Ranking teams by what they've done, not by what we think they can do...
1. LSU (last week = same)
Workmanlike downing of a good South Carolina. Nothing about these guys doesn't look real.
2. Cal (lw = same)
The big win over Tennessee stands high, which is what keeps them above...
3. Southern Cal (lw = #4)
Only signature win so far is over a Nebraska team that I've never believed in and which almost lost to Ball State. We all know what happens to teams that narrowly beat Ball State...
4. South Florida (lw = #5)
Doing everything asked of them and doing it well. Stung Auburn. May be the Beast of the East, the way things are going with Louisville. Next up... West Virginia. A lot will be revealed.
5. Oklahoma (lw = #6)
Strong smashing of an under-rated Tulsa team (a game at Tulsa, for some reason). Who in the Big 12 beats them? Harder and harder question to answer every weekend.
6. Oregon (lw = #7)
Blowout of Michigan looking better all the time as Michigan recovers. Strong win over Stanford after a shaky first half (a loss to the Jim Harbaugh team would have been a delicious addition to a weird year in Ann Arbor).
7. Boston College (lw = #8)
Another smash-up derby in the ACC shaping up this year, but BC is keeping its fenders clean and piling up conference wins.
8. Kentucky (lw = #10)
Louisville... then Arkansas... You get the feeling that these guys must float back to Earth from their dream at some point. No way they can make a run at their conference title, right? That's what I thought last year about Wake Forest. And Rutgers.
9. Florida (lw = #11)
Unlike Kentucky, these guys or LSU probably will win the SEC. But so far, they haven't racked up the trophies that Kentucky has. And there was that narrow miss vs Ole Miss this weekend. No serious questions, but some questions nonetheless...
10. Clemson (lw = #13)
Started with a win over a FL St team that isn't yet showing traditional Florida State life. Haven't been given a serious challenge since, but haven't failed any of them either.
11. Ohio State (lw = #15)
Pounded NW, for what that's worth. Not much in the win column to be impressive, but everything is still in the win column.
12. Rutgers (lw = #14)
Social promotion at work here. They were idle and haven't really played anybody. Good coach. Clean W/L record. Not much else to say.
13. West Virginia (lw = #16)
Played pretty much nobody. Beat everybody. South Florida gets the higher ranking because of the Auburn win, but the winner of the clash between these two this week gets the top 5 ranking.
14. Texas (lw = #17)
Whoopee, you killed RICE!!! Still not forgetting that near miss against Central Florida. Oklahoma has played better, pounded them worse.
15. South Carolina (lw = #3)
LSU is just really damn good. South Carolina will get back to winning real soon. I could see, but do not expect, an upset of Florida and a rematch with LSU in the SEC title game. Too many returning starters in Spurrier's weapon cabinet. More surprises ahead. Just like...
16. Alabama (lw = #9)
Somebody had to lose when Bama played Georgia. Good coaches, good teams, etc... As with SCar, I don't expect Bama to beat LSU and steal the division, but stranger things have happend. Trust in Nick Satan. This team will end the season stronger than it starts -- and it is starting quite well.
17. Arizona State (lw = #18)
Bleh... bleh... Mediocre schedule not likely to get better soon. Hard to know, so they keep getting socially promoted until they play somebody real or trip over themselves. Seen this movie with these guys before.
18. Wisconsin (lw = NR)
Almost lost to UNLV, almost lost in Madison to Iowa (who DID lose to Iowa St), let the Citadel put up 31 pts on their defense in Madison. That's three of their four wins. The Spartan in me is terrified of playing them in Madison this weekend. But the logical football mind tells me something is very wrong with the Wisconsin story that the recognized polls are showing. They get into my ranking because of gravity -- others ahead of them have faltered and they are still unbeaten and about to play a home game.
19. Missourit (lw = NR)
The Michigan State of the Big 12. Always living down high expectations. But right now, the narrow win on the road against Illinois is looking to be an interesting part of their 4-0 start. With Nebraska and Oklahoma on the way, they will quickly move up or out.
20. Cincinnati (lw = NR)
Grumble... grumble... These guys are killing all of the nobodies they are playing. Not much to go on here.
On the outs...
Penn State (lw #12) Lost to 2-2 Michigan
Air Force (lw #19) Smashed by BYU
Tulsa (lw #20) Crushed by Oklahoma.
Waiting in line...
UConn... 4-0. Battered Pitt for best win.
Purdue... 4-0. One conference win. No serious wins yet.
Hawaii... 4-0. Endless series of crappy competition.
Michigan State... 4-0. They fight for Wisconsin's spot this week.
Kansas... 4-0. HUGE WINS. Little opponents.
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