2009 CFN Rankings
Week 12, Nov. 22
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Harris Poll
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12 Rankings,
No. 26 to 120
1. Texas 11-0
Last Week: W, Kansas 51-20
Next Week: at Texas A&M
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Maybe the team is bored. Now, the close call against Oklahoma several weeks ago doesn’t seem like a tough rivalry win; that seems like a bad 16-13 narrow victory. It doesn’t matter though at the moment. Unlike Florida and Alabama, Texas is getting better and better by the week.
2. Florida 11-0
Last Week: W, FIU 62-3
Next Week: Florida State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: If beating FIU 62-3 doesn’t get the heart racing, nothing will. Maybe this is just a case of a team going through the motions before it has to try to play hard, but it’s not like the Gators have been all that impressive against a mediocre SEC. However, this is still the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense and a team on a 21-game winning streak we’re nitpicking over.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Alabama might be better. TCU is playing stronger, at the moment, and the strange truth in this year’s SEC is that Florida might not have a win that’s worth a bucket of spit. The Arkansas win, now, seems like the only one that’s even remotely impressive, and that was a 23-20 nail-biter (and yes, we’re aware of the win at LSU).
3. Alabama 11-0
Last Week: W, Chattanooga, 45-0
Next Week: at Auburn
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Flip a coin between the Gators and the Tide for the No. 2 spot. The team is rested, got a nice break in the second half in the light scrimmage against Chattooga, and it should be fully ready for the finishing kick. Unlike Florida, Bama actually has a few wins that appear solid, in retrospect beating Virginia Tech and winning at Ole Miss convincingly.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It’s not like Greg McElroy was so great throwing the ball that Auburn’s coaching staff will lose sleep. There’s a chance that Florida send everyone and Urban Meyer’s wandering eye on South Bend at Mark Ingram in the SEC title game, and the Bama machine breaks down completely.
4. TCU 11-0
Last Week: W, at Wyoming 45-10
Next Week: New Mexico
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Last six games: TCU 278, Opponents 63. TCU is doing what it’s supposed to against Mountain West. If this is really a BCS team, you’re supposed to be winning your games by an average of 39.7 to 12.6. Honestly, if you had to bet the kids, would you feel comfortable taking anyone in the top three over the Horned Frogs?
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: So how good is TCU? Is beating Utah like a drum that big a deal? Well, yeah. TCU is in the spot it’s supposed to be.
5. Oregon 9-2
Last Week: W, at Arizona 44-41 2OT
Next Week: Oregon State (Dec. 3)
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: At home, tomorrow, Oregon beats three of the top four teams. The Ducks are whole other squad in their building, while on the road, Jeremiah Masoli is as cool as a Stuart Scott catchphrase that was as whack as the term whack was back in 2003. Masoli should be in the Heisman race if you believe in the idea of the honor going to the MVP; he saved the Ducks against Arizona.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: At home the Ducks are fantastic, but on the road the defense goes bu-bye. Stanford and Arizona had few problems moving the ball, but fortunately for Oregon, the Beavers are making the trip.
6. Ohio State 10-2
Last Week: W, at Michigan 21-10
Next Game: Rose Bowl
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Jim Tressel and his coaching staff have figured out exactly how to use Terrelle Pryor by not using him. Run the ball, run the ball some more, let the defense force the other team to screw up, win conference titles, play in big money games. If that’s boring, then what about 110 other teams are doing must be like watching grass grow.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Rivalry game, schivalry game. An awful Michigan team hung around for way too long considering Tate Forcier all but gave the Buckeyes the queen. Oregon will end up playing OSU in the Rose Bowl, but would you take the Big Ten champions over Stanford, Oregon State, Cal, or even USC?
7. Georgia Tech 10-1
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: Georgia
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: And now the team has had two weeks off to rest. The hottest running game in college football, at least outside of Reno, should be fully charged to be a Georgia team that lost to Kentucky on Senior Day, and lost its dog, UGA VII. If the death of a dog couldn’t inspire Georgia at home against the Cats, there’s little chance against a pumped up Tech team.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: If Georgia Tech isn’t seriously, seriously worried about dealing with a red-hot Clemson team in the ACC Championship, it should be. The Yellow Jacket defense is just bad enough to be bombed on by a Georgia team that no one thinks can win, while C.J. Spiller might cement a trip to New York in the conference title battle.
8. Cincinnati 10-0
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: Illinois
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: This was a team that looked like it needed a week off to catch its breath, and it got one just before the two-game finishing kick that could provide more of a debate for the national title race.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: They’re going to lose at Pitt. This is a good team, a very good team, but unlike the scary teams like TCU and even Georgia Tech, because of its running game, would Florida, Alabama, or Texas really be that scared of the Bearcats?
9. Boise State 11-0
Last Week: W, at Utah State 52-21
Next Week: Nevada
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: We promise. At the very end of the show, when all the final votes are in and it’s time to look back at what actually happened this season, Boise State’s win over Oregon will be taken into account. But for now …
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Sorry, but if you’re trying to win over a skeptical nation, giving up 35 to Louisiana Tech, 25 to Idaho, and 21 to Utah State, not to mention a 28-21 win over Tulsa team that decided to end its season in early October, isn’t the way to do it. However, the Broncos have a chance to make a statement (at least to those paying attention to college football and not busy catching up on all the Dr. Ozs on the DVR) against an amazing Nevada team.
10. Penn State 10-2
Last Week: W, at Michigan State 42-14
Next Game: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Now that was a good win. Really, it was. Michigan State, even with all its problems over the second half of the season, was fired up for Senior Day and looking to improve its lot in life with a signature win. Instead, Penn State went to East Lansing and provide an atomic wedgie to the Spartans.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: There is the little matter of the home loss to an Iowa team ranked lower. It doesn’t matter at this point. Penn State will get its chance to validate its 10-2 record against a soft schedule on New Year’s Day against the second best SEC West team.
11. Oklahoma State 9-2
Last Week: W, Colorado 31-28
Next Week: at Oklahoma
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: It shouldn’t be. This is a gift with the assumption that this might be the Big 12’s second best team, and that the honor should mean something in the rankings. The Cowboys have won eight of their last nine and have shown impressive resiliency in the face of injuries that would destroy most teams (cough, Oklahoma, cough).
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The OSU triple threat of skill players is QB Brandon Weeden, RB Keith Toston, and WR Hubert Anyiam. It’s not exactly Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter, and Dez Bryant. Texas Tech might not be that bad, but OSU has struggled to get through wins at home over the last few weeks, and the close call against Colorado might be unforgiveable.
12. Pitt 9-1
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: at West Virginia
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: On sheer talent and athleticism, Pitt might be far and away the best team in the Big East, and with Cincinnati coming to Heinz, it has a shot at the BCS if it can get by West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl. Fortunately, the team has had two weeks off to rest up and prepare.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It’s Pitt. Has it ever done anything you’d expect under Dave Wannstedt? The close call against Notre Dame looked a lot worse after the loss to UConn, but the Panthers beat the Huskies. This might be the proverbial team that could beat anyone, but could also lose to anyone, depending on which way the wind is blowing.
13. Oregon State 8-3
Last Week: W, at Washington State 42-10
Next Week: at Oregon (December 3)
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Alright, Beavers, the puck is on your stick with a chance to light the lamp and go to Pasadena. For the second year in a row, Oregon State has put itself in a position to go to the Rose Bowl and needing to beat Oregon to do it. Unlike last year, when they were a bit shaky, they’re coming into the Civil War playing extremely well, but ...
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: … playing Washington and Washington State would make anyone look great. Granted, there was a blowout win over Cal in Berkley, and the wins over UCLA and Stanford look far better now than they did a few weeks ago, but the team shouldn’t necessarily be given too much credit based on beating the Dawgs and the Cougars by a combined score of 100-31.
14. Clemson 8-3
Last Week: W, Virginia 34-21
Next Week: at South Carolina
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Tigers did it. They rolled through the second half of the season, winning six straight, and are off to the ACC title game to face Georgia Tech, after the rivalry date with South Carolina. The offense is humming, the defense is among the best in the ACC, and the team is playing really, really sharp.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Oooooh, a home win over Virginia. Ooooooooooh, a win at NC State. The only win of note so far was at Miami in overtime, and that came partly because of the Canes’ interesting habit of deciding to play about 38 minutes each game. The game at South Carolina, who got the week off, will be telling.
15. California 8-3
Last Week: W, at Stanford 34-28
Next Week: at Washington (Dec. 5)
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Raise your hand if you thought Cal, without Jahvid Best, was going to walk on to The Farm and beat Stanford. You can put them down now, Pete Carroll. The disasters against Oregon and USC are long ago, and with the win over the Cardinal, the potential is there to get a sweet bowl by showing up and taking care of business against Washington.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It’s Cal; it could beat the Huskies by 30 or could lose in stunningly bizarre fashion. Don’t let the overall numbers fool you; the defense can be ripped apart by a decent offense. Fortunately for Cal, Washington doesn’t have a decent offense.
16. Stanford 7-4
Last Week: L, California, 34-28
Next Week: Notre Dame
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Cardinal was an Andrew Luck brain cramp away from pulling out the win over the Bears. This might not be the most consistent team, but the offense is phenomenal, leading the Pac 10 with 436 yards per game. The O line has been terrific.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Come on, Stanford. It was all right there for you. All you had to do was win at home against a Jahvid Best-less Cal and the world would’ve been watching for Toby Gerhart’s Heisman chances, and to see if the team could really be that good, with Notre Dame coming to town. It was eons ago, but there’s still the matter of the loss at Wake Forest early on to deal with later.
17. USC 7-3
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: UCLA
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: After a rocky few weeks, the team needed a week off to recharge. Don’t be shocked if the Trojans come out rejuvenated and sharp against UCLA and Arizona to close out. It’s still USC. If it plays up to its talent level, it can beat anyone in America.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Did the Trojans find an offense in the last week? Has the team been able to sit through team meetings after getting its butt paddled by Stanford? Spin it how you want, but in the last two losses, USC has allowed 102 points.
18. Iowa 10-2
Last Week: W, Minnesota 12-0
Next Game: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The defense really is good while the win over Penn State should be enough to push the team up higher. The loss to Northwestern really doesn’t look all that bad now, while a little extra luck would’ve meant a win at Ohio State ...
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: But if Ifs and Buts were candy and nuts, Iowa would be going to Pasadena. The Hawkeyes have to hope beyond all desperate home that no one from the BCS actually watched the horror that was the win over Minnesota. Iowa was awful, but Minnesota was next-level bad.
19. North Carolina 8-3
Last Week: W, at Boston College 31-13
Next Week: at NC State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Very, very quietly, North Carolina is on a four-game run with a shot at a ten-win season. That was a very nice win at BC helped by a defense that’s playing stronger than any in the ACC.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The defense is the best offense, taking the ball away five times a week after Tar Heel defensive backs became Miami QB Jacory Harris’s favorite targets. If the defense slips even a wee bit, UNC will lose to the Wolfpack.
20. Virginia Tech 8-3
Last Week: W, NC State 38-10
Next Week: at Virginia
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Well that’s certainly easy. Run Ryan Williams, force several turnovers, including three Wolfpack fumbles, and Tech is back on track with a three-game winning streak allowing just 22 points. With a win over Virginia, Tech could make a case for being the league’s third best team.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn’t be. The Hokies will roll through Virginia, win a bowl game, and be 10-3. The two losses since Alabama in the season opener came on a Ryan Williams fumble against North Carolina and a tough battle against Georgia Tech. That’s not bad.
21. Ole Miss 8-3
Last Week: W, LSU 25-23
Next Week: at Mississippi State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The loss at Auburn isn’t pretty and there’s still the early loss to South Carolina to be embarrassed about, but at the moment, thanks to the emergence of Dexter McCluster, this is a fun, dangerous team that pulled off a win over LSU. This might be a disappointing year, but ten wins is still possible.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Les Miles. If he doesn’t fall on his bells in the final moments, LSU pulls out an all-timer of a comeback win and Ole Miss is hovering around the mid-30s saddled with its fourth loss.
22. LSU 8-3
Last Week: L, at Ole Miss 25-23
Next Week: Arkansas
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: A cooler head would’ve meant a win over Ole Miss, a 9-2 record, with the losses coming to Florida and Alabama, and a reputation for being able pull out a win in just about any pressure situation.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The team was just begging to get tagged. The Louisiana Tech game was way too close to call, and even with Jordan Jefferson back the offense sputtered and struggled way too much. Good luck against Arkansas in what could be a bad, bad matchup.
23. Nebraska 8-3
Last Week: W, Kansas State
Next Week; at Colorado
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Do you want to face this defense? Bo Pelini has the Husker D humming, allowing more than 17 points just once all season long and allowing nine or fewer in six of the 11 games.
Why the Ranking Should Be Lower: Who doesn’t want to face this offense? Texas could shut it down cold in the Big 12 Championship, while Colorado, if inspired, could make the Huskers look silly. If Zac Lee and the passing game aren’t better, it could be a rocky final few weeks.
24. Arkansas 7-4
Last Week: W, Mississippi State 42-21
Next Week: Mississippi State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Ryan Mallett might be the first-team All-SEC quarterback this year. He’s having a phenomenal season and has taken over at just the right time. The running game is hurting with Michael Smith done for the year, but the offense is having no problems on a four-game winning streak.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn’t be. If everything works well, the Hogs will pull off the upset against LSU, who doesn’t have the talent to take advantage of the weak Arkansas D. There’s a chance the Hogs could finish third in the SEC pecking order, with the right breaks.
25. Nevada 8-3
Last Week: W, at New Mexico State 63-20
Next Week: at Boise State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Seriously, if you haven’t seen this team, watch the game against Boise State on Friday night. Over the last eight games, Nevada has rushed for 559 yards, 345, 313, 484, 312, 517, 461 and, this week against New Mexico State, ran for 574 yards and seven touchdowns. This is the most fun team in America right now, hands down.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Alright, fine. This epic run, after losing Missouri, came against the dregs of the WAC, with Fresno State the exception. The numbers are still unbelievable, but it’s prove-it time in Boise.
- Week
12 Rankings,
No. 26 to 120