McMisanthrope's Top 25: November 28, 2010

Thoughts:

1) Fascinating weekend of college football. The argument for the BCS here is that these exciting games wouldn't have mattered with a playoff. And that's such a lie: Nevada and Boise would have been playing for the WAC's autobid, for example, and the game would have had the same intensity. In the Big Ten, all three co-champions would have been playing for the at-large bids to the tournament, too. None of them would have "thrown" those games if their spot was already assured. Same with the SEC: Arkansas and LSU would have been fighting it out for an at-large bid, too. No matter what the BCS tries to sell, it's a lie, people;

2) Auburn was impressive, but how bad is Alabama, really? A 24-0 lead at home and a 300-yard egde in the first half, and you can't win? Good for Auburn, but the Tide just didn't have it this year. Why were they ranked #1 to start the year? Something about a lot of returning starters?!;

3) Looking at Boise's loss, same thing. It just goes to show how hard it really is to run the table, no matter what your schedule looks like. Every game you play is a tough one, and no undefeated team should EVER be left out of the title picture. Which is, again, where the BCS fails so miserably;

4) And on that note, Oregon will be favored to beat the Beavers, and Auburn will be favored to beat South Carolina. I think it's more likely that Oregon will win than Auburn, in terms of probability. TCU really still has a chance, as I don't think voters can justify a conference co-champ making the title game based on a tiebreaker alone (Wisconsin), and there is no chance of a all-one-conference title game, either. If Auburn loses to the Gamecocks and the BCS tries to keep TCU out, it's going to get very ugly. Just sayin'.

Rankings:

1) TCU -- They're in already with their perfect record. No one else is. That's the only reason for this subjective ranking;

2) Oregon -- Based on what I noted above, they have the better chance to win out;

3) Auburn -- South Carolina could have beaten Auburn already. I think Auburn will be ready for this game, barring a Cam Newton breaking news event this week. But you never know with Spurrier;

4) Stanford -- Their only loss was to an undefeated team. I don't think any other one-loss team can claim that;

5) Michigan State -- Sure, they're probably not the best of the Big Ten bunch *right now*, and despite all the goofy blather on RSFC, you really can't ignore the H2H reality here. And strangely, Sagarin says the Spartans have also played the best schedule of the three, although it's a tight contest;

6) Wisconsin -- Not sure how a team that could only score 20 on Arizona State and 27 on San Jose State yet run up 70+ points in three other games. Talk about schizophrenic;

7) Ohio State -- They got their win over Michigan and another Big Ten title, but they lost to Wisconsin. It is what it is;

8) Nevada -- Gutsy win, but Boise handed it to them. That play they gave up at the end of regulation should have cost them the game;

9) Boise State -- This is where they belong, and they have to be mad about it. This was the best team they've fielded in the last five seasons. Sometimes, though, you just can't win them all;

10) Virginia Tech -- It's been a long climb back to the Top Ten, but the Hokies made it;

11) Nebraska -- Both their losses this year were somewhat mystifying;

12) Oklahoma -- Has anyone else seen that stat, how the Sooners are very good playing in-state games, but very poor playing elsewhere?;

13) Oklahoma State -- That had to hurt;

14) Missouri -- Maybe the most "blah" team in the country;

15) Arkansas -- Fluky win, because of that first-half TD. Strange that every SEC team has two losses, except Auburn. Not a strong conference this year, despite what everyone would have us believe;

16) Utah -- Not the prettiest 10-2 record, but not bad for an "off" year. Notre Dame probably just caught them at a lucky time;

17) LSU -- Not as bad as everyone thinks, but not as good as anyone thinks, either;

18) Northern Illinois -- If only there was a tournament, some at-large school from a big conference would get to face these guys in the first round. And we'd see how good they are;

19) Texas A&M -- Six straight wins have given the Aggies a pulse for the first time in awhile;

20) South Carolina -- I suspect the SEC refs will hose them in the conference title game;

21) Florida State -- They made Urban Meyer look bad, very bad;

22) West Virginia -- The Big East really isn't so bad;

23) Hawai'i -- And the WAC is pretty good, at the top;

24) Navy -- Just because;

25) Alabama -- No team that blows a 24-point lead at home against their blood rival deserves to be ranked, but ... wow, that was PATHETIC.

McMisanthrope's Top 25: November 21, 2010

Thoughts:

1. The Big Ten 2010 is the Big XII South 2008;

2. The Boise-Nevada game is huge;

3. What's the latest Cam Newton news?;

4. Predictions: Arkansas over LSU, and 'Bama over 'Burn.

Rankings:

1. Boise State
2. Oregon
3. TCU
4. Auburn
5. Stanford
6. Oklahoma State
7. Michigan State
8. Wisconsin
9. Ohio State
10. LSU
11. Nevada
12. Virginia Tech
13. Nebraska
14. Alabama
15. Arkansas
16. Missouri
17. Oklahoma
18. Utah
19. Northern Illinois
20. Arizona
21. Texas A&M
22. Hawaii
23. South Carolina
24. Florida State
25. Navy

McMisanthrope's Top 25: November 14, 2010

Thoughts:

1) Interesting games yesterday. Some teams were in trouble, but they rebounded;
2) TCU is all but in the house with a 12-0 record;
3) Oregon dodged a bullet;
4) Alabama will still probably beat Auburn.

Rankings:

1) Oregon -- That was lucky;
2) Auburn -- Two more weeks now of Cam Newton Scandal News;
3) TCU -- For 47 minutes, they dominated. For 13 minutes, they looked terrible;
4) Boise State -- Yeah, no letdown here;
5) Stanford -- Another Pac-10 team dodged a bullet;
6) LSU -- Finally, a blowout win for Les;
7) Oklahoma State -- Are they for real? At this point, we have to think so;
8) Nebraska -- How did they lose to Texas?!;
9) Michigan State -- Hoping for an Iowa win over Ohio State next weekend;
10) Nevada -- Nice road win at Fresno;
11) Wisconsin -- Classless;
12) Ohio State -- Tough road test ahead against an angry Iowa team;
13) Alabama -- They can really fuck over their conference with a win over Auburn;
14) Missouri -- Solid year out of nowhere;
15) Oklahoma -- Overrated as I suspected from the start;
16) Arkansas -- Why do two SEC teams schedule lightweights in the middle of November?;
17) Virginia Tech -- How many teams above could beat the Hokies on the road?;
18) Utah -- Dropping, like deadweight;
19) Temple -- Yeah, stunning, huh?;
20) Northern Illinois -- Only 20 teams in FBS with two losses or less;
21) USC -- Considering they have no defense, this isn't bad;
22) Arizona -- Whoops, Stoops!;
23) South Carolina -- Way to go, Ol' Ball Coach!;
24) Texas A&M -- They could be for realsies;
25) Miami-FL -- They always did know how to stuff the option.

Also considered: Mississippi State, Florida State, Iowa, Hawai'i

McMisanthrope's Top 25: November 7, 2010

Thoughts:

1) We're a few losses away from Armageddon;

2) I don't see Oregon losing again this year;

3) I think TCU-Oregon would be the best title game matchup;

4) I suspect everything will change in the next month from where it stands now.

Rankings:

1) TCU -- They dismantled an 8-0 team on the road Saturday. That's what the other teams have done to FCS teams. Say what you want about Utah being "overrated", etc., but that was insane, fellas;

2) Oregon -- That quick-pace offense just wears out defenses. The Ducks have outscored opponents in the second half this year by almost 200 points, I think. Insane. They're destroy a defense like Auburn's Swiss cheese unit;

3) Boise State -- Hawai'i really isn't a bad team, but Boise made them look like one;

4) Auburn -- Homecoming opponents (even in November??) go down easy;

5) Stanford -- Beating Arizona so handily was impressive, and their only loss came to Oregon;

6) LSU -- Gritty win for the Bayou Bengals, and their only loss was to Auburn;

7) Utah -- The Utes have to be here, despite losing by 40 points at home. Why? Because it's their only loss, and it was to my #1 team. I can't drop them any lower, as the teams below generally lost to lesser teams than themselves;

8) Michigan State -- Sparty gets the top spot in the Big Ten because of the H2H results, and their loss came to a "lesser" team;

9) Wisconsin -- How did they lose to Sparty?!;

10) Ohio State -- They lost to the Badgers;

11) Nevada -- Of the one-loss teams, they've still got a decent loss (Hawai'i), yet they've also played a pretty weak schedule. Boise will shred them, too;

12) Nebraska -- How did this team lose to Texas?!;

13) Oklahoma State -- They lost to the Cornhuskers only, so they get this spot;

14) Arizona -- With the two-loss teams, it's too complicated for my little brain to rank them hierarchically on their losses. They've played the toughest schedule of the two-loss teams, though;

15) Missouri -- They don't like the Big XII South;

16) Oklahoma -- Someone on RSFC pointed out how overrated they were. Looks like they were right;

17) Alabama -- Has the Tide's talent level dropped that much in a year? Didn't they have a lot of starters returning? Whoops;

18) Arkansas -- Ryan Mallett still throws too many key INTs;

19) Iowa -- Got lucky against Indiana, big-time;

20) Mississippi State -- The most under-publicized team in the SEC?;

21) Virginia Tech -- Seems like the Hokies have been hovering in this range for a month now;

22) Central Florida -- Best team in the state;

23) Temple -- Maybe the Big East will want them back?;

24) San Diego State -- The WAC really isn't a bad football league at all;

25) Northern Illinois -- The MAC is, however, bad.

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.