K.D. Cannon |
3. Baylor Bears (5-0) -- Thanks to a pretty soft schedule, the Bears have rolled through the first of their schedule. Though, this next week, they get their first significant test against the defensive-minded and suddenly dangerous TCU Horned Frogs.
4. Ole Miss Rebels (5-0) -- The Rebels were dominating early this season, but they were good enough to take down Amari Cooper and Alabama? Led by the suddenly smart and poised Bo Wallace, the Rebels got perhaps their biggest victory in school history. The tough part? Coming out next week and doing the same thing.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-0) -- While all of the nation's eyes were on the SEC West and the state of Mississippi, Notre Dame absolutely shut down the inconsistent Stanford offense. The way Everett Golson is playing and the way the defense is playing, this team looks a lot like the magical 2012 team.
6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-0) -- After dominating LSU a couple weeks prior, Mississippi State came out and got a huge victory at home against Kenny Hill and Texas A&M. We knew Prescott was a legit Heisman candidate but the amount of offensive weapons Miss. State has at their disposal is extremely impressive.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1) -- The Tide had a real opportunity to emerge as not just the frontrunner in the SEC, but in the entire nation. Unfortunately, they couldn't get the job down against the Ole Miss Rebels. They will need their defense to continue making big plays and shut down a sneaky Arkansas team next week.
8. Michigan State Spartans (4-1) -- Unlike the final score indicated, the Spartans dominated the previously undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers in every part of their matchup. Still, another weak fourth quarter is worrying, considering MSU lost to Oregon in the fourth. If they can't figure out how to finish games, Michigan State is not going to win the Big Ten and make the Playoff.
9. Oklahoma Sooners (4-1) -- Two weeks after putting up huge numbers against West Virginia, the Sooners couldn't get anything going against TCU. The good news is that Trevor Knight will only improve and the defense is just scratching the surface of what it could be. This loss hurts, but a win against Baylor down the stretch this year will put them right back into the mix.
10. Oregon Ducks (4-1) -- For the second straight year, the Ducks were really dominated by the Arizona Wildcats, possibly costing them their national title hopes. Their offensive line has been an absolute joke lately and Marcus Mariota just didn't appear to be comfortable at all against the Wildcats. If they don't figure some things out on defense, the Ducks could have some serious issues.
11. TCU Horned Frogs (4-0) -- Gary Patterson has always been a defensive-minded head coach, and while the defense is playing great, the offensive explosiveness has been the reason for the Frogs' breakout season. Led by do-it-all Trevone Boykin, TCU is emerging as a legit candidate to overtake Baylor in the Big 12.
12. Georgia Bulldogs (4-1) -- While all the SEC West top teams are beating each other up, Georgia is cruising through the East division, led by Todd Gurley. With Mariota losing and just not playing well, Gurley might have overtaken him as the Heisman frontrunner after his superb performance against lowly Vanderbilt.
13. Texas A&M Aggies (5-1) -- While the loss to Mississippi State obviously hurts, the Aggies are still very much alive. With weapons like Kenny Hill, Ed Pope, Speedy Noil and much, much more the offense will keep them in every game, and one loss in the SEC won't keep them out of the Playoff.
14. Arizona Wildcats (5-0) -- The Wildcats were able to pounce on a banged-up Oregon team and get a huge resume booster. With al the craziness happening inside the Pac-12, the Wildcats and huge-armed QB Anu Solomon have emerged as the favorites.
15. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1) -- It was a great overall week for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Not only did their archrival, Oklahoma lose, they had no issues with the struggling Iowa State Cyclones, with a lot of help from versatile running back/receiver Tyreek Hill.
16. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-1) -- It isn't time to count out the Buckeyes just yet. Since their loss to Virginia Tech, they have won three straight, putting up 50 points or more every single time. J.T Barrett has figured things out, and the offensive line has really stepped up around him.
17. UCLA Bruins (4-1) -- The Bruins' luck finally caught up to them this week, as the Bruins couldn't come up with any late in the game against the upset-minded Utah Utes. While Brett Hundley has done everything he can, he just can't succeed with his offensive line playing so bad and no consistent weapons around him.
18. Kansas State Wildcats (4-1) -- The Wildcats have recovered nicely after their first loss of the season, a big Thursday night battle with Auburn. Jake Waters continues to do everything offensively for K-State and the defense has been solid. The Wildcats will get a much needed bye before a huge game against Oklahoma, the loser likely getting knocked out of the Big 12 Championship race.
19. East Carolina Pirates (4-1) -- The Pirates just continue to put up huge numbers offensively, posting 45 points this week against winless SMU. QB Shane Carden has emerged as a dark horse Heisman threat, and wide receiver Justin Hardy continues to play very well, recording three touchdowns against the Mustangs.
20. Missouri Tigers (4-1) -- With South Carolina and Florida both struggling, it is clear that the Tigers have emerged as the only real threat to Georgia inside the SEC East. Those two teams play a huge game at Faurot Field (Missouri), one that could come down to the final seconds.
21. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1) -- Despite the fact they lost, it wasn't a terrible week for Nebraska. They were able to fight down to the wire against Michigan State and with Wisconsin losing, they stick as the favorite out in the weak Big Ten West.
22. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1) -- Few teams in the nation are as confusing as the Sun Devils. One week after getting absolutely demolished by UCLA, the Sun Devils beat USC on a fabulous hail mary, pushing them back into contention in the wide open Pac-12 South.
23. Utah Utes (4-1) -- Kyle Whittingham has done a great job with this year's Utah squad. They are now 4-1 (their lone loss was a one-point heartbreaker at the hands of Washington State) and have a huge resume boosting victory over UCLA. Equipped with dangerous receiver Dres Anderson and a stable of backs, the Utes have all the makings of a serious dark horse.
24. BYU Cougars (4-1) -- This past Friday night, any playoff hopes for the Cougars were extinguished, as they were pretty much shut down by Utah State. To make matters worse, Taysom Hill will miss some time with a fractured leg. The good news is that the ground game still has some serious bite, and the defense is playing pretty well.
25. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-0) -- Quietly, Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets are having a big year. Sure, their schedule hasn't been full of tough opponents, but the way Justin Thomas is playing, and the way the offense is moving, the Yellow Jackets are a dangerous dark horse.
Others Receiving Votes
Stanford
Clemson
LSU
USC
Wisconsin
Marshall
Minnesota
Louisville
West Virginia
Kentucky
No comments:
Post a Comment