Week 15 rankings

Well, if anything, we learned who the real best team in the country is. I can't say I'm too happy about it, but it is what it is. Here we go.

1. Alabama (13-0): Well, there's really no question left about it now, is there?
2. Texas Christian (12-0): They've played like the second best team in the country all year and deserve to play for the title.
3. Texas (13-0): That didn't look like a championship team. If not for a stupid horse-collar tackle by Nebraska, the Huskers are playing in Glendale, with Texas probably playing in the Orange.
4. Cincinnati (12-0): Are they better than the Longhorns as well? Probably not, but their one point win was arguably better than Texas'.
5. Florida (12-1): Alabama pretty much annihilated Florida. Without Dunlap to put pressre on McElroy, the Florida D couldn't get pressure to force the Tide into making mistakes. A date with Cincy probably awaits in the Sugar Bowl.

Week 14 rankings

Not much to say this week- Les Miles remembered how to coach, and I grudgingly moved Southern Cal back into the rankings. The national semi-final is all set for the SEC Championship next week, and there's some small upheval in the top five.

1. Florida (12-0): They had the best performance of any of the three big contenders this weekend. Tim may have cried before the game, but the Gators dominated and never looked back. This team is starting to fire on all cylinders at just the right time.
2. Alabama (12-0): Going down 14 points on the road in a rivalry game isn;t the best way to start off, but Bama showed that even if that does happen, they are prepared to handle it and win the game.
3. Texas Christian (12-0): They just looked better than Texas this weekend. They dominated a very dominate-able team, but like I said, they've often looked better than Texas this season. Rivalry weekend was the straw that broke the camel's back.
4. Texas (12-0): Unlike Florida, they didn't dominate. Unlike Bama, they never seemed like they would need a big comeback. They just played a sloppy game against a rival. You can't do that this late in the season, especially with a very good Nebraska defense up next.
5. Cincinnati (11-0): Remember Tony Pike? He's back. Six TDs on the day makes you wonder, would he have been running away with the Heisman if he hadn't been hurt?

Week 13 rankings

So, nothing too crazy happened this weekend. USC's defense managed a shutout. Taylor Mays and co. were tremndously helped out by the fact that they had a bye-week. By the way, they're still not ranked. You don't climb back in with a bye week.

In the only matchup of ranked teams, LSU fell to Mississippi on what has got to be one of the dumbest plays I have ever seen. Why wait until there's single digits on the clock, Les? You rarely see hail marys completed, and once you do you gotta get your field goal team out there. If anyone was wondering, I was going to blog about how I think LSU will win a close one, because Dexter McCluster scares me- looks like I was right on one count. Anyways, without further ado, here's this week's top teams.

1. Florida (11-0): Yes, they're back at number one. I think this is the fifth time Florida and Alabama have switched spots in the rankings, which says a lot about these clubs. Florida dominated a better team in FIU compared to Alabama's dominating (but less so) performance against a I-AA team.
2. Alabama (11-0): As long as Alabama shows up this week, they're going to beat Auburn (probably). What more can I say? If they and Florida take care of business as they should, the National SEC Championship in Atlanta will be the most important game of the year.
3. Texas (11-0): The Longhorns are still hanging around. They get to beat up on the Aggies before Nebraska gives them a much tougher game than anyone thinks they will.
4. Texas Christian (11-0): This is why college football needs a playoff. Many times over the past few weeks I've considered moving the Horned Frogs up to number three. That they don't get to play for a championship is a damn shame. Can we at least get a plus one?
5. Cincinnati (10-0): The Bearcats got a week heal the wounded (Tony Pike- remember him?) before pretty much a scrimmage against Illinois this week. I bet Cincy would love it if Nebraska were to show up Texas in two weeks... But Cincy has to win in Pittsburgh for it to matter.

Week 12 rankings

1. Alabama (10-0): They put Mississippi State away a lot easier than Florida did, and also did it a lot easier than Florida put away South Carolina. The waffling continues, because as of right now, Alabama is the top team in the country. After an off week (i.e. game against Chattanooga) the Tide faces Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
2. Florida (10-0): As a Florida fan, I was dying for about 2 and a half quarters. I'd never been happier than when Justin Trattou grabbed that ball out of the air, separated biceps and all. The Gamecocks are good, but the Gators shouldn't have had the problems they did. A game like that against Alabama won't cut it.
3. Texas (10-0): Another week, another chance for Texas to beat up on a cellar-dweller. Nebraska could end up making it an interesting game should they meet in the Big 12 championship game.
4. Texas Chrisitian (10-0): I'm really surprised that Utah managed as many points as they did, but it wasn't enough. While TCU has only two games left, Boise State has three. Will that hurt the Horned Frogs? I doubt it.
5. Cincinnati (10-0): The Bearcats have what should be a laugher against Illinois coming up before the big showdown with Pitt. If the Panthers beat WVU, then it will be for the Big East title and  BCS bid, because fo some reason, if Pitt wins, I think the Bearcats will be left in the cold by the BCS.

Week 10 rankings

1. Florida (8-0): For the first time this year, they looked like the Gators of 2008. Yeah, it came against Georgia, but it was rivalry game, and those can be crazy. Ask the 2006 USC squad.
2. Alabama (8-0): Alabama had the week off to prepare for #6 LSU this week, and despite Texas's big win against Oklahoma State, I think Alabama is still the more impressive team.
3. Texas (8-0): Dayum Texas, that's the kinda shellackin' people have expected from you all year. With Oklahoma State taken care of, all Texas must do is avoid the upset until they reach Pasadena.
4. Iowa (9-0): Those first three quarters were textbook Iowa football. The last quarter was surreal. If they can play whole games like they played in the first quarter, the Big 10 could be sending a team to the national championship for the third time in four years.
5. Cincinnati (8-0): An admirable performance by Cincinnati and a three touchdown win wasn't enough to keep Iowa from jumping them again. Still, with a backup quarterback in, that's not a bad week for the Bearcats. They get UConn at home this week.

Week 9 rankings

For once, a week in college football where a top 5 team didn't fall, though Alabama did their damnedest. That said, there were some ranked teams that lost and will be falling down (or falling out of) the rankings.
So without further ado, here's the new top 25 for week 9.

1. Alabama (8-0): They may have had a rough time against Tennessee, but even elite teams don't completely dominate every week. That game reminded me of Florida vs South Carolina in 2006. The Tide are certainly good enough to win it all.
2. Florida (7-0): It was better than last week's game against Arkansas... kind of. Tebow needs to stop making bad throws, and Steve Addazio needs to work on his play calling. If the Gator offense can't get it together, Georgia will be tougher than anyone thinks.
3. Texas (7-0): There's the Colt McCoy we're looking for! Texas absolutely lit up a good Mizzou team, which does not bode well for the rest of the Big 12.
4. Cincinnati (7-0): They jump Iowa because of the way they win. Cincinnati does not play teams close. Blowing out Louisville is just the latest example.
5. Iowa (8-0): Iowa has won every game they've played in so far this year, and they've done it in the ugliest way possible. They needed a touchdown on 4th down with two seconds left this week. Still, ugly or not, they are undefeated.

This weekend's previews: #18 Southern Cal @ #24 Notre Dame

The rivalry between the Fighting Irish and the Trojans will be renewed this weekend, as both teams come into the matchup ranked since the 2005 classic.
This is an interesting matchup, as it's a bit hard to get a read on either of these teams. Each team has a loss, though Notre Dame's loss (on the road at Michigan) is arguably better than USC's (on the road at Washington). I know some of you may be barking that USC played that game with their backup quarterback, but with such superior athletes, and against a team that was winless the previous season, USC really had no excuse for losing that game.