It was nice to be vindicated in so many games this weekend, but I’m stilling pulling my hair out over the polls. Let’s see: I said Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Nebraska and Florida were all overrated. All four lost. And yet only one of them fell double digit-spots in the polls, highlighted by Florida getting wiped out at home and dropping just five spots, from 12^th to 17^th. That is ridiculous.

Unfortunately, several other ranked teams also went down, which would logically mandate that the polls would undergo a radical reconstruction. Because both the AP and Coaches’ polls failed to do so, it was up to me to re-rank everybody correctly. I take care to value on-field performance over things like preseason ranking, unlike the voters. That’s why I wasn’t surprised to see Nebraska lose to Wisconsin, for example; while the AP had the Cornhuskers 8^th, I had them a much more reasonable 12^th.

By and large, the upsets that occurred weren’t terribly shocking (even though I was sad to see Baylor blow it against Kansas State). But there was one notable exception: South Florida. Someone needs to arrest Pittsburgh for assault and battery, because that showing on Thursday night got brutal. When the season started I had circled the Pitt game as a potential stumbling block for USF, but after the Bulls’ 4-0 start I thought the inconsistent Panthers wouldn’t pose much of a threat. Never mind. I guess West Virginia really is the only decent team in the Big East.

This week’s schedule is curiously light on good games. Auburn-Arkansas is easily the best matchup. Oregon and California on Thursday has potential, but Oregon should win.

The Red River Shootout (I will NEVER let this be referred to by the P.C. moniker “Red River Rivalry”) is Saturday, but I’d be shocked if Texas made a game of it. The only other ranked-vs.-ranked game is Florida-LSU… enough said. Maybe against this SEC West foe Florida can get a hundred yards of offense in the final three quarters combined! But I doubt it.

Certain teams are to blame for the tepid fare this weekend. There ought to have been a pair of great interconference showdowns, as Ohio State-Nebraska and Arizona State-Utah looked to be solid games. But both OSU and Utah have disappointed, and as a result we’re not left with much. The good news is there will be yet another interesting Friday night matchup when Boise State travels to the snake pit that is Fresno State. This has always been a good series, even if it has been decidedly one-sided in recent years. And speaking of Friday night, let us shed a tear for poor Utah State, who blew a late-game lead for the third time this season against BYU last week.

Top 25

1) Alabama

I thought about it some more. I don’t have a whole lot of respect for Florida, but the Tide’s physical dominance defensively is hard to go against. I still worry about the quarterback situation. Like LSU, it’s a mixed bag. The difference is that we’ve seen enough of LSU’s QB’s to know that they’ll eventually make bad plays. Bama’s signal-callers are still young and may yet surprise.

2) Oklahoma

This week will be critical for OU in my rankings. I think the Sooners are much better than Texas, who has been overrated by the pollsters. If they want to hold this position they have to win big, because LSU can further increase their stock with a dominating effort against Florida. This game is also important because Oklahoma hasn’t been as good away from home.

3) LSU

If LSU beats Florida with the same kind of crushing performance Alabama did, they’ll be number two. If they really impress me, the Tigers could rise to number one. LSU has thrived because Jarrett Lee has avoided the big mistakes that have plagued his career. But don’t look now! QB Jordan Jefferson is back, and he wants to start! This is exactly the sort of distraction the team doesn’t need.

4) Boise State

Last Saturday’s Nevada game was the worst Boise State has played in five years. The Broncos dropped passes, turned the ball over and committed 10 penalties. And they led 30-0 until the Wolf Pack got 10 garbage-time points. There’s no denying it – this team is really good. The one weakness I see is a lack of downfield receiving threats; understandable, considering who BSU lost, but potentially a problem down the road.

5) Wisconsin

I was sorely tempted to move the Badgers up to fourth. But then I remembered a couple things. TCU shut down Wisconsin’s run game in last year’s Rose Bowl. And Boise State tends to eliminate their opponents’ biggest threat quite skillfully. I’d pick Boise over Wisconsin. But that doesn’t mean this team isn’t very good. That much was evident from the 34 unanswered points the Badgers dropped in the second and third quarters on Nebraska. And it sure was fun to see Russell Wilson deliver an eloquent lesson to Taylor Martinez on what the word “quarterback” means.

6) Oklahoma State

There are technically four ranked teams remaining on OSU’s schedule. But three of them are only decent at best (Baylor, Kansas State) or imposters (prove me wrong, Texas). Unless there’s a major slip-up – or a full-game performance like we saw in the first half in College Station – I don’t see how the Cowboys aren’t 11-0 heading into the Bedlam Game with Oklahoma. Oklahoma State just has to avoid such overconfidence themselves.

7) Stanford

When is a blowout not really a blowout? Stanford’s 45-19 win over UCLA looked good on paper, but watching the Cardinal all I could think about was how eminently beatable they looked. UCLA is not a good team, and yet for a few key plays this would have been a very different game. Stanford only outpassed the awful Bruins throwing attack by 38 yards, and the teams averaged exactly the same yards per carry. At times the Cardinal can be physically imposing, but their lack of top-end speed is becoming very apparent.

8) Oregon

This midweek game against Cal could tell a lot about the Ducks. Have they rebounded from last year’s near-meltdown in Berkeley? Or were the Bears really onto something scheme-wise about how to stop Oregon? You’d think that the night atmosphere would be too much for Cal, but they do have an X-factor in dual-threat QB Zach Maynard. He can be spectacular at times and inconsistent at others. He was both against Washington. Let’s see if Oregon’s defense – spotty so far – can make him uncomfortable.

9) Clemson

I would have liked to reward Clemson for beating another ranked team by moving them up. But I expected the Tigers to beat Virginia Tech because the Hokies hadn’t played anyone. Additionally, I can’t honestly say that I’d take Clemson against Oregon, Stanford or Oklahoma State. This squad is young but talented, and they’re looking like the team to beat in the ACC. Unfortunately for them, they miss the three worst teams out of their division, so they’ll have to earn a trip to the conference title game.

10) Georgia Tech

And here’s the other ACC heavyweight. At times you wonder how Tech can be so successful, because defenses will stop that option over and over. And then the Yellow Jackets will explode, as they did in a three-touchdown, two-and-a-half minute burst to open the fourth quarter against North Carolina State. Like Oregon, the offense will never be as good when opponents have extra time to prepare. But that’s an unfair criticism. In any given week, this can be the most explosive attack in the country.

11) Arkansas

This is too high for Arkansas, as we know now that Texas A&M just can’t hold big leads. But I had to move the Razorbacks up given how many other teams lost, and when deciding where to rank them I realized I’d pick them to beat everybody else on this list. This team is still merely average on defense and too one-dimensional on offense, but at times – as the Southwest Classic showed – it can be a hell of a dimension.

12) Illinois

So we come to Illinois, who I resisted ranking at all last week because I didn’t think they had done enough to earn it. So what changed my mind, the last-second win over Northwestern? I like the Wildcats, but no. The issue is that Arizona State was moving up, and I couldn’t in good conscience rank the Illini lower than a team they beat. I don’t think the best team necessarily won that game – I said as much at the time – but as long as they remain undefeated, Illinois will retain the higher rank.

13) Arizona State

ASU played about as bad as is possible in the first quarter against Oregon State and still won by double digits. Is OSU that bad, or are the Sun Devils that good? I’ll say somewhere in the middle, giving Arizona State a big chance to prove themselves this week on the road at Utah. The Utes are reeling, turning what might have been a key divisional showdown into a potential laugher. Don’t screw this up, ASU.

14) Auburn

Auburn has played hopscotch in my rankings for weeks by winning games they shouldn’t, losing one they shouldn’t and now upsetting South Carolina. I don’t think the Tigers look very good on paper or even the traditional “eye test,” but they keep winning and now sit at 4-1. There should be no way they can compete with LSU and Alabama. Arkansas is a different story. I wouldn’t be completely shocked if Auburn managed to win this week against the Razorbacks.

15) Texas A&M

Logic would seem to dictate that after two straight awful collapses and no good wins to speak of the Aggies would drop farther. Yet I can’t get over the fact that this team does pass the eye test quite nicely. I think everyone would agree that A&M should have beaten both Arkansas and Okie State. If not for some mental errors and probably overconfidence with the lead, this team would be 4-0 and ranked in the top five. I can’t punish them too much for losing close games to good teams.

16) West Virginia

After South Florida’s debacle against Pitt, I’m prepared to admit that I was wrong about the Big East. It’s still West Virginia and everyone else. The Mountaineers haven’t always won the conference, but they’re easily its most consistent and respected team and the one every other Big East school wants to beat. This might be a little too high, but I have little faith that the ‘Eers could get beat by any of the teams directly below them.

17) Nebraska

Hmm, looks like having no passing attack at all can hurt you sometimes. Take note, Michigan. It’s always amusing to me when a team like Nebraska reels off a few September wins against mediocre competition and people think they’re elite. Didn’t anyone watch the Huskers last season, or remember Taylor Martinez being benched for poor play? He didn’t just magically get better in the offseason. That said, Nebraska’s overall athleticism and depth will still overmatch a lot of teams.

18) Florida State

FSU is lingering around the bottom of the rankings, and I have to ask why. The ‘Noles’ two losses are to a team that was recently ranked first in the polls and another now in the top ten. The Oklahoma game was close and the Clemson game was even closer (not to mention on the road, with a frosh backup QB). The pollsters shouldn’t get down on the Seminoles. Look at the rest of their schedule. They miss Georgia Tech and could easily win out.

19) Texas

Texas may have been a little better than expected, but there’s no chance the Longhorns are the eleventh-best team in the nation. I expect Oklahoma to knock these guys around on Saturday. However, UT has clearly found some young players to rally around (particularly at QB and receiver) and as I said last week, they could make a run by the end of the year. I doubt it’ll start in time for their rivalry game this week, though.

20) Michigan

Analysts have put Michigan on “upset alert” for the Northwestern game, but I happen to think the Wolverines are much more likely to pull that one out than the following game against Michigan State. Although this team is 5-0, they still haven’t beaten anyone, and I’ve yet to see any signs that the problems of last year (poor defense/defensive depth, inconsistent offense against a defense with a pulse) have been solved in any way. Perhaps this week will provide some answers.

21) South Carolina

The Auburn loss was so ugly Steve Spurrier decided to make a QB change. Stephen Garcia had been winning, so you can’t say it’s exactly overdue, but everyone knew the guy was a time bomb who was going to eventually cost the team a game. Here’s hoping Connor Shaw can be the one thing Garcia wasn’t: consistent. South Carolina should be better than the way they’ve been playing.

22) Baylor

Oh, Baylor. Just when it seemed as if you’d turned a corner, you blew the K-State game. But unlike with Illinois and Arizona State, I have no problem keeping the Bears ranked higher. Baylor has already gotten a quality win (TCU) and it took a late collapse and a fluke interception from Robert Griffin for them to lose. I know this team is better than KSU, and the rest of the season should prove that.

23) Houston

The gloves are coming off, folks. Houston, what’s wrong with you? The Cougars should be so much better than the way they’re playing. After another close escape versus weak competition, I had no choice but to penalize UH. The Cougars are going to lose at some point, because the Conference USA ain’t bad. This team has been very disappointing.

24) Virginia Tech

Well, that’s what I expected. Now that the Hokies have their obligatory loss out of the way, maybe they’ll start meeting some of that preseason hype. I like running back David Wilson a lot, but he’s the only real threat on the offense. I wonder about the defense, too. Bud Foster and Frank Beamer have long been bastions of excellent defense in the ACC, but VT hasn’t played that well over the last dozen or so games.

25) Kansas State

As I said, Kansas State isn’t better than Baylor. But the Wildcats have done enough to be ranked. I don’t expect too much from this team, as they seem bound to get lost in the middle of the shuffling Big 12. Seven or eight wins? Likely. Asking for any more would require more upsets. You think K-State can beat Texas A&M? Oklahoma State? Oklahoma? Not happening.

Pac-12 Thoughts

How about Wazzu escaping with that win over Colorado, eh? I was hoping the Cougs would win because Colorado’s bowl hopes are a lost cause. That sets up more or less a bowl elimination game in this weekend’s WSU-UCLA game. It seems cruel to assign this status to a game so early in the year, but that’s probably what both teams are looking at. WSU faces three ranked teams in their next five games following the Bruins, while UCLA has to play the entire South division plus rival Cal.

Speaking of bowl elimination and the like, here’s Arizona and Oregon State. It seems crazy now to think of the Beavers as a potential bowl team, but there’s no time like the present, right? This is mathematically the end of the line for OSU; at 0-5, they’d need to beat either Oregon or Stanford to make the postseason. At 1-4, there’s a chance, however unlikely, that they could rebound. For Arizona, it’s a chance to prove that their losses have been the result of elite competition and not their own incompetence.

I’ve already touched on Oregon-Cal and ASU-Utah… the Ducks and Sun Devils should win. There’s certainly upset potential in both games, but Cal would need a repeat of last season’s virtuoso defensive performance to beat UO in Eugene and Utah has been a complete mess outside of their smashing of BYU. The rays of hope for the Bears and Utes: Oregon’s defense has shown weaknesses and ASU can play bafflingly terrible at times.

Heisman* Watch

*Andrew Luck

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

How’s this for ridiculous? Griffin’s stat line from Saturday: 23-for-31, five touchdowns. AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED, because he misfired on three of his last four passes and threw his first pick of the year. When that performance is considered underwhelming, you’re doing pretty well.

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

I almost dropped Moore off the list for a week after his poor showing against Nevada, the first really bad game of his career. Of course, it was for the second fact that I kept him on. BSU may not have the opponents to back it up, but Moore will rebound in elite fashion.

Random Thoughts and Observations

I was considering placing Clemson’s Tahj Boyd on my Heisman Watch, but I don’t think he quite deserves it yet. To this point, his play has been outstanding, but we’re not even halfway through the season. If he’s still moving the Tigers up and down the field in November, then we’ll talk. I don’t doubt that he can do it, but the schedule isn’t going to do him any favors.

How does the hierarchy go right now in Texas? We can rule out the lightweights: North Texas, Rice, UTEP… TCU is eliminated thanks to their loss to Baylor…and Houston has been disappointing. Texas Tech is undefeated but about to get a rude awakening from Texas A&M this weekend. I think the same is probably true for Texas versus Oklahoma. Baylor is good, but too flawed. So that leaves Texas A&M as the likely best team in the state… and SMU.

Hear me out on this. SMU did lose handily to A&M in their opener. But interceptions on the Mustangs’ first two possessions put them in a hole they couldn’t recover from. SMU has since made a QB change and won their last four. This could be the best team in the Conference USA, which isn’t something to sneer at. I’d give them a good shot to defeat all of the other Texas schools, including Texas. June Jones has that Run and Shoot humming along as usual, which makes the Mustangs tough to stop. Texas A&M is probably the best team in the state, but it’s possible SMU is number two.