AP Top 25 Week 4

[Ranzo]

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Oklahoma (37) 2-0 1471
2 LSU (14) 3-0 1424
3 Alabama (7) 3-0 1402
4 Boise State (2) 2-0 1309
5 Stanford 3-0 1212
6 Wisconsin 3-0 1170
7 Oklahoma State 3-0 1092
8 Texas A&M 2-0 1043
9 Nebraska 3-0 911
10 Oregon 2-1 899
11 Florida State 2-1 896
12 South Carolina 3-0 891
13 Virginia Tech 3-0 830
14 Arkansas 3-0 781
15 Florida 3-0 669
16 West Virginia 3-0 579
17 Baylor 2-0 521
18 South Florida 3-0 496
19 Texas 3-0 402
20 TCU 2-1 273
21 Clemson 3-0 272
22 Michigan 3-0 266
23 USC 3-0 260
24 Illinois 3-0 106
25 Georgia Tech 3-0 59

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings


FSU & Oregon still highly regarded I see. Some good tilts this wkend: LSU-WV, Arkansas-Alabama*, OSU-TA&M, FSU-Clemson...



*Gonna be a barn burner.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Arkansas-Alabama*
*Gonna be a barn burner.

Sure will be. Can't wait.

 

[Aikbach]

Fascinating how according to the BCS the now endangered Big 12 has leap frogged the SEC to be the most competitive conference of the young year, five of it's 10 members are in the top 20.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Fascinating how according to the BCS the now endangered Big 12 has leap frogged the SEC to be the most competitive conference of the young year, five of it's 10 members are in the top 20.

The past has shown that when elite SEC teams play other elite teams from other conferences, the SEC typically wins and often in dominating fashion.

They just play a different kind of football, especially on defense. It's a culture thing, the top half of the SEC just has a different attitude and mindset and frankly, I think teams are afraid to play them because of the SEC aura they bring with them. How many great teams (Oregon, Ohio State, OU, Texas, etc.) have had amazing years recently only to run into the wall that is Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc? They've won five straight national titles, and the odds are that Bama or LSU take it again this year. Those defenses are just unfathomably good.

 

[Ranzo]

Sure will be. Can't wait.

Bama fan or Razorback fan?

 

[Biggems]

The past has shown that when elite SEC teams play other elite teams from other conferences, the SEC typically wins and often in dominating fashion.

They just play a different kind of football, especially on defense. It's a culture thing, the top half of the SEC just has a different attitude and mindset and frankly, I think teams are afraid to play them because of the SEC aura they bring with them. How many great teams (Oregon, Ohio State, OU, Texas, etc.) have had amazing years recently only to run into the wall that is Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc? They've won five straight national titles, and the odds are that Bama or LSU take it again this year. Those defenses are just unfathomably good.

Texas was within 3 with just over 2 minutes left against Bama...then the blindside blitz, the sack, the fumble, the TD that gave Bama a 10 pt lead. Then Saban rubbed it in with a final minute TD after a Gilbert Grape INT. The Score was lopsided, but the game wasn't.

Also, Texas has held its own against LSU, beating them a few times this past decade. Texas and Arkansas split their games this past decade.

I cannot speak for the rest of the Big 12.

 

[Muhast]

The past has shown that when elite SEC teams play other elite teams from other conferences, the SEC typically wins and often in dominating fashion.

They just play a different kind of football, especially on defense. It's a culture thing, the top half of the SEC just has a different attitude and mindset and frankly, I think teams are afraid to play them because of the SEC aura they bring with them. How many great teams (Oregon, Ohio State, OU, Texas, etc.) have had amazing years recently only to run into the wall that is Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc? They've won five straight national titles, and the odds are that Bama or LSU take it again this year. Those defenses are just unfathomably good.

LSU alone has 5 DBS that announcers were saying will be playing on Sundays.

Alabama has 2-4 legit first round caliber defensive players as well.

 

[Aikbach]

Texas was within 3 with just over 2 minutes left against Bama...then the blindside blitz, the sack, the fumble, the TD that gave Bama a 10 pt lead. Then Saban rubbed it in with a final minute TD after a Gilbert Grape INT. The Score was lopsided, but the game wasn't.

Also, Texas has held its own against LSU, beating them a few times this past decade. Texas and Arkansas split their games this past decade.

I cannot speak for the rest of the Big 12.

Which just begs to question why a conference the Aggies haven't been able to beat in the new millenium is where they're eager to dwell in the cellar.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Playoffs or it doesn't matter.

 

[The30YardSlant]

LSU alone has 5 DBS that announcers were saying will be playing on Sundays.

Alabama has 2-4 legit first round caliber defensive players as well.

If you go by current draft projections, 9 of LSU's 11 defensive starters will be picked in the first three rounds over the next two years. They rotate 8 defensive linemen, and 6 of them will likely be starters in the NFL one day.

Alabama has arguably the two best middle linebackers in the country on the same team in Johnson and Hightower, and probably the best corner in Kirkpatrick.

It's absurd the amount of defensive talent in that conference.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Which just begs to question why a conference the Aggies haven't been able to beat in the new millenium is where they're eager to dwell in the cellar.

Like I said, it's a culture and an attitude. We will struggle and hover around .500 in conference for a fews years, but like Arkansas appears to have really gotten it together over the last 5-6 years I think eventually that culture will be adapted by A&M. We arent Kentucky or Ole Miss or Vanderbilt. Hell, using your logic we'd be the third best team in the SEC this year, which depending on how Arkansas and SC shake out may not be too much of a stretch. We'll find out a lot this saturday with A&M/OSU and Arky/Bama.

 

[Aikbach]

Like I said, it's a culture and an attitude. We will struggle and hover around .500 in conference for a fews years, but like Arkansas appears to have really gotten it together over the last 5-6 years I think eventually that culture will be adapted by A&M. We arent Kentucky or Ole Miss or Vanderbilt. Hell, using your logic we'd be the third best team in the SEC this year, which depending on how Arkansas and SC shake out may not be too much of a stretch. We'll find out a lot this saturday with A&M/OSU and Arky/Bama.

You earned it:

 

[WV Cowboy]

The past has shown that when elite SEC teams play other elite teams from other conferences, the SEC typically wins and often in dominating fashion.

They just play a different kind of football, especially on defense. It's a culture thing, the top half of the SEC just has a different attitude and mindset and frankly, I think teams are afraid to play them because of the SEC aura they bring with them. How many great teams (Oregon, Ohio State, OU, Texas, etc.) have had amazing years recently only to run into the wall that is Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc? They've won five straight national titles, and the odds are that Bama or LSU take it again this year. Those defenses are just unfathomably good.

This is all true.

WV did beat Georgia in a bowl a few years back, and could have beaten LSU last year, at LSU. They play again this week, in Morgantown. (I'll be there)

But WVU would struggle playing in the SEC, week after week.

You are right, defensively they have some beasts.

I was hoping that WVU would get into the SEC, .. I think we could hang in basketball right now, .. and being in the SEC would improve football recruiting. Telling prospective players that you will be playing every Saturday, in the SEC, on TV, against the best, would improve recruiting. I am sure we would struggle initially in football in the SEC, but hopefully we could improve enough over time to compete.

 

[StylisticS]

The past has shown that when elite SEC teams play other elite teams from other conferences, the SEC typically wins and often in dominating fashion.

They just play a different kind of football, especially on defense. It's a culture thing, the top half of the SEC just has a different attitude and mindset and frankly, I think teams are afraid to play them because of the SEC aura they bring with them. How many great teams (Oregon, Ohio State, OU, Texas, etc.) have had amazing years recently only to run into the wall that is Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc? They've won five straight national titles, and the odds are that Bama or LSU take it again this year. Those defenses are just unfathomably good.

It's the D-Line. Look at all the champions the past few years. It's no secret recipe on why they are winning. The D-Lines from Florida x2, Alabama, Auburn, and LSU have all been better than the opponent. Florida D-Line killed the OSU oline in 2006. Just too fast and too quick for them. Alabama and Auburn D-lines was just better than Texas and Oregon O-Lines. Until the rest of college football can catch up to that, the SEC will continue to dominate.

 

[jterrell]

Like I said, it's a culture and an attitude. We will struggle and hover around .500 in conference for a fews years, but like Arkansas appears to have really gotten it together over the last 5-6 years I think eventually that culture will be adapted by A&M. We arent Kentucky or Ole Miss or Vanderbilt. Hell, using your logic we'd be the third best team in the SEC this year, which depending on how Arkansas and SC shake out may not be too much of a stretch. We'll find out a lot this saturday with A&M/OSU and Arky/Bama.

Arkansas hasn't "gotten it together".

They won 13 conference titles prior to entering the SEC and zero since then.

They had 3 NFL starting RBs at one time and a draftable NFL QB plus some OL and didn't win the conference.

TAMU has recruited far better than Arkansas the past decade but played below average football. The SEC isn't a Holy Grail for them. Their challenge will be how to lower standards academically and allow shady recruiting practices that reign in the SEC where half the schools are on probation or under investigation.

 

[jterrell]

This is all true.

WV did beat Georgia in a bowl a few years back, and could have beaten LSU last year, at LSU. They play again this week, in Morgantown. (I'll be there)

But WVU would struggle playing in the SEC, week after week.

You are right, defensively they have some beasts.

I was hoping that WVU would get into the SEC, .. I think we could hang in basketball right now, .. and being in the SEC would improve football recruiting. Telling prospective players that you will be playing every Saturday, in the SEC, on TV, against the best, would improve recruiting. I am sure we would struggle initially in football in the SEC, but hopefully we could improve enough over time to compete.

You guys will probably end up Big 12 bound. Probably battle Missou routinely for the North title. Not a bad fit or spot.

Excellent bball conference as projected with BYU, Louisville and WVA.

Could get to 16 with more Big East schools including TCU.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Their challenge will be how to lower standards academically and allow shady recruiting practices that reign in the SEC where half the schools are on probation or under investigation.

Every division one school has the exact same basic entrance requirements for student athletes mandated by the NCAA. Entrance requirements for athletes are not dictated by individual school requirements for regular students. It amazes me how people still don't understand this.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Bama fan or Razorback fan?

Semi-Razorback fan, I guess. I went there my freshman year, though I graduated elsewhere. Not like I'm some rabid fan, though, as I don't like Petrino.

I mainly just think it'll be a good game. Big fan of the SEC as a league.

I'll still be flipping back and forth to see the OSU-A&M game, though.

 

[UnoDallas]

so sorry Terrell but the Razorback finally got a good coach

some else besides Houston Nutt job

Bobby Petrino wasted little time showing Razorback fans and the rest of the college football world why he ranks among the most successful coaches in the nation. In just his third season at the University of Arkansas, Petrino led the team to the Sugar Bowl m arking the first Bowl Championship Series game in school history. In doing so, he became the only head coach in history to lead two different schools to their first BCS bowl appearance.

Petrino's fingerprints on the Razorback football program are easily recognizable. His commitment to an aggressive offensive approach, execution, balance, discipline and the sound principles of defense have clearly taken hold at Arkansas.

In his three seasons at Arkansas, the Razorback offense rewrote nearly every school passing record. For the first time since joining the league, UA led the SEC in scoring (2009) and passing offense (2009 and 2010).