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.
A total of eight top 25 teams lost over the weekend, six of them by upset, including two top ten teams. Since seven of the eight had good arguments for retention in the top 25, that left 30 teams to fit into the rankings—24 teams from last week plus the six upset winners, all of whom are undefeated.
We decided to "clean house" since it's early in the year and get rid of the losing teams. Every team that was an upset winner deserves to have its time in the spotlight, so we moved all six upset winners into the top 25 and kicked the losers out, with room for just two of them to remain. We kept the former top ten teams near the bottom; the rest have to fight their way back in.
For all of that commotion, the top spots didn't change. #1 USC had some defensive trouble with Syracuse, winning 42-29, while Alabama systematically dispatched Western Kentucky 35-0. Oklahoma's offense came to life against Florida A&M 69-13, while LSU rolled over Washington 41-3. Florida State beat Savannah State 55-0 in 36 minutes—including a "rolling clock" so they didn't have a chance to cover the 70.5 point spread. Texas mauled New Mexico 45-0 while Oregon beat Fresno State 42-25.
But #8 Oklahoma State lost to Arizona 59-38, and #9 Wisconsin lost to Oregon State 10-7, dropping both of them to the bottom of the rankings at #23 and #24 respectively. That opened the door for Georgia—a 41-20 winner over previous #19 Missouri—Stanford, and South Carolina to round out the top ten. The Cardinal crushed Duke 51-13 and the Gamecocks trashed East Carolina 48-10.
|
SportsRatings Top 25 - week two 2012 (thru 9/8/2012)
|
||||
|
lw
|
#
|
Team
|
Rec
|
Losses/important wins
|
| 1 | 1 | USC | 2-0 | |
| 2 | 2 | Alabama | 2-0 | w=Michigan 41-14 |
| 3 | 3 | Oklahoma | 2-0 | |
| 4 | 4 | LSU | 2-0 | |
| 5 | 5 | Florida State | 2-0 | |
| 6 | 6 | Texas | 2-0 | |
| 7 | 7 | Oregon | 2-0 | |
| 10 | 8 | Georgia | 2-0 | w@Missouri 41-20 |
| 11 | 9 | Stanford | 2-0 | |
| 14 | 10 | South Carolina | 2-0 | w@Vandy 17-13 |
| 16 | 11 | Ohio State | 2-0 | |
| 12 | 12 | Notre Dame | 2-0 | |
| 17 | 13 | West Virginia | 1-0 | |
| 20 | 14 | Kansas State | 2-0 | |
| 23 | 15 | Florida | 2-0 | w@TexAM 20-17 |
| 18 | 16 | Michigan | 1-1 | L=Alabama 41-14 |
| 24 | 17 | Michigan State | 2-0 | |
| -- | 18 | Arizona | 2-0 | wOKst 59-38 |
| -- | 19 | Oregon State | 1-0 | wWisc 10-7 |
| -- | 20 | UCLA | 2-0 | wNeb 36-30 |
| -- | 21 | Utah State | 2-0 | w@Utah 27-20ot |
| -- | 22 | Northwestern | 2-0 | wVanderbilt 23-13 |
| 8 | 23 | Oklahoma State | 1-1 | L@Arizona 59-38 |
| 9 | 24 | Wisconsin | 1-1 | L@OreSt 10-7 |
| -- | 25 | LA-Monroe | 1-0 | w=Arkansas 34-31ot |
| out: | ||||
| 13 | -- | Arkansas | 1-1 | L=ULM 34-31ot |
| 15 | -- | Nebraska | 1-1 | L@UCLA 36-30 |
| 19 | -- | Missouri | 1-1 | L Georgia 41-20 |
| 21 | -- | Texas A&M | 0-1 | L Fla 20-17 |
| 22 | -- | Utah | 1-1 | L UtahSt 27-20ot |
| 25 | -- | Vanderbilt | 0-2 | L SCar 17-13, @Nwest 23-13 |
WIth the other losers in the top 25 including #13 Arkansas, and #15 Nebraska, there was plenty of upward movement in the 2nd ten—for certain teams. Ohio State rolled over UCF 31-16 and jumped from #16 to #11. Notre Dame needed a last-second field goal to beat Purdue and held at #12. Idle West Virginia moved from #17 to #13.
Kanasas State jumped six spots to #14 after thrashing Miami 52-13, and Florida's 20-17 win over Texas A&M put them in the top 15. Michigan, however, had trouble with Air Force, winning 31-25, and edged up just 2 spots to #16. Michigan State throttled Central Michigan and moved from #24 to #17.
The Pac-12 was the main beneficiary of this weekend's action, moving three teams into the top 25: #18 Arizona, #19 Oregon State, and #20 UCLA, who beat Nebraska 36-30. They did lose #22 Utah, who fell out, replaced by #21 Utah State, who beat them 27-20 in overtime.
Though the Big Ten lost Nebraska and Wisconsin fell 15 spots, Northwestern entered the rankings after beating Vanderbilt 23-13. The Commodores were our surprise top 25 pre-season pick and so far it doesn't look so good as they start 0-2 in two close games. The SEC as a whole lost four teams, including newcomers Missouri and Texas A&M as well as former #13 Arkansas, who fell to Louisiana-Monroe, our new #25 team. The Warhawks beat the Razorbacks 34-31 in overtime.
Some of the new entries likely aren't top 25 quality, but it's unfair to discriminate against them just because they aren't in BCS conferences. They earned their way in, and they'll stay in until they demonstrate they don't belong.
Next week: #1 USC travels to #9 Stanford; #12 Notre Dame visits #17 Michigan State; and new #21 Utah State is at #24 Wisconsin. Bet the Badgers didn't think they'd have any top 25 teams in their first three games, let alone two!
Comments