College Football Pick-Em: Week 9

Sorry about the background change.  My background freaked out this morning so the blog is going to have this very basic background until I find something better.  On to the picks.  Last week was my work week of the season and I ended up going only 1-4.  Luckily, its time to bounce back so this week I will be going 5-0.  Here are the picks:

Florida State at North Carolina State- As a Seminoles fan, this game terrifies me.  Thursday night games on the road have become a house of horrors for FSU.  However, like I have been saying all season, if the Noles are truly "back", they must win games like this one.  NC State has the best offense FSU will see for the rest of the season, but FSU's defense has been stellar since the Oklahoma game.  They still lead the nation in sacks and must get plenty of pressure on Russell Wilson or he will carve the secondary apart.  This game will be close and it will be nerve-wracking, but the Seminoles will prevail.  Florida State 34, North Carolina State 31

Florida versus Georgia (in Jacksonville)- I'm not sure what to make of this game.  Florida is in the middle of a three game losing streak and Georgia currently has a three game winning streak.  If the Gators win, they still control their own destiny in the SEC East.  If Georgia wins, they could still win the SEC East despite their awful start to the season.  Florida hasn't scored more than 29 points this season.  Georgia has topped 40 points for three consecutive games.  However, three factors swing this game in the Gators' favor.  One, Urban Meyer cannot and will not allow his team to lose four games in a row.  Two, the Gators used their bye week to get healthy and their offense should be better for it.  Third and most important, Georgia hasn't played a defense of Florida's caliber this season.  Florida 24, Georgia 17

Missouri at Nebraska- I feel bad for Missouri.  Last week, they scored one of the biggest victories in school history.  And their reward for upsetting Oklahoma  is a trip to Lincoln to face a very angry Nebraska team.  The last time Nebraska played in front of their home crowd, Taylor Martinez got pulled and the Cornhuskers lost to Texas.  And last week, the proud Blackshirt defense of Nebraska gave up 41 points to Oklahoma State.  Nebraska will be out to avenge both of these mistakes.  The winner of this game should win the Big 12 North.  Missouri will play hard, but they don't have it in them to pull of back-to-back upsets.  Nebraska 28, Missouri 24

Michigan State at Iowa- If Michigan State can win in Iowa City this weekend, they have an excellent shot of going undefeated and even playing for the national title.  However, Iowa can thrust itself back into the thick of the Big 10 race with a win versus the Spartans.  Michigan State has had everything break right for them this season.  Their escapes at Notre Dame and Northwestern have shown that they are truly a charmed team.  Iowa, on the other hand, has been killed by their own mistakes in both of their losses.  If not for special teams errors, the Hawkeyes could very easily be undefeated.  This weekend they will avoid mistakes and cause the Spartans' luck to run out.  Iowa 17, Michigan State 14

Upset Special: Oregon at Southern California- I have had this upset picked out ever since the Ducks became a Top 10 team.  So have the Trojans.  USC is not allowed to play in a bowl game due to their Reggie Bush probation so this game is their Super Bowl.  Also, it was the Ducks who truly ushered in the end of the Trojans era of dominance by beating USC last year 47-20.  USCs will be out for revenge.  They have quietly had a solid season after a slow start that took them out of the national limelight.  Their offense really got going two weeks ago against Cal.  And the Trojans have had their bye week to prepare for Oregon's breakneck pace of offense.  Finally, even though they have fallen on hard times, USC is still full of future NFL players on both sides of the ball.  Oregon may execute perfectly, but the Trojans have the talents to hang with them.  For the fourth week in a row, the #1 team in the nation will lose.  Southern California 41, Oregon 38

Week 8 Record: 1-4
Overall Record: 27-13

Watching the Heisman: Week 8

Here is the Watching the Heisman for Week 8:


10. (Last Week: 9) Denard Robinson 

9. (Last Week: NR) Justin Blackom
8. (Last Week: NR) Robert Griffin III 
7. (Last Week: 10) Taylor Martinez 
6. (Last Week: 6) Andy Dalton
5. (Last Week: 5) Terrell Pryor
4. (Last Week: 4) LaMichael James
3. (Last Week: 3) Andrew Luck
2. (Last Week: 2) Kellen Moore
1. (Last Week: 1) Cameron Newton

My Top 25: Week 8

Every week it seems that at least one Top 10 team loses.  Last week, both Oklahoma and LSU lost to tams that are now in the Top 10.  LSU fell much further than Oklahoma based on their total lack of an offense and the general lack of faith that I have in them.  Oklahoma only feel to #11 because they own an extremely impressive win over #12 Florida State and head-to-head results are very meaningful.  Missouri finally proved that they are for real and jumped eleven spots, all the way to #7.  This week provides another chance for the Tigers to prove their worth as they travel to Lincoln to face Nebraska. Wisconsin jumped to the front of the one-loss teams because they have the most impressive record, with wins versus Ohio State and at Iowa.  Their only loss also happens to be at #6 Michigan State.  Georgia Tech, Kansas State, and Texas all fell out of the Top 25 after losing.  They were replaced by Miami, East Carolina, and Baylor.  The Bears can solidify their Top 25 ranking if they can win this week at Texas.  Here are the rankings for this week:


25. (Last Week: 17) Oklahoma State (6-1)
24. (Last Week: 15) Iowa (5-2)
23. (Last Week: NR) Miami (5-2)
22. (Last Weel: NR) East Carolina (5-2)
21. (Last Week: NR) Baylor (6-2)
20. (Last Week: 22) Mississippi State (6-2)
19. (Last Week: 24) Virginia Tech (6-2)
18. (Last Week: 7) LSU (7-1) 
17. (Last Week: 20) Arkansas (5-2)
16. (Last Week: 19) South Carolina (5-2)
15. (Last Week: 16) Nebraska (6-1) 
14. (Last Week: 14) Arizona (6-1)
13. (Last Week: 13) Ohio State (7-1)
12. (Last Week: 12) Florida State (6-1)
11. (Last Week: 5) Oklahoma (6-1)
10. (Last Week: 10) Alabama (7-1)
9. (Last Week: 9) Stanford (6-1)

8. (Last Week: 11) Wisconsin (7-1)
7.  (Last Week: 18) Missouri (7-0)
6. (Last Week: 8) Michigan State (8-0)
5. (Last Week: 6) Utah (7-0)
4. (Last Week: 4) Oregon (7-0)
3. (Last Week: 3) Auburn (8-0) 
2. (Last Week: 2) TCU (8-0) 
1. (Last Week: 1) Boise State (6-0)

Dropped Out: Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Texas

College Football Pick-Em: Week 8

I did well last week and nailed my upset special for the second week in a row.  Here are the picks for this week:

Georgia Tech at Clemson- Georgia Tech 27, Clemson 24

LSU at Auburn- Auburn 27, LSU 21

Oklahoma at Missouri- Oklahoma 28, Missouri 24

Wisconsin at Iowa- Iowa 16, Wisconsin 14

Upset Special: North Carolina at Miami- North Carolina 31, Miami 28

Week 4 Record: 4-1
Overall Record: 26-9

Watching the Heisman: Week 7

It is getting much harder to compile a list of ten real candidates for the Heisman.  Mallet, Robinson, and Martinez did very little last week to remain contenders.  Both Mallet and Robinson got hurt early in their team's losses and T-Magic was actually benched for his play.  Landry Jones has returned to the rankings due to Oklahoma's undefeated play so far.  He has a couple big games coming up where he can prove his worth, starting with this weekend at Missouri.  The final change took place at the top of the list, where Terrell Pryor fell to number five and Cam Newton ascended to the top spot.  Pryor has not shown the improvement that was expected of him this season.  While he is indisputably talented, it appears that he may never harness his talent in the manner of Vince Young.  Cam Newton, on the other hand, is doing a wonderful Vince Young impression.  He has taken the SEC by storm so far this season, leading the conference is rushing and passing efficiency.  This week's game versus LSU is another excellent opportunity for Newton to showcase his talent and expand on his lead.  Here is this week's Watching the Heisman:

10. (Last Week: 6) Taylor Martinez 

9. (Last Week: 10) Denard Robinson 
8. (Last Week: 8) Ryan Mallet
7. (Last Week: NR) Landry Jones
6. (Last Week: 7) Andy Dalton
5. (Last Week: 1) Terrell Pryor
4. (Last Week: 5) LaMichael James
3. (Last Week: 4) Andrew Luck
2. (Last Week: 2) Kellen Moore
1. (Last Week: 3) Cameron Newton

My Top 25: Week 7

What a week!  Five teams dropped out of the Top 25 after losing this past weekend.  Florida, Michigan, Oregon State, Nevada, and Air Force all fell.  It was especially hard to see Oregon State go because I have been defending them all year.  However, there loss was very fluky and I think they will be back.  A couple teams also returned to the Top 25 after a couple weeks away.  Texas and Virginia Tech are both back in the rankings after being left for dead due to early season upsets.  Georgia Tech and Kansas State have also returned to the rankings.  And much maligned Mississippi State is premiering in the rankings due to their upset in the Swamp.  There was also some movement at the top of the rankings.  Ohio State and Nebraska both fell out of the Top 10 due to losses.  Wisconsin was the week's biggest climber, jumping ten spots after their big win over the Buckeyes.  The Badgers will continue to rise if they can beat Iowa in Iowa City this weekend.  Michigan State and LSU also made big jumps due to the fact that I am finally buying into these teams.  Michigan State may very well be the class of the Big 10.  They will be able to prove it over the next couple weeks.  And LSU's stay in the Top 10 may be only one week as they visit Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers this weekend.  We will have to see what Les Miles has up his sleeve this time.  Here is this week's Top 25:

25. (Last Week: NR) Georgia Tech (5-2)
24. (Last Week: NR) Virginia Tech (4-2)
23. (Last Week: NR) Kansas State (5-1)
22. (Last Week: NR) Mississippi State (5-2)
21. (Last Week: NR) Texas (4-2)
20. (Last Week: 12) Arkansas (4-2)
19. (Last Week: 10) South Carolina (4-2)
18. (Last Week: 23) Missouri (6-0)
17. (Last Week: 22) Oklahoma State (6-0)
16. (Last Week: 4) Nebraska (5-1) 
15. (Last Week: 20) Iowa (5-1)
14. (Last Week: 19) Arizona (5-1)
13. (Last Week: 2) Ohio State (6-1)
12. (Last Week: 14) Florida State (6-1)
11. (Last Week: 21) Wisconsin (6-1)
10. (Last Week: 11) Alabama (6-1)
9. (Last Week: 9) Stanford (6-1)

8. (Last Week: 15) Michigan State (7-0)
7. (Last Week: 16) LSU (7-0) 
6. (Last Week: 8) Utah (6-0) 
5. (Last Week: 7) Oklahoma (6-0)
4. (Last Week: 5) Oregon (6-0)
3. (Last Week: 6) Auburn (7-0) 
2. (Last Week: 3) TCU (7-0) 
1. (Last Week: 1) Boise State (6-0)

Dropped Out: Florida, Michigan, Oregon State, Nevada, Air Force

College Football Pick-Em: Week 7

I finally nailed my upset special last week even if I missed on a couple other picks.  Here are the picks for Week 7:


Middle Tennessee State at Georgia Tech- The Yellow Jackets finally got the triple option working properly against Virginia last weekend.  Anthony Allen had the best game of his career and hopefully he can sustain that success going forward.  Before the season, I thought Allen had the potential to be a better running back than Jonathan Dwyer.  The talent that led to that prediction is still there and he just needs to continue to be more consistent.  MTSU has been pretty strong in the last few years, but they are down this year so the Ramblin' Wreck should roll in this game.  Georgia Tech 36, MTSU 13

Boston College at Florida State- After their domination of the U in Miami, the popular consensus regarding the Seminoles is that they are well on their way back.  While big wins are what defines a season, it is games against inferior opponents that will actually show if FSU is back.  During their dominant stretch in the 90's, FSU regularly won games like this one in huge blowouts.  However, as the program has fallen on hard times, these types of games have become unnecessarily competitive.  If Florida State really is back, they need to blowout BC.  And that is what they will do.  Florida State 45, Boston College 10

Texas at Nebraska- After last year's Big 12 Championship Game, this matchup was supposed to be a rematch between two Top 10 teams.  Nebraska has done their part but Texas has been very underwhelming thus far this season.  Texas's offense has been nothing short of awful, so Nebraska should win this game pretty easily.  The big question is how Taylor Martinez will perform against the still strong defense of the Longhorns.  I think T-Magic will continue his stellar play and lead the Cornhuskers to revenge against Texas.  Nebraska 35, Texas 18

Arkansas at Auburn- It seems that every week in the SEC West, two Top 10 teams face off in a huge game for both teams.  Arkansas needs more than just a win here to take the lead in the division race, but a victory will go along way towards that goal.  Ryan Mallett can jump back into the front of the Heisman race by leading his team to victory on the road.  Auburn can maintain its frontrunner status in the West with another big victory.  I was initially going to pick Arkansas in the upset, but I don't see a way that Cam Newton loses this game.  He truly has emerged as one of the top players in the nation and should make sure the Tigers stay undefeated.  Auburn 31, Arkansas 29


Upset Special: Mississippi State at Florida-  I am picking this upset on a whim and my reasoning behind it isn't very solid.  In fact, it all revolves around Cam Newton.  I originally was going to use Arkansas over Auburn as my upset special, but I just can't bring myself to pick against Cam.  I think he may very well be the best player in the nation.   The reason Mississippi State has a shot in this game is because of how well they played against Cam Newton and Auburn last month.  Dan Mullen has really turned this team around.  Plus, as the former offensive coordinator for the Gators, he has the inside track at pulling the upset.  Finally, the Gators are beat up both physically and mentally from back-to-back losses against Alabama and LSU.  It seems unlikely at first glance, but the Bulldogs are going to stun the Gators in the Swamp.  Mississippi State 21, Florida 17

Week 4 Record: 3-2
Overall Record: 22-8
 

Watching the Heisman: Week 6

It appears that the Denard Robinson express has come to an end.  One bad game isn't what will doom his campaign.  In fact, Denard's performance wasn't awful; he did have over 300 yards of total offense.  However, he couldn't sustain his success against the first good defense he saw.  It is reasonable to assume that he will be shutdown fully by even better defenses and Denard still has Iowa and Ohio State on his schedule.  Plus, since he is basically the entire Wolverines offense, he has a much higher chance of incurring an injury.  Denard will have a great season, but he will probably need to wait until next year to be a serious Heisman candidate again.

The top five guys on this week's list are the remaining "frontrunners" for the award.  If the season continues like it has been going, the statue will go to one of these men.  Taylor Martinez could enter this group with another big game versus Texas.  T-Magic seems to have taken the reins from Denard as the top speed quarterback in the nation.   The guys outside this top five will most likely need to pull a huge performance in an upset to jump back into serious contention.  Ryan Mallet in particular could jump back with a big game this weekend against Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers.

Here is this week's Watching the Heisman:

10. (Last Week: 1) Denard Robinson
9. (Last Week: NR) Colin Kaepernick
8. (Last Week: 10) Ryan Mallet
7. (Last Week: 9) Andy Dalton
6. (Last Week: NR) Taylor Martinez
5. (Last Week: 5) LaMichael James
4. (Last Week: 6) Andrew Luck
3. (Last Week: 4) Cameron Newton
2. (Last Week: 2) Kellen Moore
1. (Last Week: 3) Terrell Pryor

My Top 25: Week 6

It has finally happened.  The Broncos of Boise State have ascended to their rightful place as the top team in the nation.  Unless something crazy happens, they will occupy this spot for the foreseeable future.  There were some other big moves in the Top 25 this week as well.  South Carolina's upset of Alabama caused a ripple effect that led to Carolina moving up three spots, Alabama dropping ten spots, and Arkansas, who was victorious this past weekend, dropping three spots.  This shuffle happened because a team shouldn't be ranked behind a team it has beaten head-to-head while the victorious team has a better record or the records of the two teams are the same.  There are a few times when common sense will override this rule, but for the most part I will follow it all season long.  This rule is the same reason Iowa dropped four spots when Arizona dropped nine due to their lost versus Oregon State.  LSU rose nine spots because of their victory at the Swamp.  An undefeated team with LSU's schedule has no business being outside the Top 10, but I cannot get over what I saw at the end of their game with Tennessee.  One more big time win and I will treat them with all the respect their record deserves.  As a final note, I would like to welcome Florida State back into the Top 15.  My Noles appear to have fully recovered from the debacle at Norman and now stand as the frontrunners for the ACC crown.  Here is the Top 25 for Week 6:

25. (Last Week: 21) Florida (4-2)
24. (Last Week: 15) Michigan (5-1)
23. (Last Week: NR) Missouri (6-0)
22. (Last Week: NR) Oklahoma State (5-0)
21. (Last Week: 24) Wisconsin (5-1)
20. (Last Week: 16) Iowa (4-1)
19. (Last Week: 10) Arizona (4-1)
18. (Last Week: 23) Air Force (5-1)
17. (Last Week: 20) Nevada (5-0)
16. (Last Week: 25) LSU (6-0)
15. (Last Week: 19) Michigan State (6-0)
14. (Last Week: 17) Florida State (5-1)
13. (Last Week: 14) Oregon State (3-2)
12. (Last Week: 9) Arkansas (4-1)
11. (Last Week: 1) Alabama (5-1)
10. (Last Week: 13) South Carolina (4-1)
9. (Last Week: 11) Stanford (5-1)
8. (Last Week: 12) Utah (5-0)
7. (Last Week: 8) Oklahoma (5-0)
6. (Last Week: 7) Auburn (6-0)
5. (Last Week: 6) Oregon (6-0)
4. (Last Week: 5) Nebraska (5-0)
3. (Last Week: 4) TCU (6-0)
2. (Last Week: 3) Ohio State (6-0)
1. (Last Week: 2) Boise State (5-0)

Dropped Out: Kansas State, Miami

College Football Pick-Em: Week 6

Once again, I hit all of my picks except for the upset special.  Hopefully this week will be different!  Here are the picks for Week 6:


Virginia at Georgia Tech- Both of these teams looked awful last week.  The Cavaliers got blown out at home versus Florida State.  Their offense looked terrible in the first half before finally getting a couple drives going in the second half.  The Yellow Jackets looked like they were going to lose to a depleted Wake Forest team before finally rallying late in the 4th quarter.  Even though the Jackets have been anything but crisp this year, eventually they have to get rolling.  The Cavs defense has played well so far this year but they don't have the talent on either side of the ball to upset Georgia Tech.  This game has the added dimension being Al Groh's first game against his former team.  Georgia Tech 27, Virginia 21


Florida State at Miami- For the first time in years, this game has real conference implications.  Both of these teams have emerged as the front-runners in their respective ACC divisions.  They both have losses against out-of-conference Top 10 teams on the road and have beaten all of their other opponents convincingly.  The Seminoles have been very well balanced this season and their defense seems to have recovered from the debacle that was their road trip to Norman.  The Hurricanes have won this year primarily behind their explosive receivera and special teams.  Jacory Harris has had another up-and-down year behind a suspect offensive line.  The Seminoles will prevail because they have the playmakers to stand toe-to-toe with the Hurricanes and because their defensive line and linebackers will overwhelm the U's offensive line and force Jacory Harris to make mistakes.  The Noles currently lead the nation is team sacks with 25.  The next best team has 17.  Florida State 34, Miami 29


LSU at Florida- Neither one of these teams looked strong last week.  Florida got beat very handily by Alabama.  And LSU won a game they deserved to lose against Tennessee.  The difference is Florida actually didn't look that bad in defeat.  They made stupid errors, particularly in the red zone, but they were able to move the ball on the #1 team in the nation.  Florida's offense hasn't found its identity yet, but it is still able to move the football.  LSU's offense, on the other hand, looked abysmal against Tennessee.  The last 30 seconds of that game showed just how poorly coached this team really is.  Both of these teams have good defenses, but the Gators will prevail because they have an excellent coach while the Tigers don't even have a competent one.  Florida 24, LSU 13


Tennessee at Georgia-  How the Vols play in this game will reveal a lot about what caliber of coach Derek Dooley is.  If he can use last week's final as a motivational tool, he will have a long, successful career as a coach.  If Tennessee melts because of last week, he is probably not ready for his position.  Mark Richt is another coach who is in crisis.  If the Bulldogs lose this game, he may actually lose his job at the end of the season.  Richt is a very good coach, but it seems that Georgia just isn't very talented this year.  Dooley will have his team excited for this game and they will kick the Bulldogs while they are down.  This game has the added dimension of being Derek Dooley's homecoming to Athens.  He is the son of legendary Georgia coach and athletic director Vince Dooley.  Tennessee 27, Georgia 25

Upset Special: Alabama at South Carolina- Well I am going to try this again.  I picked against the Tide last time they went on the road against a Top 25 team and almost came away looking like a genius.  Hopefully, the second time will be the charm.  This match up sets up as the perfect trap game for the Tide.  They played extremely well against an excellent opponent last weekend and are primed for a letdown this week.  They are going on the road against another team that is viewing this game as their Super Bowl.  They are facing one of the few coaches in the country who is as smart as Nick Saban.  Williams-Brice Stadium is well known as one of the toughest stadiums in the SEC and it will be absolutely rocking for the Gamecocks.  And most importantly, South Carolina has a running back who is as talented as anyone the Tide can throw at him.  Marcus Lattimore's performance will ultimately decide whether the Gamecocks can pull of the massive upset.   He has been compared favorably to Adrian Peterson even though he has only played five college football games.  I think Lattimore will play the game of his life and Spurrier will finally get his signature win at South Carolina.  South Carolina 24, Alabama 22

Week 4 Record: 4-1
Overall Record: 19-6

Watching the Heisman: Week 5

In lieu of analysis of each player, this week's Watching the Heisman will feature discussion of the big movers, both up and down, on this week's list.  The biggest move took place at the top of the list, where Denard Robinson and Terrell Pryor switched places at 1 and 3, respectively.  Pryor has been the front-runner since the preseason based on his dynamic duel-threat talents and the fact that he is the leader of an undefeated national title contender.  However, Pryor has not put up the statistics or performance needed to make the claim that he is the most outstanding player in the country.  Denard Robinson most certainly has.  The numbers he has put up so far have never been seen in college football before.  He is the entire offense on an undefeated team that has no defense.  However, Robinson has by no means won the trophy.  There is still a lot of football to play and every time he steps on the field he flirts with injury. 

The other big mover this past week was LaMichael James who jumped up two spots ahead of Andrew Luck and Mark Ingram.  James jumped Luck because of his head-to-head victory this past weekend.  Both players played very well, but James played better and his team came out on top.  James also jumped Ingram because he has shown himself to be the best running back in the nation this year.   James has put up sensational statistics in every game this season whereas Ingram missed two games and has had another where he put up very pedestrian numbers.  Ultimately, the defending champion is hurt by how dominate Alabama is.  They don't need him to produce nearly as much as Oregon needs James too.

Here is this week's Watching the Heisman:

10. (Last Week: 10) Ryan Mallet
9. (Last Week: 9) Andy Dalton
8. (Last Week: 8) Patrick Petersen
7. (Last Week: 6) Mark Ingram
6. (Last Week: 5) Andrew Luck
5. (Last Week: 7) LaMichael James
4. (Last Week: 4) Cameron Newton
3. (Last Week: 1) Terrell Pryor
2. (Last Week: 2) Kellen Moore
1. (Last Week: 3) Denard Robinson

My Top 25: Week 5

After 5 weeks of football, there is a huge bottleneck at the top of the rankings.  Alabama, Boise State, Ohio State, and TCU were thought to be contenders at the beginning of the year and have done nothing to prove otherwise.  However, Nebraska, Oregon, Auburn, and Oklahoma have also shown themselves to be contenders.  Luckily, most of these teams have grueling schedules coming up that should help sort out this quagmire out.

There was only one big mover this past week.  Oregon moved into the Top 10 after a very convincing win over Stanford.  The Ducks got down early in the game and then stormed back to win 52-31.  I don't think Oregon will go undefeated over the grueling Pac-10 season, but they looked unstoppable last weekend.  Other big movers up the rankings include Michigan State and Florida State.  Air Force and Kansas State entered the Top 25 based on the strong starts to their seasons.  Kansas State hosts Nebraska this Thursday in a game that will reveal if they are contenders or pretenders.

Both Stanford and Florida dropped a few spots in the poll each based on their losses to Oregon and Alabama, respectively.  Neither team dropped very far because a team shouldn't be punished for losing to a Top 10 team, especially on the road.  Penn State and North Carolina State both dropped from the rankings after poor showings in their losses.  Wisconsin almost fell from the Top 25 after their loss against Michigan State.  The Badgers have done very little to deserve their high ranking and didn't do well in their first game against a strong opponent.  This next week's game versus Ohio State will show if the Badgers deserve to be ranked.  LSU is clinging to their Top 25 rankings because they are undefeated and have beaten 5 FBS teams.  However, I watched the end of the Tennessee-LSU game and the Tigers deserved to lose.  Their offense is embarrassingly bad and they are one of the most poorly coached teams in the nation.  Luckily, they are reaching the meat of their SEC schedule and will play much better teams over the next 2 months.  Unless they suddenly fix their offensive woes and Les Miles spontaneously learns how to coach, LSU will not end the year in the Top 25.  Here in the Top 25 for week 5 (remember to vote in this week's poll):

25. (Last Week: 22) LSU (5-0)
24. (Last Week: 14) Wisconsin (4-1)
23. (Last Week: NR) Air Force (4-1)
22. (Last Week: NR) Kansas State (4-0)
21. (Last Week: 16) Florida (4-1)
20. (Last Week: 21) Nevada (4-0)
19. (Last Week: 25) Michigan State (5-0)
18. (Last Week: 20) Miami (3-1)
17. (Last Week: 22) Florida State (4-1)
16. (Last Week: 18) Iowa (4-1)
15. (Last Week: 17) Michigan (5-0)
14. (Last Week: 15) Oregon State (2-2)
13. (Last Week: 13) South Carolina (3-1)
12. (Last Week: 12) Utah (4-0)
11. (Last Week: 8) Stanford (4-1)
10. (Last Week: 10) Arizona (4-0)
9. (Last Week: 9) Arkansas (3-1)
8. (Last Week: 7) Oklahoma (5-0)
7. (Last Week: 6) Auburn (5-0)
6. (Last Week: 11) Oregon (5-0)
5. (Last Week: 5) Nebraska (4-0)
4. (Last Week: 4) TCU (5-0)
3. (Last Week: 3) Ohio State (5-0)
2. (Last Week: 2) Boise State (4-0)
1. (Last Week: 1) Alabama (5-0)

Dropped Out: Penn State, North Carolina State