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.
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#2 Notre Dame had their typical post-"prove it" letdown (see 1993, 2002). After beating Oklahoma and convincing everyone they were really for real they nearly blew it at home to Pitt, needing a shady pass interference call and a missed Pitt field goal (on which the Irish should have been flagged...) to stay alive, but they did and escaped with a 29-26 triple overtime win.
The other important undefeated teams had less trouble; #3 Kansas State dispatched Oklahoma State 44-30 and #4 Oregon outraced USC 62-51, with Kenjon Barner rushing for an astonishing 321 yards. Both teams lag a bit on résumé but not performance.
Georgia topped Mississippi 37-10 and Florida survived a Missouri scare 14-7. The SEC West teams held at #5 and #6, ahead of undefeated Ohio State, who beat Illinois 52-22, and undefeated Louisville who beat Temple 45-17. Louisville moves up a spot, as does #9 Florida State who was idle. The Seminoles are ridiculously ahead of Florida in both the Coaches and Harris polls, but the teams face each other late in the season to settle that. For now, the Gators clearly should be ranked in front as they are in the AP.
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SportsRatings Top 25 - week ten 2012 (thru 11/03/2012)
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Résumé: Losses/important wins
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| 1 | 1 | Alabama | 9-0 | wMissSt 38-7, @LSU 21-17 |
| 2 | 2 | Notre Dame | 9-0 | w@OK 30-13, Stanford 20-13ot |
| 3 | 3 | Kansas State | 9-0 | w@OK 24-19, TxTech 55-24 |
| 4 | 4 | Oregon | 9-0 | w@USC 62-51 |
| 5 | 5 | Georgia | 8-1 | L@SCar 35-7; w=Florida 17-9 |
| 6 | 6 | Florida | 8-1 | L=Ga 17-9; wLSU 14-6, TexAM 20-17, SCar 44-11 |
| 7 | 7 | Ohio State | 10-0 | |
| 9 | 8 | Louisville | 9-0 | wCincy 34-31ot |
| 10 | 9 | Florida State | 8-1 | L@NCState 17-16; wClemson 49-37 |
| 8 | 10 | LSU | 7-2 | L@Fla 14-6, Bama 21-17; wSCar 23-21, @TexAM 24-19 |
| 11 | 11 | Oklahoma | 6-2 | L ND 30-13, KSt 24-19; w=Tex 63-21, @TxTech 41-20 |
| 12 | 12 | Clemson | 8-1 | L@FSU 49-37 |
| 13 | 13 | Oregon State | 7-1 | L@Wash 20-17 |
| 15 | 14 | Texas A&M | 7-2 | L FLA 20-17, LSU 24-19; w@LaTech 59-57, @MissSt 38-13 |
| 16 | 15 | Louisiana Tech | 8-1 | L TexAM 59-57 |
| 17 | 16 | Toledo | 8-1 | L@Ariz 24-17ot; wCincy 29-23 |
| 18 | 17 | South Carolina | 7-2 | L@LSU 23-21, @FLA 44-11; wGeorgia 35-7 |
| 14 | 18 | Mississippi State | 7-2 | L@Alabama 38-7, TexAM 38-13 |
| 19 | 19 | Stanford | 7-2 | L@Wash 17-13, @ND 20-13ot; wUSC 21-14 |
| 21 | 20 | Kent State | 8-1 | L@Kentucky 47-14; w@Rutgers 35-23 |
| 22 | 21 | Rutgers | 7-1 | L KentSt 35-23 |
| 23 | 22 | Cincinnati | 6-2 | L@Toledo 29-23, @Lou 34-31ot |
| -- | 23 | Texas | 7-2 | L WVa 48-45, =OK 63-21; w@TxTech 31-22 |
| -- | 24 | N. Illinois | 9-1 | L=Iowa 18-17 |
| -- | 25 | Ohio | 8-1 | L@MiamiOH 23-20 |
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| 20 | -- | Texas Tech | 6-3 | L OK 41-20, @KState 55-24, Texas 31-22 |
| 24 | -- | USC | 6-3 | L@Ariz 39-36, @Stan 21-14, @Ore 62-51 |
| 25 | -- | Boise State | 7-2 | L@MichSt 17-13, SDSU 21-19 |
LSU rounds out the top ten; they have two losses to top ten teams and two narrow wins over top 25 teams. #11 Oklahoma has lost only to two undefeated teams, and they handled Iowa State 35-20 Saturday. Clemson and Oregon State held at 12 and 13 by beating Duke 56-20 and Arizona State 36-36, respectively.
Texas A&M beat on Mississippi State almost as bad as Alabama did, winning 38-13 on the road. The Bulldogs only fell to #18, giving them the benefit of the doubt as both losses are to good teams. They drop right below yet another SEC team, South Carolina, who also has two top 25 losses but also a win over Georgia; they were idle Saturday. Louisiana Tech, a former Aggie victim, beat UTSA 51-27 and moved up to #15 at 8-1. Stanford holds at #19 right below Mississippi State after blanking Colorado 48-0.
MAC Attack: The Mid-American conference fills 4 out of the final 10 slots in our rankings. At #16 Toledo is the highest ranked; they have only an overtime loss at Arizona and hold a win over Cincinnati, who moves to #22 after beating Syracuse 35-24 Saturday. Kent State also holds a win over a ranked Big East opponent, as they are the only team to beat #21 Rutgers. The Flashes outlasted Akron 35-24 this weekend and moves up a spot to #20. And moving in at #24 and #25 are 9-1 Northern Illinois (only loss a 1-point defeat to Iowa) and 8-1 Ohio (fell to Miami of Ohio by a field goal). The Huskies obliterated UMass 63-0 while the Bobcats crushed Eastern Michigan 45-14 Thursday night.
Also joining, or rather re-joining, the top 25 is Texas, who beat Texas Tech 31-22. The Red Raiders' third loss—all to top 25 teams, though—dropped them out along with USC. Boise State was upset by San Diego State and falls out, too, and the Broncos' hope of a BCS automatic bid dies.Next Weekend: Alabama faces another tough challenge right after LSU as they host #14 Texas A&M. Like last year the Aggies are one of the top teams in the nation but again have had bad luck in close games. LSU doesn't get a breather either as they host #18 Mississippi State. And in the Pac-12 #13 Oregon State takes on #19 Stanford.
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