2008
CFN Rankings - Week 5
There's one very important distinction in the CFN rankings: these
are based on how good the teams are and NOT how they're going to finish.
Click on the teams for the recaps
and thoughts on every game or click
here for the team pages.
Rankings CFN
Preseason | Coaches
Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4
1. Alabama
(5-0)
W, at Georgia 41-30
next game: Kentucky
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ...if you didn't believe in
Georgia, who struggled with a mediocre South Carolina team, then you
don't believe in Alabama ... maybe. Considering the spotlight was on,
and how good the Bulldogs are, that win in Athens was the best win by
anyone this season. Now the team will have to deal with unrealistic
expectations. Can it live up to them?.
2.
Oklahoma
(4-0)
W, TCU 35-10
next game: at Baylor
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the Sooner passing
game is scary-good. All questions about what Sam Bradford would do under
pressure were answered by the TCU win. He was hit, he was sacked, and he
came up with a career-high 411 yards.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... the running game was shut
down by TCU and even though Bradford came up big, for the first time,
the offensive line looked vulnerable. That's nitpicking. There's no
argument if you want to call OU the nation's best team.
3. LSU
(4-0)
W, Mississippi State 34-24
next game: at Florida (Oct. 11)
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the win over Auburn
last week can't be ignored. That might have been best win of the year
before this wild weekend. The running game is rolling and the defending
national champions appear to have reloaded on defense.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. there were way too many
issues putting away a mediocre Mississippi State offense. A better team
than MSU would've been able to come up with the one or two big plays
needed to pull off the win. LSU will need to be far tighter to win at
Florida in two weeks.
4.
Texas
(4-0)
W, Arkansas 52-10
next game: at Colorado
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because …no one's playing
better than Texas at the moment. Colt McCoy would deserve the Heisman if
the season ended right now, and not only has Texas not lost, it hasn't
been close. The defense stiffened against the Arkansas passing game.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. a skeptical nation still
wants to see a game against a real team. It's not UT's fault that
Arkansas stinks, but the schedule has been light and breezy. Beating
Colorado and Oklahoma away from Austin over the next two weeks would
prove the Longhorns are the real deal..
5.
Missouri
(4-0)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: at Nebraska
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the offense really
is impressive. And now it's had a week off. The Tigers have been
explosive, effective, and impressive in three easy games and a shootout
against Illinois. The defense will only be better with the rest.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. there's still the question
mark about how strong the secondary is. The tests are about to come, but
could the Tigers really handle top Big 12 teams and the best the SEC has
to offer? We'll find out about the Big 12 side in a hurry.
6.
Penn
State
(5-0)
W, Illinois 38-24
next game: at Purdue
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … that 45-14 win over
Oregon State looks really, really strong now. Daryll Clark is the real
deal. For anyone wonder about just how good the offense can be with a
relatively inexperienced runner under center, the questions were
answered by Clark's passing against Illinois.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. for the first time this
season, the defense blinked. The Illinois offense is inconsistent, yet
its running game worked relatively well and the secondary had a
nightmare of a time with Arrelious Benn.
7.
Florida
(3-1)
L, Ole Miss 31-30
next game: at Arkansas
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the Gators were
just this close to coming up with the one really big play on the
final drive to beat Ole Miss. The game shouldn't have come to that, but
with a healthy and devastating Percy Harvin, this team can beat anyone
on a given day.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... Tebow hasn't been Tebow.
He's having a hard time keeping the chains moving and the switch to the
more-pass, less run version appears to have taken away his mojo. The D
line got flat-out whipped by the Ole Miss defensive front on too many
plays.
8.
Georgia
(4-1)
L, Alabama 41-30
next game: Tennessee (Oct. 11)
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the team that came
out of the halftime locker room and hung 17 straight points Alabama, and
played great in all phases, is the type of team that can win the SEC
title. This still might be one of the three best teams in America.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... you don't go down 31-0 in
the first half at home if you're really that good. The Georgia offensive
line got exposed a bit.
9.
USC (2-1)
L, at Oregon State 27-21
next game: Oregon
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … this is USC. You
know exactly what this team does. It loses a game it shouldn't, gets
back on track, and comes up with a blowout win in the bowl game. Would
you take Alabama or Oklahoma over USC in the national championship?
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... it's Oregon State. The team
got blasted by Penn State and lost to ... Stanford?! USC has to beat
Oregon handily to prove it's the real deal.
10.
Auburn
(4-1)
W, Tennessee 14-12
next game: at Vanderbilt
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the defense is
suffocating. Outside of LSU's Charles Scott, no one's going to run on
this group. The defensive line is playing extremely well.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... uhhhhh, the offense? It
struggled at best against Tennessee, and was a liability at worst.
11.
BYU
(4-0)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: at Utah State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … with everyone
crashing and burning, BYU should probably be in the top ten somewhere.
BYU is better than Oregon State, Ole Miss and Michigan, the teams that
came up with the big, stunning upsets.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... sorry, but it's going to be
a weekly reason why there's a ceiling on this ranking. Washington is
awful, and BYU struggled way too much in the close win in Seattle.
12.
Oklahoma State
(4-0)
W, Troy 55-24
next game: Texas A&M
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … this is the same
Troy that pushed Ohio State in a 28-10 loss. Oklahoma State blew through
the Trojans like they weren't even there. The win over Houston looks far
better now after the Cougars beat East Carolina.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. alright, fine, hanging 50
points a game on the board is nice, but when's the real test? At
Missouri, October 11th. Win that game, and it might be top five time.
13.
Wisconsin
(3-1)
L, at Michigan, 27-25
next game: Ohio State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the collapse was
swift and stunning. Call this a wait-and-see ranking, because that choke
in the Big House might have been just a one-shot deal. Ole Miss beat
Florida on the lines. The same is true for Oregon State against USC.
Michigan's defensive line had a lot to say about it, but Wisconsin took
its foot off the gas and it showed. This really might be a BCS-caliber
team with the exception of ...
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. ... the quarterback play.
Allan Evridge has to be better. If you want to argue that the Badgers
don't deserve to be in the top 20, there's no complaints here. Again,
wait and see over the next two weeks.
14.
Ohio State
(4-1)
W, Minnesota 34-21
next game: at Wisconsin
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the team finally has
the pieces in place. Beanie is running the ball, Terrelle is under
center, and all appears right with the Buckeye world. The Minnesota game
was easier than the 34-21 score might indicate.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ...it's prove it time. Beat
Wisconsin in Madison, and then the world will start to believe again.
15.
Texas
Tech
(4-0)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: at Kansas State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … call this a
place-setter ranking. The Red Raiders will probably move into the top
ten if they're impressive at Kansas State.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... Eastern Washington, at
Nevada, SMU and UMass. The schedule has been a joke. We still don't know
how good this team really is.
16. South Florida (5-0)
W, at NC State 41-10
next game: Pitt
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … that's more like it.
South Florida has the ability to rise up a beat the stuffing out of an
inferior team that doesn't get good quarterback play, like NC State. On
the other hand ...
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... ... this team has the
ability to struggle against the mediocre to lousy. As good as the Kansas
win looks now is as bas as the near-misses agaisnt USC and FIU appear.
17.
Kansas
(3-1)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: at Iowa State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the loss to South
Florida isn't looking all that bad, even acceptable, but there can't be
any more slip-ups for a while
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. it's time to prove it.
Beating FIU, Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston State isn't enough to show
that this team can be as good as last year's.
18.
Utah
(5-0)
W, Weber State 37-21
next game: Oregon State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … this is one of the
hottest teams in the country over the last 14 games, going 13-1 with
only the painful late collapse against BYU for the blemish. Don't look
into the final score of the Weber State game; it was a blowout.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... it shouldn't be. The
Michigan win looks better now, and if the Utes beat Oregon State this
week, all of a sudden it should be time to put them in the BYU category.
19.
California
(3-1)
W, Colorado State 42-7
next game: Arizona State
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the Maryland loss
doesn't look all that bad now. Had the Bears woken up early and won that
game, this would be a top ten team with outside dreams of playing for
the national title.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... whoppee, they beat Colorado
State. The Michigan State win was nice, but there needs to be a good
performance against Arizona State to warrant a higher ranking.
20. Boise State
(3-0)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: Louisiana Tech
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … Oregon 63,
Washington State 14. That really was a good Duck team that Broncos blew
past last week.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. is anyone believing that this
team could beat most of the teams ranked immediately lower? It could,
but the respec factor isn't there yet.
21.
Michigan State
(4-1)
W, at Indiana 42-29
next game: Iowa
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the Spartan offense
is clicking. Javon Ringer is the workhorse who makes it all go, but the
passing game kicked in against Indiana, too.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because .. the defense needs to be
better. Beating Iowa next week won't open anyone's eyes. The win over
Notre Dame is looking solid, but it'll be hard to put the Spartans much
higher until more big wins start to come.
22.
Virginia Tech
(4-1)
W, at Nebraska 35-30
next game: Western Kentucky
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the Hokies are an
East Carolina blocked punt away from being in the top ten. Beating
Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and now Nebraska at Nebraska are as
impressive a trio of wins as anyone has come up with in a row.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... it's happeing with a few
smoke and mirrors, but really, the Hokies can't be any lower than this.
They should be in the top 20 somewhere despite a lousy offense.
23. Oregon
(4-1)
W, at Washington State 63-14
next game: at USC
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the team is one
decent backup quarterback away from being unbeaten and in the top ten.
The running game has been fantastc and the defense was great against
Washington State. Now comes the real test against USC.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ...there's still that
quarterback question. Which team is going to show up against USC? If
it's the one that's unstoppable running the ball, it could come up with
the upset.
24. Georgia Tech
(3-1)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: Duke
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … with a week off, and
with Duke and Gardner-Webb up next, the record should get fatter before
dealing with Clemson. The offense needs as much time as it can get to
work, and now it's had two weeks off to prepare.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... it shouldn't be. No one
wants to deal with this offense right now. The defensive line is good
enough to win the ACC title win.
25. Illinois
(2-2)
L, at Penn State 38-24
next game: at Michigan
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the two losses are
to Missouri and Penn State. Theoretically, Illinois could be one of the
ten best teams in the nation.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... the defense is suspect.
Missouri and Penn State are going to rip up a lot of team,s, but the
Illini werent even close. There still isn't an impressive win on the
résumé.
|
26 |
TCU (4-1) |
|
27 |
Boston College (3-1) |
|
28 |
North Carolina (3-1) |
|
29 |
Vanderbilt (4-0) |
|
30 |
Maryland (4-1) |
|
31 |
Oregon State (2-2) |
|
32 |
Notre Dame (3-1) |
|
33 |
Michigan (2-2) |
|
34 |
Cincinnati (3-1) |
|
35 |
Nebraska (3-1) |
|
36 |
Ole Miss (2-2) |
|
37 |
Tennessee (1-3) |
|
38 |
Clemson (3-2) |
|
39 |
Kentucky (4-0) |
|
40 |
Tulsa (4-0) |
|
41 |
Air Force (3-1) |
|
42 |
Wake Forest (3-1) |
|
43 |
Arizona State (2-2) |
|
44 |
Florida State (3-1) |
|
45 |
Connecticut (5-0) |
|
46 |
Miami (2-2) |
|
47 |
Colorado (3-1) |
|
48 |
East Carolina (3-2) |
|
49 |
West Virginia (2-2) |
|
50 |
Arizona (3-1) |
|
51 |
Fresno State (3-1) |
|
52 |
South Carolina (3-2) |
|
53 |
Louisville (2-2) |
|
54 |
Pitt (3-1) |
|
55 |
Northwestern (5-0) |
|
56 |
Kansas State (3-1) |
|
57 |
Ball State (5-0) |
|
58 |
Purdue (2-2) |
|
59 |
Indiana (2-2) |
|
60 |
Mississippi State (1-4) |
|
61 |
NC State (2-3) |
|
62 |
UCLA (1-3) |
|
63 |
Iowa (3-2) |
|
64 |
Louisiana Tech (2-1) |
|
65 |
Baylor (2-2) |
|
66 |
Navy (3-2) |
|
67 |
Minnesota (4-1) |
|
68 |
Central Michigan (3-2) |
|
69 |
Bowling Green (2-2) |
|
70 |
Duke (3-1) |
|
71 |
Houston (2-3) |
|
72 |
Nevada (2-2) |
|
73 |
UNLV (3-2) |
|
74 |
Marshall (3-2) |
|
75 |
Southern Miss (2-2) |
|
76 |
Iowa State (2-2) |
|
77 |
New Mexico (2-3) |
|
78 |
Stanford (3-2) |
|
79 |
Arkansas (2-2) |
|
80 |
Washington (0-4) |
|
81 |
Rutgers (1-3) |
|
82 |
Troy (2-2) |
|
83 |
Virginia (1-3) |
|
84 |
Colorado State (2-2) |
|
85 |
Rice (3-2) |
|
86 |
Memphis (2-3) |
|
87 |
Arkansas State (3-2) |
|
88 |
Middle Tennessee (1-3) |
|
89 |
Ohio (1-4) |
|
90 |
Western Michigan (4-1) |
|
91 |
Texas A&M (2-2) |
|
92 |
Northern Illinois (2-2) |
|
93 |
Buffalo (2-3) |
|
94 |
Temple (1-4) |
|
95 |
UTEP (1-3) |
|
96 |
Florida Atlantic (1-3) |
|
97 |
Tulane (2-2) |
|
98 |
San Jose State (3-2) |
|
99 |
Miami Univ. (1-3) |
|
100 |
Hawaii (1-3) |
|
101 |
Wyoming (2-3) |
|
102 |
Akron (2-3) |
|
103 |
Syracuse (1-4) |
|
104 |
Washington State (1-4) |
|
105 |
New Mexico State (1-2) |
|
106 |
UCF (1-3) |
|
107 |
UL Lafayette (1-3) |
|
108 |
Kent State (1-4) |
|
109 |
UL Monroe (1-3) |
|
110 |
UAB (0-4) |
|
111 |
FIU (1-3) |
|
112 |
Toledo (1-3) |
|
113 |
San Diego State (1-3) |
|
114 |
Eastern Michigan (1-4) |
|
115 |
Utah State (1-3) |
|
116 |
Army (0-4) |
|
117 |
SMU (1-4) |
|
118 |
North Texas (0-4) |
|
119 |
Idaho (1-4) |