The SportsRatings Top 25 is our answer to the AP and coaches' polls. This subjective "poll" properly reflects head-to-head results and give additional consideration to teams who have victories over other top 25 teams.
We're putting out our Week 1 Top 25 before the Virginia Tech/Georgia Tech game since it's not going to affect these results (neither was in our pre-season Top 25).
There weren't a lot of upsets over the weekend, and none really in the top 25 of our pre-season Top 124 which is our starting point. In fact there were only two games that had to affect the results, and the rest of the movement is due to under/overperformace.
#2 Alabama thrashed #7 Michigan 41-14 but we'll keep USC #1 for now until they have a similar chance to prove themselves. The Trojans beat Hawaii 49-10 in their debut. Oklahoma had some trouble putting away UTEP 24-7 and LSU beat North Texas by the same score as the Tide beat the Wolverines, 41-14, but it's the first game and they stay #3 and #4. Likewise Florida State (beat Murray State 69-3) and Texas (beat Wyoming 37-17) remain #5 and #6.
#7 Michigan tumbles to #18 due to their one-sided loss, allowing some movement among the other teams. Oklahoma State actually underperformed a bit against Savannah State—they should have won by 86 points according to our pre-season number, and only won 84-0. Still, we jump them over #9 Wisconsin who had trouble with Northern Iowa, winning just 26-21. Georgia likewise jumps to #10 not because their 45-23 win over Buffalo was so great, but because #11 Stanford only beat San Jose State 20-17.
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SportsRatings Top 25 - week one 2012 (thru 9/3/2012)
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Team
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Rec
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Losses/important wins
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| 1 | 1 | USC | 1-0 | |
| 2 | 2 | Alabama | 1-0 | w=Michigan 41-14 |
| 3 | 3 | Oklahoma | 1-0 | |
| 4 | 4 | LSU | 1-0 | |
| 5 | 5 | Florida State | 1-0 | |
| 6 | 6 | Texas | 1-0 | |
| 8 | 7 | Oregon | 1-0 | |
| 10 | 8 | Oklahoma State | 1-0 | |
| 9 | 9 | Wisconsin | 1-0 | |
| 12 | 10 | Georgia | 1-0 | |
| 11 | 11 | Stanford | 1-0 | |
| 14 | 12 | Notre Dame | 1-0 | |
| 13 | 13 | Arkansas | 1-0 | |
| 16 | 14 | South Carolina | 1-0 | w@Vandy 17-13 |
| 15 | 15 | Nebraska | 1-0 | |
| 18 | 16 | Ohio State | 1-0 | |
| 17 | 17 | West Virginia | 1-0 | |
| 7 | 18 | Michigan | 0-1 | L=Alabama 41-14 |
| 20 | 19 | Missouri | 1-0 | |
| 22 | 20 | Kansas State | 1-0 | |
| 21 | 21 | Texas A&M | 0-0 | |
| 24 | 22 | Utah | 1-0 | |
| 23 | 23 | Florida | 1-0 | |
| 25 | 24 | Michigan State | 1-0 | |
| 19 | 25 | Vanderbilt | 0-1 | L SCar 17-13 |
One team that deserved to move up is Notre Dame, who crushed Navy 50-10 in Dublin; they move up 2 spots to #12 as Arkansas (beat Jacksonville State 49-24) remains at #13.
South Carolina earned a two-spot jump by beating former #19 Vanderbilt on the road, 17-13. Portrayed by the media as a questionable performance against a "pesky" team, we think Vandy (now #25) with prove to be more than that, and demonstrated it against the Gamecocks. Future opponents beware...!
The Big Ten had a mixed week. Nebraska pulled away from Southern Miss 49-20 and holds at #15 while Ohio State demolished Miami of Ohio 56-10. They move from #18 to #16. West Virginia scored 69 on Marshall but gave up 34 points and holds at #17.
After Michigan, new SEC member Missouri moves up to #19; they beat Southeastern Louisiana State 62-10. Kansas State jumps over idle Texas A&M (game postponed) to #20 after beating Missouri State 51-9. Utah shut out Northern Colorado 41-0 and jumps #23 Florida, who struggled with Bowling Green 27-14. And Michigan State edged Boise State 17-13 to move up to #24.
Don't look for much fireworks next week as the beating up on FCS and lower-conference teams continues in week 2. But #10 Georgia does travel to #19 Missouri, while #23 Florida takes on #21 Texas A&M, as two former Big Twelve teams have their SEC debuts.
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