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Ed Bagley's Top 25 Poll - Week 12 - Two Favorites Win Big
Copyright 2009 Ed Bagley
There were 4 upsets of Top 25 teams this week but none of them mattered. What did matter were two favorites winning big with implications as Ohio State topped Michigan and Oregon outlasted Arizona. These events caused changes in my Top 25 Poll. Here is how I see it this week:
1) Alabama (11-0) The Crimson Tide shut out 1-AA Chattanooga 45-0 to remain unbeaten and on target to face Florida for the SEC title, and a shot at the national championship in a game against Texas. Alabama ends its season this week with a trip to Auburn. I do not see Auburn winning this game.
2) Florida (11-0) The Gators ripped apart Florida International 62-3 to remain unbeaten. Only visiting Florida State this week remains between the Gators and Alabama playing for a shot to be in the national championship game against Texas.
3) Texas (11-0) The Longhorns whipped Kansas 51-20 to remain unbeaten and on course to play in the national championship game against either Alabama or the defending national champion Florida Gators. In beating Kansas, Colt McCoy extended his NCAA career record for victories by a quarterback to 43 in 4 years. Texas travels to Texas A&M for its final game of the season.
4) Texas Christian (10-0) The Horned Frogs remained unbeaten by leveling Wyoming 45-10, and becoming the first TCU team with an 11-0 overall record since 1938. TCU hopes that Texas A&M upsets Texas this week so that the Horned Frogs can move into the national championship game against either Alabama or Florida. News flash to TCUgood luck and God speed. TCU ends its year hosting an absolutely pathetic, 1-10 New Mexico team.
5) Cincinnati (10-0) Idle this week. Hosts a weak Illinois team this week, and then gets a final game showdown on-the-road at Pittsburgh (9-1). The Panthers are licking their chops.
6) Boise State (11-0) The Broncos remained unbeaten by clubbing Utah State 52-21. Gets Nevada (8-3) at home this week, and the Broncos had better be ready. Nevada's offense scored 6 touchdowns in the first half last week, and boasts the nation's 4th best scoring offense (41ppg). Boise State has the nation's best scoring offense (44 ppg).
7) Oregon (9-2) The Ducks beat a really good 6-4 Arizona team 44-41 in the second overtime to set themselves up to earn a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth against Ohio State (10-2) if they beat the visiting Oregon State Beavers (8-3) in a winner-take-all Civil War showdown next Saturday in Eugene. This is the most important game of the college football season until Alabama and Florida clash in the SEC showdown (both teams must win this week to set up the showdown). The up again-down again Oregon Ducks have only lost two away gamesto 11-0 Boise State and 7-4 Stanford, and they have played the 3rd toughest schedule in the country among 245 Division I teams. Georgia Tech (12th toughest schedule), Pittsburgh (58th), Ohio State (54th), Penn State (79th) and Oklahoma State (67th) have all played easier schedules.
8) Oregon State (8-3) Mugged Washington State 42-10. Beavers have only lost to Cincinnati (10-0), USC (7-3) and Arizona (6-4), and have played the 24th toughest schedule in the country.
9) Georgia Tech (10-1) Idle this week. Hosts Georgia in its final game. Georgia will try to get nasty on them.
10) Pittsburgh (9-1) Idle this week. Travels to West Virginia this week and then hosts unbeaten Cincinnati in its final game. The Panthers can hardly wait, but had better beat West Virginia to make it count for something.
11) Ohio State (10-2) Buckeye defense put the hurt on Michigan 21-10 to win the Big Ten title outright in their final game. Next stop for Ohio State is the Rose Bowl against either Oregon or Oregon State.
From No. 12 on, this Poll is hard put to rank any team with a straight face. Having said that, here goes nothing:
12) Penn State (10-2) Ended season by kicking the snot out of Michigan State 42-14 on the Spartans' home turf. The stout (wink, wink) Michigan State defense let the Nittany Lions' Daryll Clark pass for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns. With a name like Daryll they should have sacked the guy a dozen times. Coach Mark Dantonio needs to recruit some bigger, tougher, faster beef in the Midwest or MSU will be going backwards in a hurry. (Disclaimer: I am a Michigan State graduate who is not happy with the lack of progress in this year's team. If the Spartans get much worse, they will be going backwards faster than the Michigan Wolverines. I am sick and tired of hearing about Michigan State's great new recruits. My question is, where the hell are they? They sure are not on the field.
13) Oklahoma State (9-2) Barely beat a poor Colorado team 31-28, but at least the Cowboys won, even if they were riding sidesaddle. That is more than Wisconsin, LSU, Rutgers and Stanford can say this week; they were all upset by supposedly lesser lights. Oklahoma State travels to Oklahoma to end its season this week.
14) Iowa (10-2) Shut out Minnesota 12-0 with an outstanding defensive effort on-the-road. The Hawkeyes rank 11th nationally in scoring defense and 87th in scoring offense. Season is now over. Iowa is waiting in prayer and supplication for a BCS bowl bid, which they may not get.
15) Houston (9-2) Beat Memphis 55-14. Have no real use for Houston; I guess that's because I am kind of traditional in thinking that defense should be part of the game. The Cougars are the opposite of the Iowa Hawkeyesthey are all offense and no defense, and when I say no defense, I am not kidding. Houston ranks 3rd in the nation in scoring offense and 91st in scoring defense among 120 major college teams. Houston ends the season hosting a 2-9 Rice team that will lose, giving Houston its 10th win.
16) California (8-3) Upset 18th-ranked Arizona 24-16 last week and upset 14th-ranked Stanford (7-4) on-the-road 34-28 this week. Bears won when they had to against a really tough team. California has played the 14th toughest schedule in the country. The Bears end their season December 5 at Washington.
17) Stanford (7-4) Finally beating Southern Cal was too much for the Cardinal to handle as they lost to California 34-28 on their home turf. Stanford has played the 13th toughest schedule in the country. Stanford hosts Notre Dame to end its season this week.
18) LSU (8-3) Was upset by Mississippi (8-3) on-the-road 25-23. The Ole Miss Rebels, after a slow start to the season, felt like they were stepping in high cotton. LSU has played the 22nd toughest schedule in the country. The Tigers end their season hosting Arkansas this week.
19) Clemson (8-3) Beat Virginia 34-21. Travels to South Carolina (6-5) to end its season. The Tigers have played the 33rd toughest schedule.
20) Mississippi (8-3) Upset LSU 25-23. Predicted to be a top team in the preseason polls, Ole Miss is finally coming of age. Mississippi travels to in-state rival Mississippi State to end its season this week. The Ole Miss Rebels have played the 55th toughest schedule this season.
21) Wisconsin (8-3) Was upset by Northwestern (8-4) on-the-road 33-31. Only other losses were to Ohio State and Iowa. The Badgers have played the 62nd toughest schedule. Wisconsin ends its season December 5 at Hawaii.
22) Oklahoma State (9-2) Slipped by Colorado 31-28. Simply not relevant this year with 11-0 Texas in the same Big 12 South Division. The Cowboys hit the road to end their season at Oklahoma (6-5) this week. They face one of the year's biggest disappointmentsthe Sooners. Oklahoma State has played the 67th toughest schedule.
23) Navy (8-3) Idle this week. Travels to Hawaii next. The Midshipmen have played the 72nd toughest schedule.
24) Brigham Young (9-2) Beat Air Force 38-21 but must stand in line behind the first 23 picks because the Cougars have played the 80th toughest schedule. Has big season-ending showdown with in-state rival Uath (9-2) next. Somebody is going to be unhappy, the Cougars hope it will not be them since they are playing host to the Utes.
24) Utah (9-2) Beat San Diego State 38-7 but must stand in line behind the first 24 picks because the Utes have played the 82nd toughest schedule. Travel to BYU (9-2) for end of year showdown.
"Hey Laddie, bring me a double shot of Jameson."
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