Top 25 Poll – Week 10 – No. 1 – Auburn, until they lose

The AP Top 25 and Coaches Top 25 College Football polls are nationally recognized, but after more than 50 years of watching and / or covering college football games, and being a former daily newspaper sports editor, here is other view:

A coin could be flipped between Oregon and Auburn, they’re that close. I’ll stay with Auburn until they lose.

1) Auburn (10-0): Defeated AA Chattanooga 62-24, a poor choice of opponent at this point in the season or any time during the season. That said, Auburn must now get serious. The Tigers host Georgia and must travel to Alabama for their final two games. If Auburn is going to advance to the national championship game, they must win. You might like Oregon at No. 1 (The AP and Coaches Top 25 Polls like the Ducks over Auburn), but the Tigers can make a claim that no other team can, they’ve beaten 4 Top 25 opponents – Mississippi State, South Carolina, Arkansas and LSU.

2) Oregon (9-0) – Just wiped out Washington 53-16 after the Huskies tried to stay with them in the first half. The Ducks lead the nation in scoring offense (54+) and total offense (567+) and are ranked 13th in defensive scoring (17+). Oregon has had an offense in recent years, now the Ducks have a defense too. Oregon has only beaten one classified team, Stanford. Oregon will earn its stripes: The Ducks have yet to host Arizona and travel to California and the state of Oregon for their annual Civil War game against the Beavers.

3) LSU (8-1): Defeated Alabama (now 7-2) 24-21 in the key SEC matchup. Now he has beaten 3 currently ranked opponents: Mississippi State, Florida and Alabama, and has only lost to Auburn. He faces Louisiana Monroe next, and he must win big to stay here. Sorry Boise State and TCU you have to wait in line until they play and beat some teams ranked rather than easy.

4) Wisconsin (8-1) – Badgers won a road game against Purdue, 34-13, which isn’t a big deal, but they’ve also done something the undefeated Boise State and TCU haven’t: beat two Top 25s. teams, Ohio State and Iowa. Next, they host Indiana.

5) Boise State (8-0) – Notched an impressive home win over Hawaii, 42-7, but have only beaten 1 ranked team, Virginia Tech. Travel to Idaho this week for another easy win against another easy opponent.

6) TCU (10-0) – Unbeaten Utah leveled on the road, 47-7, proving that Utah wasn’t really very good for an undefeated team. It then houses the state of San Diego. He’s only beaten one ranked team, Utah, and we saw how good the Utes are, they’re not. It can be argued that horned frogs are much better than Utah, but who knows. Until Utah, TCU has played a lot of rigid collectives.

7) Michigan State (9-1) – Rebounds from the first loss of the season to beat Minnesota, 31-8. He has beaten a classified team, Wisconsin. Only 3 other teams have 9 wins so far: Auburn, Oregon and TCU. The Spartans are inactive this week.

8) Stanford (8-1) – Knocked down Arizona, 13th ranked, 42-17. He travels to the state of Arizona to face the Sun Devils, who go berserk after losing on the road to Southern Cal 34-33.

9) Nebraska (8-1) – The Cornhuskers had a very poor win over Iowa State, 31-30, in overtime. They were lucky to win. After leading 24-10, they collapsed in the fourth quarter, letting Iowa State score twice to send the game into overtime. Cornhuskers have a dual personality: good and bad. That said, they have also beaten two qualified teams: Oklahoma State and Missouri.

10) Alabama (7-2) – Lost a close one en route to LSU, 24-21. You still have a chance to show your stuff as you host two qualified teams: Mississippi State and Auburn. He has wins against two ranked teams: Arkansas and Florida.

11) Iowa (7-2) – Just screeched for Indiana on the road, 18-13. Has a win over a ranked team, Michigan State. Then travel to Northwestern, and your air defense better be united.

12) Arkansas (7-2) – They just beat South Carolina in an away game, 41-20, their first win over a classified team. They have lost only to Auburn and Alabama.

13) State of Mississippi (7-2) – Was inactive this week. They have only lost to Auburn 17-14, and in an away game at LSU. Not many other teams with 7 wins can say that. Has a win over a ranked team, Florida. Now we must travel to Alabama and face the Crimson Tide, which will tell us a lot about the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

14) Arizona (7-2) – Just lost on the road to Stanford, 42-17. He has beaten a qualified team, Iowa. He then hosts Southern California. Good luck, wildcats. SC (6-3) has decided that he can win games again and just became bowl eligible.

15) South Carolina (6-3) – Just lost to Arkansas. The Gamecocks season is starting to unravel. They have a win over Alabama, a ranked team, which is more than many teams can say. Then he travels to Florida and cannot afford another loss.

16) Texas A&M (6-3): defeated Oklahoma, ranked 11th, 33-19, and made the Sooners look bad. They lost to the state of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri, all qualified teams. He decided to beat a qualified team for a change. He has played the 26th toughest schedule. He then travels to Baylor and must beat the Bears.

17) Hawaii (7-3) – I just took a bad beating on the road at Boise State, 42-7. Inactive this week, then host San Jose State, a real wimp. He has beaten a classified team, Nevada.

18) Ohio State (8-1) – Inactive last week. It’s supposed to be a big deal, but they haven’t beaten a qualified team yet. He then hosts the Penn State Nittany Lions, who have lost to Alabama, Iowa and Illinois. So how good are the Buckeyes? I’ll let you know when they play and hit someone. Others more valued only for their reputation, not for their performance. He has played only the 87th toughest schedule, the second worst among the current top 25 AP teams.

19) Oklahoma State (8-1) – Defeat Baylor 55-28. You do not have a win over a ranked team. Travel to Texas next and you must win to stay here. Others more valued only for their reputation, not for their performance.

20) Missouri (7-2) – Lost to Nebraska on the road, and now Texas Tech on the road, 24-17. Is Missouri Really Good? The Tigers have yet to defeat any classified teams. You get Kansas State next, and you better be ready to win. Kansas State is back on the map at 6-3, and it could give a shit about Missouri.

21) Oklahoma (7-2) – Just suffered an embarrassing loss to Texas A&M, 33-19. The Sooners aren’t that tough, they haven’t beaten a qualified team yet. He has beaten 4 weaker opponents for a total of 20 points. Next, he introduces Texas Tech.

22) Nevada (8-1) – I just had a road practice against Idaho and they beat the Vandals, 63-17. Has not beaten a classified team. Travel to Fresno State next and you need to win to stay in this survey.

23) Utah (8-1) – TCU just took a beating at home, 47-7. Has not beaten a classified team. Take a trip to Notre Dame next and you better win or I’ll kick you out of this poll.

24) Florida (6-3) – The Gators are still spinning after losing to Alabama, LSU and Mississippi State in consecutive weeks. Give them credit. The sixth victory makes them eligible to bowl. They have yet to beat any classified teams. He then hosts South Carolina and must beat the Gamecocks to stay viable.

25) Central Florida (7-2) – Just beat Houston, 40-33. They haven’t beaten any ranked teams, but neither have Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Utah, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nevada, or Florida. Central Florida then receives southern Mississippi.

Next week may be the most boring of the entire season because there are only two games that ranked teams face off: Mississippi State, ranked 17, travels to Alabama, 11, and South Carolina, 22. , travels to Florida on the 24th. Whoever loses this latest game can fly out of the AP Top 25 poll.

Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley