2009 CFN Rankings
Week 13, Nov. 29
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12 Rankings,
No. 26 to 120
1. Texas 12-0
Last Week: W, at Texas A&M
Next Week: Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Florida looked awfully No. 1-like in the dominant performance against Florida State. The Texas defense was ripped apart by Texas A&M, but the bigger problem could be this week against the nasty Nebraska defense.
2. Florida 12-0
Last Week: W, Florida State 37-10
Next Week: Alabama in the SEC Championship
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: It looks like the Gators have flipped the switch and are ready to start playing up to their capabilities. It’s not like they were bad before, but they have taken their game up to another level.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Florida blew out FIU and Florida State. Whatever. It’s time for the Gators to prove they’re for real against a top team. The one nice win on the slate, at LSU, was several weeks ago.
3. Alabama 12-0
Last Week: W, at Auburn 26-21
Next Week: Florida in the SEC Championship
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Greg McElroy has joined the 2009 season at just the right time. Mark Ingram goes down, and the rest of the team picks up the slack. This is a complete team that’s able to find ways to win even with something isn’t working well.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Mark Ingram. Florida was able to get by the Tide last year despite the Percy Harvin situation, but if the Gators get a week to prepare for Alabama without Ingram, look out. Yeah, McElroy was great against Auburn. Florida isn’t Auburn.
4. TCU 12-0
Last Week: W, New Mexico 51-10
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Last seven games: TCU 329, Opponents 73. Not only is TCU the real deal, but it’s playing better now than Utah played at the end of last year. Could the Horned Frogs play with any of the top teams? Absolutely.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The Mountain West stinks. BYU is good and Utah is solid, but there shouldn’t be any bonus points for blowing away New Mexico, Wyoming, San Jose State, and UNLV. Now it’s time to cross fingers and hope for Texas and Cincinnati to lose.
5. Oregon 9-2
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: Oregon State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Oregon offense is rested and ready. Could anyone in the top five shut down the Duck attack? Scoring 40 points or more in each of the last five games, everything is humming at the right time.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Could Oregon’ defense hang out with anyone in the top 25? The overall defensive numbers are decent, but Arizona and Stanford had their way with the Ducks. There’s a night-and-day difference between Oregon at home and on the road.
6. Ohio State 10-2
Last Week: W, at Michigan 21-10
Next Game: Rose Bowl
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: If you believe Ohio State is going to win the Rose Bowl, then the ranking should be in the top five. The defense is better than you think.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Can the offense keep up if Oregon’s attack is working? Over the last five games of the season, the D faced all mediocre offenses (Penn State’s included … don’t just look at the stats).
7. Cincinnati 11-0
Last Week: W, Illinois 49-36
Next Week: at Pitt
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Tony Pike has the offense rolling at a high level. Illinois might not be all that good, but it has athletes and was ripped through by the Bearcats. The offense is averaging a whopping 472 yards per game.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The defense had problems against the middling Illini attack. If the secondary doesn’t play far better against Pitt, UC will lose. The O might be great, but there have been too many close calls over the last few weeks.
8. Boise State 12-0
Last Week: W, Nevada 44-33
Next Week: New Mexico State
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The win over Nevada is strong. Really. It might not seem like it’s that impressive on brand name, but the defense did a strong job of keeping the nation’s hottest offense in check. Boise State has never really been threatened this year.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Nevada is a fatally flawed team with a miserable defense. Boise State got the job done, but it would take a whole other level of effort to beat one of the true big boys. Nevada is the second best win this year (Oregon is first) and there’s nothing else of note to go by.
9. Penn State 10-2
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Game: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: This is a strong, veteran team that might fly under the radar this bowl season. Could the Nittany Lions get a shot at LSU in the Capital One? They’re not just good enough to win; they’re good enough to win easily.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Yes, we promise, we’ll readjust for the loss to Iowa when the season is over. The Nittany Lions are higher than the Hawkeyes right now because Ricky Stanzi is still hurt.
10. Oregon State 8-3
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: at Oregon
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: This is as balanced as any team in the Pac 10. Sean Canfield is playing as well as any quarterback, while Jacquizz Rodgers is every bit as strong a playmaker as Toby Gerhart.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn’t be. The only true blemish came at home to a not-that-bad Arizona several weeks ago. The Beavers are balanced, talented, and more than good enough to pull off the win over the Ducks to get to the Rose Bowl.
11. California 8-3
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Week: at Washington
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The win over Stanford looks even stronger this week after the Cardinal’s win over Notre Dame. The only loss in the last six games was against a strong Oregon State team that might end up in the Rose Bowl.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The defense, especially the secondary, can get picked clean by any quarterback with a pulse. Jake Locker might be overrated by the NFL types, but he has the ability to get hot and could lead the Huskies to a win if Cal isn’t focused.
12. Virginia Tech 9-3
Last Week: W, at Virginia 42-13
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: You’re hooked up to a lie detector. Right now, who’s the best team in the ACC? Yeah, the Hokies lost to Georgia Tech, but no one in the league is playing better. The Hokie D has allowed just 35 points over the last four games.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Over the last four games, Tech beat ECU, Maryland, NC State, and Virginia. Whoopee. There isn’t a strong win on the slate since Oct. 10 over Boston College.
13. USC 8-3
Last Week: W, UCLA, 28-7
Next Week: Arizona
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: UCLA’s offense might be a tad challenged, but the USC defense rebounded and looked sharp two weeks after getting ripped up by Stanford. The pass rush is among the best in America.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It took the rub-it-in bomb to make the score look good. The offense just isn’t good, and there could be major problems if Nick Foles and Arizona get hot next week.
14. Georgia Tech 10-2
Last Week: L, Georgia 30-24
Next Week: Clemson
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Don’t read too much into the loss to Georgia. The Yellow Jackets still tried to fight, but it appeared obvious that the big fish to fry is coming up next week. Three of the previous four wins had come on the road.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The defense was exposed by a Georgia offense that hasn’t been able to run on anyone this year. If Josh Nesbitt’s ankle isn’t 100%, it could be uh-oh time in the ACC Championship.
15. Pitt 9-2
Last Week: L, at West Virginia 19-16
Next Week: Cincinnati
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Panthers might pull off the win over Cincinnati. The athletes are in place with one of the nation’s most balanced all-around teams. There isn’t a glaring weakness that can be exposed. There’s no reason to dog the team too much for losing a road rivalry game at West Virginia.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: After several close calls, Pitt finally got on the wrong side of a tight game. Is the team playing up to its full potential? For all the good things the Panthers have done, and considering they’re 9-2, it’s been too much of a fight. The consistency hasn’t been there from week to week.
16. LSU 9-3
Last Week: W, Arkansas 33-30 OT
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: It might not always be pretty, but the team (Ole Miss gaffe aside) finds ways to get the job done. The athletes are there, and the team, even this late in the season, appears to be maturing nicely. Watch out in the bowl, likely against Penn State in the Capital One.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The Tigers simply aren’t that great. The offense continues to have problems finding any consistent production, while the offensive line is having real problems. It doesn’t want to face Penn State’s defensive front.
17. Iowa 10-2
Last Week: Didn’t Play This Week
Next Game: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Yes, technically, Iowa should be ahead of Penn State. This should all come out in the wash in the final rankings. The defense is strong enough to come up with a big bowl performance after several weeks of rest. Will it be in the BCS?
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Do you trust this offense? It was mediocre enough over the second half of the season and could get shut down cold by a strong BCS-caliber team with a good defense.
18. Clemson 8-4
Last Week: L, at South Carolina 34-17
Next Week: Georgia Tech
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Is it okay to assume the Tiger team that was so hot over the second half of the season was simply looking ahead to the ACC Championship? That was an unfocused effort against a jacked up rival looking to make a statement.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Clemson apparently didn’t get the memo that South Carolina just isn’t that good. If C.J. Spiller isn’t making big things happen, the Tigers could have big problems with Georgia Tech.
19. North Carolina 8-4
Last Week: L, at NC State 28-27
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Don’t read too much into the loss at NC State in a rivalry game. The wins over Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College over the last six weeks probably warrants a boost up the rankings.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: As the loss to the Wolfpack showed, if the defense isn’t forcing turnovers and controlling the game, UNC is in trouble. NC State won the turnover battle and won the game. On the résumé are head-scratching losses to Florida State and Virginia at home.
20. Miami 9-3
Last Week: W, at South Florida, 31-10
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Hurricanes had to deal with a jacked up South Florida team looking to make a huge statement, and they won in a walk. When this team plays up to its talent level and potential, it can beat anyone in the country.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: This is a maddening team. The athletes are there, the talent is in place, and when everything is clicking, look out. 9-3 isn’t a bad record, but the Canes should be playing in the ACC title game. They don’t show up week to week.
21. Ole Miss 8-4
Last Week: L, at Mississippi State 41-27
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: There’s the win over LSU two weeks ago that, technically, means the Rebels should be ranked higher, but ...
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: If LSU doesn’t brain cramp, Ole Miss is 7-5. Yeah, it was a rivalry game on the road, but you don’t lose to Mississippi State 41-27. You just don’t. This is one of the nation’s most maddening teams.
22. Arkansas 7-5
Last Week: L, at LSU 33-30 OT
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: There was a loss in the second game of the year against Georgia, but that was a lifetime ago. The other four losses were against Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, and LSU, all on the road. It doesn’t come much nastier than that.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn’t be. Losing in overtime in Death Valley is nothing to punish anyone for. The Hog defense might not be great, and it wasn’t clutch. Yeah, the road games were nasty, but the Hogs were 0-4 away from home (not counting the Texas A&M neutral site win).
23. Oklahoma State 9-3
Last Week: L, at Oklahoma 27-0
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Call the Oklahoma loss an aberration. At some point, all the injuries and all the patching had to take its toll. OSU is good enough that it could come back and play OU far tougher if they were to play tomorrow.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: With a BCS bowl possibly on the line, Oklahoma State didn’t score, came up with 47 passing yards, and 62 on the ground. Oklahoma simply isn’t that great.
24. Georgia 7-5
Last Week: W, at Georgia Tech 30-24
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The win over Georgia Tech showed just how good the team can be when the parts are working. The Dawgs finished with a nice run of three wins in the final four games.
Why the Ranking Should Be Lower: Was the win over the Yellow Jackets an aberration? There have been too many mistakes and the defense has been way too soft all year long. Georgia is good enough to play with most teams in the top 25, but it could also lose to anyone in the next 25.
25. Auburn 7-5
Last Week: L, Alabama, 26-21
Next Week: Bowl Game
Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Tigers pushed Alabama as hard as anyone has all season long. The offense had to pull tricks out of the bag, but it worked early on. The potential is there for the Tigers to hang with anyone in America.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn’t be. The Tigers have lost five of their last seven games with the only win of note coming at home against Ole Miss. There are several teams deserving of this spot.
- Week
13 Rankings,
No. 26 to 120