BearDown: Top 25 College Football Teams

Another week of football came and went, and if it was a sign for this coming season, don't make plans on Saturdays. We had a lot of great games.

We had another ECU upset and three Top 25 teams sneaking away with wins of seven points or less. The Ohio State game was upsetting for Buckeye fans, but for College Football fans it screamed upset, and the folks at ABC were praying Ohio State could pull it out leading up to next week's match-up with USC. I'm sure 4Real will give you an ample preview of it.

There wasn't as much movement as you may have thought this week, due to six of my Top 25 taking a week off. Just think, if Texas Tech would have lost, we would have had three Tigers in a row this week.

1(1). USC Trojans
Off

2(2). Oklahoma Sooners
Convincing win over Cincinnati 52-26, covering the spread handily. A lot of people thought this could be one of those surprise wins for a Big East team. Didn't happen.

3(6). Florida Gators
Up a few spots to No. 3, Florida looked good against Miami. A lot of people thought Miami would surprise, winning five in a row against the Gators, but Florida held onto their athletic supremacy and who knows, maybe that whole "The U" Thing is valid.

4(3). Ohio State Buckeyes
Originally dropped them to fifth, but based on the fact they were sans Beanie, I couldn't drop them that far. Yeah, they only beat Ohio by 12 and the game wasn't assured until the clock hit four zeroes, but Beanie means a lot to that team.

5(4). Georgia Bulldogs
Slipping again after another win. Reason, my cousin went to Central Michigan and didn't know they had a football team. Georgia was at one time my No. 1, they haven't played anyone yet. When they play a team in the top half of the D-1, I'll start respecting them.

6(5). Missouri Tigers
I gave Missouri a lot of credit for playing the Illini in Week One and winning, but with Florida jumping up, people had to slip and much like Georgia, SE Missouri State doesn't impress me. I still think Mizzou has a shot at the Big XII this year.

7(8). Texas Tech Red Raiders
Up a spot thanks to the Pirates at ECU, Texas Tech is hanging out in the Top Ten, though I have to say, I'm not as sure about them anymore. Their offense hasn't been as explosive and their defense is living up to what I expected, not much. I don't see them above Texas for too much longer.

8(9). Auburn Tigers
Auburn needs to tighten things up to make a serious SEC run. I like Auburn, but I always think a little too highly of them, though. I think it's emotional, based on the shaft they got in the BCS picture a few years ago.

9(10). LSU Tigers
Postponed

10(11). Texas Longhorns
Back in the Top Ten, pretty solid win for the Horns on Saturday, then again they played UTEP, so I guess there wasn't a whole lot of trouble.

11(12). Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin's offense is starting to impress me, putting up 51 points. The Big Eleven is not known for such high scores and Wisconsin, though they have played subpar opponents, have put up some scores.

12(13). Kansas Jayhawks
The Hawks shut out La. Tech and put up 29 points. I still don't think Kansas has the same slippers on they did last year, but for now, they're hanging out in the Top 15.

13(UR). East Carolina Pirates
I wanted to bring them into the Top 10, almost put them at 11 and 12 and when all was said and done they landed at 13. 2 wins over ranked opponents, ZERO other teams have done that thus far. ECU could be this year's South Florida, and I know BC is happy about his Pirates. He's gotta be on the NCAA '10 wait list so he can play with his beloved Pirates.

14(15). Alabama Crimson Tide
Beat up on Tulane in a convincing way, Bama and the Sabans don't want people to give up on them. I'm still pissed at the way they screwed me week after week last year.

15(16). Arizona State Sun Devils
Up a spot. Carpenter threw for 345 yds, not too shabby. More importantly, only one sack Saturday. It looks like that O-Line might be out to prove some people wrong.

16(14). Brigham Young Cougars
Needed a blocked PAT on a questionable celebration call to eke one out against Washington. The UCLA game next season looks to be one of the only things standing between BYU and a top Bowl Game. The other is new to the poll No. 25 Utah.

17(17). Oregon Ducks
It might have only been Utah State, but don't sleep on Oregon this year. No Dixon, No Stewart, I don't think the folks in Eugene are as worried as the rest of the country about those losses.

18(19). Penn State Nittany Lions
Despite off-field issues, media coverage, questions about talent and ability, Penn State didn't blink at the seemingly low 15.5 spread against Oregon State and beat them soundly, 45-14.

19(18). Clemson Tigers
The fourth Tiger Team on the list, but a little further from the brethren. Clemson was off; I don't know how long they are going to be here. Their saving grace is the weak, and getting weaker ACC.

20(20). Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Speaking of the ACC, it's weak, it's unimpressive, and it's going to be a mess when Clemson, Wake, and FSU beat up on one another and they all wind up in the bottom of the Top 25, if they're lucky. Struggled against a lower SEC player.

21(21). South Florida Bulls
Getting a solid scare from UCF, the Bulls held on by a score to keep their spot in our Top 25.

22(22). UCLA Bruins
Off

23(23). Fresno State Bulldogs
Off

24(25). Tennessee Volunteers
Off

25(UR). Utah Utes
Doubled up on UNLV and found their way from the outside looking in to the Top 25. Much like fellow MWC-er BYU, the road looks pretty low key until the de-facto MWC Championship between the two teams on Nov. 22.

Outside looking in:
Illinois Fighting Illini, Arizona Wildcats, Kentucky Wildcats, Florida State Seminoles, California Golden Bears, Boise State Broncos

Past Top 25 Rankings

January
July
August
Week 1