Ratings 10/22/05
The computer has a new number 1! The new font color is an attempt at burnt orange in honor of the Horns. While SC was mushing past a bad Washington team, Texas was dismantling Texas Tech. Not a pretty sight for Virginia Tech fans, as Texas is not likely to lose the rest of the year. As for the other unbeatens, SC has to visit Cal but the rest are home games, with Washington State, Stanford, Fresno State and UCLA. Alabama finishes with LSU at home and Auburn on the road. Georgia has Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech. UCLA (has anybody noticed that the Bruins are unbeaten?) has road games at Stanford and SC. And Virginia Tech hosts BC and MF before visiting Charlottesville. You might notice that my computer is not especially biased towards the unbeatens. The Big 10 did very well out of conference and the resulting strength of schedule overcomes a loss or two for Penn State and friends. Otherwise, I don't intend to discuss Northwestern being ranked above Florida State.
It was not a great week for field goal kickers. Or football teams in general. Neither Conner (Barth) nor Connor (Hughes) came through in the UVa-UNC classic. Both goalies made some nice pad saves, though. Auburn fell into the same Baton Rouge black hole that Oregon State found last year; John Vaughan missed 5 field goals in an OT loss. LSU has the quote of the week. Having dropped a sure touchdown pass in the fourth quarter (after which LSU missed a 28-yard field goal), LSU wide receiver Dwayne Bowe said, "Every great player drops a touchdown pass. I'm just happy I got mine out of the way early." I assume he emphasized the word "early" since in overtime, LSU wide receiver Early Doucet dropped a touchdown pass. Before Auburn missed their field goal. Word is still out on whether every great player misses field goals.
This week has a couple of important Big 10 games, several games between teams positioning themselves for bowl games, and the world's largest outdoor cocktail party. The following predictions are straight from the ratings, with 4 points added for home field.
Virginia Tech over Boston College by 14 (Hokies at home at night usually means blow-out)1 | Texas | 72.46 |
2 | Southern Cal | 67.87 |
3 | Penn State | 67.76 |
4 | Virginia Tech | 66.59 |
5 | Ohio State | 63.44 |
6 | Alabama | 62.48 |
7 | LSU | 61.79 |
8 | Wisconsin | 61.58 |
9 | Miami F | 60.66 |
10 | Georgia | 60.66 |
11 | Michigan | 60.23 |
12 | UCLA | 60.06 |
13 | Notre Dame | 59.96 |
14 | Minnesota | 59.43 |
15 | Northwestern | 58.43 |
16 | Florida State | 57.59 |
17 | Oregon | 57.17 |
18 | Boston College | 56.78 |
19 | Texas Tech | 56.68 |
20 | Colorado | 56.48 |
21 | Florida | 55.96 |
22 | Auburn | 54.88 |
23 | West Virginia | 54.68 |
24 | Louisville | 54.35 |
25 | TCU | 53.85 |
26 | Michigan St | 53.09 |
27 | Oklahoma | 52.85 |
28 | Arizona St | 52.72 |
29 | Tennessee | 52.62 |
30 | Georgia Tech | 51.76 |
31 | Missouri | 51.45 |
32 | Nebraska | 51.05 |
33 | South Florida | 50.70 |
34 | Clemson | 50.68 |
35 | UTEP | 50.28 |
36 | Texas A&M | 50.12 |
37 | California | 49.98 |
38 | Fresno St | 49.77 |
39 | Maryland | 49.56 |
40 | Iowa | 49.55 |
41 | Southern Miss | 48.13 |
42 | S Carolina | 47.44 |
43 | Virginia | 46.78 |
44 | Colorado St | 46.77 |
45 | Tulsa | 46.15 |
46 | UNC | 46.14 |
47 | Toledo | 45.76 |
48 | Oregon St | 45.52 |
49 | Northern Illinois | 45.28 |
50 | New Mexico | 45.05 |
51 | Stanford | 44.87 |
52 | Iowa State | 44.47 |
53 | Indiana | 44.43 |
54 | Miami O | 44.42 |
55 | Houston | 44.33 |
56 | Baylor | 44.11 |
57 | Pittsburgh | 44.07 |
58 | Memphis | 43.89 |
59 | Purdue | 43.83 |
60 | Rutgers | 43.49 |
61 | Wake Forest | 43.34 |
62 | Wyoming | 43.10 |
63 | Central Michigan | 43.01 |
64 | BYU | 42.97 |
65 | NC State | 42.88 |
66 | Vanderbilt | 42.30 |
67 | Navy | 42.24 |
68 | Central Florida | 42.19 |
69 | UConn | 42.09 |
70 | Arkansas | 41.55 |
71 | Boise St | 41.40 |
72 | Washington St | 41.36 |
73 | Kansas State | 41.28 |
74 | Ole Miss | 39.99 |
75 | Kansas | 38.42 |
76 | Utah | 38.29 |
77 | Cincinnati | 38.15 |
78 | Bowling Green | 37.94 |
79 | Miss St | 37.85 |
80 | San Diego St | 37.18 |
81 | East Carolina | 36.71 |
82 | Air Force | 36.67 |
83 | Washington | 36.45 |
84 | Marshall | 36.16 |
85 | Nevada | 36.08 |
86 | Ohio | 35.99 |
87 | La Tech | 35.15 |
88 | East.Michigan | 34.78 |
89 | Arizona | 34.52 |
90 | UAB | 34.05 |
91 | Oklahoma St | 34.01 |
92 | Arkansas St | 33.86 |
93 | Illinois | 33.46 |
94 | West.Michigan | 32.58 |
95 | Hawaii | 31.97 |
96 | Syracuse | 31.65 |
97 | Tulane | 31.36 |
98 | Army | 31.15 |
99 | SMU | 31.11 |
100 | Akron | 30.94 |
101 | Kentucky | 30.76 |
102 | Duke | 30.74 |
103 | La-Monroe | 29.44 |
104 | Middle Tenn | 29.24 |
105 | La-Lafayette | 26.83 |
106 | Kent State | 26.54 |
107 | Troy | 25.65 |
108 | Rice | 25.48 |
109 | Ball State | 24.95 |
110 | UNLV | 24.65 |
111 | New Mexico St | 23.70 |
112 | Utah State | 22.58 |
113 | Florida Atlantic | 22.50 |
114 | Temple | 22.18 |
115 | North Texas | 20.77 |
116 | San Jose | 18.72 |
117 | Idaho | 18.64 |
118 | Florida Int. | 18.37 |
119 | Buffalo | 17.67 |