NCAA Football Rankings 10-2-6

THIS WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN OCTOBER 2, 2006

1. OHIO STATE (5-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Iowa 38-17
Next Game: 10-7 vs Bowling Green (3-2)
After throttling the Hawkeyes, the Buckeyes have clear sailing until what could be an even bigger OSU-Michigan game then usual. Imagine the atmosphere at the horseshoe for a match-up where the winner goes on to play for the national title, we may not have to imagine much longer. Heisman Trophy candidate QB Troy Smith has continued to come up big in big games, and he continues to put up Heisman caliber numbers.

2. AUBURN (5-0)-
Last Week: Won @ South Carolina 24-17
Next Game: 10-7 vs #26 Arkansas (3-1)
The score may not have looked to good, but anytime you win on the road in the SEC you deserve some credit. Throw that in with playing a well-coached prime-time ESPN game in an electric setting and the win becomes pretty impressive. RB Kenny Irons ran for 117 yards and 2 TDs to help his Heisman run, and the speedy defense was able to slow down the high-powered Steve Spurrier attack.

3. SOUTHERN CAL (4-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Washington State 28-22
Next Game: 10-7 vs Washington (4-1)
The Cougars gave USC a scare and don’t be surprised if the Huskies do the same this week. The bottom line though is that the Trojans know how to win and simply keep doing it. The defense is probably the most underrated in the nation. This isn’t your typical USC team that you have been accustomed to seeing that will score 50-60 points. This team is led by the defense and the young offenses job is to not lose the game. So far they haven’t. This strategy should be okay for a while, but with a schedule that finishes with Oregon, Cal, Notre Dame and UCLA, the offense is going to have to start doing more.

4. WEST VIRIGINA (4-0)-
Last Week: OFF
Next Game: 10-7 @ Mississippi State
It’s kinda sad when you say that a 1-4 team will be the first test for the Mountaineers; that gives you an idea of how soft their non-conference schedule is. The Bulldogs defense has been very good so far this year against the run, which could give the WVU offense fits. Pat White may have to actually throw the ball more then the 12.75 attempts he has averaged so far this season if WVU wants to win this game.

5. LSU (4-1)-
Last Week: Won vs Mississippi State 48-17
Next Game: 10-7 @ #6 Florida (5-0)
It’s another big-time SEC match-up for the Tigers. This time it is Florida and the Swamp. Who came up with this schedule for LSU?? Auburn, Florida and Tennessee all on the road this season, OUCH! They could be the best team in the SEC or even the nation and they will get the chance to prove it with that brutal schedule. Not that the Tigers offense has gotten on the same page, put that with the #1 total defensive unit in the nation and they may just prove how good they really are.

6. FLORIDA (5-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Alabama 28-13
Next Game: 10-7 vs #5 LSU
Year 2 of Urban Meyer has been anything but a myth. In his two prior head coaching jobs he went a combined 21-3 (9-3 @ Bowling Green, and 12-0 @ Utah) in year two with a program. The next 3 games will give us a good idea of how year 2 will be at stop 3. Florida starts what might be the toughest stretch that any team in the country will have with LSU this week, followed by a trip to Auburn and the meeting Georgia in the World Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville.

7. MICHIGAN (5-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Minnesota 28-14
Next Game: 10-7 vs Michigan State (3-2)
Quietly becoming a real player in the National Championship hunt. With the power running game led by a healthy Mike Hart and a defense which has allowed just 36 ypg on the ground the Wolverines seem to have the exact formula to win in the Big Ten. Even a rivalry game with the Spartans shouldn’t pose much of a challenge to this group of players who is quickly taking their coach off the hot seat he started the season on.

8. TEXAS (4-1)-
Last Week: Won vs Sam Houston State 56-3
Next Game: 10-7 vs # 14 Oklahoma (3-1) “Red River Shootout” in Dallas
Once again a top-tier team schedules a lowly 1AA team, WHY?! The NCAA really needs to do something about this, but unfortunately it is a problem we will have to deal with since the addition of the 12th game. To many big programs would rather get an easy win and make the revenue from a home game rather then going out and being challenged, and we the football fans have to pay the price. It should be fun to watch this rivalry game, as is the case every year. One of the best ideas for a rivalry anywhere as the Cotton Bowl is split at the 50-yard line, one half of the stadium in burnt orange and the other in red, a great setting for a great rivalry.

9. LOUISVILLE (4-0)-
Last Week: OFF
Next Game: 10-6 @ Middle Tennessee
The best thing about the past week and this upcoming week for the Cardinals is that they are 2 weeks that Brian Brohm wasn’t needed. With Cincinnati next week followed by Syracuse there should be no reason to hurry back their superstar QB before the showdown with WVU the first week in November.

10. OREGON (4-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Arizona State 48-13
Next Game: 10-7 @ #15 California (4-1)
The Ducks have looked mighty all season and don’t look like they will be slowing down. After absolutely destroying Arizona State we know 2 things. One, the Sun Devils aren’t what we all thought they were, and two, the Ducks are! This week should be another statement type game for Oregon. If they can beat the Golden Bears on the road they will have everyones attention especially Pete Carroll and USC.

11. TENNESSEE (4-1)-
Last Week: Won @ Memphis 41-7
Next Game: 10-7 @ #12 Georgia (4-1)
Another big showdown in the SEC, something we should be getting used to by now. Tennessee needs this one to jump back into the SEC East race; a loss would put them at 0-2 in the conference. The offense will have to keep improving if it wants to win this one, as Georgia has one of the best defensive units in the SEC.

12. GEORGIA (5-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Ole Miss 14-9
Next Game: 10-7 vs #11 Tennessee (4-1)
2 straight weeks the Bulldogs have fallen after unimpressive wins. Something is wrong in Athens and it is not the defense. The defense is one of the best you will find in the country, but the offense on the other hand may be one of the worst. The Bulldogs have averaged only 297 ypg and under 19 ppg, those numbers won’t do it against Tennessee and the rest of the SEC, no matter how well the defense performs.

13. NOTRE DAME (4-1)-
Last Week: Won vs Purdue 35-21
Next Game: 10-7 vs Stanford (0-5)
You would have to think that Irish RB Darius Walker is walking around campus with a Christmas morning-like grin on his face. The Irish take on the Stanford Cardinal and Walt Harris this week. If we’ve learned anything from Harris over the years it is that he WILL lose the battle in the trenches. Stanford is last in the nation in rush defense, allowing over 284ypg on the ground and only once this season have the held a team under 200 yards. Brady Quinn will be able to rest his arm this weekend while the RB corps runs wild.

14. OKLAHOMA (3-1)-
Last Week: OFF
Next Game: 10-7 vs #8 Texas (4-1) “Red River Shootout” in Dallas
Bob Stoops, are you still mad at the call that prevented you from staying undefeated and hurt your chances at the national title?? Well then prove that you are national title worthy, by beating the champs!

15. CALIFORNIA (4-1)-
Last Week: Won @ Oregon State 41-13
Next Game: 10-7 vs #10 Oregon (4-0)
Big game for the Pac-10. Who is the real threat to USC and the strangle hold they have had over the conference in recent history?? This game should do a lot to answer that question. This one should be a fun one to watch, as the scoreboard operator will have a busy day the way these two teams can put up points. The first defensive stop might win the game.

16. CLEMSON (4-1)-
Last Week: Won v Louisiana Tech 51-0
Next Game: 10-7 @ Wake Forest (5-0)
Wake Forest, welcome to a real game! 5 games into the year and the Demon Deacons will finally play a team that deserves to be on the same field as them, the only problem is does Wake Forest deserve to be on the same field as Clemson, I don’t think so. Should be a rude awakening to the Wake fans, but a statement made by the Tigers.

17. GEORGIA TECH (4-1)-
Last Week: Won @ Virginia Tech 38-27
Next Game: 10-7 vs Maryland (3-1)
And the other ACC top dog. I love watching Calvin Johnson play, he reminds me of watching Larry Fitzgerald dominate a game from the WR spot, it is tough to do, but he is doing it. The Ramblin’ Wreck are for real and a showdown with Clemson awaits. Who would have thought 6 weeks ago these would be the top 2 teams in the ACC?

18. NEBRASKA (3-1)-
Last Week: Won vs Kansas 39-32 (2OT)
Next Game: 10-7 @ Iowa State (3-2)
When did you ever think you would hear someone talk about Nebraska not being able to run the ball? That is all they needed to do in the second half last week and they couldn’t do it. Up 24-7 at halftime against Kansas and the Cornhuskers couldn’t play keep away and keep the clock moving.

19. IOWA (4-1)-
Last Week: Loss vs Ohio State 38-17
Next Game: 10-7 vs Purdue (4-1)
Well, couldn’t have asked for a better situation, the number 1 team in the nation at your place, nationally televised game, under the lights, and you lay an egg. We knew that Iowa might be overrated, and we still don’t know for sure, but we do know they aren’t quite at the top of the class in the Big Ten.

20. BOISE STATE (4-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Utah 36-3
Next Game: 10-7 vs Louisiana Tech (1-3)
Hold Utah to 3 points with or without the super genius Urban Meyer at the reigns that is impressive. It is still the same offense, just a different coach running it. We know the Boise State can put up the points, now we know they can play defense too.

21. RUTGERS (5-0)-
Last Week: Won @ South Florida 22-20
Next Game: 10-14 @ Navy (4-1)
The Scarlet Knights went on the road and beat a decent team. This should help silence the critics. They still haven’t played a powerhouse team, but they keep winning and keep winning impressively. The next two games should test them more then any others though, on the road against both Navy at Pitt.

22. MISSOURI (5-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Colorado 28-13
Next Game: 10-7 @ Texas Tech
Still trying to figure out this team. Colorado is not a good team, but Texas Tech is, we can learn a lot more about the Tigers if they can pull off a win in Lubbock.

23. FLORIDA STATE (3-1)-
Last Week: OFF
Next Game: 10-5 @ NC State (2-2)
This should be a good game for Florida State, national TV and a very winnable game. A win here will get people talking about them in the ACC race again, but guess what? This team is simply not that good. With all of the talent in Florida how is it that only U of F can be dominant? Is it finally time for Coach Bowden to hang it up?

24. WISCONSIN (4-1)-
Last Week: Won @ Indiana 52-17
Next Game: 10-7 vs Northwestern (2-3)
A pretty impressive win, even against a hapless Hoosier team, to come back strong after the tough loss to the Wolverines makes Wisconsin a player. It seems that EVER year Wisconsin finds itself right around the Top 25, never a power, but always a team that can beat you if you aren’t ready.

25. VIRGINIA TECH (4-1)-
Last Week: Loss vs Georgia Tech 38-27
Next Game: 10-12 @ Boston College (4-1)
Well we knew it was coming, we just didn’t know when. Every year Frank Beamer and Co. plays a cake September schedule and gets people starting to believe the hype and every year they fall flat on their face. Glad to see they got it out of the way early this year! .

NEXT 5:
26. Arkansas (3-1)- Can they pull off the upset this week?
27. BYU (3-2)- Dominated TCU to end the nations longest win streak.
28. Washington (4-1)- USC better not sleep on the Huskies this week.
29. Boston College (4-1)- VT showdown will tell us who the best Ex-Big East team is.
30. UCLA (3-1)- Enjoy it now, Oregon and Notre Dame coming up soon.