NCAA Top 25 - Week 1

Well, opening weekend is over, and so it's time for my first Top 25.  For those new to this, allow me to go over some simple rules:

• I do not count point spreads against FCS teams, and no team with JUST a victory against FCS can be considered for inclusion (thus some top national teams are NOT in this week's ranking)
• Point spread ALONE is not enough - I consider their opponents' stats over the past five years
• Conference wins count more than non-conference - it's always tougher when your opponent knows you well

With that in mind, here's the first week's ranking.  This one is likely to change radically in the next two weeks, as teams play tougher FBS teams, which count more in their strength ranking:

1. USC Trojans (1-0)
2. Cal Golden Bears (1-0) - Impressive win against Maryland, who often start seasons strongly
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0) - VERY impressive win against a traditional powerhouse.  Best win of the week
4. Ole Miss Rebels (1-0) - Most of their scores were in the fourth quarter.  Let's see if they can continue this offensive showcase in two weeks
5. Boise State Broncos (1-0) - They made Oregon look pathetic
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0) - They murdered Georgia
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-0) - Great start for the Irish
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (1-0)
9. Kentucky Wildcats (1-0) - Biggest shut-out of the week
10. Missouri Tigers (1-0) - Chase WHO?  This team didn't miss a beat, despite losing three key offensive players
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0) - Rutgers had lost a lot, so let's see how well Cincy does in a couple of weeks
13. Texas A&M Aggies (1-0)
14. Michigan Wolverines (1-0) - The offense seems to be working THIS season
15. Utah Utes (1-0) - Let Utah State score a bit too much
16. BYU Cougars (1-0) - Nice win against Oklahoma, but they had help with the absence of Sam Bradford
17. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) - What's happened to their run defense?
18. Oklahoma Sooners (0-1) - Great defensive stand, losing only by one after losing Sam Bradford
19. LSU Tigers (1-0) - Speaking of lethargic defenses for opening week...
20. Stanford Cardinal (1-0) - They may have beaten a two-win team from last year, but it was a rare conference win this opening weekend, and the only impressive one
21. Arizona Wildcats (1-0)
22. Clemson Tigers (1-0)
23. Purdue Boilermakers (1-0)
24. Miami Hurricanes (1-0) - Nice win against Florida State, but they tired in the fourth quarter.  Lucky for them, so did the Seminoles
25. Virginia Tech Hokies (0-1) - They may have lost against Alabama, but they found ways to score against that defense

On the Edge:
     +1 Florida Gators (1-0)
     +2 Texas Longhorns (1-0)
     +3 Michigan State Spartans (1-0)
     +4 North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0)
     +5 Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)
     +6 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0)
     +7 West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0)
     +8 Florida State Seminoles (0-1)