McMisanthrope's Top 25: October 31, 2010

Thoughts:

1) Spooky!;
2) Some pretenders went down. Ho-hum;
3) Auburn and Oregon can't play defense;
4) Boise State and TCU can.

Rankings:

1) Oregon -- They can outscore anyone, obviously;
2) TCU -- It's hard to argue with their defense;
3) Auburn -- See Oregon above;
4) Boise State -- I still think they're most well-rounded team in the country;
5) Utah -- Will GameDay go to the TCU-Utah matchup?;
6) Stanford -- Can't see Stanford losing again;
7) Nebraska -- Can't see Nebraska losing again;
8) Missouri -- Oh well;
9) Oklahoma -- They trail Baylor in the Big XII South?!;
10) Alabama -- Still going to win the lame SEC;
11) Arizona -- They'll lose to Stanford;
12) Ohio State -- They're always hanging around;
13) LSU -- Hello, Peach Bowl;
14) Oklahoma State -- That Gundy rant seems like a distant memory now;
15) Michigan State -- Whoops!;
16) Wisconsin -- If two Big Ten teams get a BCS bid, the Badgers might get left out;
17) Nevada -- They will be big boys in the WAC next year;
18) Iowa -- How did they lose at home to Wisconsin?;
19) Arkansas -- Second-tier SEC teams don't impress anyone;
20) South Carolina -- Ibid;
21) Mississippi State -- Ibid;
22) Baylor -- Impressive! Then again, it was just Texas;
23) Virginia Tech -- Doing their thing quietly;
24) North Carolina State -- Whatever;
25) Florida State -- Doh!;

Also considered: Hawaii, Central Florida, San Diego State, Syracuse, Northern Illinois.

McMisanthrope's Top 25: October 24, 2010

Thoughts:

1) No one-loss BCS team is going to jump an undefeated BCS team in the BCS standings, period;

2) We will end up with two undefeated, non-AQ teams again;

3) Oklahoma just wasn't very good;

4) The Big XII as a whole isn't very good, so Missouri better win it.

Rankings:

1) Oregon: They just keep on winning. And scoring. And scoring. And scoring;

2) Missouri: They beat a "#1" team, so why not?;

3) TCU: Should be a good game with Utah;

4) Boise State: I think they're fortunate to get Hawai'i at home this year;

5) Michigan State: Gritty team. I thought they were cooked down 17-0 late in the first half;

6) Utah: See TCU above;

7) Auburn: Impressed with Cam Newton, but one-man teams aren't going to run the table. Apologies to Vince Young;

8) Stanford: Toby Who?;

9) Wisconsin: Suddenly giant-killer instinct;

10) LSU: It was nice while it lasted, Les;

11) Oklahoma: It was nice while it lasted, Bob;

12) Ohio State: That's the Buckeyes we know and love;

13) Florida State: That's the Seminoles we know and love;

14) Nevada: At least they only lost to Hawaii on the road;

15) Alabama: How did they lose to South Carolina?!

16) Arizona: How did they lose to Oregon State?;

17) Nebraska: How did they lose to Texas?!;

18) Oklahoma State: No defense in Stillwater;

19) Miami-FL: Their losses aren't so bad, right?;

20) USC: That win over Hawai'i looks pretty good now;

21) Iowa: Close losses kill your season;

22) Hawaii: They're good. Deal with it;

23) Michigan: Bye weeks make you look better;

24) Virginia Tech: I still think they'll win the ACC;

25) South Carolina: Someone needs to be #25.

Also considered: Arkansas, Kansas State, Mississippi State, Navy.

McMisanthrope's Top 25: October 17, 2010

Thoughts:

1) Nebraska has no heart;

2) Auburn has no defense;

3) Ohio State has no fortitude;

4) Nevada has no clothes.

Rankings:

1 -- Oregon: Nice week for a bye.

2 -- Oklahoma: Winning ugly is effective.

3 -- Missouri: Flying under the radar is always nice.

4 -- Boise State: Why don't more teams schedule road games against WAC teams?

5 -- TCU: Or even MWC teams, for that matter?

6 -- Auburn: A lot of holes in that defense.

7 -- LSU: McNeese State?

8 -- Michigan State: How many RBs do they have?

9 -- Utah: That have just as good a shot as TCU does.

10 -- Oklahoma State: See Missouri above.

11 -- Stanford: Only loss is to Oregon.

12 -- Alabama: Their only loss looks bad now.

13 -- Arizona: See Alabama above.

14 -- Nebraska: Terrible.

15 -- Florida State: Highest-ranked ACC team.

16 -- Iowa: Have three tough games left against Wisconsin, Michigan State and tOSU.

17 -- Ohio State: No shame in that loss, but they have to be pissed.

18 -- Nevada: Who knew Hawai'i could play defense?

19 -- Kansas State: Could still win Big XII North.

20 -- Wisconsin: Always plays better at home.

21 -- West Virginia: Highest-ranked Big East team.

22 -- South Carolina: Whoops.

23 -- USC: So inconsistent week to week.

24 -- Miami-FL: Probably don't belong here.

25 -- Arkansas: See Miami-FL above.

Also considered: Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, North Carolina, Mississippi State.

McMisanthrope's Top 25: October 10, 2010

Thoughts:

1 -- Clearly a letdown game for Alabama after the last two weeks. And it will cost the SEC a BCS "title" game berth. Watch;

2 -- Oregon and Ohio State now in drivers' seats for the "title" game. But if TCU or Boise runs the table and either the Ducks or the Buckeyes slip up, watch the SEC spin machine try to get its one-loss champ into the title game. That will be the end of days for the BCS in the eyes of the government;

3 -- Denard Robinson is human after all;

4 -- UCLA sucks. Oregon State does not. Ergo, Texas sucks, and Boise/TCU do not.

Rankings:

1) Oregon -- The team is deep, fast, strong and very good. That Boise loss last year seems miles away;

2) TCU -- Going to the Big East makes little sense long-term for TCU. Really;

3) Boise State -- Can anything stop the Broncos from going undefeated?;

4) Ohio State -- Now in the driver's seat for yet another MNC;

5) Nebraska -- The Big Ten will be very formidable next year, for sure;

6) LSU -- No way they're this good, but for now, they have the SEC inside track;

7) Missouri -- Sneaking up on people?;

8) Nevada -- Probably shouldn't be this high after that win over San Jose State;

9) Auburn -- Another last-second win for the Tigers;

10) Oklahoma -- I wonder how the computers will rank the Sooners;

11) Utah -- They deserve to be higher;

12) Oklahoma State -- Put that Bill Snyder thing to rest this year, didn't they?;

13) Michigan State -- After beating Wisconsin and Michigan easily in back-to-back weeks, you think they'd get more respect than this;

14) Alabama -- Look, Saban's ranked below his two previous FBS teams!;

15) Stanford -- No defense for The Farm this year, but what was with that penalty against USC on Stanford's final drive? Terrible and obvious officiating bias against the Trojans there. They can't make BCS money for the league, so make sure Stanford can?;

16) Florida State -- Hopefully, Bobby Bowden is smiling;

17) Arizona -- They got lucky against Cal and Iowa, so maybe they were due for a fall;

18) South Carolina -- Yeah, I know this ignores H2H, but whatever;

19) Arkansas -- They didn't beat 'Bama;

20) Iowa -- Still in the Big Ten hunt if they can win out;

21) NC State -- Someone has to fill these final five spots;

22) West Virginia -- Ahead of Rich-Rod again!;

23) Wisconsin -- Brent Beilema is a RUTSing bastard;

24) Michigan -- Still no defense;

25) Air Force -- I chose them to end this list ($1 to The Nails).

McMisanthrope's Top 25: October 3, 2010

Thoughts:

1) The Pac-10 and the Big Ten are better conferences than the SEC this year;

2) I'm not sold on Denard Robinson's Heisman candidacy, because he's a sophomore (yeah, I know about Tebow and Ingram) and his team will lose at least four conference games this year;

3) Alabama looked pretty darn good, but clearly Florida was overrated. The Tide should win the SEC as an unbeaten again;

4) Oregon might be the best team out there still, including Alabama;

5) No commentary this week below. I am sick.

Rankings:

1. Oklahoma
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Boise State
5. Arizona
6. Oregon
7. Michigan
8. Auburn
9. Kansas State
10. TCU
11. Oklahoma State
12. Nevada
13. Ohio State
14. Missouri
15. Northwestern
16. Nebraska
17. Michigan State
18. Utah
19. Florida
20. Miami-FL
21. Stanford
22. South Carolina
23. NC State
24. Florida State
25. Colorado

Also considered: Temple, USC, West Virginia, Iowa, Air Force.

McMisanthrope's Top 25: September 26, 2010

Thoughts:

1) So many great games on Saturday, especially in the SEC and the Pac-10;

2) No comment on the Big Ten schedule lameness, except that Purdue really stinks;

3) Still have no doubt that Boise would beat any team in the country at home;

4) Ryan Mallet just kissed his Hypesman hopes goodbye.

Rankings:

1) LSU (4-0) -- Random #1 this week, but so far, they've played a better schedule than any other undefeated team;

2) Boise State (3-0) -- Very tired of people ripping their schedule, simply as those doing the ripping aren't running out to schedule Boise any time soon. Hypocrisy at its worst;

3) Oklahoma (4-0) -- Anyone who has watched this time knows they're not very good. Texas could beat them, and the Longhorns aren't very good;

4) Auburn (4-0) -- Sorry, but they've played a better schedule than Alabama or Florida has so far;

5) Alabama (4-0) -- This is what you get for scheduling patsies to counterbalance good teams. And Arkansas didn't count as a good team;

6) Florida (4-0) -- See Oklahoma above. Alabama should tear them apart next week;

7) Arizona (4-0) -- Best of the Pac-10 teams based on SOS so far;

8) Stanford (4-0) -- Just a shade behind the Wildcats right now;

9) USC (4-0) -- Just a shade behind the Cardinal right now;

10) TCU (4-0) -- Since I am still of the belief no BCS team except Ohio State will go undefeated, I wonder which non-AQ team the BCS will shaft out of the title game this year;

11) North Carolina State (4-0) -- Surprise team of the year so far;

12) Michigan (4-0) -- Nice when you have three QBs who can play pretty well;

13) Kansas State (4-0) -- The Snyder Formula is working again;

14) Nevada (4-0) -- Boise could use the Wolfpack winning more games;

15) Oregon (4-0) -- Sure, they're better than this, but scheduling New Mexico and Portland State hurts you somewhere;

16) Northwestern (4-0) -- Seems like they always start 4-0 or something before finishing 8-4;

17) Oklahoma State (3-0) -- Why take a bye in Week 4?;

18) Utah (4-0) -- TCU could use the Utes winning more games;

19) Ohio State (4-0) -- See Oregon above;

20) Missouri (4-0) -- Admittedly, I know nothing about this team;

21) Wisconsin (4-0) -- See Ohio State above;

22) Nebraska (4-0) -- Beat a good San Diego State team on Saturday. Should win the Big XII, since OU and UT aren't very good this year;

23) Texas A&M (3-0) -- See Missouri above;

24) Michigan State (4-0) -- See Wisconsin above;

25) James Madison (4-0) -- Why the heck not?

McMisanthrope's Top 25: September 19, 2010

Thoughts:

1) Great finishes dominated the landscape on Saturday, but a few teams were lucky: Sparty, Bucky and 'Zona. Maybe Michigan, too. I'm stealing the phrase, but winning hides flaws. If Notre Dame, for example, had won the past two weeks, they'd be in the Top 20, easily;

2) Word is MSU's Dantonio had a heart attack last night after the game. Hope he recovers completely and soon;

3) I wish I could have watched Oregon's game yesterday, but it was only available on Comcast in Oregon and Washington. The Pac-12 Network can't come soon enough;

4) When you play a patsy, you have to smack the patsy thoroughly. Winning by a TD or less over a mediocre team is a sign of weakness.

Rankings:

1 -- Alabama (3-0): Sure, it was just Duke, but I'm willing to revise my earlier contention that the Tide won't run the table in the SEC this year. They are miles and miles and miles ($1 to Al Shepard) above every other team in their conference;

2 -- Oregon (3-0): I figure playing Portland State (weren't they D-II in the 1990s?) is a regional favor, but ouch. The Ducks can roll anyone in the country on a neutral field;

3 -- Boise State (2-0): They play a road game against a MWC team, and they destroy them. Again, they get Oregon State at home next week, and I'll bet they win that one. But that road date at Nevada looks a lot more imposing now, doesn't it?;

4 -- Ohio State (3-0): Another regional-favor smackdown. I realize the "value" of these games for the local interest, but I don't like them;

5 -- TCU (3-0): I bet it's fun for the Horned Frogs to beat on Baylor, considering the SWC rivalries and the fact the Big XII wanted Baylor instead of TCU. Two years in a row now, I've heard a lot about Baylor's QB, and I've yet to understand why;

6 -- Stanford (3-0): Like Cal-Maryland a few years ago, the Stanford-Wake home-and-hoe demonstrates why you don't schedule major road games across multiple time zones that start at funky times. Old story but the newest example;

7 -- Utah (3-0): This team will be a fine addition to the Pac-12, for sure. The Utes will give the Oregon schools a run for the Pac-12 North division title every season;

8 -- Arizona (3-0): Okay, so the defense finally gave up some points, and they let Iowa back into the game. But they still won against a great team with BCS aspirations of their own. Yes, home-field advantage matters. Anyone remember all those September NFL games in Phoenix where the visitor would collapse and blow big leads? I know Tucson is even worse than Phoenix when it comes to heat;

9 -- Texas (3-0): Revenge wins are sweet, even if hollow;

10 -- Oklahoma (3-0): Not sold on them yet, but I also think Air Force may win ten games this year;

11 -- Nebraska (3-0): That was impressive, despite the hype. The Huskies aren't quite ready for prime time yet, are they?;

12 -- USC (3-0): Why did Wendell Tyler's kid go to USC instead of UCLA?;

13 -- South Carolina (3-0): I want to believe, Coach. I really do;

14 -- LSU (3-0): I don't have a single interesting thing to say about this team;

15 -- Florida (3-0): I don't think they're this good, but they overcome adversity for the third game in a row to win again. But it's getting ugly;

16 -- Oklahoma State (3-0): Weak schedule so far, but whatever;

17 -- Arkansas (3-0): It would have been bad to lose that one;

18 -- Nevada (3-0): Is this too high? Their QB runs weird, like Michael Johnson (upright). Hard to believe his speed when he runs so oddly. But he killed Cal;

19 -- Auburn (3-0): Easily could have lost that game, if the Clemson QB makes that third-down throw in OT. Cheesy win, and Auburn won't be able to escape reality before October is done;

20 -- West Virginia (3-0): The Big East makes my Top 25!;

21 -- Missouri (3-0): Sleeper team in the Big XII North to challenge Nebraska?;

22 -- Fresno State (2-0): Three WAC teams in my Top 25. Schedule them!;

23 -- Michigan (3-0): No FBS team should be giving up 37 points to an FCS team at home;

24 -- Kentucky (3-0): Look, it's another SEC team building a house of cards!;

25 -- North Carolina State (3-0): An ACC team makes an appearance ...;

Also considered mildly: Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan State, Texas A&M, James Madison.