College Football Six-Game Midterms: Nebraska, Oregon Rank Among Overachievers

After hitting the "Publish" button for this article, a flak jacket may come in handy.

If I call your team an Overachiever, it means your team for whatever reason has made a substantial move up from the preseason USA Today Coaches' Poll to the recently-released Week 7 Coaches' Poll. 

The Overachiever designation does not mean your team is not deserving of the ranking.  In fact, the opposite is indeed true.

A team that is an Underachiever fell from preseason grace by at least seven slots.  If that's your team, it is termed as such because the coaches voting in the preseason poll overestimated your team's ability to win and win convincingly.

Remember the basis behind these numbers: "It is what it is."

If I got a wrong number and it isn't what it is, shoot me a nice comment to let me know.

And, don't come after my throat.  As Elton John once said, "Don't look at me.  I'm just the piano player."

Overachievers, with Coaches' Preseason Rank/Coaches' Week 7 Rank

Nebraska: 9/4  From poll sitter to an answer to the BCS national championship question.

Oregon: 11/2  In the driver's seat, from the second ten to "win out, baby?"

Auburn 23/7  From barely there to the highest ranked SEC team.

LSU: 16/9  The Tigers are playing some crazy football, but it seems to be working.

Arkansas: 19/13  Slowly advancing, but still fourth conference team.

Utah: T24/10  Outside chance to look in, needs to beat TCU to complete an incredible run.

Arizona: 29/20  One of two Pac-10 teams becoming significant.

Stanford: 32/15  The other one.

South Carolina: 34/12  Few predicted this.

Missouri: 37/19  Nice move, scary Hallowe'en: Oklahoma 10-23, at Nebraska 10-30.

Oklahoma State: 39/18  Helping the conference, one iwn at a time, Nebraska 10-23.

Michigan State: 41/11  Mark Dantonio: Talk about convalescing!

Underachievers, with Coaches' Preseason Rank/Coaches' Week 7 Rank

Alabama: 1/8  Nice run, and they could start another if it weren't for LSU and Auburn.

Florida: 3/22  The race is against South Carolina.

Texas: 4/28  I don't like to see a proud program fall so far.

Virginia Tech: 6/30  The Hokies are fortunate to have a weak ACC Coastal.

Miami: 13/26:  The Hurricanes are also fortunate to have a weak ACC Coastal.

Underachievers Now Out of the Poll

Penn State: 14  The Nittany Lions have a long way to go to win their way back in.

Pittsburgh: 15  Resuscitation!  Big East play begins 10-16 at Syracuse.

Georgia Tech: 17  Still an ACC Coastal contender.

North Carolina: 18  Still an ACC Coastal contender.

Georgia: 21  Memories.  2005 Sugar Bowl: Richt and Rodriguez most handsome coaching combo.