College Football Power Rankings: An Unbiased Top 25 Teams Based On Performance
Every year fans wait for the college football pre-season rankings to come out to see where their team ranks.
But does it really matter?
You bet it does. Teams that start high in the poll, like Penn State, don't drop out of the rankings even after their first loss, even though they should.
Other teams start their years off 4-0, but find themselves at the bottom of the rankings because they started the year not ranked.
Right now there are six one-loss teams in the AP poll, but maybe only two of those six actually belong in the top 25.
So here is the nations real top 25 teams after four weeks of play.
25. South Carolina
1 of 25
South Carolina was climbing the rankings prior to their lone loss at Auburn.
Spurrier has his best team in a while, and this team will recover to be a good team in the SEC.
24. Michigan State
2 of 25
Michigan State has yet to lose, but they haven't crushed anyone either.
Is Notre Dame even considered a big win anymore?
23. USC
3 of 25
USC hasn't been amazing, but they haven't been awful.
In their four wins, they have already beaten three BCS conference teams, and I suppose that is worth something.
USC's offense has looked good, but in an explosive PAC10 conference their defense might cost them four or five games this year.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Missouri Tigers
4 of 25
Missouri finds themselves at 4-0, but left out of the AP poll.
Missouri begins Big XII play with two winnable games against Colorado and Texas A&M, and have already beat a Big Ten opponent (Illinois).
Their win against San Diego State may not seem impressive, until you realize that the Aztecs currently have the nation's seventh best offense.
This Missouri team is underrated, keep an eye on them.
21. Northwestern
5 of 25
Northwestern is 4-0, and quite possibly the most underrated team in the nation.
They are Northwestern after all.
Northwestern has a great quarterback in Dan Persa who has already thrown for over 1000 yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception. He also has 172 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns.
The Wildcats opened their season with a win over an SEC opponent in Vanderbilt, and begin Big Ten play with four winnable games against Minnesota, Purdue, Michigan State, and Indiana.
However, the back part of their schedule is loaded with games against Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
20. Michigan
6 of 25
Michigan is overrated for a simple reason, Denard Robinson.
Robinson has absolutely lit up Michigan's non-conference opponents...but so did Tate Forcier last year.
Michigan is 4-0, and that is an improvement from years past. But, they are simply beating teams they are supposed to beat. Let's see what happens when Robinson has to play a Big Ten foe.
Don't be surprised if Michigan suffers a loss in Indiana this weekend.
19. Kansas State
7 of 25
Kansas State is a confusing team.
They already have a win in the Big XII, and they defeated UCLA, a team that has beaten ranked team in consecutive weeks.
Yet there closest game has come against the University of Central Florida.
However, that game looks like an aberration.
Kansas State has one of the best running backs in the nation in Daniel Thomas, and he will carry this team on his back for as long as he can.
If Kansas State can knock off the Huskers in two weeks, then expect them to shoot up the rankings.
18. Oklahoma State
8 of 25
OK, so Oklahoma State barely beat Troy, and that's because their defense is awful.
But, what I want to know is, who can stop that offense?
Right now Oklahoma State has the No. 1 offense in the nation, and they have look incredible.
Brandon Weeden is averaging 325 yards a game passing, Kendall Hunter is averaging 158 yards a game rushing, and Justin Blackmon is averaging 110 yards a game receiving.
The Big XII has looked weak defensively this year, and Oklahoma State may have the team to knock off both Texas and Oklahoma and win the Big XII South.
17. Utah
9 of 25
The Utes are tearing up the Mountain West, but does that mean anything?
Utah was counting on an early season matchup against Pittsburgh to add strength to their schedule, but after Pittsburgh's awful loss in Miami their legitimacy is in question.
How good is Utah? No one will really know until they play TCU, well unless they lose before then.
16. North Carolina State
10 of 25
North Carolina State is another team that has not lost in 2010.
The Wolfpack treated Georgia Tech and Cincinnati to convincing early season beat downs.
Who knows what that means in 2010, but in 2009 those were two pretty good teams.
Keep an eye on the 'Pack as they have two big games the next two weeks against Boston College and Virginia Tech.
15. Nevada
11 of 25
Nevada may have the most exciting player, and team in the nation.
So far this year Nevada has cruised past its opponents, which has included California and BYU.
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has 15 total touchdowns (say what!?) and should be in the Heisman conversation.
This team should run the table until they meet Boise State in their second to last game.
Watch them when you can, but don't expect their WAC matchups to be on prime time too often.
14. Oklahoma
12 of 25
Oklahoma hasn't lost yet, but they haven't been impressive either.
They beat Utah State by a touchdown. They beat Air Force by a field goal. They beat Cincinnati by two points.
Oklahoma is lucky to be entering Big XII play undefeated, but it is not likely to last very long.
13. LSU
13 of 25
LSU is good, don't get me wrong.
Well their defense is good anyway.
But barely beating West Virginia isn't impressive. Neither was barely sneaking by a North Carolina team that was missing nearly all of their defensive starters.
LSU is overrated, but their defense is so talented that they may only drop one or two games this year.
12. Wisconsin
14 of 25
Wisconsin's strength really depends on how good Arizona State is.
Arizona State outplayed Wisconsin, but came with a loss because of a missed extra point.
This past week Arizona State got manhandled by Oregon, so that may not bode well for Wisconsin.
11. Arkansas
15 of 25
Arkansas is a darn good team.
How do I know that? Because they had an off game and still nearly beat the best team in the nation.
Arkansas shouldn't lose another game this year if Mallet can perform like he is supposed to.
10. TCU
16 of 25
TCU brags victories against Oregon State, Baylor, and SMU.
What does that mean?
To be honest, I don't think it means much. TCU is good, but they aren't as good as years past.
After last year's defeat to Boise State in their bowl game, TCU may never get a shot at a national title.
9. Arizona
17 of 25
Arizona is confusing.
They outplayed Iowa, then barely got by California.
Regardless, they have two wins against quality opponents, one of which was supposed to be one of the best the Big Ten had to offer.
8. Florida
18 of 25
Florida looked sluggish through their first three games, but were explosive in their first SEC game against Kentucky.
Did they find their stride just in time to face Alabama?
7. Nebraska
19 of 25
The Huskers are a good team.
But are they great?
Last week's effort against South Dakota State has Husker fans everywhere concerned.
But man, that victory against Washington was IMPRESSIVE.
6. Auburn
20 of 25
Auburn may have the most impressive resume of any college football team in 2010.
They already have beaten Mississippi State, Clemson, and South Carolina.
Can they keep it up?
If quarterback Cam Newton stays healthy, then they have a shot to do something miraculous.
5. Stanford
21 of 25
Stanford has crushed UCLA, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame.
Oh, and they may have the nation's best quarterback.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
4. Boise State
22 of 25
Boise State handled its two non-conference games that were supposed to be the only thing between them and a national championship.
Virginia Tech and Oregon State were middle of the road teams, but Boise State still finds themselves ranked third in the AP poll.
The only thing between Boise State and a national title?
Well the Big XII, Big Ten, and SEC will likely have to produce at least two undefeated teams. Or Nevada has to beat Boise State.
3. Ohio State
23 of 25
Ohio State has looked impressive, but they have only played one real team.
They beat Miami by 12 points, however, the game wasn't as close as the score suggests.
Frankly, there are just some teams with more impressive resumes than Ohio State right now.
2. Oregon
24 of 25
Oregon has what may the most high powered offense in the nation.
Tennessee and Arizona State both found that out the hard way.
Oregon's hardest test may come this week against Stanford. A win this week could push Oregon past Boise State and Ohio State in the AP poll.
1. Alabama
25 of 25
Alabama is amazingly good yet again.
They absolutely thumped Penn State, and sneaked past a great Arkansas team.
Alabama may have the nation's two best running backs on the same team, and their quarterback is more than adequate.
And their defense showed they aren't too bad as they dominated Heisman candidate Ryan Mallet in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
