For the second time in as many weeks, we wanted a reminder of why college football is the greatest game in the universe and we got it. The extended Thanksgiving/rivalry weekend produced a bevy of tasty upsets, and we now move towards Championship Weekend with a minimum 2 undefeateds, and the prospect of as many as 5. Thank goodness we have a system that leaves no doubt as to who the two most deserving teams are to play for it all!
Florida put together the most comprehensive, impressive 60 minutes this past weekend, and enter championship weekend back as our #1. Oregon State is also on the up and up and could play their way into the top 12 with an upset against Oregon in the Rose Bowl-play in edition of the Civil War.
Offer up your thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams for the ballot below. We'll take your suggestions into consideration before the ballot gets filled in with cement by MGoConstruction company on Wednesday.
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| 1 |  |
12-0. Florida moves one step closer to the first undefeated season in school history with their 37-10 dismantling of in-state rival Florida State. The Tebow Child ends his senior regular season with his best effort of 2009: 17/21 for 221 yards, 3 TDs, and another 90 yards on the ground with 2 rushing TDs. Next up: Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in the Georgia Dome, 4:00 pm. |  1 |
| 2 |  |
12-0. The Horns needed all 60 minutes and a Heisman-worthy performance from senior QB Colt McCoy to outlast their oldest rival Texas A&M 49-39. For what's it worth, no BCS Champion besides the aberration-LSU has ever allowed more than 35 in a single game (and both of LSU's games in which they did for came in overtime or multiple overtimes). Next up: Nebraska at the Big 12 Championship in JerryWorld, 8 pm |  1 |
| 3 |  |
12-0. Alabama was a batted down hail mary away from getting upset to rival Auburn, but hung on to win 26-21. Even Mount Terrence Cody got in on the scoring action, throwing a few killer pancake blocks to setup Trent Richardson rushing strikes. Soon to be former Heisman front runner Mark Ingram was shut down, either due to injury or ineffectiveness (depending on whom you believe). Ingram rushed for just 30 yards on 16 carries and was completely removed from the game during Alabama's game clinching TD drive. Next up: Florida in the SEC Championship Game, 4 pm. | -- |
| 4 |  |
12-0. TCU looked every bit the part in a 51-10 regular season perfection clinching blowout of New Mexico. Horned Frog QB Andy Dalton was 15/24 for 228 4 TDs, and added another in the ground in the impressive victory. TCU will now play the waiting game, as they wait and see whether they're headed to the Fiesta, Orange, or Sugar Bowl (with an ultra outside shot at the BCS Championship Game). Next up: Season complete, BCS Game to be determined. | -- |
| 5 |  |
11-0. The Bearcats scored early and often and held off the Fightin' Zooks in a less close than it appeared 49-36 victory over Illinois. Tony Pike appeared back in the form that had some talking Heisman earlier in the season, amassing 399 yards through the air and 6 TDs. Next up: at Pittsburgh for the Big East Championship, 12:00 pm. | -- |
| 6 |  |
12-0. Boise State held off a late push from WAC #2 Nevada in clinching at least a share of yet another WAC Championship 44-33 Friday Night. Kellen Moore continued to show why some deem him the nation's best passer, going 17/33 for 262 yards and 5 TDs. Next up: New Mexico State, 3 pm. | -- |
| 7 |  |
10-2. Regular season complete. Next up: Rose Bowl, January 1st vs Oregon/Oregon State winner | 1 |
| 8 |  |
9-2. Bye week. Next up: Oregon State, Thursday 9:00 p.m. | 1 |
| 9 |  |
10-2. Regular season complete. Next up: BCS Bowl or Capital One Bowl | 2 |
| 10 |  |
10-2. Regular season complete. Next up: BCS Bowl or Capital One Bowl | 2 |
| 11 |  |
10-2. The Cougars won one of the more exciting contests of the weekend on a 25-yard Max Hall to Andrew George TD to beat rival Utah 26-23 in OT. With the caffeine free Mountain Dew buzz now worn off, the Cougars find themselves possibly headed to another Las Vegas Bowl. Next up: Poinsettia/Las Vegas Bowl. | 4 |
| 12 |  |
10-2. The Wramblin Wreck uncharacteristically threw 4 consecutive times on a possible game winning drive falling to Georgia 30-24. GT still has much to play for with the ACC Championship Game up next. Next up: vs. Clemson in the ACC Championship Game in Tampa, 8 pm. | 5 |
| 13 |  |
9-3. LSU survived arguably the game of the weekend taking down rival Arkansas 33-30 in OT on a missed Alex Tejada field goal. The Bayou Bengals took much of the heat off from Les Miles' suspect decision making a week prior vs Ole Miss despite many fans having left before the overtime even started. Next up: Bowl to be determined, likely Capital One Bowl. | 3 |
| 14 |  |
9-3. Miami showed flashes of what could've been, taking it to in-state opponent South Florida to the tune of 31-10. The 'Canes next could come against a Big Ten opponent, with their regular season finished and the Champs Sports Bowl potentially on the horizon. Next up: Bowl to be determined (possibly Champs Sports Bowl) | 3 |
| 15 |  |
9-2. Pittsburgh lost an absolute heartbreaker on a field goal as time expired to rival West By God Virginia 19-16. The Wandstache will have to get his team's focus back in a hurry, with a de-facto Big East Championship Game just ahead against Brian Kelly's Bearcats. Next up: CIncinnati, 12 pm. | 5 |
| 16 |  |
8-3. Pete Carroll embraced his inner XBox Live'r, throwing a cheap bomb TD following a late timeout to beat UCLA 28-7. Petey runs into a tough Arizona team in the team's final game just ahead. Here's hoping they're way up or way down for further high comedy potential. Next up: Arizona, 3:30 pm. | 2 |
| 17 |  |
9-3. The Hokies dismantled UVa 42-13 in a game so badly Al Groh was fired the very next day (well and for numerous other things). VT seems destined for a return to where their season started with the Chick Fil-A Bowl eyeballing them. Next up: Bowl to be determined (possibly Chick Fil-A Bowl) | 2 |
| 18 |  |
8-3. Bye week. Next up: at Oregon, 9 pm. | 4 |
| 19 |  |
8-4. Clemson took a punch in the gut from in-state rival South Carolina and the Ol' Bawl Coach 34-17. CJ Spiller returned the opning kick for a score, but failed to regain his normal form as the other SC kept him bottled up all afternoon. Next up: Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game in Tampa, 8 pm. | 5 |
| 20 |  |
9-3. Oklahoma State wishes they'd had a bye, as Oklahoma whipped them in the Bedlam Game 27-0. A Cotton Bowl date with either Arkansas or Mississippi could be on OSU's horizon. Next up: Bowl to be determined (possibly Cotton or Holiday) | 7 |
| 21 |  |
10-2. Houston was on pace for a hundred points most of the afternoon, but put on the breaks in their humiliation of in-city rival Rice 73-14. Case Keenum's senior regular season is done, but the CUSA Championship Game is up next. Next up: at East Carolina in the Conference USA Championship Game, 12:00 pm. | -- |
| 22 |  |
9-3. Bye week. Next up: at Washington, 6:30 pm. | 1 |
| 23 |  |
8-4. Stanford helped put the nail in Charlie Weis' college coaching career, defeating ND 45-38. Toby Gerhart topped 200 yards for the 3rd time this season in putting his Heisman momentum to an all-time high. Next up: Bowl to be determined (possibly Emerald Bowl) | -- |
| 24 |  |
9-3. Nebraska looked every bit as apathetic as one could expect in a meaningless game (outside of the historical rivalry) in a 28-20 victory over Colorado. The level of difficulty escalates in a hurry as NU runs into Big 12 south champion Texas next weekend in Arlington. Next up: Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game from JerryWorld, 8 pm. | -- |
| 25 |  |
8-3. WVU won the game of Black Friday 19-16 on a field goal as time expired against Pitt. While a clash with Rutgers remains on the schedule for WVU, their fates seem firmly tied to the Gator Bowl. Next up: at Rutgers, 12 pm. | -- |
Dropped Out: Utah (#20), Mississippi (#24), Navy (#25). (Last Week's Ballot)
Comments
After watching games this weekend, I think Ohio State is definitely better than UC and Boise State. I do a Mumme Poll ballot every week and I put them ahead behind TCU in my top 5. I don't see UC or Boise beating the Buckeyes, and was not impressed by UC at all this weekend. At this point in the season, the Bucks probably wouldn't beat Texas, Florida and Bama. Not sure how good TCU is, but they are clearly better than UC and Boise in my mind and they are undefeated. If you look at the latest BCS ranking, the Big 10 has 3 teams in the top 11. No other conference can claim that. They've had 3 quality wins, and no matter what UC or Boise fan tells me well we've won every game we've played, I'm not convinced either team would hang with the Buckeyes at this point in time.
Texas doesn't have a signature win and really struggled against the Ags (a very bad team). if a freshmen QB can put up 39 on Texas what could Tebow & Friends do? and what if Texas plays a team with a defense cough cough Bama?
Texas VERY over-rated. played a miserably weak sked and got partially exposed Thursday. not going to be surprised if Nebraska pushes them next weekend.
and TCU should definitely climb past them. they have played a better sked than Texas.
Honestly TCU is probably the most well-rounded team in the top 10, I think texas' D is somewhat of a paper tiger, and the offenses for Florida and Bama are erratic at best. fingers crossed for a Nebraska upset, but it probably won't happen. oh well, just a few more games and we won't have to hear about tebow or McCoy ever again
TCU has played a better schedule than the Horns, but barely. Also A&M, a very bad team? The Ags are 6-6 and bowl bound. Indiana is a very bad team. If you want to see how Texas fares against a "team with a defense", tune in Saturday night. This will mark their toughest defensive challenge since the Red River Rivalry game.
I can't wait to see TCU against a team of Penn State or Georgia Tech's caliber. Sure, they beat Clemson, but it was a complete defensive struggle and hardly the "style point" kind of win you'd expect from a team everyone's talking about getting "robbed" for likely missing out on the BCS Championship Game.
If I had to choose between FL getting their butts handed to them by Bama or whoever they would face in the title game, I would pick Bama. Why? Cuz Fla went to the title game last year. I would love it if Bama just tears Florida apart in the SEC championship game. I had the feeling Florida is full of themselves after their win Saturday and Bama has been pretty good this year. If the gators are caught playing football on the wrong day and Bama is mean, angry, and hungry then Florida is destined to be doomed.
sorry, but UC plays a tougher schedule in a tougher conference than TCU and is the better team. it is ridiculous that TCU leap frogged them in the polls, and if UC beats Pitt (a very good team and a dangerous opponent for the Bearcats) they should be #3 after the Florida/Alabama game.
how can you put OSU (who I love) at #5 when there are undefeated teams who play just as difficult (or at least close to as difficult) a schedule (a.k.a. UC) AND are undefeated? i definitely have my teams who i love and show some bias towards, but let's be realistic here. it is a difficult thing, no matter what conference you are in, to go undefeated in college football... or any sport for that matter, and to suggest that one of those teams does not deserve to be ahead of a team with a loss is preposterous.
sure, i'd love to see OSU and the Big Ten in general get more respect, but teams like UC, TCU, and Boise State deserve their ranks in the polls. i just think UC is a much better team than TCU. i think UC is a bit more unpredictable, but when they are on, they can compete with any team in the country right now... including anyone from the SEC. the problem is that the SEC teams, as well as Texas, have been on this stage before. UC hasn't, and there is an advantage that comes with having been in this type of spotlight before. hell, even Boise State has sort of been here before and that definitely gives them an edge over both TCU and UC. i simply think UC has the most potential of any of those three to beat a team like Florida or Alabama or Texas.
Well I'm not a smart man but I do believe that OSU is ranked 7th there not 5th. Are you sure you don't love UC and not OSU? After watching both UC, TCU, and BSU, TCU is by far the best team of those 3. The biggest difference between them is their stout D. You take Cinci for example, they give up 476 yards to the Zookers where a team like OSU gave up 170 against that same team. Just look at Oklahoma last year, they averaged more points than any team ever, but when they faces a good D they couldn't pull out a W. TCU also has more wins against the top 25. As far as BSU this isn't the same team that OU a few years back, the WAC is filled with a bunch of cup cakes to say the least.
So your saying that the WAC is WHACK?!
HAHA, maybe I am. But I do know we played a WAC team and I think we all know how that turned out. Just think if we could play teams like that week in and week out.