al Hortford, the Florida Gators won back-to-back NCAA championships in 2006 and 2007. All five starters returned after the surprise first title to help lead the dominant Gators.

63) Armstrong finishes third in return to Tour
After three years of not racing in the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong returned to professional cycling in 2009. His goal was to “raise awareness of the global cancer burden.” His third-place finish in the 2009 Tour was inspirational for many.

62) Syracuse defeats UConn after six overtimes
In one of the most exciting college basketball games of all time, the Syracuse Orange defeated the Connecticut Huskies in the 2009 Big East quarterfinals. Eric Devendorf’s shot was waved off at the end of regulation, setting the stage for 6 OTs.

61) Steve McNair shot and killed
Among the tragic losses in 2009 was former NFL MVP Steve McNair, who was shot and killed by his mistress in a murder-suicide. McNair played for the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times.

60) Schottenheimer fired after 14-2 season
The 2006-2007 San Diego Chargers went 14-2, but lost in the AFC divisional round to the New England Patriots. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired one month later. The move puzzled many because of his success during the season.

59) Zidane headbutts Materazzi
A bizarre scene took place during the 2006 World Cup final match when Zinedine Zidane, France’s best player, inexplicably head butted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in overtime. Zidane was ejected, and Italy won the World Cup in a shootout.

58) Celtics complete largest turnaround in NBA history
The 2006-2007 season was a terrible one for the 24-58 Boston Celtics. But Danny Ainge traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, and the Celtics went 66-16 in ‘07-’08, a 42 game improvement. They beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

57) Nadal overtakes Federer as world’s #1
Rafael Nadal sat number two behind Roger Federer for 158 weeks before taking the world’s number one ranking away from him in August 2008. Nadal and Federer played each other four times that year, and Nadal won all four to help boost him.

56) Boise State shocks Oklahoma in Fiesta Bowl
The undefeated Boise State Broncos defeated the favored Oklahoma Sooners with a bundle of trick plays in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. A hook-and-ladder tied the game with seconds remaining, and a Statue-of-Liberty play won the game in overtime.

55) Williams gets into legal trouble
In 2002, former NBA star Jayson Williams was on trial for the murder of a limousine driver, though the charge was reduced to manslaughter. In February, he was Tasered after a violent hotel incident, and was arrested after a May bar fight.

54) Mets blow seven game lead in September
One year after owning the best record in the National League, the 2007 Mets seemed poised to finish what they couldn’t in 2006. But in the last 17 games of the season, the Mets blew a seven game lead, allowing the Phillies to win the NL East.

53) Adrian Peterson sets single game rushing record
One of the greatest single-game performances in NFL history occurred on Nov. 4, 2007 when Adrian Peterson set the single-game rushing record with 295 rushing yards. Corey Dillon ran for 278 in 2000, and Jamal Lewis ran for 295 in 2003.

52) Ichiro comes to America, brings hit barrage
The Seattle Mariners signed Ichiro Suzuki, one of Japan’s most prolific hitters, in 2001. He has 200+ hits in each of his first nine seasons, including an MLB-record 262 hits in 2004. He already has 2,030 hits in his MLB career.

51) Manning finally beats New England, wins a ring
Peyton Manning had not beat the Patriots in the playoffs. But in the 2007 AFC Championship game, that all changed. Manning’s Colts beat New England 38-34, overcoming an 18-point deficit, then beat Chicago 29-17 to win the Super Bowl.

50) Pete Sampras retires
Tennis legend Pete Sampras officially announced retirement in August of 2003. Sampras won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, which was a record until Federer broke it at the 2009 Wimbledon. He was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.

49) Stallworth suspended for 2009 season following manslaughter
NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth plead guilty to DUI and second degree manslaughter after killing a pedestrian while driving in 2009. Stallworth served just 24 days in jail, but the NFL suspended him for the entire 2009 season.

48) Michael Phelps’ behavior questionable
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps ran into trouble a few times. In 2004, he was sentenced to 18 months probation for pleading guilty to driving under the influence. In 2009, pictures were released showing Phelps smoking marijuana.

47) Grady Little leaves Pedro in
With a 5-2 eighth inning lead in game seven of the 2003 ALCS against rival New York, Red Sox manager Grady Little decided to leave starter Pedro Martinez in the game following three straight hits. Pedro blew the lead, and the Red Sox lost.

46) Annika Sorenstam plays with the men
One of the most successful female golfers of all time, Annika Sorenstam may be best known for playing in the 2003 Bank of America Colonial – a men’s PGA Tour event. She also won 10 LPGA majors and 72 tournaments overall, both records.

45) Pat Tillman dies while serving in the Army
Pat Tillman, the former linebacker and safety for the Arizona Cardinals, left the team in 2002 to enlist in the U.S. Army after the attacks of 9/11. Tillman died while serving his country in Afghanistan in 2004, supposedly by friendly fire.

44) Roy Williams finally wins a national championship
The only thing that had eluded college coaching great Roy Williams was a national championship. That finally came in 2005 as Williams’ North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Illinois in the championship. Williams would win another title in 2009.

43) Division 1-AA Appalachian State defeats Michigan
In 2007, Appalachian State defeated then #5 Michigan 34-32 in the ‘Big House’ in one of the biggest upsets in college football history. The win was the first by an FCS team over a ranked FBS team, and led to FCS teams being eligible for the AP Poll.

42) Cal Ripken Jr. retires
One of baseball’s most beloved players decided to call it quits in 2001 after 21 years in the league, all with the Baltimore Orioles. Ripken hit a home run in the 2001 All-Star game and was named MVP of the game. He has 3,184 lifetime hits.

41) Phil Jackson returns as coach of Lakers
Phil Jackson left Chicago following Michael Jordan’s retirement, only to return one year later to open the decade as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have won four NBA championships in Jackson’s nine years as coach, including 2009.

40) Griffey has injury-ridden decade
After playing 11 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Ken Griffey Jr. was injured in each of his nine seasons with the Reds to open the decade. Many think that the steroid-free slugger would have the most HRs of all time if not for the injuries.

39) Players brawl with fans during NBA game
A disturbing scene took place during a Detroit Pistons home game against Indiana in 2004. After a hard foul led to some pushing and shoving, fans sparked a brawl with Pacer players. The NBA suspended nine players and two fans faced charges.

38) Nick Saban leaves LSU for the NFL
Nick Saban spent the first five years of the decade at LSU, winning two BCS bowls and a national championship in 2003. But when the Miami Dolphins offered him $5 million and control of all operations, Saban left, but went 15-17 in two seasons.

37) Brett Favre retires, then unretires…twice
One of the greatest and most well-liked quarterbacks of all time called it quits in 2007, then returned with the Jets after Green Bay wouldn’t take him back. After one season in New York, he retired again, only to come back with Minnesota.

36) Kobe scores 81 points
Kobe Bryant had one of the greatest single-game performances of all-time on Jan. 22, 2006 against the Toronto Raptors when he scored 81 points. Bryant shot 60 percent, making seven threes and scoring 55 of the 81 points in the second half.

35) Serena Williams takes over women’s tennis
Williams became the #1 ranked tennis player for the first time in July of 2002, and has been ranked #1 five different times. She had all four Grand Slam titles at once in 2002-2003, and has won 23 Grand Slams overall, including doubles.

34) Tim Donaghy bet on games he officiated
One of the black stains of the NBA occurred when Tim Donaghy, an NBA referee from 1994-2007, pleaded guilty to betting on NBA games he officiated. It was believed that he purposely miscalled games to affect point spreads and win his bets.

33) Danica Patrick first woman to win a race
Patrick became the first woman to ever win a race when she won the Indy Japan 300 in 2008. She started racing in the Indy Car Series in 2005, where she was named rookie of the year. She is arguably the most influential female athlete.

32) Michigan legend Bo Schembechler dies
Michigan coaching legend Bo Schembechler died in 2006, one day before the Wolverines took on rival Ohio State. Schembechler coaches the Wolverines from 1969-1989, compiling a 234-65-8 overall record. He also coached at Miami.

31) New England becomes NFL team of the decade
A Drew Bledsoe injury made way for an unknown QB named Tom Brady in 2001. Brady took New England to the Super Bowl, winning that and two more after that. The Patriots seemed destined to win the 2002 Super Bowl following 9/11.

30) Unlikely pair throw perfect games
Randy Johnson is considered to be one of the most dominant and powerful pitchers in baseball history, while Mark Buehrle is known better as a finesse, fast worker. Both threw perfect games this decade – Johnson in 2004, Buehrle in 2009.

29) Marion Jones admits to steroid use
Marion Jones, a dominant track and field athlete, was forced to forfeit her five gold medals from the 2000 Olympic games after admitting that she took steroids before the games. Jones was sentenced to six months in jail, which she served in 2008.

28) White Sox break 88-year drought
Lost in the losing streaks of the Cubs and Red Sox was the Chicago White Sox’ drought, which was actually longer than Boston’s. The White Sox broke the streak by winning the World Series in 2005, highlighted by an 11-1 postseason.

27) David Beckham signs with the L.A. Galaxy
David Beckham, one of the world’s top soccer players, left Real Madrid in 2007 to play soccer in the United States. Beckham had hoped to boost the popularity of the sport in America, a country considered to be behind the curve with soccer talent.

26) George Mason goes to the final four
Cinderella’s slipper fit the Patriots perfectly in 2006. George Mason entered the NCAA men’s basketball tournament as a #11 seed and upset Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut before falling to Florida in the semifinals.

25) Katrina forces New Orleans teams to relocate
The massive destruction Hurricane Katrina put on New Orleans in 2005 forced the city’s Hornets and Saints to relocate. The Saints played home games in Baton Rouge and San Antonio, while the Hornets played two seasons in Oklahoma City.

24) 2006 Duke lacrosse scandal proved false
A North Carolina Central student accused three Duke lacrosse players of raping her. Though the accusations were later deemed false, the scandal forced the cancellation of the rest of the season, and coach Mike Pressler resigned.

23) NBA creates one and done rule
Prior to 2006, high school players were allowed to enter the NBA draft, so players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett never went to college. The new rule forced players like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose to spend a year in school.

22) NHL lockout cancels 2004-2005 season
A dispute between players and owners over salary issues, including a salary cap, caused the cancellation of the entire season. It was the first time an entire pro sports season had been cancelled, but resulted in the new salary cap we have today.

21) Steelers win record six Super Bowls
In 2005-2006, the Pittsburgh Steelers won their record-tying fifth Super Bowl under Bill Cowher as a #6 seed, beating Seattle 21-10. Three years later, the Steelers would do it again, winning a 27-23 thriller over Arizona for the record.

20) Tiger Woods scandal shakes golf
Tiger Woods, considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time, was accused of having an affair with a nightclub manager. The next day, he crashed his car, leading to media attention surrounding his personal life and family.

19) Federer emerges as most dominant man in tennis
Roger Federer became the world’s number one ranked tennis player in 2004 and held that ranking for 237 consecutive weeks. He briefly fell to #2, but regained the #1 ranking to close the decade. He has 15 Grand Slam titles – the most all time.

18) USA men’s basketball team slips at Worlds, Olympics
Loaded with a slew of NBA All-Stars, the USA men’s basketball team finishes sixth at the 2002 World Championships, then settles for bronze in the 2004 Olympics. It’s the lowest finish by the team ever at Worlds and tied for lowest at the Olympics.

17) ‘Iron Mike’ era ends with loss to Lewis
In one of the most publicized and highly anticipated fights in boxing history, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis tangled on June 8, 2002. Lewis dominated, KOing Tyson in the eighth round. Tyson would fight a few more times before finally retiring.

16) Dale Earnhardt Sr. dies
A tragic final-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500 took the life of one of NASCAR’s all-time greats. Earnhardt won 76 races and seven Winston Cup Series titles. After Earnhardt’s death, NASCAR focuses on safety with safer cars and tracks.

15) BCS creates controversy beginning in 2004
In 2004, the Auburn Tigers became the first undefeated BCS team to be left out of the BCS National Championship. Utah went undefeated in 2004 and 2008, Boise ran the table in 2006 and 2009, and TCU and Cincinnati went undefeated in 2009.

14) Kobe Bryant accused of rape
Arguably the best player in the NBA was accused of rape by a woman in Denver. Bryant was acquitted of sexual assault charges but admitted committing adultery. The golden boy of the NBA was no longer considered to be a role model by many.

13) Bartman sparks big inning for opponents
In 2003, the die-hard Cubs fan took a would-have-been out away from Moises Alou, extending Luis Castillo’s at-bat in game six of the NLCS. The Marlins, down 3-2 in the series and 3-0 in the game, won both. The curse of the billy-goat lives on.

12) Michael Vick indicted for dog fighting
Former overall number one draft pick Michael Vick, who two years earlier had led the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC championship, was indicted on dog fighting charges in July of 2007. He would spend a year in prison before returning to the NFL in 2009.

11) Team USA spectacular in 2002, not so much in 2006
Team USA soccer gave America a thrill in 2002, making it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup before eventually falling to Germany 1-0. The Americans upset Portugal and Mexico along the way. In 2006, they failed to win a game in the Cup.

10) Jordan indecisive about retirement…again
After Michael Jordan had called it quits following his sixth NBA championship, the love of the game brought him back again. Jordan played two seasons with the Washington Wizards before retiring. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2009.

9) Barry Bonds sets *HR records
In 2001, Barry Bonds broke Mark McGwire’s single season home run mark by belting 73 long balls. Six years later, Bonds would pass Hank Aaron for most HRs all time with his 756th. The authenticity of these records may forever be debated.

8) Patriots go perfect, only to lose in Super Bowl XLIV
The New England Patriots had the perfect team and the perfect record. They were the first team to ever finish a 16-game regular season unbeaten. But the New York Giants had other plans. Eli Manning and company upset New England 17-14.

7) Sports goes on after 9/11
In a time when America could have caved and crumbled after the attacks of 9/11, the sports world did not. The NFL postponed all games for week two, and the MLB postponed its games for three days. But, like America, sports went on.

6) Lance Armstrong wins seven straight Tour De France titles
American Lance Armstrong dominated cycling for years, winning the Tour De France the first six times in the decade, and seven dating back to 1999. What may have been more remarkable about the streak was that he is a cancer survivor.

5) Boston Red Sox end curse of the Babe
Because the Red Sox were so close for so many years, it almost appeared as though the curse of the Babe would never be broken. But the rival Yankees set a perfect stage for a remarkable turnaround, blowing a 3-0 ALCS lead to the division rivals.

4) Usain Bolt breaks sprinting world records
Perhaps no one dominates their sport the way Jamaican Usain Bolt dominates sprinting. In Beijing in 2008, he won three golds and set three world records in the 100, 200 and 4×100. A year later, he would break his own 100 and 200 records.

3) Michael Phelps rakes in the gold
In the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Phelps took six gold medals and two bronze medals – an incredible feat for a 19-year-old. In Beijing in 2008, he was even more remarkable, breaking Mark Spitz’ record by winning eight golds.

2) Diamondbacks beat Yankees in 2001 World Series
The Yankees tugged on America’s heartstrings in the first sports championship post-9/11. New York, for the first time, were the good guys. But after Pettitte got rocked and Rivera blew game seven, it was the cardiac ‘Backs who prevailed.

1) Steroids forever change baseball
Nothing has changed the landscape of sports more than the recent steroid saga. Players, records, teams and championships will forever have asterisks next to them thanks to the likes of McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Palmeiro, Clemens and Rodriguez.

Bonus – What we didn’t see this decade:
- Triple Crown winner in horse racing
- Triple Crown winner in Major League Baseball
- Cubs winning the World Series
- True Grand Slam in golf
- Eagles winning the Super Bowl

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Categories : Sports

College football rankings – Oct. 26

26 10 2009

Longhorn fans, hate me all you want. Your team is now #4 in the most prestigious rankings in the country. This despite a 34 point blowout road win. Gator fans, hate me all you want. Your team is still #2, despite Alabama’s near collapse against the Vols. Bronco fans, hate me now. Your team is #6, despite a blowout win on the island. Yes, my rankings may make your head scratch and your forehead wrinkle. But there’s justification here. Boise State hasn’t played anybody, prompting Iowa to jump them. Alabama has still played better teams than Florida. And I’ll explain the Texas setback in a blog post tomorrow, for it is the one that could mean the most come Dec. 6.

1) Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) – I picked the Vols to win, and they probably should have. But they didn’t. Alabama’s defense was stiff enough in another quality win. They get a bye week to prepare for LSU’s trip to Tuscaloosa.

2) Florida Gators (7-0) – Something is off with the offense. Playing a relatively weak SEC schedule, they have broken 30 just once in five conference games. Red zone offense has been a problem. In 35 trips, they have only 16 touchdowns.

3) Iowa Hawkeyes (8-0) – The Hawkeyes are 8-0 for the first time ever after beating a hot Michigan State team in East Lansing. It’s not pretty, but this team finds ways to win. The offense, ranked #87 in the country, needs to play better.

4) Texas Longhorns (7-0) – Colt McCoy is closing in on the all time FBS wins record after an impressive 41-7 win against Missouri. It’s Texas’ first well-played game in the conference, and it comes just in time. They go to Stillwater next.

5) Cincinnati Bearcats (7-0) – Can we still say Cincinnati is flying under the radar? They are blowing teams out while making their best case for a title shot. After Syracuse, things get tough with games against UConn, West Virginia and Pitt.

6) Boise State Broncos (7-0) – If the Broncos want any prayer of playing for a national championship, they’ll need four teams ahead of them on this list to lose. They are winning by similar margins against much worse teams – simple as that.

7) LSU Tigers (6-1) – LSU came off the bye week by throttling Auburn. Their only loss is Florida, and they’ve allowed 20+ points just twice. They go to Alabama in two weeks and can still control their own destiny to a conference championship.

8) Oregon Ducks (6-1) – The Ducks continue to roll. Jeremiah Masoli came back this week to throw for 157 yards and a touchdown, and added two rushing touchdowns too. If they beat USC Saturday, The Trojans will miss a BCS game.

9) Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1) – Hammering Michigan by 25 in the Big House will get you back on track. Penn State’s defense is the reason they are beating teams up. They are #3 in the nation, allowing just 240 yards per game.

10) TCU Horned Frogs (7-0) – The Horned Frogs’ four biggest wins have come on the road. After blowing out BYU in Provo, TCU should finish 12-0. Will the BCS take both them and an undefeated Boise State team?

11) Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-1) – The Texas A&M win looks better after A&M blew out Texas Tech in Lubbock, but otherwise it hasn’t been much of a schedule for the Cowboys. A win this week puts them in control of the south.

12) USC Trojans (6-1) - Maybe my expectations are too high for this team, but I just don’t think one possession wins are good enough against the Pac 10. Matt Barkley’s two interceptions are concerning, as is the defense all of a sudden.

13) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-1) – Virginia was the only remaining unbeaten in the ACC until Georgia Tech crushed them. With the Miami loss, the Yellow Jackets are now in line to win the Coastal if they can beat Wake and Duke.

14) Houston Cougars (6-1) – It’s time to start seriously considering Case Keenum for Heisman. He leads the nation in total offense, completions per game, passing yards per game and is second in touchdown passes.

15) Pittsburgh Panthers (7-1) – A solid win over South Florida topped with a lot of one loss teams going down bumps Pitt up to 15. They now enter a stretch in which they play just two games in 33 days. The showdown with Cincy is Dec. 5.

16) Virginia Tech Hokies (5-2) – The Hokies still have that bitter taste in their mouths from the Georgia Tech loss, but can still win the ACC with some help. Ryan Williams averages six yards per carry and has 10 touchdowns already.

17) Miami Hurricanes (5-2) – The ‘Canes just couldn’t shake Clemson, and eventually lost the game in overtime. An uncharacteristic defense gave up 410 yards, and Jacory Harris threw three interceptions for Miami.

18) Ohio State Buckeyes (6-2) – Terrelle Pryor needed a huge game after the Purdue meltdown, and he delivered. Pryor went 13-25 for 239 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 104 yards and a score in the win over Minnesota.

19) West Virginia Mountaineers (6-1) - The Mountaineers are quietly playing well since the Auburn loss and are undefeated in the Big East. They still have Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Rutgers, but first is a trip to South Florida.

20) Utah Utes (6-1) – Here’s a team that has lost to the only good team it has played, yet sits at #19 at 6-1. Utah is doing all the right things to win, as they showed in overtime against Air Force. They still go to Provo and Fort Worth.

21) South Carolina Gamecocks (6-2) – Steve Spurrier is eking out wins, but he’ll tell you that against the SEC, winning is all that matters. They outgained Vanderbilt by 158 yards and were turnover-free, yet needed a late TD to hold on.

22) BYU Cougars (6-2) – I don’t think anyone saw that coming. BYU failed to show up against TCU, leaving them all but out of the Mountain West championship hunt. Five TCU players scored in a game that was over after the first quarter.

23) Wisconsin Badgers (5-2) – Despite not having won since Oct. 3, the Badgers are back in the rankings after a few two loss teams fell this week. For Wisconsin, 10-2 is a legitimate possibility, although this season, who knows?

24) Kansas Jayhawks (5-2) – Two weeks ago they looked like they could challenge for a BCS game. Now they’re thinking bowl eligibility and maybe a north title after OU blows them out. Kansas fans should be looking toward basketball.

25) Central Michigan (7-1) – Why not? Butch Jones has the Chippewas at 7-1 going into the showdown at Boston College. They have a win at Michigan State and played Arizona tough in the desert. They’ve also won seven in a row.

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Categories : Sports

College football rankings – Oct. 19

19 10 2009

Same $***, different week.

That’s about all I can say after finding out that the coaches inexcusably ranked Florida #1 despite a dreadful performance in Gainesville against inferior Arkansas. They must not know about Alabama, the team with the number one defense in America. The team that has held four of its past five opponents to 7 points or fewer. The team with road wins against Kentucky and Ole Miss, a neutral site victory against Virginia Tech, and wins against South Carolina, and that same Arkansas team by 28. Florida’s only good win has been LSU, and they could still lose three more times. Point is, it should be the AP guys who have BCS influence. They got it right. Again. The coaches aren’t paying attention. Good thing I am. On to the rankings…

1) Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) – It was foolish of me not to have them #1 last week, but they left no doubt with a dominating 20-6 win over South Carolina. All of a sudden, Florida can’t score on Arkansas. How will they score on Alabama?

2) Florida Gators (6-0) – Gator fans are sending personalized thank you cards to Alex Tejada after he single-handedly kept Florida unbeaten Saturday. The Razorbacks had plenty of chances, but couldn’t close. The Hogs recorded six sacks.

3) Texas Longhorns (6-0) – Here’s another team I’m not sure about. In a down year for the Big 12, Texas has sleepwalked through its first three games. Outgained by OU 311-269, the ‘Horns need to figure out what’s wrong with “O” before OSU.

4) Cincinnati Bearcats (6-0) - The Bearcats were very impressive in a 34-17 win in Tampa. Ask West Virginia or Kansas about playing in South Florida during the week. It’s not easy. A bigger issue for Cincinnti is the health of QB Tony Pike.

5) Boise State Broncos (6-0) – Boise State has played two pretty bad games in a row, and the BCS is laughing. They won’t have to feel obligated to put the Broncos in the discussion if they keep winning by seven points with this schedule.

6) Iowa Hawkeyes (7-0) – I’m sold. I had this team pegged for three losses by now, but they just keep winning ugly. They held Wisconsin to 230 yards of offense, controlled the clock and scored 20 unanswered points after falling behind 10-0.

7) Miami Hurricanes (5-1) – The ‘Canes enjoyed their second breather in a row, cruising to a 27-7 win at Central Florida. They should have a third cupcake this week with Clemson, but have to go to Wake, UNC and South Florida this year.

8) LSU Tigers (5-1) – The Tigers enjoyed the week off in preparation for Auburn. They’ve already beaten three BCS conference schools on the road – all by one possession – and still go to Ole Miss and Alabama this season. Trouble.

9) USC Trojans (5-1) – What is the love affair with USC? Fourth? Really? Remember, this is the same team that lost to Washington, a team that is 3-4 now. I will give them credit for road wins against Ohio State, California and Notre Dame.

10) Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1) – The loss by Oklahoma leaves Oklahoma State and Texas as the only two unbeaten teams in Big 12 play. Assuming both take care of business this weekend, it should make for an epic showdown in Stillwater.

11) Oregon Ducks (5-1) – The Ducks get two weeks to prepare for their trip up north to face Washington. If they win, then comes a chance at virtually eliminating USC from Rose Bowl contention. My my, if it wasn’t for that Boise State game…

12) Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1) – The Iowa loss looks more legit every week. So does this team’s defense, holding opponents to 7 or fewer in five of seven games. They still need to win out and get some help if they want to smell roses.

13) TCU Horned Frogs (6-0) – After taking a few weeks off, TCU finally showed up against Colorado State. They outgained CSU 499-182 in the 38 point blowout. The game of the week this week is a Mountain West game as TCU heads to Provo.

14) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-1) - The Jackets put three SEC schools on the schedule this year and finish with 11 straight against BCS conference teams. The huge win over Virginia Tech put them back in discussion for a BCS bowl.

15) BYU Cougars (6-1) – Oklahoma and Florida State have been down, so the schedule hasn’t been as impressive as the Cougars would have hoped. Still, the TCU game Saturday should put them in the national spotlight again.

16) Houston Cougars (6-1) – It’s hard to believe that a one-loss Conference USA team could be ranked this high just halfway through the season. But they’ve earned it after playing three BCS conference teams and winning them all.

17) Kansas Jayhawks (5-1) – Right behind the number one offense in America is number two. Reesing, Brizcoe and Meier did their part against Colorado, but the defense played really bad again. It’s a Big 12 loss KU couldn’t afford to have.

18) Virginia Tech Hokies (4-2) – Um, run defense? Virginia Tech forgot to bring theirs to Atlanta, giving up 309 yards on the ground to Georgia Tech. The Hokies’ schedule gets easier as they chase another ACC crown. UNC is next.

19) Pittsburgh Panthers (6-1) – Dion Lewis is going to be a Heisman candidate before his college career is over. The freshman ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns in Pitt’s win at Rutgers. He is up to third in the nation in rushing.

20) Ohio State Buckeyes (5-2) – Purdue was just 1-5 on the year before pulling off the Ohio State upset, leaving Illinois has the only Big 12 winless team. For the Buckeyes, winning out still gives them the conference title and a Rose Bowl berth.

21) Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-2) – Since losing back to back road games in their home state, the Red Raiders have outscored opponents 142-52. In their first game out of the state, new QB Steven Sheffield ripped the ‘Huskers for three TDs.

22) Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-2) – Nebraska got absolutely embarrassed by Texas Tech at home, and failed to take advantage of a Kansas loss in the process. The normally stout defense allowed 31 points after allowing just 40 all year.

23) West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1) – After the Auburn loss, it didn’t look like the Mountaineers were going to be very good. But they’ve managed a 5-1 start thanks to Noel Divine’s 6.4 yards per carry. Nothing but Big East games remain.

24) Utah Utes (5-1) - I’m still not convinced that this team can play with anyone in the top 25, but they’ve won the games they’re supposed to win. They have road games against TCU and BYU two of the final three weeks of the season.

25) South Florida Bulls (5-1) – The Bulls couldn’t get anything going, specifically in the second half, against Cincinnati. They’ll have plenty of chances to jump right back in the mix with West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Miami still to come.

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Tags: Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Florida State, Clemson, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Cincinnati Bearcats, Big East, BYU Cougars, Oregon Ducks, Boise State Broncos, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Stillwater, Alabama Crimson Tide, Virginia Tech Hokies, SEC, Miami Hurricanes, Big 12, Mountain West, Utah Utes, Rose Bowl, Heisman, Florida Gators, Texas Longhorns, USc Trojans, Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers, Washington, TCU Horned Frogs, Colorado State, Kansas Jayhawks, Reesing, Pittsburgh Panthers, Atlanta, Provo, Houston Cougars, Tony Pike, Nebraska Cornhuskers, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas Tech Red Raiders, AP, Arkansas, Dion Lewis, Colorado, Auburn, Illinois, California, Central Florida, Iowa Hawkeyes, South Florida Bulls, Conference USA, Gainesville, Alex Tejada, Razorbacks, Hogs, OU, Wake, UNC, Brizcoe, Meier, Big Ten, Steven Sheffield, West Virginia Mountaineers, Noel Divine
Categories : Sports

College football rankings – Oct. 12

12 10 2009

By this point in the season, every team except two have played a bad game. I’ve had those two teams ranked 1-2 all season. The AP finally woke up from a five week coma and put Alabama at #2. It’s a shame that the Tide and Gators can’t play for the national championship because after those two, there is a distinct dropoff in college football. Penn State, USC, Texas, Cincinnati and Virginia Tech are the top teams in the other five big conferences, but none of them can touch the top two. Not right now anyway. So if you want your true national championship game, tune in Dec. 5 when the Gators and Crimson Tide meet at the Georgia Dome. But just for giggles, and because I do it every week, I’ll rank 23 other teams too.

1) Florida Gators (5-0) – The predictable Gators didn’t have Tim Tebow at his best Saturday, but that’s why you have a #1 ranked defense, right? Florida’s “D” gets an “A” in Baton Rouge. The game in Columbia Nov. 14 could mean a lot.

2) Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0) – I read an article on CBS Sports saying ‘Bama should be #1. I wouldn’t be able to argue that after the ‘Tide truck Ole Miss in Oxford. They forced four Jevan Snead picks and rushed for 200+ yards.

3) Texas Longhorns (5-0) – The defense and special teams outscored the offense in a lackluster home win over a terrible Colorado team. The ‘Horns had just 46 rushing yards on 25 carries. Play like that again and OU will win Saturday.

4) Boise State Broncos (5-0) – They are getting no love from the voters, but they are one of the most talented teams in America. Kellen Moore is second in the nation in pass efficiency and has 13 TDs. They travel to Tulsa on Wednesday.

5) Cincinnati Bearcats (5-0) – Tony Pike has completed 66 percent of his passes and is throwing for nearly 300 yards per game. Their top two rushers are both averaging better than five yards per carry. My point? This offense is good.

6) Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1) – If Alabama ends up being this team’s only loss, then they have a national championship claim. Since then, they are 5-0 and rolling. Boston College had no chance as Virginia Tech rolled to a 34-0 halftime lead.

7) Miami Hurricanes (4-1) – The ‘Canes get the edge over LSU because of wins over Oklahoma and Georgia Tech although the FSU win doesn’t look impressive anymore. This week was their first breather as they bounced Florida A&M.

8) LSU Tigers (5-1) – The Tigers couldn’t get anything going against that stout Florida defense, but took advantage of Tebow playing too soon to keep themselves in it. They can earn a rematch by winning out, including a win in Tuscaloosa.

9) USC Trojans (4-1) – USC is one of six Pac 10 teams with one loss, and Oregon is undefeated. Pete Carroll isn’t used to seeing it this bunched up, which should make for an interesting finish. First up though is a tough trip to South Bend.

10) Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) – The Bucks jump KU after an impressive victory over an improved Wisconsin team. The defense and special teams combined for 21 of the 31 points, but Terrelle Pryor went just 5-13 with 87 yards, a TD and a pick.

11) Kansas Jayhawks (5-0) – It certainly wasn’t pretty against lowly Iowa State. Kerry Meier caught 16 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns to help bail out the Jayhawk D, which allowed 512 yards to the Cyclones. Colorado is next.

12) Iowa Hawkeyes (6-0) – Give the Hawkeyes credit. After all, they spoiled my perfect upset prediction streak. They also beat a very good Michigan team. Their three remaining away games are Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State.

13) Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1) – The Georgia win doesn’t look impressive anymore, the Rice game was closer than expected, and now OSU nearly loses at Texas A&M. The banged up Cowboys still have Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

14) Oregon Ducks (5-1) – Oregon got it done against UCLA Saturday thanks to a kickoff return and an interception return. It seems the theme of the week was offenses getting outscored by their defenses and special teams.

15) Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1) – After a stagnant first three quarters, the ‘Husker offense exploded for 27 points in the fourth. The defense is #13 in the country and has allowed just four touchdowns. A 4-0 Big 12 start looks likely.

16) Penn State Nittany Lions (5-1) – The Lions finished their joke of a nonconference schedule by beating FCS team Eastern Illinois by 49. Next week they play their sixth home game of the season already, against Minnesota.

17) TCU Horned Frogs (5-0) – I grow less impressed with this team every week. Last week it was a four point win at Clemson. This week it’s a three point win at Air Force. I will give them credit for three road wins though.

18) BYU Cougars (5-1) – Harvey Unga was at it again Saturday, scoring three more touchdowns and rushing for 149 yards. Unga has rushed for 494 yards and eight touchdowns on the year, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Heisman?

19) Oklahoma Sooners (3-2) – Sam Bradford returned Saturday against Baylor, and Bob Stoops didn’t hesitate to unleash the Heisman winner. He threw 49 passes, completing 27, for 389 yards and a touchdown in the victory.

20) Houston Cougars (4-1) – After the Cougars lost to UTEP, the AP and coaches took them out of the rankings. I left them in, and now they are back in both major polls after beating their third BCS conference team of the year.

21) South Florida Bulls (5-0) - Both the Bulls and Bearcats have had 12 days to prepare for the Thursday showdown in Tampa. After Cincinnati, South Florida’s schedule stays tough, as they get Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

22) Auburn Tigers (5-1) – Despite getting crushed by Arkansas, the Tigers have wins over Mississippi State, West Virginia and Tennessee. Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb both average more than six yards per carry and have combined for 1000.

23) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-1) – They may not be great teams, but the Irish have played four BCS conference teams already this year, and have won three. They got a bye at a good time – they’re about to play a great BCS team.

24) South Carolina Gamecocks (5-1) – Georgia game aside, South Carolina is finally winning all the close ones. They’re the only other team with a prayer to win the SEC East, but first they’ll have to go to Alabama and win on Saturday.

25) Pittsburgh Panthers (5-1) – The Pitt team today is not the same Pitt team we saw in the first three games. Dion Lewis has slowed down, and the defense is giving up too many points. The Big East is wide open, and Rutgers is next.

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Tags: Air Force, Alabama Crimson Tide, AP, Arkansas, Auburn Tigers, Baylor, Ben Tate, Big 12, Bob Stoops, Boise State Broncos, Boston College, BYU Cougars, CBS Sports, Cincinnati Bearcats, Clemson, Coaches, Colorado, Columbia, Cyclones, Dio Lewis, Eastern Illinois, FCS, Florida A&M, Florida Gators, Georgia, Georgia Dome, Georgia Tech, Harvey Unga, Heisman, Houston Cougars, Iowa Hawkeyes, Iowa State, Jevan Snead, Kansas Jayhawks, Kellen Moore, Kerry Meier, LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Ole Miss, Onterio McCalebb, Oregon Ducks, Oxford, Pac 10, Penn State Nittany Lions, Pete Carroll, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers, SEC, South Bend, South Carolina Gamecocks, South Florida Bulls, Tampa, TCU Horned Frogs, Tennessee, Terrelle Pryor, Texas A&M, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike, Tulsa, Tuscaloosa, UCLA, USc Trojans, UTEP, Virginia Tech Hokies, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Categories : Uncategorized

College football rankings – Oct. 5

5 10 2009

Although I got my upset correct for the fifth straight week, I dropped the ball on LSU/Georgia. Is it time I give the Tigers some credit? They are 5-0 with four BCS wins, including an impressive victory over Georgia in which they allowed just 13 points to a team that had put up 93 in two games against the SEC before Saturday. They move up on my list, but will likely drop back next week because…

1) Florida Gators (4-0) – …the Gators are coming to town. Tim Tebow still hasn’t been cleared to practice or play, but I think the Gators can still win the game on defense alone. Win this and it should be a red carpet to the SEC title game.

2) Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) – The AP writers and coaches still have Texas at #2, and I don’t know why. Alabama was impressive yet again in a 38-20 drubbing of Kentucky. Ole Miss will be a stiff test Saturday in Oxford.

3) Texas Longhorns (4-0) – A tuneup game against woeful Colorado is a great way for Texas to open the Big 12 season before the Red River Shootout. With other teams in the conference falling like dominos, the strength of schedule looks weak.

4) Boise State Broncos (5-0) – It wasn’t the Broncos we had been used to seeing, but rain will slow down any offense. Still, an 18 point home win over an FCS team is not what this program needs if it wants to get its title shot.

5) LSU Tigers (5-0) – The Tigers faced their first true test of the season and passed with flying colors, holding Georgia to just 45 rushing yards and controlling the clock. Maybe I was wrong about them. Or maybe Florida will prove me right.

6) Cincinnati Bearcats (5-0) - Moving the Bearcats down is not a penalty; they are just the victim of a weak schedule. Jacob Ramsey rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns against Miami-Ohio. Undefeated South Florida is next.

7) Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1) – The Hokies survived a major scare in Durham Saturday, escaping with a 34-26 win over Duke. The ‘Devils found a way to score more points against Tech (26) than Nebraska and Miami combined (22).

8) Miami Hurricanes (3-1) – Be honest and tell me if you really thought Miami would get through the opening month gauntlet 3-1. Wins over Florida State, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma make a pretty impressive resume.

9) USC Trojans (4-1) – They may be the best one loss team in the nation. Or maybe California is just bad. Either way, the Trojans looked good in a 30-3 route of the Bears in Berkeley. Next is a bye week before going to Notre Dame.

10) Kansas Jayhawks (4-0) – The offense is firing on all cylinders, but Mark Mangino probably wants to improve the D. They have two gimme games to do so with Iowa State and Colorado as the first two conference opponents.

11) Ohio State Buckeyes (4-1) – They put the brakes on in Bloomington and still came away with a 33-14 win. Terrelle Pryor threw three TDs and ran for one. If they get by Wisconsin Saturday, they should be 8-1 going to Happy Valley.

12) Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1) – Oklahoma State has time to make up some ground in the rankings with the Longhorns and Sooners still on the schedule. But first it’s a trip to College Station to face always pesky Texas A&M.

13) TCU Horned Frogs (4-0) – TCU rocked SMU 39-14 Saturday. The defense is in the top 10 in the nation again. Eight different TCU players ran the ball in the game, making quarterback Andy Dalton’s life very easy.

14) Iowa Hawkeyes (5-0) – Iowa’s huge win over Penn State was nearly followed by a catastrophic loss to Arkansas State. Nevertheless, they’re 5-0 headed into a tough stretch against Michigan, Wisconsin and Michigan State.

15) Oregon Ducks (4-1) – The Ducks are trying to make the disaster in Boise seem like a distant memory. Oregon ran for 318 yards and six touchdowns in a 52-6 route over Wazzu. LeGarrette Blount may be reinstated in time for USC.

16) Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1) – The Lions rebounded from the Iowa loss by spanking Illinois in Champaign. Unlike previous games, the offense showed up in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 points to put the game away.

17) BYU Cougars (4-1) – For the second straight week, Harvey Unga had a monster game. This week he ran for 118 yards and a touchdown as BYU put the clamps down on Utah State. Next up is a trip to Vegas to face UNLV.

18) Oklahoma Sooners (2-2) – What a disappointment this season has been for OU and its fans. Starting #3 in the country, the Sooners are already out of national championship contention, although a third straight Big 12 title is still possible.

19) Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) – Nebraska leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just seven points per game. They are also averaging 40. Combine the two and it’s a dangerous combination. Big 12 play kicks off Thursday.

20) Auburn Tigers (5-0) – It’s always tough to win at Tennessee, but Auburn did just that to improve to 5-0 on the year. The next four games will challenge the Tigers, starting with Saturday’s road test at Arkansas.

21) Mississippi Rebels (3-1) – Ole Miss rebounded from a tough loss in Columbia with a solid defensive performance in a 23-7 win at Vanderbilt, but Jevan Snead threw three more picks. He’ll have to step up Saturday when “Bama rolls in.

22) Houston Cougars (3-1) – Houston gave up 58 points against UTEP. That won’t win any games. To make matters worse people probably looked at Case Keenum’s numbers (51-76, 535 yards, 5 TDs) and thought Houston won the game.

23) Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) – Wisconsin is winning ugly. What’s new? The fact is, they are 5-0 and seem to have found offense. John Clay is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and has rushed for seven touchdowns already. Ohio State is next.

24) South Florida Bulls (5-0) – South Florida hasn’t played anybody yet, but they have five wins and look confident. The one-two punch of B.J. Daniels and Moise Plancher are tearing up the ground game. They host Cincinnati Oct. 15

25) Missouri Tigers (4-0) – Like South Florida, the Tigers haven’t had a schedule yet. But like South Florida, they’re undefeated and gaining confidence. Blaine Gabbert is fourth in the nation in pass efficiency at 168.67.

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Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Andy Dalton, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn Tigers, B.J. Daniels, Bears, Berkeley, Big 12, Blaine Gabbert, Bloomington, Boise State Broncos, BYU Cougars, California, Case Keenum, Champaigne, Cincinnati Bearcats, College Station, Colorado, Columbia, Duke Blue Devils, Durham, FCS, Florida Gators, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Happy Valley, Harvey Unga, Houston Cougars, Illinois, Iowa Hawkeyes, Iowa State, Jacob Ramsey, Jevan Snead, John Clay, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky, LeGarrette Blount, LSU Tigers, Mark Mangino, Miami Hurricanes, Miami-Ohio, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi Rebels, Missouri Tigers, Moise Plancher, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Notre Dame, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Oregon Ducks, Oxford, Penn State Nittany Lions, Red River Shootout, SEC, SMU, South Florida Bulls, TCU Horned Frogs, Tennessee, Terrelle Pryor, Texas A&M, Texas Longhorns, Tim Tebow, UNLV, USc Trojans, Utah State, UTEP, Vanderbilt, Vegas, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wazzu, Wisconsin Badgers
Categories : Sports

College football rankings – Sept. 28

28 09 2009

In a weekend full of upsets, who made out the best? That’s easy, it’s Boise State. The Broncos are now one Texas slip away from controlling their own destiny to Pasadena, and I don’t mean for the Rose Bowl. The Broncos are #5 in the county (higher than that in the poll that matters), and they are guaranteed to pass two of the three SEC teams ahead of them as long as they keep winning. LSU has Georgia and Florida next. ‘Bama is losing to Florida in the SEC championship if not sooner. Texas still has the Red River Shootout, a trip to Stillwater and Kansas twice. The Broncos could turn into the biggest Sooner fans in the country come Oct. 17. Meanwhile, Chris Peterson is making everyone on the team write personalized thank you letters to the Penn State offense for leaving Happy Valley after the first play. On to the rankings…

1) Florida Gators (4-0) – What’s bigger, #4, 5 and 6 all losing in one weekend, or Tim Tebow getting hurt? I’ll go with the first one. Florida doesn’t need Tebow to run the table, although the bye week comes at a perfect time.

2) Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) – Saban’s boys look good. Arkansas put up 41 on Georgia, then did squat against the Tide. Greg McElroy had three more touchdown passes. The Virginia Tech win looks huge now.

3) Texas Longhorns (4-0) – For the first time this season, the ‘Horns put together two good halves of football. Two really good halves. The defense gave up just 53 yards and zero points. No BCS nonconference opponents could hurt them.

4) Boise State Broncos (4-0) – How good does that win over Oregon look now? The Broncos have steamrolled everyone since then, and have put themselves in legitimate title contention. Could this be the year a non-BCS school goes?

5) Cincinnati Bearcats (4-0) – They aren’t the same ‘Cats we saw put up 115 points the first two weeks, but Cincinnati is winning, and winning against legit opponents. Fresno is no joke, and they won at Rutgers and at Oregon State.

6) Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) – I said I wouldn’t move any teams with bye weeks up or down the first four weeks. Otherwise OU would be #5. No word on whether Bradford will go against Miami, but it won’t matter. OU will roll either way.

7) Virginia Tech Hokies (3-1) – I picked Virginia Tech to beat Miami, but not by 24. Defensively, the Hokies held Miami to 209 yards, while offensively, they ran it down Miami’s throats. The rain played right into Va Tech’s style.

8) Houston Cougars (3-0) – The Cougars have done it again. For the second time in as many games, Houston knocked off a legitimate Big 12 opponent. The offense racked up 579 yards against Texas Tech, and Case Keenum threw for 435.

9) LSU Tigers (4-0) – This team is disgusting. Another opponent blunder keeps LSU undefeated, but for how long. They beat Mississippi State by four, Washington by eight and Vanderbilt by 14. Georgia and Florida are next.

10) California Golden Bears (3-1) – The Bears were absolutely embarrassed by Oregon. They were outgained 524-207 in total offense, and Jahvid Best had 16 carries for just 55 yards. Impressive early season wins keeps them in the top 10.

11) USC Trojans (3-1) – Matt Barkley’s first game back was pretty good. He went 13 for 22 for 247 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. But after a 20-0 first quarter, they didn’t do anything against a bad Wazzu team.

12) Kansas Jayhawks (4-0) – The offense is really good and can score on anyone. Southern Mississippi is a good team and played tough, but KU had enough to end SMU’s eight game win streak – the second longest in the nation.

13) Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1) – The Buckeyes haven’t given up points since USC’s winning drive on Sept. 12. The defense forced three Juice Williams interceptions Saturday in the shutout. Final score against Penn State: 4-2.

14) Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1) – Their only loss was to a good Houston team, and they have a nice win over Georgia, but fans were expecting more from Zac Robinson. He has just 791 yards and six touchdowns through four games.

15) Georgia Bulldogs (3-1) – The ‘Dogs have had one of the toughest schedules in the country, and it doesn’t get any easier with LSU in town Saturday. They’ve played four BCS schools already, and have seven more on the schedule.

16) Iowa Hawkeyes (4-0) – I’ve been saying Iowa is overrated all year, but after the performance at Penn State, I may have to shut up. If not for that one point win over Northern Iowa, they may be in my top 10. They go to the Shoe Nov. 14.

17) TCU Horned Frogs (3-0) – TCU stayed undefeated – barely – at Clemson this week. That’s two wins at ACC schools. The defense looked good again despite not recording a sack for the first time in 27 games. Things get easier until BYU.

18) Oregon Ducks (3-1) – The Ducks strung together a very impressive nonconference schedule with Boise State, Purdue and Utah. Smacking Cal by 39 is a huge boost. Jeremiah Masoli might be off the hook for now.

19) Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1) – They are still the favorites to win the Big 10, but a national title is dim after a double digit home loss to Iowa. The team went to sleep after scoring on the first play, had a punt blocked and gave up a safety.

20) Miami Hurricanes (2-1) – The rain really hampered Miami’s ability to do anything offensively. They are not a running team and became predictable when the rain started falling. It doesn’t get any easier with the Sooners next week.

21) BYU Cougars (3-1) – Harvey Unga had three rushing touchdowns from inside the five as BYU got back to business in a win over Colorado State. The Cougars can still sneak into the BCS picture with some help and an 8-0 finish.

22) Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) – This is a scary team, especially defensively. That Virginia Tech team that put up 31 in the rain against Miami needed a miracle to down the Huskers. They get a bye week before Big 12 play begins.

23) Mississippi Rebels (2-1) – I’m not sure what all the fuss about Jevan Snead is. He has completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes and has just six touchdowns against three unranked teams. Alabama and LSU are both at home.

24) Auburn Tigers (4-0) – Gene Chizik has Auburn playing well, though they havent left home yet. They go to Tennessee and Arkansas thev next two weeks, and after that we’ll have a better idea of how good they are.

25) Michigan Wolverines (4-0) – Rich Rodriguez has this team off to a 4-0 start – they were just 3-9 last year. However, an embarrassing near-loss to Indiana should have Michigan fans worried. The Wolverines travel to East Lansing next.

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Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas, Auburn Tigers, Big 10, Boise State Broncos, BYU Cougars, California Golden Bears, Case Keenum, Chris Peterson, Cincinnati Bearcats, Clemson, Colorado State, East Lansing, Florida Gators, Fresno, Gene Chizik, Georgia Bulldogs, Greg McElroy, Happy Valley, Houston Cougars, Indiana, Iowa Hawkeyes, Jahvid Best, Jeremiah Masoli, Jevan Snead, Juice Williams, Kansas Jayhawks, LSU Tigers, Matt Barkley, Miami Hurricanes, Michigan Wolverines, Mississippi Rebels, Mississippi State, Nick Saban, Northern Iowa, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State, Pasadena, Penn State Nittany Lions, Purdue, Red River Shootout, Rose Bowl, Rutgers, Sam Bradford, SEC, Southern Mississippi, Stillwater, TCU Horned Frogs, Tennessee, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech, Tim Tebow, USc Trojans, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech Hokies, Washington, Wazzu, Zac Robinson
Categories : Sports

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