NCAA 2012 Week 9 Top 25

The Big East may decide to stop playing MAC teams.  After Cincy was knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens by Toledo, this week Kent State does the same thing to Rutgers.  That leaves just Louisville, who nearly lost that distinction against Cincy.  The Cardinals were fortunate, as FIVE teams lost their first game this week.  We started the week with eleven unbeaten teams, and we end with six.  Things are tightening up!

Since the Florida - Georgia game was played for a division title, I decided to start my divisional race portion a week earlier (it also gives me something to do while I wait for Hurricane Sandy to strike!)  That section closes this column, after the Big Ten report.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [1] : They slaughtered previously unbeaten Mississippi State, and proved that no team has the power of Alabama
2.  Oregon Ducks (8-0) [2] : They scored 56 points in the first half, and played the entire second half with reserves.  That's the power of the Ducks' offense
3.  Kansas State Wildcats (8-0) [3] : They crushed Texas Tech to ensure their place atop the Big XII
4.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-0) [5] : They beat Oklahoma, although they needed a strong fourth quarter and help from a turnover.  Still, they are 8-0 for the first time in over ten years.
5.  Florida State Seminoles (8-1) [7] : A massive dismantling of Duke makes the Seminoles the favorite to capture the ACC crown
6.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) [6] : It took a little time to get going against Penn State, but they made a powerful statement
7.  Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) [11] : The Bulldogs won the Blooper Bowl
8.  Florida Gators (7-1) [4] : The Gators looked terrible, committing five turnovers and 13 penalties in a mistake-filled match-up with Georgia.  Neither team looked like a Top Ten team, but their previous game results keep them there.
9.  LSU Tigers (7-1) [9] : It's getting a little crowded with SEC teams in the bottom half of the Top Ten
10. Clemson Tigers (7-1) [14] : Nice win over Wake Forest keeps them in the ACC Atlantic division hunt
11. USC Trojans (6-2) [10] : Their loss to Arizona should have dropped them more, but there is a big gap between the Top Ten and the rest of the Top 25
12. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) [15] : After losing two in a row, the Gamecocks finally won a game, but it wasn't easy
13. Oklahoma Sooners (5-2) [8] : They tied Notre Dame early in the fourth, but then the Irish took over.  Let's see how the Sooners bounce back
14. Texas A&M Aggies (6-2) [18] : Strong win by the Aggies!  They proved that the normally vaulted Auburn defense has disintegrated this season.
15. Boise State Broncos (7-1) [17] : Strong win for the Mountain West leader
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1) [13] : You'd think a 31-point loss would drop a team farther than three positions.  There are three considering factors:  the Bulldogs strong performances in previous weeks, the weaknesses (in either strength of schedule or other factors) of the teams below them, and the fact that it was Alabama who they played
17. Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-2) [12] : Drubbed by Kansas State proved they still have work to do to build a stable defense
18. Oregon State Beavers (6-1) [16] : Washington spoiled the hopes of the Beavers that they would be unbeaten going into their rivalry game against the Ducks
19. UCLA Bruins (6-2) [21] : Nice game against the Sun Devils
20. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-3) [19] : Their offense is keeping them in the Top 25, but another loss might remove them for good
21. Northern Illinois Huskies (8-1) [NR] : The MAC leader makes the Top 25, bolstered by strong wins by Toledo and Kent State
22. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-1) [26] : The offensive powerhouse enjoying their first season in the WAC cracks the Top 25
23. Louisville Cardinals (8-0) [24] : The only remaining unbeaten Big East team knows they have a target on their back
24. Texas Longhorns (6-2) [25] : They escaped a possible upset by Kansas that would have removed them from the Top 25
25. Kent State Golden Flashes (7-1) [NR] : The MAC spoiler of Rutgers gets onto the list for the first time all season

On the Edge:  Tulsa Golden Hurricane (7-1), Toledo Rockets (8-1), Utah State Aggies (7-2), UCF Golden Knights (6-2), North Carolina Tar Heels (6-3), Stanford Cardinal (6-2), Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-2), Fresno State Bulldogs (6-3), Michigan Wolverines (5-3), Penn State Nittany Lions (5-3), Wisconsin Badgers (5-3)

Dropped:  TCU Horned Frogs [#20], Ohio Bobcats [#22], Rutgers Scarlet Knights [#23]

Big Ten Report
Nebraska's win added a third bowl eligible team to the conference

LEGENDS Division:
1.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2) : Martinez made some good plays, but the Huskers still sputtered at times.  Consistency is key, and they need to find it
2.  Northwestern Wildcats (7-2) : The Wildcats need to cut down on their mistakes.  They have a fast offense and decent defense, but they keep hurting themselves
3.  Michigan Wolverines (5-3) : I'd place them second, but I'm not sure how long Denard Robinson will be out injured.  Bellomy proved that he wasn't ready to play, and if he has to start next week, the Golden Gophers might shock them.
4.  Michigan State Spartans (5-4) : The Spartans repeated last season's regular season overtime win over Wisconsin, but Maxwell is still making some mental mistakes
5.  Iowa Hawkeyes (4-4) : They stumbled badly against Northwestern
6.  Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-3) : They scored their first conference win against Purdue, and they may be a team on the rise.

LEADERS Division:
1.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) : Clearly the most powerful and most consistent team in this division
2.  Penn State Nittany Lions (5-3) : They handed Ohio State everything they could handle in the first half, they just couldn't sustain it
3.  Wisconsin Badgers (5-3) : They have trouble closing games
4.  Indiana Hoosiers (3-5) : Their defeat of Illinois was their first conference win, and their offense is improving.  I think it's too late for them to jump Wisconsin to play for the Big Ten Championship, but they should finish strong, and might become bowl eligible.
5.  Purdue Boilermakers (3-5) : Their inconsistent play bit them this week, joining Illinois as the only team yet to beat a conference opponent.
6.  Illinois Fighting Illini (2-6) : Speaking on behalf of all Illini fans, this season can't end soon enough.  They have many of the same players they had last year, but penalties (especially false starts) show a lack of discipline.  That was the problem that causing the firing of Ron Zook, and it doesn't look like Tim Beckman is doing much better.

Title Races:
ACC Atlantic:  While NC State has a slim chance (and a tiebreaker lead over Florida State), it is basically a battle between Clemson and Florida State,.  The Seminoles won their match-up, so they have the tiebreaker advantage, and Clemson still has to face NC State.

ACC Coastal:  This one is still up for grabs.  Every team except Virginia and North Carolina (due to probation) still has a mathematical chance to win, and there is a cramped four-way tie for conference record lead.  Duke has the best chance, but watch out for Miami

Big XII: Kansas State holds the lead and advantages over Oklahoma and Texas Tech.  They face Oklahoma State this weekend.  A win there practically guarantees them the title.

Big East:  Rutgers actually holds the lead, as they have played one more conference game.  Syracuse is a threat, but it seems to be a race between Louisville and Rutgers.

Big Ten Legends:  Nebraska holds the tiebreaker over both Michigan and Northwestern.  Michigan is in position, but Robinson's injury and upcoming games against Northwestern and Ohio State makes them unlikely.  Northwestern has a chance, but they have to beat Michigan Nov 10th.

Big Ten Leaders:  With the probation of both Ohio State and Penn State, the clear leaders in the division, the division is basically Wisconsin's to lose.  Indiana is coming on, and a defeat of Wisconsin at home on Nov 10th would help.

Conference USA East:  UCF has the lead and the tiebreaker advantage over East Carolina.  Two more conference wins gives the title to UCF, and with upcoming games against UTEP and UAB, two cellar dwellers, they should get it no matter what happens against SMU.

Conference USA West:  Tulsa holds the lead, but they are yet to play either SMU or Houston, their main competition.  In fact, Tulsa ends the season with games against the three most dangerous conference teams:  Houston, UCF, and SMU.  This division could go to either the Cougars or Mustangs, especially if one of them can upset Tulsa.

MAC East:  This is an interesting division.  Half of the division are still in the hunt, while the other half are winless in the conference.  Division leader Kent State hasn't yet played any of the three teams nipping at their heels:  Bowling Green, Ohio, and Miami Ohio.  Ohio lost to Miami Ohio and haven't played Bowling Green and Bowling Green beat Miami Ohio, so tiebreakers may be necessary to settle this one.

MAC West:  Northern Illinois and Toledo are both unbeaten in the conference.  Ball State lost to the Huskies and plays Toledo next Tuesday.  If the Rockets beat them, Ball State has no chance.

Mountain West:  Boise leads, but there are three teams close behind.  Boise has already beaten Fresno and faces San Diego State this weekend.  If Boise wins that one, they can basically coast, as neither Hawaii nor Colorado State will challenge them.  That would give them the conference title even before they play Nevada.

Pac-12 North:  The Beavers loss gives the edge to Oregon.  Mathematically they can still fail to win the division, but I don't see how USC or Stanford can push them.  Oregon should still be unbeaten when they meet the Beavers on Nov 24th in Corvallis.

Pac-12 South:  USC still leads, but Washington has given UCLA a chance.  Arizona State still has a chance, too, but their loss to UCLA means they must beat USC or they won't really have a chance.

SEC East:  Georgia's defeat of Florida makes it interesting, as the top three teams have 1-1 records against each other.  Florida has only one more conference game, against Missouri this week, so a win there kills South Carolina's chances.  Georgia would have to win their remaining conference games against Ole Miss and Auburn; the latter should be easy.  Thus, if Georgia beats Ole Miss this week, Florida's division hopes may be gone.

SEC West:  This is Alabama's division to win.  A victory over LSU this week seals it.  It looks like the SEC may have the first crowns awarded this season.

Sun Belt:  Louisiana-Monroe holds the edge, as they've already beaten Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.  If they beat Arkansas State next Thursday, it would take TWO upset losses to keep them from the conference title.

WAC:  This is a battle between Utah State and Louisiana Tech, both unbeaten in conference play.  San Jose State has a slim chance, but they need to win out and have Louisiana Tech beat Utah State.