This Week in College Football 9/27 - 9/29

[cabbageboy]

I know Rutgers embarrassed themselves but I still would take them in NJ over USF. USF is really roughly a 9-3 caliber team, there's just too many holes in their game for them to run the table. I wouldn't be too shocked if Central FL beat them in a couple of weeks or at least gives them a serious game.

 

It sorta sickens me that there will be two Big 10 teams in the top 5 due to all this though. I don't think OSU or Wisconsin are really any good (Wisc. in particular struggles seemingly on a weekly basis). I figure OSU takes out Wisconsin and maybe Michigan screws OSU like they seem to in these situations.

 

I never thought I'd ever see UK be the 2nd highest ranked team in the SEC. Of course they have SC, FL, and LSU coming up, so it won't last.

[USC Wuz Robbed!]

USC and Cal winning out until their match-up in November. The winner then loses the next week (Cal at Washington, USC at Arizona State)

 

Very possible. Arizona State is undefeated (I think) and could potentially upset one of the powerhouse Pac-10 teams.

[iggymcfly]

Here's my Top 25:

 

(Previous week's ranking in parenthesis)

1. LSU 5-0 (1)

2. USC 4-0 (2)

3. California 5-0 (9)

4. Ohio State 5-0 (7)

5. USF 5-0 (17)

6. Oregon 4-1 (5)

7. Boston College 5-0 (10)

8. Oklahoma 4-1 (3)

9. Kentucky 5-0 (12)

10. West Virginia 4-1 (4)

11. South Carolina 4-1 (11)

12. Georgia 4-1 (14)

13. Wisconsin 5-0 (15)

14. Cincinnatti 5-0 (16)

15. Missouri 4-0 (18)

16. Arizona State 5-0 (21)

17. Florida 4-1 (6)

18. UCLA 4-1 (NR)

19. Florida State 3-1 (NR)

20. Miami(FL) 4-1 (20)

21. Auburn 3-2 (NR)

22. Kansas State 3-1 (NR)

23. Texas 4-1 (8)

24. Kansas 4-0 (NR)

25. Illinois 4-1 (NR)

 

Close: Virginia Tech, Purdue, Clemson, Rutgers, Tennessee, Michigan, Nebraska

[Guest]

I knew the SC game would be close. Every UW/SC game is, even last year's edition when Washington was crap. Can't say I'm surprised, even though there were a ton of penalties. One of these years (soon) UW is going to put a real beating on SC.

[USC Wuz Robbed!]

I knew the SC game would be close. Every UW/SC game is, even last year's edition when Washington was crap. Can't say I'm surprised, even though there were a ton of penalties. One of these years (soon) UW is going to put a real beating on SC.

 

When Jake Locker has a team around him.

[Vern Gagne]

Does Boston College have a realistic chance of running the table?

[teke184]

Does Boston College have a realistic chance of running the table?

 

To do it, they'd have to beat:

 

V-Tech

Miami

Florida State

Maryland

Clemson

and the ACC Coastal champ

 

(The ACC Costal Champ will probably be V-Tech or Miami again, as the other teams are Virginia, Georgia Tech, UNC, and Duke)

[Vern Gagne]

None of those teams are all the impressive. Still not a very likely scenario.

[Secret Agent]

None of those teams are all the impressive. Still not a very likely scenario.

 

You never know when a team will play a horrible game though. Just look at Oklahoma and Florida - dominated for 4 weeks then came out and played like shit against someone they should easily handle.

[snuffbox]

Florida didn't dominate last week.

[nogoodnick]

Helluva game in Eugene. The crowd was very loud but it could've been louder. Everyone started drinking around 6 am and there was a lack of energy by game time. Deshaun Jackson is a difference maker. The Ducks made way too many mental mistakes. Worst play I've ever seen was when both kick returners ran into each other and Cal recovered the ball. Before the game I thought Cal had the shittiest, most boring, nerdy fans in... the country maybe. I stand by that judgment. As I was immaturely heckling them the best comebacks they could come back with were "Can you even spell stadium?" (I was talking shit about shitty memorial stadium) and another one responded "Who has yellow as a color?" Also the Cal Bear looks like a retarded sloth. But shit, they won and I'm just ranting. Have fun the rest of the way with your rugby shirts, khakis and golf claps.

 

Herbstreit's top 5: USC or LSU #1, I don't remember, Cal #3, tOSU #4 and Oregon #5. I like Kirk. There is a realistic chance of them moving up since so many teams lost.

[HarleyQuinn]

Here's my first rendition of HQ's Top 25 for the FCS (I know it's "moot" since there's a playoff system but still...). Note: I'm harsher on ranked teams losing than most unless it's to an FBS team.

 

Key: Rank, Team, Weekend Result, Previous Rank (Sports Network rankings for this week)

 

1: Montana (4-0) - Won over Weber State 18-10 [1]

2: Massachusetts (4-1) - Lost to Boston College 24-14 [2]

3: Northern Iowa (5-0) - Won over 16 Illinois State 23-13 [3]

4: North Dakota State (4-0) - Won over 17 Western Illinois 41-28 [4]

5: Appalachian State (4-1) - Won over 24 Elon 49-32 [5]

6: McNeese State (4-0) - Won over South Dakota 31-7 [6]

7: Southern Illinois (5-0) - Won over Indiana State 72-10 [7]

8: Wofford (4-1) - Won over 20 Furman 45-20 [8]

9: James Madison (4-1) - Won over Villanova 35-7 [9]

10: Youngstown State (4-1) - Won over Missouri State 49-21 [10]

11: Delaware (5-0) - Won over Monmouth 42-7 [12]

12: Hofstra (4-0) - Won over Stony Brook 33-28 [14]

13: New Hampshire (2-2) - Lost to 25 Richmond 45-38 [11]

14: Montana State (3-1) - Won over Idaho State 40-20 [18]

15: Sam Houston State (2-2) - Lost to Oklahoma State 35-3 [15]

16: Eastern Illinois (3-2) - Won over SE Missouri State 31-16 [19]

17: Richmond (3-1) - Won over 11 New Hampshire 45-38 [25]

18: Yale (3-0) - Won over Holy Cross 38-17 [22]

19: Delaware State (3-1) - Won over 13 Hampton 24-17 [uR]

20: Illinois State (2-3) - Lost to 3 Northern Iowa 23-13 [16]

21: Western Illinois (3-2) - Lost to 4 North Dakota State 41-28 [17]

22: Nicholls State (3-1) - Off Week [23]

23: San Diego (4-0) - Won over Butler 56-9 [uR]

24: Southern (5-0) - Won over Alabama State 21-2 [uR]

25: Drake (4-1) - Won over Valparaiso 48-20 [uR]

[USC Wuz Robbed!]

Helluva game in Eugene. The crowd was very loud but it could've been louder. Everyone started drinking around 6 am and there was a lack of energy by game time. Deshaun Jackson is a difference maker. The Ducks made way too many mental mistakes. Worst play I've ever seen was when both kick returners ran into each other and Cal recovered the ball. Before the game I thought Cal had the shittiest, most boring, nerdy fans in... the country maybe. I stand by that judgment. As I was immaturely heckling them the best comebacks they could come back with were "Can you even spell stadium?" (I was talking shit about shitty memorial stadium) and another one responded "Who has yellow as a color?" Also the Cal Bear looks like a retarded sloth. But shit, they won and I'm just ranting. Have fun the rest of the way with your rugby shirts, khakis and golf claps.

 

Herbstreit's top 5: USC or LSU #1, I don't remember, Cal #3, tOSU #4 and Oregon #5. I like Kirk. There is a realistic chance of them moving up since so many teams lost.

 

About halfway through the 3rd quarter Kirk had USC #1 and LSU #2 but halfway through the 4th, he had flip flopped, now he has it LSU #1 and USC #2.

[CanadianChris]

About halfway through the 3rd quarter Kirk had USC #1 and LSU #2 but halfway through the 4th, he had flip flopped, now he has it LSU #1 and USC #2.

Weird, since neither team did anything to particularly distinguish themselves yesterday. I wouldn't change my vote based on this week's games.

[cabbageboy]

Oregon can't really be in the top 5. I know they lost to a really solid Cal team, but it was still at home in a game where they were favored. I'd leave them roughly where they are right now.

[iggymcfly]

FWIW, Montana's nowhere near as good as their ranking. They're just coasting on name recognition right now, but I doubt they reach the semis. UMass and Appalachian would both whoop them as would quite a few other Eastern teams. Without a terrible offensive pass interference call that should have definitely been called on the defense, they could have gone to OT vs. 0-3 Weber at home yesterday.

[HarleyQuinn]

FWIW, Montana's nowhere near as good as their ranking. They're just coasting on name recognition right now, but I doubt they reach the semis. UMass and Appalachian would both whoop them as would quite a few other Eastern teams. Without a terrible offensive pass interference call that should have definitely been called on the defense, they could have gone to OT vs. 0-3 Weber at home yesterday.

 

Agreed.

 

My rankings will be moving a bit over the next few weeks as I'm disconcerted that New Hampshire and Sam Houston State, while solid schools (although New Hampshire has a poor defense) are both Top 15 teams despite being 2-2 each while teams like San Diego and Southern I had to squeeze into my own Top 25 as they're unranked in the FCS Poll at Sports Network (although hopefully both get ranked this week).

[Edwin MacPhisto]

Can I just say how happily stunned I am that Virginia has managed to rattle off 4 straight wins after the season-opening debacle against Wyoming? I was expecting something along the lines of 3-9 year after that monstrosity, but the team's getting better week to week and Cedric Peerman's become a perfect every-down back for this style of play. GT smothering Clemson with a pillow this week makes me feel better too, as it suggests at least one of those 4 wins has good value to it.

[TheSSNintendo]

I, too, am happy that UVa is 4-1. I think that they'll beat Middle Tennessee State and UConn, before facing the rest of their ACC shedule.

[Bored]

New AP and Coaches Polls

 

LSU passes USC in the AP by two points. In the great scheme of things it doesn't mean anything since the AP isn't involved with the BCS. The biggest news I think is Florida only dropping to #7 in the Coaches which means if they can some how upset LSU they would be right back in the BCS Title Game hunt. Do have to wait and see where the drop in the Harris Poll though.

 

Also Georgia is seven spots ahead of South Carolina in the Coaches' Poll. Man the other coaches really hate Spurrier.

[mfn]

Ohio State is going to the national championship!!!!

 

not really, but hey, it could happen.

 

I don't see them losing a game this year, maybe to wisconsin, that's about the only team i'm worried about.

 

we will team roll michigan.

[mfn]

Ohio State is going to the national championship!!!!

 

not really, but hey, it could happen.

 

I don't see them losing a game this year, maybe to wisconsin, that's about the only team i'm worried about.

 

we will steam roll michigan.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

we will team roll michigan.

we will steam roll michigan.

I like team roll better.

[MFer]

There are no guarantees in a rivalry game, especially one like Michigan/Ohio State. I've seen and heard about plenty of promising Buckeye seasons that went up in smoke to the Wolverines ('93, '95, and '96 to name a few). I know Tressel has owned Carr but if I were the Buckeyes, I wouldn't get too cocky coming into the Big House on Nov. 17th

[teke184]

My only question about Ohio State vs. Michigan...

 

 

Does Ohio State have the people to run the spread this year?

 

If so, they should be fine. Michigan STILL doesn't know how to beat the spread and almost lost to a bad Northwestern team because of it.

[Secret Agent]

I'd like to know why a 5-0 Arizona State team is way back at 18.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

Every game but Stanford's been at home, and they haven't faced a really strong opponent yet (despite the OU win, I think Colorado's looking at a 6-7 win season at best). Considering that they've certainly outplayed a few teams above them (Virginia Tech first and foremost), they should probably be a little higher, but 18's not too bad.

 

The real answer is "they weren't ranked to start the season, so there."

[CanadianChris]

I'd like to know why a 5-0 Arizona State team is way back at 18.

Because they weren't ranked at the start of the season, don't have any high-profile wins, and play in the Pacific time zone.

[mfn]

we will team roll michigan.

we will steam roll michigan.

I like team roll better.

 

 

Yeah, I don't know why it was a double post, I clicked edit and it just reposted the whole thing.

 

 

[mfn]

There are no guarantees in a rivalry game, especially one like Michigan/Ohio State. I've seen and heard about plenty of promising Buckeye seasons that went up in smoke to the Wolverines ('93, '95, and '96 to name a few). I know Tressel has owned Carr but if I were the Buckeyes, I wouldn't get too cocky coming into the Big House on Nov. 17th

 

I don't think we are going to be cocky going into Michigan, and I know the history, there have been plenty of Wolverine upsets.

 

I'm just saying, the way Michigan has been playing ball as opposed to Ohio State, I don't see how Michigan can even consider themselves a threat. I honestly and much more worried about Purdue, Wisconsin, and Penn State over Michigan.