College Football Rankings 2011 Week 3: Biggest Surprises from the AP and Coaches

With both the AP and Coaches Poll released this afternoon, there is always plenty of debate and reactions to go along with it.

This week is no exception, as there are some teams left out, some teams ranked too high and some teams that are ranked far too low in both polls.

So here is a look at some surprises in both the AP and Coaches Polls heading into Week 3.

Michigan Out of Both Polls

I'm not trying to jump on the Michigan bandwagon here, but the Wolverines not being ranked is somewhat of a surprise.

You would have thought that with the dramatic fashion they beat Notre Dame and on the primetime stage they did it on, that it would have opened up more eyes.

Michigan wins against western Michigan and Notre Dame, while not spectacular wins, still look better than wins much of the bottom of the current top 25 have.

Boise State Leapfrogs Florida State in Coaches Poll

It's not that I don't feel Boise State deserves to be No. 4 in the nation, while Florida State slipped to the No. 5 spot.

I actually felt they should have jumped Florida State the week prior.

The Broncos have a nice road win over an SEC team in Georgia, while the Seminoles have beat up on a couple of patsies for the time being.

It's just a tad bit surprising to me that Boise State makes the move on a week when they don't play a game.

The same week, the Seminoles win by 52.

Big 12 Putting Up Early Fight Against SEC

Everyone knows of the SEC's dominance in the college football world, but the Big 12 is hanging right in there with them this season.

Currently, the SEC can boast seven teams in each poll, including the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the land in LSU and Alabama, respectively.

The Big 12 can counter with five teams in both polls, including three top 10 teams and the No. 1 team in the nation in Oklahoma.

If they could do an SEC-Big 12 challenge, it would be some great football to watch.

AP Poll Showing USC No Love

It may have been ugly, but the USC Trojans are off to a 2-0 start to the season, pulling out wins against two BCS conference teams in Minnesota and Utah.

Two hard fought wins, but somehow, the Trojans found their way on the outside looking in.

Sure, they had to hold on to escape with wins in both instances, but they seem to get the shaft from the voters when teams such as Ohio State and Texas also struggled this week but didn't see the massive drop in votes.

Ohio State did drop a couple spots, but Texas got more votes than they did a week ago, yet USC's wins look much better than the Longhorns at this moment.

Middle of the Pack Teams Struggling to Gain Ground

Early in the season, it's odd to see much movement in the top 10 without a team already ranked there suffering a defeat.

Having said that, the teams ranked 11-14 could all make a case that they belong in the top 10.

South Carolina, Oregon, Virgina Tech and Arkansas are all knocking at the door of the top 10, but no one is answering.

The Gamecocks and Ducks especially have a case, but who do you take out of the current top 10?

Likely no one, but if there is a surprise, it's that South Carolina and Nebraska aren't flip flopped. That's no knock on the Cornhuskers, but South Carolina's two wins look better on paper than Nebraska's, and they are likely the better team anyway.

Teams That Got Votes That Didn't Deserve Them

Every week, some teams get votes in both polls that flat out make me scratch my head how anyone could pencil them in on their ballots.

This week is no different, as the Others Receiving Votes section is littered with them.

For instance, Penn State received 29 votes in the coaches poll? That likely kept a quality team out of the rankings. I'm not picking on Penn State, but how does a win against lowly Indiana State followed by a beating by Alabama justify so many votes?

They aren't the only ones. An 0-2 Georgia team is still getting votes in both polls.

Sometimes, paying attention to who teams are playing and if they are winning their games should matter to voters.

How Long Until Houston Cracks the Polls?

Keep an eye on Case Keenum and the Cougars.

Quite frankly, it's a little surprising that they haven't cracked the bottom of the rankings after a pair of opening wins to start the season.

A Week 1 win against UCLA should have opened some eyes, and the Cougars have a legitimate shot to run the table this season.

Arizona State Climbing Fast

Perhaps the biggest discrepancy among one team in both polls is Arizona State, who sits at No. 22 in the AP Poll, but had a rapid rise in the Coaches Poll and is all the way up to No 18.

The Sun Devils did have a nice win against Missouri, and they probably should have opened the season as a ranked team.

However, the fact that they have gotten more love in the Coaches Poll can be viewed as a bit surprising.