Yesterday was as gleeful as I get watching the tellie: Doctor Who 50th, and then watching Oklahoma State and Arizona pound the living hell out of Baylor and Oregon respectively. It is telling particularly for Baylor that the weekend before Thanksgiving was the first quality opponent the Bears have played. In Oregon's case, you can tell Rich Rod saw that the Ducks' defensive line can be bullied by a concerted running game?
Think the upcoming weekend slate is bigger than usual? An Iron Bowl of Top 10 teams; a Top 10 matchup in the Palmetto State; Johnny Manziel's probable last regular season game, as Mizzou tries to hang on to the East; a very rancorous UGA-Tech game between two pretty-evenly matched opponents; the Egg Bowl of Derp, where Mullen may be playing for his job; Florida-Noles game where Muschamp likely will be playing for his; Texas and Baylor; and a little game called Bedlam....and that doesn't even include the Civil War, the Apple Cup, or Michigan trying to regain their manhood against the Buckeye death machine.
Rank |
Team |
Last Week |
1 |
Alabama Crimson Tide |
1 |
2 |
Florida State Seminoles |
2 |
3 |
Ohio State Buckeyes |
4 |
4 |
Missouri Tigers |
3 |
5 |
Michigan State Spartans |
8 |
6 |
Auburn Tigers |
6 |
7 |
Oklahoma State Cowboys |
10 |
8 |
Clemson Tigers |
11 |
9 |
Wisconsin Badgers |
12 |
10 |
South Carolina Gamecocks |
14 |
11 |
Stanford Cardinal |
13 |
12 |
Arizona State Sun Devils |
16 |
13 |
Baylor Bears |
7 |
14 |
UCF Knights |
17 |
15 |
Oregon Ducks |
5 |
16 |
LSU Tigers |
24 |
17 |
Northern Illinois Huskies |
18 |
18 |
Fresno State Bulldogs |
19 |
19 |
Duke Blue Devils |
21 |
20 |
USC Trojans |
25 |
21 |
East Carolina Pirates |
--- |
22 |
Miami Hurricanes |
23 |
23 |
Texas A&M Aggies |
9 |
24 |
Cincinnati Bearcats |
--- |
25 |
UCLA Bruins |
15 |
O, Hai! East Carolina Pirates - On an absolute tear through conference play; has gotten better each week. Someone is going to get a very nasty Bowl opponent. Speaking of going on a tear, those who think that Tuberville suddenly forgot how to coach haven't paid attention. Cincinnati Bearcats, have likewise blown through the AAC, and had another good quality road win against Houston yesterday. Louisville is going to have a very tough out in the season finale.
Be Gone! Ole Miss - One of the most dangerous four-loss teams in America. That said, this is still a four-loss team that is not equipped to consistently beat the SEC's upper echelon. Mizzou controlled this game from the start. Minnesota- It was a fun ride, lads. That said, I'm not sure anyone wants to play Wisconsin right now.
Social Promotion: Wisconsin - My mancrush on the Badgers remains strong. This is a dangerous, dangerous team. Michigan State- We've overlooked the Big Ten all season; that includes Sparty. I am REALLY looking forward to the Ohio State championship game. Oklahoma State - As thorough a beating of an opponent as you'll see in all phases of the game. West Virginia choke job remains the most baffling loss of the year. Based on shakeups above them, and some other evaluation, Clemson and South Carolina are back in the Top 10: that game is going to be nastier than usual. Props to Arizona State on sealing the PAC12 South title...now, Stanford and Oregon need to figure out who wants to actually win the North. USC has quietly won five in a row. Shhhhhh, Ed Orgeron is doing work. LSU -Brilliant game from the Tigers all around, as they ensure Manziel will not be a repeat Heisman winner. Aside from one quarter, in 2012, LSU has had zero problems shutting down the Aggies.
Held Back: Baylor -Welp, that happened. Can't say it was a shocker. Injuries aside, thoroughly outclassed and beat like a drum at every position on the field. If Texas' defense is half competent, the Bears will lose one too. Oregon -Now this one was a stunner. That Oregon can be pushed around is not news; that the Ducks could only muster 16 points against a Rich Rod defense is. UCLA - Baffling team that is still very talented. Absolutely blasted the first half; still made a game of it and gave the Sun Devils all they wanted down the stretch. This is the PAC12's version of Ole Miss. Texas A&M - Losing a shootout is something that happens with a defense as porous as the Aggies; not being able to score -and lingering concerns about Manziel's health, are real issues.
Last Out: Louisville: Still looking for some reason to rank Louisville; still not finding one. Memphis has improved, but not that much. Texas and Oklahoma: Every big test these teams have faced they have failed, save the Horns' head-to-head win over the Sooners. Both have huge games coming up, and perhaps we'll see then. Georgia Southern -Okay, not really. But, anytime a D-1AA team throws three passes, completes zero, but still rushes for 400+/8YPC in a win against an SEC team, we should recognize that effort. I have no idea how Muschamp will keep his job.