College Football's Top 10 and BCS Poll Projection: Auburn Takes Over
The screwball world of college football places many demands on teams attempting to navigate into the paradise of an undefeated season.
The most recent additions to that world are the awe-inspiring Auburn Tigers, the steel-nerved Spartans of Michigan State, the always ready-to-perform TCU Horned Frogs and the bruising Tigers of Missouri.
Utah and Oregon continued to remain undefeated without any real challenge during the past weekend.
Boise State did not have a game scheduled.
Michigan State seemed dead in the water at Northwestern when head coach Mark Dantonio suckered the Wildcats of Pat Fitzgerald with a fake punt play known as "The Mousetrap." Asked why he calls it that, the Spartan boss man revealed "because we bait them into taking the cheese." The result was a 35-27 comeback victory for the mean green squad.
The ponderous Tigers from Missouri knocked Oklahoma all over the field while the Sooners demonstrated their latest lapse of brain activity known as the missed tackle. A 36-27 debacle was the result for OU coach Bob Stoops.
The men from Fort Worth, Texas found themselves in a dogfight, or whatever kind of fight it is when a frog and falcon do battle, with the "Zoomies" of The Air Force Academy. The "Purple Men of Texas" awoke to slash and gash the Air Force Mountain West Title hopes, 38-7.
But nowhere was the sound louder than in the land on the plains of Alabama, where mighty Auburn brought down the undefeated LSU Tigers in the SEC game of the year, 24-17.
Hail, hail, to the conquering heroes!
The Top 10 For 10-24-10
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The Top 10
Ranking This Week: Last Week:
No.1: Boise State (1)
No.2: Auburn (7)
No.3: Oregon (3)
No.4: TCU (4)
No.5: Michigan State (9)
No.6: Utah (6)
No.7: Wisconsin N/R
No.8: Missouri N/R
No.9: Nebraska (10 Tie)
No.10 (Tie) Ohio State (10 Tie)
No.10 (Tie) Alabama (10 Tie)
Let's break the three-way tie at No.10 by giving the Cornhuskers credit for going on the road and defeating previously unbeaten Oklahoma State, 51-41.
We move Missouri and Wisconsin up as a reward for sensational victories against formidable opponents.
Michigan State edges closer to the top as a result of the thrilling comeback victory over rugged Northwestern.
Utah, TCU and Oregon hold their positions because they did what was needed and expected.
Auburn jumps five positions with its fantastic performance against previously undefeated LSU. The case could be argued that Auburn is the most impressive team to come out of the SEC in the BCS era.
But the gold medal position is still held by Boise State, who remains No. 1 in the nation.
The Week 2 BCS Poll Projection
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BCS Projection For This Week BCS Ranking Last Week
No.1: Auburn (4)
No.2: Oregon (2)
No.3: Boise State (3)
No.4: TCU (5)
No.5: Michigan State (7)
No.6: Missouri (11)
No.7: Alabama (8)
No.8: Utah (9)
No.9: Ohio State (10)
No.10: Oklahoma (1)
The Auburn Tigers should ascend to the top spot in the latest BCS Poll based upon their spectacular win over the powerful LSU Tigers and their portfolio of work to this point of the season.
College Football's Regional Rankings
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The East
The Syracuse Orange made a statement on Saturday afternoon that was heard throughout the college football world.
Relying upon stealth, defense and opportunity, the men from New York state brought the hammer down on West Virginia's chase for an undefeated Big East season, 19-14.
The impressive Orange (see picture) took the lead in the first half and held the explosive Mountaineer offense scoreless in the second half to take the stunning victory in Morgantown.
Pittsburgh continued to be viewed as a Big East favorite by crushing Rutgers, 41-21 while UConn surrendered to Louisville, 26-0.
In other other Big East action, South Florida smacked Cincinnati, 38-30.
October is the month of action in the Ivy League. Brown kept Cornell in the basement with a 13-point victory and Penn continued to lead the pack by handling Yale, 27-20.
Dartmouth trimmed Columbia, 24-21 and Harvard smashed Princeton, 45-28.
The Temple Owls improved to 6-2 on the year following a 42-0 thrashing of Buffalo.
Army stood down for the week in preparation of the clash next week with VMI.
Navy was up and about leading to a 35-17 rout of Notre Dame.
Maryland traveled north and survived against Boston College, 24-21.
The Top Three
No.1: Pittsburgh
No.2: Syracuse
No.3: West Virginia
The South
Big games come and big games go in the ultra-competitive SEC, but it is difficult to imagine a more anticipated meeting than when the Tigers meet the Tigers, either in the Bayou or on the plains.
Auburn scored late to defeat LSU in the SEC's big battle of unbeaten titans in 2010 and rightfully carries the majestic rewards as a result of such an accomplishment.
Mississippi State escaped the UAB trap by easing past the Blazers, 29-24 but Ole Miss was not so fortunate, losing to up and down Arkansas by a 38-24 verdict.
Clemson eased past unpredictable Georgia Tech, 27-13 in a rematch of last season's ACC Championship game.
Virginia Tech won its sixth straight game, Miami continued to roll and even Virginia came up with a big win over Eastern Michigan.
South Carolina appeared to be sleepwalking during a 21-7 victory at Vanderbilt, but Alabama was wide awake and feasting on cupcake Tennessee, 41-10.
Georgia improved to 4-4 on the season by blitzing Kentucky, 44-31.
Fans everywhere were doing a double take on the scrolling ticker but, the information was true. Western Kentucky snapped its long losing streak by defeating Louisiana-Lafayette, 54-21.
The Top Three:
No.1: Auburn
No.2: Alabama
No.3: LSU
The Southwest
The Nebraska Cornhuskers, properly embarrassed last week at home by woe-begone Texas, tackled the difficult assignment of trying to outscore undefeated Oklahoma State in Stillwater.
The Big Red was true to its convictions and executed a brilliant offensive gameplan to overhaul the Cowboys, 51-41.
Exciting quarterback Taylor Martinez set the Nebraska record for freshmen quarterbacks with 323 yards through the air, resulting in five touchdowns.
An area of concern continues to be the rush defense, which was shredded for 212 yards by explosive Okie State.
The Cornhusker passing defense was no better, giving up 283 yards.
The defense will be tested again by another undefeated squad this week when the red-hot Missouri Tigers come to Lincoln for a Big 12 North contest which should decide the race.
Texas continues to create doubt concerning the direction of the program in 2010 by losing at home to Iowa State, 28-21. The same Iowa State squad that lost by 41 points at home against Utah two weeks ago.
Baylor continued to impress by bopping the Kansas State Wildcats, 47-42.
Houston gained the upper hand in the C-USA by defeating SMU while TCU laid down the law to the Falcons of Air Force, 38-7.
The Top Three:
No.1: TCU
No.2: Oklahoma
No.3: Baylor
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
More College Football Regional Rankings
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The Midwest
In case no one has noticed, the Wisconsin Badgers are a team with impressive credentials.
Seven days after conquering No.1 Ohio State, coach Bret Bielema's crew was up to the task of going on the road and defeating a strong Iowa Hawkeye squad, 31-30.
By winning the Heartland Trophy (see picture), Wisconsin put itself in prime position for a postseason BCS invitation and more than likely turned out the lights for an Iowa team once considered among the finest in the land.
While Nebraska went down to Stillwater to face the Cowboys, the undefeated and No.1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners journeyed to Missouri to take on the unbeaten Tigers.
Missouri whipped Oklahoma from pillar to post and gathered a 36-27 victory, thus ensuring themselves as the premier outfit in the Big 12. For this week at least.
Ohio State appeared rejuvenated on Saturday. Perhaps with the pressure of an unbeaten season off their back, the Buckeyes can return to the business of stomping their opponents.
Purdue was the latest victim in a 49-0 Buckeye massacre.
Michigan State spotted bowl-worthy Northwestern a 17-0 lead but came back for a 35-27 win on the road.
Illinois bullied Indiana, 43-13 while Penn State put down Minnesota, 33-21.
Kansas lost at home to Texas A&M, 45-10.
In Mid-American Conference action, Ohio pulled into the first-place lead by half a game in the East by defeating Miami, but Toledo and Northern Illinois remain in an undefeated tie in the West.
The Top Three:
No.1: Michigan State
No.2: Missouri
No.3: Wisconsin
The Mountains
Utah continued to roll along in hopes of obtaining a BCS Bowl invitation by throttling the Rams of Colorado State, 59-6. Next up for the Utes is Air Force.
Wyoming had no answers for BYU and lost 25-20 while New Mexico was drilled by improving San Diego State, 30-20.
Boise State took a much-deserved break this week, but the neighboring Vandals of Idaho barely had to work in crushing New Mexico State, 37-14.
Hawaii went to Utah State and destroyed the Aggies, 45-7.
The Top Three:
No.1: Boise State
No.2: Utah
No.3: Air Force
The West
While Oregon devoured yet another victim in UCLA, California unexpectedly rose up and smashed Arizona State, 50-17.
To further complicate Pac-10 matters, Arizona attacked Washington from the opening kickoff and crushed the Huskies, 44-14, even without injured quarterback Nick Foles.
Stanford appeared lethargic in a 38-28 win over lowly Washington State.
Fresno State traveled to San Jose State and defeated the Spartans, 33-18.
The Top Three:
No.1: Oregon
No.2: Stanford
No.3: Arizona
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
