Oklahoma State lost their grip on on a spot in the top ten

#	Team	Name	Previous	2009 Record	Last Week
1		Florida	1	2-0	W Troy 56-5
2		Texas	2	2-0	W @ Wyoming 41-10
3		USC	3	2-0	W @ Ohio State 18-15
4		Alabama	4	2-0	W Florida Intl. 40-14
5		Penn State	8	2-0	W Syracuse 28-7
6		BYU	6	2-0	W @ Tulane 54-3
7		LSU	9	2-0	W Vanderbilt 23-9
8		Oklahoma	10	1-1	W Idaho State 64-0
9		Mississippi	11	1-0	Idle
10		Georgia Tech	12	2-0	W Clemson 30-27
11		Ohio State	7	1-1	L USC 18-15
12		Boise State	13	2-0	W Miami (OH) 48-0
13		Oregon State	14	2-0	W @ UNLV 23-21
14		Utah	15	2-0	W @ San Jose State 24-14
15		TCU	16	2-0	W @ Virginia 30-14
16		Oklahoma State	5	1-1	L Houston 45-35
17		Virginia Tech	17	1-1	W Marshall 52-7
18		California	18	2-0	W E. Washington 59-7
19		Georgia	19	1-1	W South Carolina 41-37
20		Michigan	24	2-0	W Notre Dame 38-34
21		Nebraska	23	1-0	W Arkansas State 38-9
22		Miami	22	1-0	Idle
23		North Carolina	21	2-0	W @ Connecticut 12-10
24		Oregon	25	1-1	W Purdue 38-36
25		Cincinnati	-	2-0	W SE Missouri State 70-3

The Big Ten may have taken a bit of a hit from their rivals, the Pac 10, over the weekend but to me it seems clear that they are still light years ahead of the ACC. Sure, the ACC may have gone 8-1 out of conference (Georgia Tech and Clemson played each other, Miami was idle) but two of those wins were near losses to FCS opponents. If the Big Ten is going to be smeared for Iowa’s escape of Northern Iowa in the season opener, then Florida State and Maryland, paired with Virginia’s and Duke’s season opening losses, certainly are doing their best to keep form the rest of the ACC form establishing any form of credibility.

The ACC has yet to beat a top 25 team in the first two weeks and has been run over by the tougher out of conference opponents to get started. Virginia lost at home to #16 TCU 30-14. Virginia Tech was steamrolled by #5 Alabama in week one 34-24 (it wasn’t even that close). Maryland was trounced on the road against #12 California 52-14.

Yet, I still have four teams from the ACC in my top 25 this week. Go figure.

Despite the victory by USC on the road in a hostile environment I am not prepared to give them the nod over Florida or Texas. Not with a freshman quarterback who Brent Musburger seems ready to annoint as the next great quarterback in college football. Not with a team that looks as vulnerable in the Pac-10 as they have fielded in a few years. Beat California and perhaps we’ll talk.

This week I say hello to some new faces

Hello, Good-bye

This week I say good riddance to just one team and welcome in a new member.

Notre Dame gets the short end of the stick this week, but they could return in a week or two if things go the way of the Irish. Notre Dame was on the brink of being dropped as I had them in my last five in last week at #21. Losing on the road to Michigan may not be as bad as once thought depending on the success of the Wolverines this year. It is not exactly like Notre Dame was blown out of the water by Michigan but the weakness that has been evident under the Charlie Weis regime once again kept Notre Dame from winning. That crutch is defense.

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen can put up nice numbers and nobody may run a halfback screen pass like Clausen and the Irish, which makes some of Clausen’s passing totals somewhat deceiving, but until Notre Dame can show that they can keep an opposing offense with some actual talent out of the end-zone (read, NOT Nevada), Notre Dame has some work to do to regain my vote.

With Notre Dame dropping out of my ballot, a few teams make a shift up a spot, with Michigan jumping over Nebraska and North Carlolina in the process. Filling the final remaining spot in my ballot is Cincinnati from the Big East.

After opening the season with a road victory at Rutgers, who I picked to win the Big East in 2009, Cincinnati returned home and demolished FCS opponent Southeast Missouri State 70-3. The Bearcats are not getting my vote for beating an FCS team, but they have looked pretty potent offensively in their first two games. I am paying attention to the Bearcats, and am anxious to see how they do this week at Oregon State and next week at home against Fresno State. Should Cincinnati survive the next two weeks and run through the Big East the Bearcats could have a very intriguing match-up in late November against Illinois, who could play their way back into the top 25 by then.

Surprise, Shockers, and Let-Downs

My surprise from week two of the college football season may be Michigan. Sure, I thought the Wolverines would beat Notre Dame, but all of a sudden it looks like Rich Rodriguez may have gotten his offense to a level that is expected of him. Now, I would like to see if Michigan can duplicate their early success against a team that actually plays defense, but Tate Forcier appears to be the hands down winner of the Michigan quarterback race.

Oklahoma State could be classified as a shock, but until the Cowboys can live up to expectations for more than two weeks, a loss to Houston is not that out of the question any week. Houston went to Stillwater, Oklahoma and won an offensive shoot-out. For their 2-0 start, Houston is officially on my radar. They are idle this weekend and take on Texas Tech in their next game. A win in that game could place them on my top 25. But playing in Conference USA would make it difficult for Houston to play the role of BCS Buster, especially when Utah, BYU, Boise State and TCU are all well in front of Houston.

Ohio State avoids the let-down label from me this week, as USC entered Columbus as a favorite (although I picked Ohio State to win). Instead the let-down of the week goes to North Carolina, another ACC team. Yes, the Tar Heels picked up a road victory at Connecticut but they were scoreless against the Huskies for three quarters and scored just ten points on offense. A safety called on UConn as a result of a penalty in the end-zone handed the Tar Heels a win. The bottom line is that North Carolina, much like Florida State, Maryland and Wake Forest squeaked by for a win. Is a win a win? Depends on who you ask. I dropped North Carolina down two spots.

On the Radar

UCLA, Missouri, Houston, Minnesota, Kansas, Boston College

Previous polls: Pre-season | 1