NCAA Football Rankings 9-11-6

THIS WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN SEPTEMBER 11, 2006

Kevin Reitmeyer’s NCAA FOOTBALL RANKINGS
9-11-6

1. OHIO STATE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ #10 Texas 24-7
Next Game: 9-16 vs Cincinnati
Went on the road to a hostile environment and proved they are worthy of all the preseason hype and #1 ranking. The 9 new starters on defense have adjusted quickly and are beginning to make Ohio State a complete team.

2. AUBURN (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Mississippi State 34-0
Next Game: 9-16 vs #5 LSU
Two impressive wins against BCS conference opponents is always good, but it is even better to beat up these teams even when you aren’t playing at the top of your game. The Tigers high-powered offense and tough defense better be ready and playing on all cylinders this week when LSU comes to town.

3. NOTRE DAME (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Penn State 41-17
Next Game: 9-16 vs #8 Michigan
Anytime you beat Penn State you get points in my book, but to absolutely embarrass Penn State the way the Fighting Irish did gets you the #3 spot in this weeks rankings. We are really not sure how good or bad Penn State or Georgia Tech is, but we do know that Brady Quinn is back to his Heisman-hyped ways. If the defense can hold up against their tough schedule Charlie Weis could be bringing the National Championship back to South Bend for the first time since 1988.

4. SOUTHERN CAL (1-0)-
Last Week: OFF
Next Game: 9-16 vs #12 Nebraska
And people thought it might be tough to replace Matt Leinert, Reggie Bush and LenDale White, all the new guys did was put up 50 on a decent Arkansas team on the road. John David Booty was 24-35 for 291 and 3 TD as he spread the ball out to his various offensive weapons. And for the rushing attack, how about 191 total yards on the ground between 6 different backs. Oh yeah, and the defense is really good again too.

5. LSU (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Arizona 45-3
Next Game: 9-16 @ #2 Auburn
Either Arizona is not nearly as good as people thought they would be or LSU is just REALLY good, we are agreeing with the latter. When you can hang 45 on a Mike Stoops run defense that is impressive in any regard, but to do it with the ease that LSU did on Saturday is what should really grab your attention. The defense has been dominant as well, as always is the case in Baton Rouge. The have allowed just 2 field goals so far this season and held Arizona to 152 total yards and only 35 on the ground, while picking off 3 passes.

6. WEST VIRIGINA (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Eastern Washington 52-3
Next Game: 9-14 vs Maryland
We still have no idea how good this team really is. We know from last year that they have the potential to be very good, but scheduling teams like Marshall and Eastern Washington do nothing but produce easy wins. With this soft schedule Rich Rodriguez has left no margin for error for his team, if they expect to play for the National Championship like so many Mountaineer fans are hoping for.

7. FLORIDA (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Central Florida 42-0
Next Game: 9-16 @ #11 Tennessee
When you first look at is you don’t think this is a big win, but UCF is not this bad. This is a team that won C-USA last season and have high expectations this year, that just got ran over by Urban Meyer and his offensive machine. The Gators racked up 637 yards of offense. Chris Leak threw for 352 and 4 TDs before leaving the game midway through the 3rd quarter. The defense also played well holding the Knights to just 21 yards rushing. Leak needs another solid performance this week if he wants to win in Neyland Stadium under the lights.

8. MICHIGAN (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Central Michigan 41-17
Next Game: 9-16 @ #3 Notre Dame
Got off to slow starts in both of their 2 wins, but the running game behind Michael Hart is running hard and the defense is playing its typical physical Big Ten style of play. The big test comes this week when the Wolverines have to travel to Notre Dame.

9. GEORGIA (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ South Carolina
Next Game: 9-16 vs UAB
The defense is going to have to keep playing at the tops of its game until the quarterback position is figured out. Any time you shut out a Steve Spurrier offense though you are off to a good start. The Bulldogs are loaded at running back with Thomas Brown and Danny Ware, but someone will have to set-up and replace DJ Shockley from last year’s team at the quarterback position.

10. TEXAS (1-1)-
Last Week: Lost vs #1 Ohio State 24-7
Next Game: 9-16 @ Rice
After a loss to Ohio State in which they we beaten good, Texas needs to focus on the rest of their schedule. They should be the favorites the rest of the way in and if they take care of business they will represent the BIG XII in the BCS. To do this though, they will have to start to get more consistent play from freshman QB Colt McCoy.

11. TENNESSEE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Air Force 31-30
Next Game: 9-16 vs #7 Florida
The problem with Tennessee is we don’t know which team is going to show up, will it be the one that dominated Cal in its opener or will it be the one that just hung on to beat Air Force last week? Quarterback Erik Ainge might be playing the best quarterback in the nation, and he will have to keep that up as the Gators come to town this week.

12. NEBRASKA (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Nicholls State 56-7
Next Game: 9-16 @ #4 Southern Cal
What is up with scheduling these 1-AA teams, this needs to stop! With West Virginia that makes 2 teams in the top 12 that played a 1-AA team. There are enough D-1 teams out there that everyone can play each other. Let’s hope that game prepared you because now you take on the best D-1 team in the past 3 years IN Southern California. Everyone said that Nebraska has finally completed its football transition from a running team to a passing team well its time to prove it.

13. FLORIDA STATE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Troy 24-17
Next Game: 9-16 vs Clemson
When the offense struggled with Miami it was okay, but Troy??? Drew Weatherford better get things figured out REAL fast if he once to be the next in the line of great FSU quarterbacks. The defense bailed them out again this week with a late interception to lead to the go-ahead touchdown; I don’t think they will be able to do this for 13 straight games.

14. LOUISVILLE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Temple 62-0
Next Game: 9-16 vs #18 Miami
Well the post Michael Bush era has begun in Louisville and it has 62 points to show for it, then again the post Michael Bush era started against Temple. It will get a much stiffer test this week when the Hurricanes come to town with which might be the best defense Louisville will see all year. Get past Miami and the chances of a perfect season lie in a showdown with WVU in early November.

15. IOWA (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Syracuse 20-13 (2OT)
Next Game: 9-16 vs Iowa State
OK, I’m going to say it, maybe the Big East just isn’t that bad. After squeaking by a 1-win Orange team from last year I’m sure that is what the Hawkeye fans are hoping. They have the offensive weapons they just need QB Drew Tate to get healthy and show what type of team they are this week against archrival Iowa State.

16. OKLAHOMA (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Washington 37-20
Next Game: 9-16 @ #17 Oregon
After losing starting quarterback Rhett Bomar, who was kicked off the team just before preseason practices started, Oklahoma has two nice wins under their belts as they go on the road for a big challenge. Paul Thompson has played well filling in for Bomar, but his main job is to keep the pressure off of Adrian Peterson who could be the best running back in the nation. Peterson has started off the season with 304 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.

17. OREGON (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ Fresno State 31-24
Next Game: 9-16 vs #16 Oklahoma
The Ducks are 2 for 2 this season winning both games impressively. After blowing out a Pac-10 foe in Stanford the Ducks went on the road and won in the Valley last week, which is always a tough place to play. This week will be their toughest challenge yet, but Autzen stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the country and I’m sure the Oregon faithful will be ready for this top 20 showdown.

18. MIAMI (1-1)-
Last Week: Won vs Florida A&M 51-10
Next Game: 9-16 @ #14 Louisville
Yet another D1 powerhouse running up the score on the lowly 1-AA schools, and we still know nothing about this team. From the 2 prior games the only thing we know is that Miami’s offense could not score against Florida State, but could against Florida A&M. This week we should finally find out if this Hurricane team is for real or not when they travel north to Louisville. They will have to put up points this week if they hope to avoid a 1-2 start. Hey Coach Coker, is that seat getting warm yet?

19. VIRGINIA TECH (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ North Carolina 35-10
Next Game: 9-16 vs Duke
Beamer ball at its best was on display again last week as the defense and special teams help put away North Carolina. An interception return set up the first touchdown and a blocked punt set up another, while the finishing touches were put on when Branden Hill returned another interception 69 yards for a touchdown late in the game.

20. ARIZONA STATE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Nevada 52-21
Next Game: 9-16 @ Colorado
The high-powered offense that we have all been waiting for from Arizona State has finally arrived and it looks like they have a defense to go with it now too. After putting up 87 points in their first two games the schedule gets considerably tougher in the upcoming weeks with trips to Colorado and Berkeley, followed by a visit from Oregon the a trip to USC. These 4 games could make or break the Sun Devils season.

21. TEXAS TECH (2-0)-
Last Week: Won @ UTEP 38-35 (OT)
Next Game: 9-16 @ #24 TCU
A big win over a good TCU team will help this team out considerably. Everyone knows that the offense can explode at any moment, but can they play consistent enough and get solid play from the defense in big games? That question remains to be answered.

22. BOSTON COLLEGE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Clemson 34-33 (2OT)
Next Game: 9-16 vs BYU
After nearly blowing the season opener on national television to Central Michigan the Eagles had their naysayers, but they quieted them on Saturday with a nice win against a good Clemson team. They have put themselves in position to open 5-0 setting up a showdown with longtime rival Virginia Tech.

23. BOISE STATE (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Oregon State 42-14
Next Game: 9-16 @ Wyoming
Ian Johnson ran over, through and around the Beavers defense last week en route to a 5 TD performance. Unfortunately we won’t see them play another decent team until they square up with Fresno State on the smurf turf in Boise in November.

24. TCU (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs UC Davis 46-13
Next Game: 9-16 vs #21 Texas Tech
This ranking is more based on potential then anything else. They haven’t done much thus far, but this team could be one of the non-BCS teams to squeak into a BCS bowl this year. Their schedule is relatively easy and if they can get by the Red Raiders this week it is clear sailing the rest of the way out.

25. RUTGERS (2-0)-
Last Week: Won vs Illinois 33-0
Next Game: 9-16 vs Ohio
This is not a mis-print; yes I am putting the state school of New Jersey in the top 25. Why, you may ask. They deserve it. They have played 2 BCS conference opponents so far and they have had little trouble with either. While I may not think they are better then some of the schools left out of this weeks rankings they get major props for scheduling REAL football schools. They could have scheduled cupcakes and considering their past it would be acceptable, but they didn’t, they scheduled bigger schools and still went out and won the games.

NEXT 5:
26. Penn State (1-1)- 41 points against that defense, OUCH!
27. California (1-1)- Bounced back big after a blowout to open the season.
28. Clemson (1-1)- Tough road loss to a conference foe.
29. Pitt (2-0)- Come on they are undefeated, you didn’t think I would sneak them in?
30. Alabama (2-0)- Flying under the radar in a loaded SEC.