Another crazy week in football, although this week the top teams managed to avoid the major upset bug – although it looks like Alabama is off the major radar now. Where does that leave our teams? As usual, the rankings are a combination of scoring margin with the scoring margin of opponents in their other games:
| Rank | Team | W | L | Margin | Sched Rtg | SOS Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCU | 10 | 0 | 29.03 | 0.26 | 79 |
| 2 | Boise State | 8 | 0 | 27.73 | 0.73 | 70 |
| 3 | Oregon | 9 | 0 | 27.18 | -2.18 | 100 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 8 | 1 | 26.43 | 2.54 | 54 |
| 5 | Oklahoma State | 8 | 1 | 22.89 | 5.87 | 10 |
| 6 | Auburn | 10 | 0 | 22.56 | 5.51 | 14 |
| 7 | Iowa | 7 | 2 | 22.23 | 4.45 | 31 |
| 8 | Alabama | 7 | 2 | 22.06 | 4.53 | 30 |
| 9 | Stanford | 8 | 1 | 20.49 | 0.41 | 75 |
| 10 | Missouri | 7 | 2 | 19.49 | 5.44 | 16 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 8 | 1 | 19.12 | 1.34 | 63 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 7 | 2 | 18.35 | 4.63 | 29 |
| 13 | Virginia Tech | 7 | 2 | 18.14 | 2.14 | 58 |
| 14 | Florida | 6 | 3 | 17.8 | 6.25 | 9 |
| 15 | Utah | 8 | 1 | 17.24 | -1.98 | 99 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 7 | 2 | 16.9 | 5.57 | 13 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 9 | 1 | 16.74 | 3.34 | 45 |
| 18 | NC State | 6 | 3 | 16.41 | 5.69 | 12 |
| 19 | Oregon State | 4 | 3 | 16.13 | 11.7 | 1 |
| 20 | Illinois | 5 | 4 | 15.91 | 6.64 | 5 |
| 21 | Miami-FL | 6 | 3 | 15.89 | 6.25 | 8 |
| 22 | Pittsburgh | 5 | 3 | 15.79 | 4.89 | 24 |
| 23 | Texas A&M | 6 | 3 | 15.73 | 3.59 | 39 |
| 24 | LSU | 8 | 1 | 15.72 | 5.44 | 15 |
| 25 | Nevada | 8 | 1 | 15.62 | -5.33 | 112 |
| 26 | Hawaii | 7 | 3 | 14.93 | 4.73 | 26 |
| 27 | Mississippi State | 7 | 2 | 14.59 | 3.37 | 44 |
| 28 | Florida State | 6 | 3 | 14.39 | 1.31 | 65 |
| 29 | South Carolina | 6 | 3 | 14.15 | 5.42 | 17 |
| 30 | Air Force | 6 | 4 | 14.14 | 5.29 | 19 |
| 31 | USC | 6 | 3 | 13.93 | 5.23 | 20 |
| 32 | Clemson | 5 | 4 | 13.58 | 4.25 | 37 |
| 33 | Arizona | 7 | 2 | 13.52 | 0.68 | 71 |
| 34 | UCF | 7 | 2 | 13.43 | -2.9 | 104 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 8 | 1 | 13.37 | -0.63 | 86 |
| 36 | Georgia | 5 | 5 | 12.61 | 0.21 | 80 |
| 37 | West Virginia | 5 | 3 | 10.21 | -1.1 | 89 |
| 38 | Penn State | 6 | 3 | 9.98 | 4.81 | 25 |
| 39 | Kansas State | 6 | 3 | 9.92 | 3.14 | 48 |
| 40 | North Carolina | 6 | 3 | 9.71 | 4.35 | 34 |
| 41 | Notre Dame | 4 | 5 | 9.67 | 7.78 | 4 |
| 42 | Northern Illinois | 7 | 2 | 9.07 | -4.07 | 110 |
| 43 | California | 5 | 4 | 8.7 | 0.9 | 68 |
| 44 | Michigan | 6 | 3 | 8.69 | 3.52 | 40 |
| 45 | Temple | 8 | 2 | 8.52 | -1.98 | 98 |
| 46 | Kentucky | 5 | 5 | 7.61 | 2.29 | 56 |
| 47 | Baylor | 7 | 3 | 7.45 | -0.42 | 84 |
| 48 | Houston | 5 | 4 | 7.43 | -3.82 | 109 |
| 49 | Louisville | 5 | 4 | 7.38 | 0.27 | 78 |
| 50 | Maryland | 6 | 3 | 7.3 | 0.08 | 82 |
| 51 | South Florida | 5 | 3 | 7.06 | 0.49 | 73 |
| 52 | Cincinnati | 3 | 5 | 6.8 | 3.68 | 38 |
| 53 | San Diego State | 7 | 2 | 6.71 | -7.13 | 116 |
| 54 | Tulsa | 6 | 3 | 6.62 | -5.74 | 114 |
| 55 | Georgia Tech | 5 | 4 | 6.59 | 0.37 | 76 |
| 56 | Arizona State | 4 | 5 | 6.26 | -0.44 | 85 |
| 57 | Navy | 6 | 3 | 6.13 | -2.48 | 102 |
| 58 | Syracuse | 6 | 3 | 4.37 | -3.71 | 108 |
| 59 | Army | 5 | 4 | 4.29 | -2.71 | 103 |
| 60 | Toledo | 6 | 3 | 4.16 | 1.66 | 61 |
| 61 | Texas Tech | 5 | 4 | 3.92 | 2.84 | 51 |
| 62 | Troy | 5 | 3 | 3.85 | -2.31 | 101 |
| 63 | UCLA | 3 | 5 | 3.7 | 9.58 | 3 |
| 64 | Iowa State | 5 | 5 | 3.66 | 5.81 | 11 |
| 65 | Arkansas State | 4 | 5 | 3.43 | -0.18 | 83 |
| 66 | SMU | 5 | 5 | 3.35 | 2.4 | 55 |
| 67 | Rutgers | 4 | 4 | 3.22 | 0.34 | 77 |
| 68 | Connecticut | 4 | 4 | 2.63 | -1.37 | 91 |
| 69 | East Carolina | 5 | 4 | 2.56 | 5.17 | 21 |
| 70 | Ohio | 7 | 3 | 2.49 | -8.04 | 118 |
| 71 | Fresno State | 6 | 2 | 2.26 | -6.61 | 115 |
| 72 | Ole Miss | 4 | 5 | 1.77 | 0.82 | 69 |
| 73 | Indiana | 4 | 5 | 1.62 | 1.34 | 64 |
| 74 | Texas | 4 | 5 | 1.57 | 1.02 | 67 |
| 75 | Boston College | 4 | 5 | 1.51 | 3.12 | 49 |
| 76 | Southern Miss | 6 | 3 | 1.4 | -8.6 | 119 |
| 77 | Louisiana Tech | 3 | 6 | 0.27 | 5.4 | 18 |
| 78 | Tennessee | 3 | 6 | 0.14 | 4.28 | 36 |
| 79 | Northwestern | 6 | 3 | -0.22 | -5.61 | 113 |
| 80 | Western Michigan | 3 | 6 | -0.27 | -1.96 | 96 |
| 81 | Virginia | 4 | 5 | -0.93 | -3.05 | 106 |
| 82 | BYU | 4 | 5 | -0.95 | 3.39 | 43 |
| 83 | Washington | 3 | 6 | -1.03 | 11.11 | 2 |
| 84 | FIU | 3 | 5 | -1.05 | 0.13 | 81 |
| 85 | Central Michigan | 3 | 7 | -1.27 | -1.4 | 92 |
| 86 | Idaho | 4 | 5 | -1.33 | -2.91 | 105 |
| 87 | UAB | 3 | 6 | -1.78 | 2.97 | 50 |
| 88 | Colorado | 3 | 6 | -1.95 | 4.44 | 32 |
| 89 | Kent State | 4 | 5 | -2.31 | -5.31 | 111 |
| 90 | Marshall | 3 | 6 | -3.76 | 6.27 | 7 |
| 91 | Duke | 3 | 6 | -3.85 | 3.4 | 41 |
| 92 | UTEP | 6 | 4 | -5.15 | -11.25 | 121 |
| 93 | Bowling Green | 2 | 7 | -5.32 | 1.88 | 59 |
| 94 | Miami-OH | 5 | 4 | -5.55 | -0.66 | 87 |
| 95 | Minnesota | 1 | 9 | -5.67 | 4.73 | 27 |
| 96 | Purdue | 4 | 5 | -5.81 | 1.44 | 62 |
| 97 | Tulane | 3 | 6 | -5.85 | 2.59 | 53 |
| 98 | Utah State | 3 | 6 | -6.06 | 1.14 | 66 |
| 99 | Florida Atlantic | 3 | 5 | -6.45 | -1.76 | 94 |
| 100 | Colorado State | 3 | 7 | -6.62 | 3.28 | 46 |
| 101 | Wyoming | 2 | 8 | -7.1 | 4.68 | 28 |
| 102 | Wake Forest | 2 | 7 | -7.63 | 3.39 | 42 |
| 103 | North Texas | 2 | 7 | -7.99 | -3.29 | 107 |
| 104 | LA-Monroe | 4 | 5 | -8.67 | -0.78 | 88 |
| 105 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 7 | -8.81 | 4.3 | 35 |
| 106 | Rice | 2 | 7 | -8.99 | 4.92 | 23 |
| 107 | MTSU | 3 | 5 | -10.49 | -8.93 | 120 |
| 108 | Washington State | 1 | 9 | -10.56 | 6.42 | 6 |
| 109 | Buffalo | 2 | 7 | -10.7 | 1.74 | 60 |
| 110 | Kansas | 3 | 6 | -11.26 | -1.43 | 93 |
| 111 | LA-Lafayette | 2 | 7 | -11.78 | 2.16 | 57 |
| 112 | Western Kentucky | 1 | 8 | -12.07 | -1.93 | 95 |
| 113 | Ball State | 3 | 7 | -13.01 | -7.49 | 117 |
| 114 | San Jose State | 1 | 8 | -13.29 | 4.41 | 33 |
| 115 | UNLV | 1 | 8 | -15.1 | 5.01 | 22 |
| 116 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 8 | -16.38 | 0.45 | 74 |
| 117 | New Mexico State | 2 | 7 | -18 | -1.98 | 97 |
| 118 | FCS | 7 | 80 | -18.13 | 2.61 | 52 |
| 119 | Memphis | 1 | 8 | -19.02 | 3.17 | 47 |
| 120 | Akron | 0 | 10 | -19.28 | 0.54 | 72 |
| 121 | New Mexico | 1 | 8 | -20.63 | -1.16 | 90 |
As we hurtle towards the end of the season, slotting the BCS teams is becoming easier and easier. Looking at the standings in the BCS conferences:
- ACC: Virginia Tech has a near commanding two game lead in the Coastal Division while Florida State, Maryland and NC State all have two losses in the Atlantic Division. Looking at the candidates and rankings, 13th ranked Virginia Tech is the projection.
- Big East: Pittsburgh has a two game lead in the loss column, and are also the highest ranked Big East team (22nd)
- Big 12: Nebraska in the North leads, Oklahoma State in the South lead both with only one conference loss. In this case, we have the evidence of a head to head meeting, so while Oklahoma is higher ranked, we go with Nebraska in projection.
- SEC: Auburn has a 1 game lead in the West over LSU, which is extended by Auburn’s win in the head to head. Florida and South Carolina play for the de-facto East title this weekend, both 4-3 heading in. Auburn is the clear projection.
- Pac-10: Oregon, period.
- Big Ten: Four teams with one loss. We go to the rankings for our answer and it comes up Ohio State
TCU and Boise State are #1 and #2 this week. That said, with the way the BCS works, there is almost no chance both will enter the BCS and be the top 2 teams. As such, a little finessing is still in order, and TCU and Oregon get the top 2 slots.
- BCS Championship Game: TCU vs Oregon
The Rose Bowl loses a team. The Rose Bowl has its choice of Pittsburgh, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Iowa, Alabama, Stanford and Arkansas. The guess here is the Rose Bowl sticks with the tradition as much as possible.
- Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs Stanford
The other bowls choose in the order of Sugar, Orange, Fiesta with the team list above. Slotting this, a sensible arrangement?
- Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs Oklahoma State
- Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs Alabama
- Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska vs Pittsburgh
