Bleacher Report's College Football Top25: Week 12

With two Big East losses, the Bearcats trail the one-loss Huskies and Mountaineers in the standings.  But an upset of West Virginia on Saturday would give Cincinnati the head-to-head advantage over both teams. 

If West Virginia could then hand Connecticut its second conference loss, guess who’s going to the BCS?

From West Virginia’s perspective, this is a third consecutive must-win game.  Victories over Rutgers and Louisville have bumped the Mountaineers back into the BCS Top 10.  However, an upset loss this weekend means a Gator Bowl bid at best.

#6  Missouri  (9-1)
Previous:  7
Strength of Schedule: 43
Last Week:  Beat Texas A&M 40-26
This Week:  at Kansas State (+7)

If the Tigers can sweep the Sunflower State in the next two weeks, they’ll earn the rematch with Oklahoma that the Columbia contingent so desperately craves.

But before the conference championship in San Antonio, and before the Big12 North championship in Kansas City, Missouri must first win in Manhattan this weekend.

K-State appears to be coming apart at the seams, losing three of the last four, including a 73-31 thrashing at the hands of lowly Nebraska.

As with Kansas, let’s hope that Missouri doesn’t look ahead to next week’s showdown—because the rest of the college football world surely is.

#7  Ohio State  (10-1)
Previous:  1
Strength of Schedule: 46
Last Week:  Lost to Illinois 28-21
This Week:  at Michigan (No Line)

It’s always windy in Big Ten country—but especially so this week, as college football fans breathe a sigh of relief.

Thank you, Juice Williams.

What a crime it would have been to see the BCS’ weakest conference send a representative to the National Championship Game.

Anyone else tired of hearing about all the bowl-eligible teams in the Big Ten?  For the record, there are already 10 of them.  Only Minnesota will finish with a losing record this season.

But here are some of the nonconference gems the Big Ten schedules have to offer:

Ohio State 33, Washington 14
Oregon 39, Michigan 7
Missouri 40, Illinois 34
Illinois 41, Syracuse 20
Washington St. 21, Wisconsin 42
Syracuse 0, Iowa 35
Iowa 13, Iowa St. 15
Duke 20, Northwestern 14
Michigan St. 17, Pittsburgh 13

Ladies and gentlemen, that is the comprehensive list of non-conference games the Big Ten played against BCS opponents this season. 

The Big Ten’s combined record in those games, 5-4.  And only two of those opponents—Oregon and Missouri—have winning records in their own conference.  (Disclaimer: Michigan, Penn St., Michigan St., and Purdue all played and beat independent Notre Dame.) 

Pathetic.

Several of our pollsters represent the Big Ten.  Personally, I am a fan of the conference and respect its athletic programs.  But as a fan, this has to stop. 

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