2011 College Football: Grading the Top 25 Teams' Performances from Week 11

The merry-go-round circles again in college football as the top of the BCS standings see more shaking and baking. Two Top Five teams squandered opportunities this week and saw their hopes of a BCS title fade.

Several other teams saw their chances of climbing the ladder crumble with another crushing loss while others stepped up and made statements toward their worth.

This is crunch time. For most teams around the country, there are just a couple regular season games left to gain as much ground as they can, or hold their spot out of the hands of others. Conference title matches are already being decided.

Who handled the heat? Who melted under the pressure?

Once again, and for nearly the last time, we'll run 'em down and grade 'em all.

25. Baylor

Opponent: Kansas

Outcome: Won 31-30 OT

Baylor finally moved their way back into the Top 25 and got to face lowly Kansas (2-8, 0-7 Big 12) to help move their way up the charts.

That really isn't going to do it.

If Baylor had hopes of working their way inside the Top 20, pushing toward a nice bowl game at the end of the season, they needed something better than a narrow escape against a thoroughly mediocre team to make their case.

Instead, the Bears trailed by as much as 24-3 going into the fourth quarter, needed a 21-point comeback and overtime to get the win. Don't look for them to get a lot of affection from the pollsters on the heels of this performance.

It was as ugly as you could get with both teams combining for seven turnovers. The Bears lost three fumbles and Robert Griffin III threw an interception. Luckily, they took three interceptions away from Kansas' Jordan Webb.

There was plenty of offense as Baylor put up over 500 yards, but unfortunately there wasn't a lot of good defense to counter it as Kansas put up over 400 yards of their own.

For a team back in the Top 25, barely beating a team with a record as poor as Kansas  wasn't good enough. It was a win, but that's about all that could be said.

Grade: C

24. Michigan

Opponent: Illinois

Outcome: Won 31-14

This was the kind of rebound Michigan needed after losing to Iowa last week. Illinois is on a four-game losing streak, but still have the talent to beat about anyone in the conference on any given Saturday.

At least they're bowl eligible already and can't hurt Michigan's stock too badly in the future if they lose out.

QB Denard Robinson has been banged up the last few weeks and it's really starting to show. His numbers are dropping like a lead-filled cement block compared to what they were early in the season. He passed for just 92 yards and an interception, and ran for only 30 yards on 12 carries.

Remember the days when 12 attempts would have netted him 120 yards? Remember when he routinely passed for 200 yards or more per game while still running roughshod over every defense he faced?

Yeah, he's in more serious competition now, but he's also hurting like he didn't hurt then.

Still, Michigan found the weapons to get the job done. Fitz Toussaint averaged over seven yards per carry as he racked up 192 rushing yards and a touchdown. QB Devin Gardner stepped into the game, completed a couple of passes and scored a touchdown.

Most importantly though, the Wolverine defense put on a solid display, holding Nathan Scheelhaase, Jason Ford and company to only 37 net yards rushing. That seriously hindered the Illini offense as they rely so heavily on the ability to run the ball.

The Michigan D also blanked Scheelhaase out of the end zone, and only gave up 170 passing yards.

Grade: B

23. Cincinnati

Opponent: West Virginia

Outcome: Lost 21-24

Who wants to lead the Big East? Anyone? Anyone?

West Virginia sat atop the conference, and inside the standings, for quite a while. They dropped out of the rankings just within the last couple of weeks and were replaced by Cincinnati.

And now Cincinnati apparently doesn't want to lead the conference either.

RB Isaiah Pead provided the biggest spark for the Bearcats, carrying the ball 19 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns. QB Munchie Legaux did very little for Cincinnati, completing just 10 of 21 passes and giving up an interception.

A pair of costly turnovers hurt the Bearcats more than the single turnover hurt the Mountaineers.

Grade: C

22. Southern Miss

Opponent: UCF

Outcome: Won 30-29

Wins don't come more narrowly than this one did for Southern Miss. UCF scored as time ran out to close within one point of the Golden Eagles. They couldn't convert the two-point conversion though, and the Golden Eagles walked away with a win.

It may not look too good for the pollsters that will have to decide whether or not the Eagles deserve to remain in the Top 25, though. When you're facing a Conference-USA team with a 4-5 record, you would expect a larger margin of victory.

It's hard to say exactly what the Golden Eagles did wrong. QB Austin Davis threw for 364 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The run game wasn't spectacular, but it was serviceable and special teams have no reason to complain. K Danny Hrapmann was a perfect 5-for-5 with a long of 48.

The defense locked down on the meager Knight run game, holding them to just 48 net yards. They did give up 316 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns, but also took away three turnovers.

This was a thrilling game and the defense couldn't stop the final drive, but came up big to preserve the win.

Grade: B-

21. Georgia Tech

Opponent: Virginia Tech

Outcome: Lost 26-37

This was a big test for the Yellow Jackets. Barely hanging onto a spot in the standings and trailing in the ACC title chase, they needed a statement win over the Hokies at home.

Yeah, that didn't work out so well.

The Yellow Jackets didn't play poorly. QB Tevin Washington scrambled for three rushing touchdowns and they protected the football well without a turnover.

They battled back when the Hokies took a first-half lead and arrested a 26-21 lead away in the third. They just couldn't hold on.

Their offense picked up 243 yards on the ground with Washington's three touchdowns, but couldn't do enough in the final quarter to retake the lead.

The defense was the sore spot, so to speak. Hokie QB Logan Thomas didn't throw the ball often, but they allowed him to gain 209 yards and three touchdowns.

More importantly, they allowed 267 rushing yards and two scores.

Still, give credit. This is a tough Hokie team that they took on and didn't perform badly.

Grade: C+

20. Auburn

Opponent: Georgia

Outcome: Lost 7-45

There's no denying that Georgia has gotten really hot. I have to admit that I didn't see them being quite this hot, though.

QB Clint Moseley couldn't get the passing game working for the Tigers. He completed just 50 percent of his passes, gained 140 yards and threw a touchdown—for the other team (pick-six).

Sadly, the ground game didn't do much better. Michael Dyer ran the ball 13 times for just 48 yards as the Tigers struggled to lock down 51 net yards on the ground.

The defense struggled just as much. They allowed Aaron Murray to throw for four touchdowns and gave up an average of 5.4 yards per play on the ground.

I realize that Auburn of 2011 is nowhere near the Auburn of 2010, and I realize that Georgia finally appears to have brought their program up to the expectations. Still, this just wasn't a good showing for the Tigers.

Grade: F

19. Nebraska

Opponent: Penn State

Outcome: Won 17-14

This game was probably one of the toughest to predict beforehand. Would Nebraska's offense be able to get around Penn State's defense? Would the Nittany Lion offense be able to move against Nebraska's defense?

Perhaps most importantly, would Penn State even be able to concentrate on their first game in 60-plus years without Joe Paterno as their head coach and a horrific scandal devastating their program?

As it turned out, Penn State did answer the call, Nebraska's offense struggled to get by the Lion defense and the Lion offense struggled to get around the Husker defense. What we had was an incredibly hard-fought game.

I have mentioned before, but must mention again—I was so impressed with the classy display from the Cornhusker organization to meet Penn State's players at midfield and lead them in prayer and a show of solidarity. It was a cherished moment that brought more than a few tears and the program should be proud of their people.

Once the ball was kicked off though, it was game on and you'd be hard pressed to find a game around the nation that was more physical than this one.

RB Rex Burkhead led the charge again with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown. That's fairly impressive considering Penn State only allows 119.5 yards total on the ground per game.

QB Taylor Martinez didn't have such a fantastic time, throwing for just 143 yards and failing to score. He did pick up an additional 56 yards on the ground, but those were hard to come by as well.

Still, the Huskers went into a tough venue, took an early lead and weathered the late-game surge to come away with a big Big Ten win.

Grade: A-

18. Wisconsin

Opponent: Minnesota

Outcome: Won 42-13

Over the last couple of weeks, Minnesota had started looking pretty good. They knocked off Iowa, then very nearly took down Michigan State.

The Badgers weren't fooled.

QB Russell Wilson completed 16 of 17 passes with four touchdowns. Montee Ball averaged over seven yards per carry as he racked up 166 yards and two more scores.

RB James White had a good day as well, averaging over six yards per carry as Wisconsin steamrolled the Golden Gophers.

Grade: A

17. Michigan State

Opponent: Iowa

Outcome:

It's almost strange, the turmoil the Legends Division is in with the Leaders Division having so much drama at Ohio State and Penn State.

Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska came into the week in a three-way tie at the top of the division with Iowa just a game behind. Nebraska had beaten Michigan State, the Spartans had beaten the Wolverines and the Cornhuskers hadn't played Michigan.

This game really could decide who from the Western division represents the Big Ten in the championship game in Indianapolis.

The Spartans jumped out to an early lead and thoroughly dominated the first half of the game. They played well in all aspects and took good advantage of Hawkeye miscues to jump out to a 31-7 first half lead.

The second half got a little harrier. The defense couldn't get pressure on Iowa's QB James Vandenberg and as a result, WR Marvin McNutt helped the Hawkeyes close the gap to 34-21 in the third quarter with Iowa moving the ball on every possession.

It's worth noting however, that injuries also played a part in the defense's pass issues. With Darqueze Dennard injured, Iowa picked on the Spartan secondary, leaning on Dennard's usual position.

The offense more or less stalled out through the third quarter. The bulk of their yards came in the first half and found it tough to get consistent production through the second half.

They got things rolling a little better in the fourth though. Iowa attempted a comeback, but the Spartan D did enough to make them fight for it, while the offense drove a dagger through their hearts with time running low.

Grade: B+

16. Texas

Opponent: Missouri

Outcome: Lost 5-17

If this was the only game you saw of Texas all year, you'd have to wonder how on earth they rose to the rank of No. 16. Actually, even after seeing Texas all year, I still wonder how they rose to the rank of No. 16.

They've been hit-and-miss all year and this week was another miss. No, that's being generous. This week they weren't even there.

QB David Ash completed only 45 percent of his passes and gave up an interception. Case McCoy didn't do much better, completing just three of seven passes for 13 yards.

The ground game only managed 76 yards. The largest gainer on the team was Jeremy Hills who managed a whopping 35 yards and a stunning 3.2 average per carry. Yes, I'm being sarcastic.

Nothing about the offense worked.

The defense did well enough, holding Missouri to just 17 points when they average over 33 per game. Plus, they did take away a fumble and their penalty yards weren't horrendous.

However, other than a solid defensive performance, the offense was totally flat and the team looked like anything but a Top 20 contender.

Grade: D

15. Georgia

Opponent: Auburn

Outcome: Won 45-7

If there were any doubts that Georgia was truly as good as their record indicated, they should be quickly dissolving. The Bulldogs are on an eight-game winning streak and this victory is arguably their biggest to date.

The defense held Auburn scoreless for the final 52 minutes of the game and held the Tigers to fewer than 200 yards of total offense. They capitalized on three Tiger turnovers, including a 24-yard interception returned by Bacarri Rambo for a touchdown.

The offense was singing as well. QB Aaron Murray completed 14 of 18 passes and threw four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, RB Isaiah Crowell and Carlton Thomas both crossed the century mark running the ball. Crowell had 132 yards to Thomas' 127.

Everything went Georgia's way as the Bulldogs made a strong statement in regards to their place in the standings.

Grade: A

14. Kansas State

Opponent: Texas A&M

Outcome: Won 53-50 4OT

What a way to break a losing streak! Texas A&M may well be one of the best unranked teams in the country. They've had some big leads slip through their fingers and have lost some heartbreakers.

Still, they're a good team, as the Wildcats found out.

QB Collin Klein did well enough throwing the ball. He tossed for 281 yards, a touchdown and an interception. However, he also ran for 130 yards and scored five touchdowns, accounting for a 411-yard day with six total touchdowns.

Having said that, it wasn't as easy as all that. Klein only averaged 2.9 yards per carry and RB John Hubert only averaged 2.5 as the team struggled to move the ball consistently on the ground.

The defense that had looked so strong early in the year struggled to put away Ryan Tannehill and the Aggie attack, however.

QB Tannehill threw for just 210 yards but grabbed three touchdowns. Meanwhile, RB Cyrus Gray ran rampant through the Wildcat defense.

Gray gained 218 yards on 30 carries for an amazing 7.3 average with two touchdowns. Tannehill also averaged over six yards per carry and Uzoma Nwachukwu averaged over five.

The shootout took four overtimes to settle. Through all of that, K-State had just one penalty for five yards, but gave up three turnovers.

Grade: B

13. South Carolina

Opponent: Florida

Outcome: Won 17-12

South Carolina keeps finding ways to win. Good teams always do.

QB Connor Shaw continued his struggles this week, throwing for only 81 yards and offering up an interception. He did better on the ground though, gaining 88 yards and two more scores.

RB Brandon Wilds did well also. While he's still no Marcus Lattimore, he did average over four yards per carry and racked up 120 yards.

The defense shined though. RB Chris Rainey isn't easy to contain and while he did gain a total of 132 yards, 47 of them came on one run. Take away that one big gain and Rainey gained only 85 yards.

Likewise, the Gamecock defense kept QB John Brantley to just 119 yards passing and held the Gators out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.

With Citadel and Clemson the last two games of the year, a nine-win season is pretty much guaranteed and a 10-win season isn't out of the question.

Grade: B

12. Penn State

Opponent: Nebraska

Outcome: Lost 14-17

With all of the drama surrounding Penn State the last week, no one would have blamed the team if they'd have come out and rolled over for Nebraska. It's a little hard to concentrate on a football game with everything else hammering the news

There's no doubt that the whole affair was still strong on their minds, but the Nittany Lions didn't let it show. They fought a hard game and stormed back after giving up an early lead. They very nearly staged the comeback and grabbed an emotional win in front of their home crowd.

Unfortunately, Nebraska wasn't so willing to comply.

RB Silas Redd was merely average this week, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. Stephfon Green actually outperformed Redd this week, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns.

QB Matt McGloin also failed to impress, completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes, gaining just 193 yards and failing to score.

The defense was the strong suite, as per usual. They contained Taylor Martinez and allowed Rex Burkhead to score only once.

However, they also allowed Burkhead to pick up 121 yards.

Still, it was a great football game. Penn State played with a lot of heart, put together 14 points over the final two quarters to pull within three and nearly found a way to pull of the win.

They came up a little short, but not for lack of effort.

Grade: B-

11. Houston

Opponent: Tulane

Outcome: Won 73-17

I've said it many times and will repeat it once more. If you're a Top 25 team stuck playing a team with a losing record, the only thing you can do is win convincingly.

It doesn't get a lot more convincing than 73-17.

QB Case Keenum may not have a legitimate shot at a Heisman Trophy, but he made a pretty strong statement again this week. Completing 22 of 29 passes for 325 yards and three scores is a pretty good message to send.

RB Charles Sims also made a great impression. You don't get much better than 207 yards on just 10 carries with a pair of touchdowns.

Houston knew well that this was a game they not only had to win, but had to win big. Coming from Conference-USA, they're fighting an uphill battle in the standings.

They didn't take Tulane for granted and put the hammer down on the Green Wave.

Interesting tidbit: coming into the week, there were more C-USA teams ranked (2) than Big East teams that were ranked (1).

Grade: A

10. Virginia Tech

Opponent: Georgia Tech

Outcome: Won 36-25

The first quarter looked like it might be a real defensive battle. The score was only 7-0 in favor of the Yellow Jackets, but neither offense could find a way to get the ball rolling consistently.

The second quarter brought the whole thing alive, though. The Hokies put up 21 points to Georgia Tech's six and carried a 21-13 lead into halftime.

Despite a Yellow Jacket surge in the third quarter, the Hokies stormed back and controlled the final quarter to earn a big ACC victory.

QB Logan Thomas is turning into a very thrilling player. Don't be surprised if he finds his way into the Heisman discussion as his career progresses.

Thomas accounted for five touchdowns, throwing three and running for two more.

That's not to minimize what RB David Wilson did. The junior picked up 175 yards rushing. He may not have found the end zone, but his tough yards opened up big doors.

It's never easy beating a team like Georgia Tech on the road, but the Hokies performed well and got a needed win. A turnover (lost fumble) hurts their grade a little, but not much.

Grade: B+

9. Clemson

Opponent: Wake Forest

Outcome: Won 31-28

The bloom is off the Clemson boom. Yes, they're still 9-1 and Wake Forest is a decent team, but this didn't quite look like the same Clemson team that upended Florida State and Virginia Tech in consecutive weeks.

QB Tajh Boyd threw for 343 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions.

The ground game was serviceable. Andre Ellington narrowly missed the 100-yard mark and averaged just short of four yards per carry with two touchdowns.

It wasn't a thoroughly dominant performance, but it was a solid accompaniment to the air attack.

The defense didn't do a bad job either as the Demon Deacons struggled to keep pace with the Tigers.

The problem was three turnovers. Clemson lost the turnover battle and big.

A special teams breakdown that allowed a 50-yard punt return for a touchdown hurt and a momentary lapse on defense that allowed Brandon Pendergrass to score two touchdowns within three minutes hurt.

Grade: C

8. Arkansas

Opponent: Tennessee

Outcome: Won 49-7

Don't tell Arkansas they're out of anything yet. Remember that they only have one loss on the year.

And while Alabama was somewhat less-than-impressive in their victory over Mississippi State, Arkansas thumped Tennessee.

QB Tyler Wilson completed over 61 percent of his passes and scored three touchdowns. Meanwhile, virtually everyone who touched the ball for the Razorbacks was able to find success running with it.

The defense was solid, giving up only one score and special teams took a punt back 60 yards for a touchdown.

Other than the two turnovers, there was nothing at all to find fault with in this performance.

Grade: A-

7. Oregon

Opponent: Stanford

Outcome: Won 53-30

The battle for the Pac-12 was ugly and I don't necessarily mean that in an entirely bad way. There were seven overall turnovers, but most of those belonged to Stanford.

QB Darron Thomas completed nearly 65 percent of his passes and scored three touchdowns, but it was LaMichael James that really burned the Cardinal defense.

James averaged over seven yards per carry as he racked up 146 yards and three scores.

The most impressive thing though, was that Oregon got inside Stanford's head. I really thought the Cardinal would be the ones getting inside the Ducks' noggins and taking them out of their game, but it was the other way around.

The Ducks rattled Andrew Luck and slowed down Stepfan Taylor. They started grabbing turnovers and the next thing you knew, Stanford couldn't hold onto the ball for anything.

A lot of people thought Stanford might be the ones sneaking in to take a shot at the National Title. That's not going to happen now and they'll be sure to remember that it was the Ducks that ruined their shot.

Grade: A

6. Oklahoma

Opponent: Idle

Outcome: N/A

The Sooners were hoping for a little turnover at the top. After losing to Texas Tech back on October 22nd, they've grabbed a couple of nice wins and have kept themselves just outside the big discussion.

They've gotten a little bit of their wish. Boise State and Stanford have both lost, opening the door for the Sooners to work their way back inside the Top Five and still have an opportunity to knock off the No. 2 team in the nation.

Getting there looks like this:

@ Baylor

Iowa State

@ Oklahoma State

Grade: N/A

5. Boise State

Opponent: TCU

Outcome: Lost 35-36

This is why this game has become such a big rivalry. Over the last five years, these teams have played each other four times and the largest margin of victory was seven points, one time. The other three times, the score was within three points.

Unfortunately for those who are really hoping to see the BCS eventually bow and let a mid-major program into the BCS Title game, it's definitely not going to happen this year. Boise State was the only mid-major with any outside hope of getting there.

And with Top Five teams dropping almost every week now, there was a better shot than some might realize.

Despite Kellen Moore throwing for 320 yards and two touchdowns; despite D.J. Harper running for 125 yards and two touchdowns; the Broncos defense failed to hold off the Horned Frogs.

QB Casey Paschall chewed up the Bronco D for 473 yards and five touchdowns. The last one came with just over a minute to go in the game and Moore couldn't put together a game-winning drive in that amount of time.

Grade: C-

4. Stanford

Opponent: Oregon

Outcome: Lost 30-53

The Cardinal dropped a golden opportunity. With Alabama's schedule taking a hit this week and Oklahoma State scheduled to face Oklahoma soon, the opportunity for a shot at a National Title was riding firmly on this game.

They dropped that opportunity with every mind-boggling fumble they laid on the ground.

I could spit my usual spiel about Andrew Luck's passing stats and Stepfan Taylor's rushing numbers. They were relatively irrelevant.

While Luck didn't do horribly with 256 yards and three touchdowns, it wasn't enough. And while Taylor narrowly missed the 100-yard mark (99), it didn't matter.

None of that matter because every time it began to look like Stanford was getting on track and mounting a serious threat to Oregon, they turned the ball over. Luck threw two picks. The team fumbled the ball away three times.

Against just about any FBS team in the country, you can't turn the ball over five times. Against an offense like Oregon's, you may as well have not shown up.

Grade: D-

3. Alabama

Opponent: Mississippi State

Outcome: Won 24-7

Well if the Crimson Tide were looking to work their way back to a rematch with LSU, they needed something bigger than they gave us this weekend. Fair? Doesn't matter.

Mississippi State, however well they've played against quality opponents, was 5-4 coming into this game and had only one win in the SEC. They shouldn't be able to hang around with a team that was considered one of the best two teams in the nation just over a week ago.

Yet hang around, they did. The score of this game was only 7-0 at the half and 10-0 at the end of the third quarter.

The defense was stellar once again, keeping the Bulldogs off the board until the fourth quarter. The offense however...

A.J. McCarron threw for just 163 yards and an interception. Trent Richardson eventually picked up 127 yards, but they didn't come easy and they weren't flashy. Eddie Lacy actually looked much better, averaging twice as many yards per carry.

Mississippi State made Alabama work much too hard for a victory that looks better on paper than it did live.

Grade: C

2. Oklahoma State

Opponent: Texas Tech

Outcome: Won 66-6

Hmm...if you're into numerology or religion, that number might be a little spooky. For Texas Tech, it was an outright nightmare.

Everything went right for the Cowboys and if you believe in making your own luck, Oklahoma State made it all.

QB Brandon Weeden had an absolutely phenomenal day. He completed 31 of 37 passes (83.8 percent) for 423 yards and five touchdowns. It doesn't get much better than that. Except it does.

RB Herschel Sims carried the ball just 13 times, but picked up 109 yards. Joseph Randle also picked up 78 yards and three rushing touchdowns as the Cowboy offense just decimated the Red Raider defense (or lack thereof).

As if that wasn't great enough, the defense all but shut down Texas Tech's offense. QB Seth Doege only threw for 169 yards and an interception while the ground game struggled to pick up 101 net yards rushing.

Though Texas Tech doesn't command quite as much respect as they did earlier in the season, this is still a big statement win for Oklahoma State.

Alabama who? The Cowboys made it clear that they need to be right there in the National Title discussion.

Grade: A

1. LSU

Opponent: Western Kentucky

Outcome: Won 42-9

For about a half here, it looked like the No. 1 team in the nation could potentially get upset by a Sun Belt team with a record barely above .500. The Tigers only led the Hilltoppers 14-7 at the break.

But then LSU woke up and took care of business in the second half.

RB Alred Blue had a tremendous (but short) day, grabbing 119 yards on just nine carries with two touchdowns. That's a tremendous 13.2 average!

Oh yeah, and the rest of the offense did pretty well too. QB Jordan Jefferson completed 57 percent of his passes with a touchdown and several Tiger runners averaged over four yards per carry.

Right now, there are two clear teams leading the nation. Oklahoma State and this LSU team.

Forget Alabama. We've seen that one already. Bring on the Cowboys!

Grade: B+