Week 8 Top 25

Rank	AP Top 25	Jeremy	Nick
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25	Alabama (6-0) Oregon (6-0) Clemson (6-0) Ohio State (6-0) Florida State (5-0) LSU (6-1) Texas A&M (5-1) Louisville (6-0) UCLA (5-0) Miami (5-0) South Carolina (5-1) Baylor (5-0) Stanford (5-1) Missouri (6-0) Georgia (4-2) Texas Tech (6-0) Fresno State (5-0) Oklahoma (5-1) Virginia Tech (6-1) Washington (4-2) Oklahoma State (4-1) Florida (4-2) Northern Illinois (6-0) Auburn (5-1) Wisconsin (4-2)	Alabama (1) Oregon (3) Clemson (4) Ohio State (6) Florida State (7) LSU (9) Texas A&M (8) UCLA (10) South Carolina (12) Stanford (2) Louisville (14) Miami (15) Baylor (16) Missouri (25) Georgia (5) Texas Tech (20) Virginia Tech (24) Oklahoma State (19) Oklahoma (11) Fresno State (22) Florida (17) Washington (13) Northern Illinois (23) Auburn (NR) Michigan (18)	Alabama (1) Clemson (3) Oregon (7) Ohio State (4) Florida State (6) LSU (8) Louisville (10) Texas A&M (12) South Carolina (11) UCLA (13) Miami (17) Stanford  (2) Georgia (5) Baylor (14) Missouri (25) Fresno State (19) Oklahoma (9) Texas Tech (21) Virginia Tech (22) Oklahoma State (23) Northern Illinois (24) Wisconsin (NR) Auburn (NR) Florida (19) Washington (15)

 

Nick’s Top 25

1-5

My one through five had some major changes this week. Alabama says at one because until someone beats the Tide they are the two-time defending champion and should stay there. Clemson slides up one place this week after Stanford lost at Utah, but we will learn a lot about the Tigers with Florida State coming to Death Valley this weekend. Oregon finally beat a team worthwhile running away from Washington in the fourth quarter so it is now third. Ohio State is still fourth after the week off. Florida State moves to five this week even though it didn’t play, but it is defiantly one of the most impressive teams in the country and like Clemson has the big showdown this week.

6-10

LSU slides up two spots this week with a great win over Florida. The Tigers look like they can contend with Alabama for the SEC West title. I moved Louisville up three spots this week because it actually got a good win over a surprising Rutgers team. Texas A&M is making a move to be the third-best team in the SEC right now and the Aggies pulled out a gutty win over an upset-minded Ole Miss team. South Carolina moves up two spots after a blowout of Arkansas in Fayetteville. UCLA is looking like it could be one of the surprise teams of the year and could maybe even challenge Oregon or Stanford for a Pac-12 title crown.

11-15

Miami is slowly creeping its way into the top 10 and if it keeps racking ACC wins it could make some noise this season. Stanford drops 10 places after a bad loss at Utah, but don’t count out the Cardinal out it can still make some serious moves with a victory over Oregon. Georgia drops eight spots this week after also losing to an emerging Missouri team at home. Baylor stays put this week at 14 after an unimpressive win at Kansas State. Look out the Wildcats may have set the example for how to slow this offense. The undefeated Missouri Tigers move up 10 spots after a major statement win in Athens. The Tigers are going to be without quarterback James Franklin for the rest of the season so this ranking could change quickly.

16-20

Fresno State is looking like it could be this season’s BCS buster, but still have some possible bumps in the road to get over before we get there. For now the Bulldogs are 16 because they are looking like one of the better teams in the country. Oklahoma was taken to the house by Texas in a very surprising Red River Shootout and drops to 17. I still think the Sooners are the most complete and favorite team in the Big 12, but last week was a major setback. The second Big 12 team in this group is Texas Tech at 18 and like UCLA it could be one of the surprises of the season. I have been impressed with what Tech is doing especially with two true freshman quarterbacks. Virginia Tech looks like it has one of the better defenses in the country and should challenge Miami for the ACC Costal crown. Oklahoma State comes in at 20 this week after having the week off.

21-25

Northern Illinois moves up three places this week, it was pretty unimpressive against Akron, but the Huskies look like the class of the MAC. I moved Wisconsin back in the top 25 this week at 22 after a dominating performance over Northwestern. Wisconsin is looking like one of the better teams in the B1G this season and first-year coach Gary Anderson has this team playing at a high level. Auburn makes its first appearance in the top 25 this week after a 6-1 start to the season. Gus Malhzan has the Tigers playing very well this season and could make a little noise in the SEC. Florida drops to 24 this week after a hard-fought loss to LSU and Washington drops nine places after a tough loss at home to Oregon. I am not ready to sell the Huskies yet after back-to-back top five losses.

Dropped out: Michigan (16), Northwestern (20)

On the radar: Nebraska (26), Michigan State (27), Notre Dame (28), Utah (29), Boise State (30)

Top 25 Breakdown

SEC-8 (Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Auburn, Florida)
Pac-12-4 (Oregon, UCLA, Stanford, Washington)
ACC-4 (Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech)
B1G-2 (Ohio State, Wisconsin)
Big 12-4 (Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State)
AAC-1 (Louisville)
Mountain West-1 (Fresno State)
MAC-1 (Northern Illinois)

 

Jeremy’s Top 25 Breakdown

1-Alabama (1)

2- Oregon (3)
3- Clemson (4)
4- Ohio State (6)
5- Florida State (7)

A few new faces in the top five this week after two teams from my top five from last week lose.  Oregon moves up to No. 2 with their first statement win of the season at Washington.  Clemson moves to No. 3.  Ohio State and Florida State, No. 6 and No. 7, respectively last week, move up to No. 4 and No. 5 this week.  Look for more movement next week as Clemson and FSU faceoff for a huge ACC Atlantic battle.

6- LSU (9)

7- Texas A&M (8)
8- UCLA (10)
9- South Carolina (12)
10- Stanford (2)

One of my big droppers this week is Stanford.  The Cardinal held off a good Washington team two weeks ago but went on the road to Utah Saturday and couldn’t put it together against a very underrated Utes team.  Stanford falls all the way to No. 10. LSU and Texas A&M are coming off solid conference wins and check in at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.  UCLA ranks No. 8 and South Carolina is No. 9.

11- Louisville (14)

12- Miami (15)
13- Baylor (16)
14- Missouri (25)
15- Georgia (5)

Missouri, No. 15, moves way up this week after a big win on the road at Georgia but it could be short lived with their starting quarterback, James Franklin done for the year.  Georgia drops all the way form No. 5 last week to No. 15 this week.  They’ve suffered two losses this season and a plethora of injuries.  Louisville, Miami and Baylor continue their steady climb up the rankings. 

16- Texas Tech (20)

17- Virginia Tech (24)
18- Oklahoma State (19)
19- Oklahoma (11)
20- Fresno State (22)

Texas Tech and Virginia Tech both get big bumps this week.  I’m not sure I believe that they’re the 16^th best team in the country but undefeated is undefeated and until that changes, Tech will keep moving up.  Virginia Tech as rebounded after their opening day loss to Alabama to improve to 6-1 on the season.  They’re pedestrian on offense but the defense is special and they’re going to be a serious player in the ACC Coastal.  After getting drilled by Texas, Oklahoma drops from No. 11 last week to No. 19 this week.  Fresno moves into the top 20 and Oklahoma State sits at No. 19.

21- Florida (17)

22- Washington (13)
23- Northern Illinois (23)
24- Auburn (NR)
25- Michigan (18)

Florida and Washington both drop after tough conference losses.  They’re No. 21 and 22, respectively.  Northern Illinois is undefeated but they’re going to need some real help and some quality wins to gain much ground.  I dropped Michigan from No. 18 to No. 25 after a tough, 3OT road loss at Happy Valley.  Michigan has some serious work to do.  Auburn, at 5-1 checks into the top 25 for the first time. 

Out- Northwestern (4-2)

Northwestern is a solid team and I’m confident they’ll get things moving in the right directions.

Bubble Teams- Notre Dame (4-2), Nebraska (5-1), Michigan State (5-1), Utah (4-2), Boise State (4-2)

Top 25 Breakdown by Conference

SEC- 8 (Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, S. Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Auburn)
Pac 12- 4 (Oregon, UCLA, Stanford, Washington)
ACC- 4 (Clemson, FSU, Miami, Virginia Tech)
Big 12- 4 (Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma)
B1G- 2 (Ohio State, Michigan)
AAC- 1 (Louisville)
MWC- 1 (Fresno State)
MAC- 1 (Northern Illinois)