NCAA 2014 Week 4 results and Top 25

I may have been the only national analyst in the country who picked Mississippi State; that win was not an upset for me!  My rankings are vindicated (or, at least, that one is).  Florida State showed that it is a weak team without Jameis Winston.  Clemson needed four weeks, but they've finally settled on a quarterback.  Arkansas amazed us with its strength, and the Big Ten conference as a whole went out of their way to show they were contenders.  Wisconsin and Michigan State ran up the score (something the teams in the conference almost NEVER do!) to impress the selection committee, while Iowa and Maryland engineered terrific upsets.  With the exception of Illinois, who left lowly Texas State score WAY too much against them, every single team played well.

Perhaps the most shocking example of playing well, though, was the East Carolina Pirates, who smacked North Carolina 70-41.  The Pirates were one of several teams who showed that this first year of playoffs have motivated many teams.  So many teams have been impressive in these early stages, in fact, that I have expanded my "On the Edge" section of the Top 25 to "The Next 20", as I have that many teams I am considering for placement in the Top 25 if someone falters.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1.  ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (4-0) [1] : Although shaky in the first half, the Tide took control and shut down the Gators
2.  Oklahoma Sooners (4-0) [2] : Another team who didn't pull away until the second half, they controlled the outcome
3.  Ole Miss Rebels (3-0) [3]
4.  Baylor Bears (3-0) [4]
5.  Texas A&M Aggies (4-0) [9] : Kenny Hill may be the surprise frontrunner from the Heisman Trophy
6.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0) [5] : Even a botched snap couldn't give the game to LSU
7.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-0) [7] : They tore apart their hated rivals from Miami
8.  Auburn Tigers (3-0) [6] : Had a hard time on Thursday
9.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0) [8]
10. Oregon Ducks (4-0) [10] : Scored less than usual, and winless Washington State matched them score for score
11. Arizona State Sun Devils (3-0) [11]
12. Duke Blue Devils (4-0) [12] : They seem destined to hit the Top 10
13. BYU Cougars (4-0) [19] : Took the Cougars a while to get going, too, but then they rolled
14. Stanford Cardinal (2-1) [14]
15. Arizona Wildcats (4-0) [15] : Had to come from behind to beat Cal
16. Georgia Bulldogs (2-1) [24]
17. Florida Gators (2-1) [13]
18. LSU Tigers (3-1) [18]
19. Missouri Tigers (3-1) [12] : A casualty of the Big Ten surge this week, as they were upset by Indiana
20. NC State Wolfpack (4-0) [20]
21. USC Trojans (2-1) [21]
22. Tennessee Volunteers (2-1) [22]
23. Utah Utes (3-0) [23] : I don't understand how they were underdogs.  Hadn't anyone in Las Vegas WATCHED the team from their neighboring state?
24. Florida State Seminoles (3-0) [17] : Clearly they need Jameis Winston, as they have no running game
25. Kentucky Wildcats (2-1) [25]

The Next 20
26. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0)
27. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-1)
28. Marshall Thundering Herd (4-0)
29. Washington Huskies (4-0)
30. Oregon State Beavers (3-0)
31. Wisconsin Badgers (2-1)
32. Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1)
33. TCU Horned Frogs (2-0)
34. Michigan State Spartans (2-1)
35. Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-1)
36. East Carolina Pirates (3-1)
37. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-0)
38. Boston College Eagles (3-1)
39. Maryland Terrapins (3-1)
40. Cal Golden Bears (2-1)
41. Louisville Cardinals (3-1)
42. Boise State Broncos (3-1)
43. Kansas State Wildcats (2-1)
44. Virginia Cavaliers (2-2)
45. West Virginia Mountaineers (2-2)