HogManInLA’s Top 25 College Football Poll: Week 13
By Ryan Wright
Nov 17, 2012; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears cornerback Joe Williams (22) celebrates after a goal line stop in the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Bears beat the Wildcats 52-24. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE
Heartbreak and jubilation, that was the theme for week 12 during the 2012 college football season. No. 1 Kansas State and No. 2 Oregon both dropped from the ranks of the undefeated and essentially both may have lost their opportunity to play for a national championship.
Oddly enough the big winners were the BCS bowls and television networks as the match-ups for bowl season just got a little bit better.
Kansas State did something that has not been done since 2007 when then No. 1 LSU lost to unranked Arkansas. When No. 1 KSU lost to unranked Baylor 52-24 they did not break new ground they just knocked the ground out from under their collective feet.
When the BCS rankings are released early evening on Sunday, where will the Wildcats sit with a combined score from media and college football head coaches voting on the various polls plus the computer rankings? Rankings mean everything this time of year and a spot outside the Top Five in the AP, Coaches’ Poll, and BCS might be too much ground for Bill Snyder and his Wildcats to make up with only one game left against Texas (Dec. 1).
Same scenario holds true for Oregon as for KSU except Oregon could have the benefit of playing in the Pac-12 title game should Stanford lose to UCLA next week in Los Angeles.
The Bruins and Cardinal both reign supreme atop the South and North Divisions of the Pac-12 respectively. UCLA won a title game berth with a 38-28 win over USC. Stanford will have to play their way into the Pac-12 title game.
Oregon will have to hope for another upset, of sorts, when Stanford and UCLA play and keep their heads up for next weekend’s showdown against in-state rival Oregon State just to make it to the Pac-12 title game.
Chances are the Ducks will not fall as far as KSU in the BCS rankings or voter polls. The Ducks are flashier than the Wildcats and have more media “love” than their Midwest counterparts, right or wrong, making a drop around No. 4 more plausible thus keeping their hopes alive should Notre Dame falter.
Notre Dame will be playing for all the marbles on Saturday when they face off against USC. USC is reeling from a cross town beat down given to them by UCLA. UCLA came out of the gate quick jumping to a 17-0 first quarter lead and never looked back.
Were the Trojans looking ahead to Notre Dame or are the Trojans just not that good? On Nov. 24 USC can look to gain national respect against the Irish and play spoiler or Notre Dame can finish what they started in the regular season and punch their ticket to Miami.
Nick Saban and Mark Richt had to be the two happiest guys in college football Saturday night; besides network and bowl executives. Now both head coaches will have an opportunity to play for not only an SEC Championship but also a BCS National Championship against each other if they win out.
Alabama and Georgia are back in control of their destiny but first Bama must beat Auburn and Georgia has to take out in-state rival Georgia Tech. The winner of the SEC Championship Game is assured a spot in the BCS title game with a chance to extend the SEC’s dominance over college football.
Auburn could throw a monkey wrench into their hated in-state rivals’ plans on Saturday. An Alabama loss would flip flop the entire college football landscape and make one of the losing teams from Week 12 a national title contender again.
Ohio State fans have to be miserable as they are the only other undefeated BCS team left in the nation other than Notre Dame. 2012 will go down as a “what if” season for Buckeye fans. Buckeye fans, still love the Vest?
Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher made a stink last week about the BCS format. At 10-1 one can see why Fisher is upset that his Seminoles are not getting more love from the computers. But with only one game played, and won, against a ranked team (then No. 10 Clemson) reality is he has nothing to cry about. He lost to unranked N.C. State 17-16. When a team loses they have no one to blame but themselves.
Another reality is the schedule of Florida State’s. They do play Florida which adds to their resume, should they win, but games against Murray State and Savannah State do little. Too bad for FSU South Florida is 3-7 this year.
FSU will have an opportunity during rivalry week to grab a little more respect when they host the Florida Gators. The ACC Championship Game will not give FSU anything but an extra win over either Georgia Tech (6-5) or Miami (6-5). If Miami is the winner of their end of season game verses Duke a tie breaker in the ACC Costal Division will decide who plays FSU.
Top Games in Week 13
Michigan vs. Ohio State
Georgia Tech vs. Georgia
Oregon vs. Oregon State
Stanford vs. UCLA
Auburn vs. Alabama
Florida vs. Florida State
Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma
South Carolina vs. Clemson
Notre Dame vs. USC
HogManInLA’s Top 25 College Football Poll
1. Notre Dame 10-0
2. Georgia 10-1
3. Alabama 10-1
4. Oregon 10-1
5. Florida 10-1
6. LSU 9-2
7. Texas A&M 9-2
8. Kansas State 10-1
9. Florida State 10-1
10. Ohio State 11-0
11. Stanford 8-2
12. Clemson 10-1
13. South Carolina 9-2
14. Oklahoma 8-2
15. Rutgers 9-1
16. Louisville 9-1
17. Oregon State 8-2
18. UCLA 8-2
19. Nebraska 9-2
20. Texas 8-2
21. Utah State 9-2
22. Louisiana Tech 9-2
23. Boise State 9-2
24. Kent State 20-1
25. Mississippi State 8-3
New to the Poll:
No. 20 Texas
No. 25 Mississippi State
Dropped Out of Poll:
No. 21 USC 7-4
No. 22 Texas Tech 7-4