Texas solidified its spot at number one by thrashing Missouri 56-31 Saturday in the 2nd of their 4-game stretch of Top 25 opponents. Right now they are the only undefeated team that has beaten more than one Top 25 foe. Alabama and Penn State hold at #2 and #3; the Tide had a great first half against Mississippi and held on to win 24-20, while the Lions had a great 2nd half to come from behind and beat Michigan 46-17. Two more Big 12 teams round out the top 5, Texas Tech beating A&M 43-25 and Oklahoma State defeating Baylor 34-6. The Red Raiders started the year at #5 and have only advanced one spot despite going 7-0. Next week they have to prove their mettle against Kansas, while Penn State faces Ohio State for their first top 25 challenge. Meanwhile Texas and Oklahoma State clash, so there is much opportunity for a top five shakeup next week.
#6 Oklahoma beat Kansas 45-31 and now holds three wins over top 25 teams, with only one loss to the #1 team. It's criminal that they're behind USC in the coaches' poll. Despite the latter's 69-0 demolition of Washington State they hold at #8, passed by Utah. The Utes are undefeated and beat the team that beat the Trojans, and if both win out I contend that Utah should be ahead of USC in line for the BCS championship game. Georgia and undefeated Boise State round out the top ten. If USC had lost to Oregon, a team that the Broncos beat, instead of Oregon State, then I'd have Boise State ahead of USC instead of Utah.
SportsRatings Top 25 - Week 8 (10-19-2008) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
lw |
# |
Team |
Rec |
Losses/wins vs. Top 25 |
1 |
1 |
Texas | 7-0 |
w=Oklahoma45-35;wMissouri56-31 |
2 |
2 |
Alabama | 7-0 |
w@Georgia41-30 |
3 |
3 |
Penn State | 8-0 |
|
4 |
4 |
Texas Tech | 7-0 |
|
5 |
5 |
Oklahoma State | 7-0 |
w@Missouri28-23 |
6 |
6 |
Oklahoma | 6-1 |
L=Tex45-35;wCin52-26;wTCU35-7;wKU45-31 |
10 |
7 |
Utah | 8-0 |
|
8 |
8 |
Southern Cal | 5-1 |
L@OreSt27-21;wOhioSt35-3 |
9 |
9 |
Georgia | 6-1 |
L Ala41-30 |
11 |
10 |
Boise State | 6-0 |
|
14 |
11 |
Ohio State | 7-1 |
L@USC35-3;wMinn34-21;w@MichSt45-7 |
13 |
12 |
Florida | 5-1 |
L OleMiss31-30;wLSU51-21 |
15 |
13 |
Pittsburgh | 5-1 |
L BowlingGreen27-17;w@USF26-21 |
16 |
14 |
South Florida | 6-1 |
L Pitt26-21;wKansas37-34 |
-- |
15 |
TCU | 7-1 |
L@Oklahoma35-7;wBYU32-7 |
18 |
16 |
Cincinnati | 5-1 |
L@Oklahoma52-26 |
19 |
17 |
Ball State | 7-0 |
|
20 |
18 |
LSU | 5-1 |
L@Florida51-21 |
21 |
19 |
Tulsa | 6-0 |
|
7 |
20 |
Brigham Young | 6-1 |
L@TCU32-7 |
12 |
21 |
Missouri | 5-2 |
L OklahomaSt28-23;L@Texas56-31 |
17 |
22 |
Kansas | 5-2 |
L@USF37-34;L@Oklahoma45-31 |
-- |
23 |
Georgia Tech | 6-1 |
L@VTech20-17;w@BostonColl19-16 |
-- |
24 |
Boston College | 5-1 |
L GTech19-16;wVTech28-23 |
-- |
25 |
Minnesota | 6-1 |
L@OhioSt34-21 |
| out: | ||||
22 |
-- |
Virginia Tech | 5-2 |
L=EC27-22;L@BC28-23;wGT20-17;w@NC20-17 |
23 |
-- |
North Carolina | 5-2 |
L@Virg16-13ot;L VTech20-17 |
24 |
-- |
California | 4-2 |
L@Mary35-27;L@Ariz42-27;wMichSt38-31 |
25 |
-- |
Michigan State | 6-2 |
L@Cal38-31;L OSU45-7 |
Ohio State finally showed some life on offense, blitzing ex-#25 Michigan State 45-7 (with the help of the defense on two late fumble returns for TDs). This, along with their earlier win over new #25 Minnesota, allows them to move up for the first time in weeks, jumping #12 Florida. Mississippi fell to a losing record, slightly diminishing the idle Gators, but they still move up a spot. #13 Pittsburgh, who also lost to a losing team, and #14 South Florida both move up two spots.
Texas Christian, whom everyone is referring to as TCU these days (it used to be about 50/50), leaps into the rankings at #15 due to their 32-7 Thursday-night dismantling of former top ten BYU, who is hardly ever called Brigham Young any more. The Cougars drop to #20 as their formerly impressive win over UCLA doesn't look as hot. TCU's strong résumé—a top 25 win and loss to a top ten team—compares favorably even to Georgia, so they have room to advance if they keep winning, and could really leap if they beat Utah in November. Behind them is another team that lost to Oklahoma— #16 Cincinnati—and undefeated Ball State, both of whom were idle. LSU and Tulsa follow; the Tigers still rank low in power ratings, but Tulsa made a bit of a surge with their 77-35 win over UTEP. The Golden Hurricane were tied 28-28 in the first quarter but scored six touchdowns in the next 30 minutes.
The Big Twelve's Missouri and Kansas both suffer their second loss and drop to #21 and #22. Both teams' losses are to top 25 foes, so they stay in the rankings, unlike Virginia Tech, North Carolina, California, and Michigan State. Replacing them are Boston College, who beat the Hokies; Georgia Tech, who formerly lost to the Hokies but also defeated Boston College and now stands 6-1; and Minnesota, whose only loss is to Ohio State.
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