B/R Top 25 College Football Poll: Week Six
October 1, 2008
Ah, the trials and tribulations of conference play—when the vaunted SEC and the recently renamed Slack-10 prove to be equally perilous.
Neither Florida nor Georgia was spared the Trojans’ fate, and they were joined by six other top 25 teams in defeat in Week Five.
Now we find out who can regroup and keep up with the power conference unbeatens in this nationally televised game of minesweeper we play each fall.
Might as well start tracking it now…college football’s magic number (unbeaten teams from power conferences) is already down to 11. With Big 12 play kicking off this weekend, that number is sure to dwindle in a hurry.
On the strength of a record turnout at our ballot box, Oklahoma assumes the top spot in this week’s B/R Top 25, while Nick Saban and Alabama vault all the way to No. 2.
Number of Voters: 98
Click on each team for more commentary from our pollsters.
Previous: 3
Last Week: Beat TCU 35-10
This Week: at Baylor
There is only one story in Norman this week—the week before the Red River Rivalry.
Remember what happened the week before Texas in 2007.
OU went to unranked Colorado, and after cashing in a third quarter interception for a touchdown, led 24-7 in Boulder. Then the wheels came off the Sooner Schooner.
Colorado scored 20 unanswered points, including Kevin Eberhart’s 45-yard game-winning field goal as time expired—a loss that ultimately kept Oklahoma out of the national championship game.
This year, an equally unassuming Baylor is the pre-Texas opponent. Just in case the Sooners don’t remember what last year’s loss felt like, FSN Southwest has been replaying the Buffs upset.
Previous: 7
Last Week: Beat Georgia 41-30
This Week: Kentucky
Don’t let the final score fool you. Saturday’s hedge-trimming in Athens was nowhere close to being an 11-point ballgame.
This is why fan bases clamor for coaching changes, and why for the folks in Tuscaloosa, million per year is a small price to pay. In less than two full years on the job, Nick Saban has catapulted the Crimson Tide to its highest ranking since 1993.
Bob Stoops won a national title in just his second season at OU. Urban Meyer recently accomplished the feat in his third year at the helm in Florida. Can Saban become the third head coach since the turn of the millennium to win a BCS title without recruiting a senior?
A November visit to LSU is the only remaining road game against a ranked team. But first the Tide must contend with its third straight undefeated opponent, Kentucky.
Previous: 5
Last Week: Beat Mississippi State 34-24
This Week: BYE
LSU is the only program in the country guaranteed to be unbeaten next week, by virtue of the open date this Saturday. So if I had to guess who will be No. 1 in our poll next week…
The sinker on the Tigers’ preseason line was the instability and inexperience under center. With Jarrett Lee, they seem to have found a quarterback with the talent and audacity to execute Les Miles’ coaching decisions. That’s a dangerous proposition for the rest of the SEC.
Previous: 6
Last Week: BYE
This Week: at Nebraska
Nebraska brought Bo Pelini in to restore its reputation as a dominant defensive program. Last Saturday’s loss to Virginia Tech proved that objective is still a couple years—and recruiting classes—away. But the Husker faithful are hoping Pelini can somehow concoct a scheme to stop the nation’s second-rated offense and upset Missouri.
The Tigers spent their bye week watching top 25s tumble and preparing to visit a Memorial Stadium in which none of them have won a collegiate game. Mizzou has lost 15 in a row in Lincoln, while the Cornhuskers have been victorious in 30 straight conference home openers.
It sounds like the perfect formula for another top five upset—which is exactly why it won’t happen, right?
Previous: 8
Last Week: Beat Arkansas 52-10
This Week: at Colorado
If you asked me for one reason why the Longhorns will win the Big 12, and one reason they won’t, my answer would be the same.
Colt McCoy.
Through the non-conference slate, he looks like Colt circa 2006, which is high praise. He’s completed 80 percent of his attempts and ranks second in the country in passing efficiency.
But he’s also Texas’ leading rusher.
Watching the ‘Horns play, it’s both impressive and exciting to see Colt dash and dive for a 35-yard score. But the fact that he’s rushed for 100 more yards than Cody Johnson—the next leading rusher—is a huge red flag.
First, it shows the Longhorns have not been able to establish a consistent running back to complement McCoy’s arm. Second, it means the starting quarterback will be taking more hits like the one against Kansas State laid on him the last time he was putting up numbers like this.
Previous: 10
Last Week: Beat Illinois 38-24
This Week: at Purdue
With a conference schedule that will send the Nittany Lions to Columbus and Camp Randall for night games, there was understandable reluctance to make Penn State the Big 11 favorite.
But at this point, we have no choice. Happy Valley is home to the conference’s top scoring offense, top backfield, and second-best passing attack.
However, Beaver Stadium will be empty in four of the next five game weeks, as Joe Pa and company hit the road starting this Saturday against Purdue.
Previous: 12
Last Week: BYE
This Week: at Utah State
The last time BYU lost a game was September 15, 2007 in Tulsa.
Since then, the Cougars have strung together 15 straight, the nation’s longest winning streak that is sure to be extended this Friday against 1-3 Utah State.
Now if ESPN would just put this team on TV, I could stop having to read about Max Hall and actually watch the sixth-rated quarterback in the nation.
Previous: 11
Last Week: BYE
This Week: at Kansas State
I know we joke about college football being a popularity contest—or in this election year, a campaign.
But Mike Leach is taking it a bit too seriously, don’t you think?
The Red Raider’s head coach made an appearance on almost every nationally syndicated talk show during the bye week. Seriously, the admitted pirate lover was swashbuckling through the AM dial, and it was great radio. Let’s just hope he worked his team as hard as he worked the phones.
Previous: 13
Last Week: Beat NC State 41-10
This Week: Pittsburgh
Not the Hurricanes. Not the Gators. Not the Seminoles.
Florida’s lone representative in the top 10? The Bulls.
Be forewarned South Florida. Thursday night is where ranked teams go to die. Ask West Virginia or USC.
But as awkward as it sounds, the Bulls are well-prepared to handle this hype. They achieved a top 10 ranking last season, rising as high as No. 2, before plummeting with three straight losses.
With a returning coaching staff and quarterback, South Florida will manage expectations better this season. Easing into the conference schedule with two home games against Pitt and Syracuse should help.
Previous: 1
Last Week: Lost to Oregon State 27-21
This Week: No. 23 Oregon
This is an overreaction: a knee-jerk response to a loss on the road against what should be a bowl team—and one that historically gives USC trouble.
The fact of the matter is that USC would be favored on a neutral field against every team in country save Oklahoma. Ask Vegas.
That’s not to say that the Trojans don’t deserve criticism, and even cynicism.
Just realize that if this team has to settle for another Rose Bowl invitation, some unfortunate Big 11 team is going to get another thrashing.
Previous: 2
Last Week: Lost to Alabama 41-30
This Week: BYE
Previous: 4
Last Week: Lost to Ole Miss 31-30
This Week: at Arkansas
Previous: 14
Last Week: Beat Tennessee 14-12
This Week: at No. 18 Vanderbilt
Previous: 17
Last Week: Beat Weber State 37-21
This Week: Oregon State
Previous: 15
Last Week: Beat Minnesota 34-21
This Week: at No. 19 Wisconsin
Previous: 18
Last Week: BYE
This Week: Louisiana Tech
Previous: 19
Last Week: BYE
This Week: at Iowa State
Previous: 20
Last Week: BYE
This Week: No. 13 Auburn
Previous: 9
Last Week: Lost to Michigan 27-25
This Week: No. 15 Ohio State
Previous: NR
Last Week: Beat Troy 55-24
This Week: Texas A&M
Previous: NR
Last Week: Beat Nebraska 35-30
This Week: Western Kentucky
Previous: NR
Last Week: Beat Louisville 26-21
This Week: at North Carolina
Previous: NR
Last Week: Beat Washington State 63-14
This Week: at No. 10 USC
Previous: 25
Last Week: Beat UCLA 36-31
This Week: Hawaii
Previous: NR
Last Week: Beat Indiana 42-29
This Week: Iowa
Also receiving votes: Wake Forest, Northwestern, Maryland, Kentucky, Tulsa, Ball State, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, California, Clemson, Ole Miss, TCU, North Carolina, Kansas State, Florida State, Oregon State, Nebraska, Michigan, Illinois, Colorado, Duke
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