Bleacher Creature College Football Poll: Gators Back On Top...Barely

Since the Gators hoisted the crystal football in Miami in January, Florida (and their Heisman winning quarterback) have been the odds on favorites of just about everyone to repeat as National Champions this season.

But as the season has progressed, the Gators have not quite lived up to being the dominant team everyone perceived them to be. Instead, Urban Meyer's squad has used a suffocating defense to win games.

Those wins may not always have the sparkle of a blowout. Winning 41-7 certainly looks better than winning 29-19 or 23-20, but only on the surface. Winning with defense may not be as flashy, but when it works it can be just as exciting.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have used a strong defense to reach 8-0 for the first time in school history, Alabama still controls its own National Title destiny thanks in large part to its defense led by Mount Cody, and Oregon has climbed back into the national picture (after a disastrous opening) thanks in large part to its surprisingly dominant defensive play.

Defense wins championships...so they say.

The conference breakdown for Week Nine is as follows: SEC (5), Big East (3), Big XII (3), Big Ten (3), ACC (3), Pac-10 (3), Mountain West (2), Conference-USA (1), WAC (1), Independents (1)

To view how each pollster voted click here .

Now, on to the Week Nine Bleacher Creature College Football Rankings...

1. Florida (12) 601

2. Alabama (6) 599

3. Texas (6) 591

4. Iowa 509

5. Cincinnati 500

6. USC 493

7. TCU (1) 488

8. Boise State 472

9. Oregon 421

10. LSU 399

11. Georgia Tech 369

12.  Penn State 354

13. Oklahoma State 290

14. Virginia Tech 276

15. Pittsburgh 254

16. Houston 246

17. Ohio State 213

18. Utah 190

19. West Virginia 167

20. Miami (Fl) 154

21. South Carolina 130

22. Arizona 86

23. Oklahoma 73

24. Notre Dame 66

25. Ole Miss 41

Others Receiving Votes: BYU 28, Central Michigan 24, Cal 23, Wisconsin 23, Clemson 16, Kansas 4, Nebraska 3, Navy 1, South Florida 1

If you would like to become a pollster in the Bleacher Creature Poll all you have to do is send your weekly rankings to [e-mail] . All polls must be received by 3:00 AM ET (12 AM PT) on each Monday (or by the end of the day Sunday). If you have questions please contact Kristofer Green .

Bleacher Creature Pollsters: 78Lion, Allen Kenney, BabyTate, Brad Vipperman, Bret Feddern, Brooks Webb, Caleb M, Carl Stine, Dan Scofield, Dean Walker, Delane Kelley, Garrett Traggorth, GeorgiaDawg, HD Handshoe, James Crytzer, Jameson Fleming, Joe Guarr, Joel Barker, Joseph Morgan, Justin Potts, Keith Shelton, Kevin McGrady, Kevin Trahan, Kristofer Green, Les Adkins, Mark Welling, Michael Collins, Michael Foster, Michael Oleszek, Michael Shibley, Misthaufen, Mitch Wilson, Mitchell Morse, Paul Salman, Peter Rohman, Rick McMahan, Ron Clements, Ryan Jelley, Sportscaster007, Tiger Histalmos, Timothy Croley, Tyler Stimson.