HogManInLA’s Top 25 College Football Poll: Week Seven
By Ryan Wright
Detailed view of a BCS game logo. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
The college football Top 10 took a major hit in week six with four teams taking defeats dashing the title hopes of many fan bases. The cream may have risen to the top for now but several key matchups have yet to be played before the nation starts placing Oregon vs. Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. A one-loss team might be able to sneak into the title game when all is said and done.
The biggest surprise loss of the week had to be FSU on the road to N.C. State 17-16. The Seminoles seemed to have a cakewalk to the end of their season before a season ending showdown with in-state rival Florida. Now FSU has let Clemson back in the ACC Atlantic Division race.
Is this the one game FSU always seems to lose each year that they should not lose or is there another upset waiting on the schedule?
Mark Richt went from being on the hot seat after a 0-2 start to the Bulldogs 2011 season to a No. 5 AP ranking in 2012. All seemed great for Georgia until the Gamecocks defense knocked Richt and company back a few pegs.
With one Top 25 team remaining on their schedule in Florida, can the Bulldogs keep on South Carolina’s heels the rest of the season or will the Gators crush their SEC title game hopes come Oct. 27?
LSU has been slipping in the HogManInLA poll over the last couple of weeks; note my national rankings are posted before the AP polls each week. LSU has had too many injuries and suspensions to key players to keep their two-year pace as one of the best teams in college football.
A road trip to an upstart Gators team handed the Tigers their first regular season loss since Arkansas beat them 31-23 in Nov. of 2010.
Speaking of Arkansas, the Razorbacks downward spiral took a temporary stop this week against the Auburn Tigers. The Hogs beat the Tigers 24-7 at Jordan-Hare Stadium with Auburn coming off a bye week.
Gene Chizik and the Auburn faithful have to be even more upset to think they lost to a John L. Smith coached team.
Texas slowed down West Virginia’s offense but not enough for a home win. The Mountaineers look unstoppable with Geno Smith under center; the Big 12 is officially on notice.
WVU travels back to the state of Texas next week to play Tech before getting Kansas State and TCU at home for back-to-back games. Should Dana Holgrosen manage that part of the schedule Oklahoma maybe the only team left to keep the Mountaineers out of the talk for a BCS title appearance.
Pac-12 fans might tell you how strong the conference is because each team is losing to the other; that is not a sign of strength that is a sign of parity. The Pac-12 appears to only have one elite team in Oregon but the Ducks schedule is so weak college football fans may not know how good this team is until they reach a BCS game; that includes their Nov. 3 showdown at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.
Due to poor out of conference scheduling, for Chip Kelly to find out that his Duck’s team is not as good as advertised in the national championship game with everyone watching would be really embarrassing.
Paul Rhoads, everyone must learn his name if you do not know it already. Mr. Rhoads is the head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones and he has ISU playing tough. Rhoads has ISU at 4-1 coming off an upset road victory over beloved TCU. Next week the Cyclones host KSU. A moral victory over a top 10 team would speak volumes of the heightened level of play in Ames.
Notre Dame is… Notre Dame. Next week Stanford comes to town which should be another win for the Fighting Irish. I’ll admit their defense is good but until they go undefeated and beat Oklahoma Oct. 27 on the road they will still be Notre Dame of the last 20 years to this sports writer.
The best matchups next weekend include:
Texas A&M at Louisiana Tech
Kansas State at Iowa State
Texas at Oklahoma
Stanford at Notre Dame
Florida at Vanderbilt, trap game for Gators?
TCU at Baylor, can the Horned Frogs stop the bleeding?
USC at Washington, the Huskies always play USC tough.
South Carolina at LSU, Spurrier wins this one, watch out America!
Tennessee at Mississippi State, chance for Dan Mullen to prove himself.
HogManInLA’s Top 25 College Football Poll
1. Alabama 5-0
2. Oregon 6-0
3. South Carolina 6-0
4. Florida 5-0
5. Kansas State 5-0
6. Ohio State 6-0
7. West Virginia 5-0
8. LSU 5-1
9. Georgia 5-1
10. Notre Dame 5-0
11. Florida State 5-1
12. Clemson 5-1
13. Texas 4-1
14. USC 4-1
15. Louisville 5-0
16. Mississippi State 5-0
17. Oregon State 4-0
18. Oklahoma 3-1
19. Rutgers 5-0
20. Stanford 4-1
21. Cincinnati 4-0
22. TCU 4-1
23. Texas A&M 4-1
24. Louisiana Tech 5-0
25. Iowa State 4-1
Top 25 Teams on Byes in Week Seven:
No. 2 Oregon
No. 9 Georgia
No. 12 Clemson
New to the Poll:
No. 23 Texas A&M
No. 24 Louisiana Tech
No. 25 Iowa State
Last Week’s Top 25 Teams that Lost:
No. 2 Georgia 7 at No. 5 South Carolina 35
No. 3 FSU 16 at N.C. State 17
No. 6 LSU 6 at No. 9 Florida 14
No. 10 Texas 45 vs. No. 11 West Virginia 45
No. 18 Nebraska 38 at Ohio State 63
No. 20 TCU 23 vs. Iowa State 37
No. 24 Northwestern 28 at Penn State 39
No. 25 Texas Tech 20 vs. No. 19 Oklahoma 41
Dropped Out of Poll:
No. 18 Nebraska
No. 23 Northwestern
No. 25 Texas Tech