TOP 25
Challengers to Alabama emerge
No. 1 Alabama solidified its hold on the top spot with a no-doubt-about-it defeat of Penn State, but quality challengers are emerging in No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Oregon, No. 6 TCU and No. 10 Oklahoma. All were impressive winners over solid foes on Saturday. Virginia Tech’s loss to James Madison damages the resume of No. 5 Boise State, which was idle and vaulted by Oregon. There was much change at the bottom of the rankings as South Carolina made the biggest move, going all the way from unranked to No. 16 after an impressive victory over No. 19 Georgia.
| 1. Alabama (2-0) » Rich get richer. Heisman RB Ingram back at practice – 1 2. Ohio State (2-0) » Shouldn’t be tested until Oct. 16 at No. 11 Wisconsin – 2 3. Texas (2-0) » Can rebounding Texas Tech (2-0) run with the Horns? – 3 4. Oregon (2-0) » No. 2 in points for (60.0), No. 6 in points against (6.5) – 6 5. Boise State (1-0) » Ballyhooed Va. Tech win doesn’t look so good now – 4 6. TCU (2-0) » Horned Frogs best non-automatic qualifier in the land? – 5 7. Iowa (2-0) » Bowl game in Sept. as Hawks travel to No. 17 Arizona – 7 8. Florida (2-0) » Springing Demps against Volunteers won’t be as easy – 8 9. Nebraska (2-0) » Goal of Huskers defense at Washington: Hurt Locker – 10 10. Oklahoma (2-0) » Torched the defense of Stoops’ brother, Mark (FSU) – 13 11. Wisconsin (2-0) » Badgers’ offense has hardly been a well-oiled machine – 11 12. LSU (2-0) » Three straight home night games — BRPD will be busy – 15 13. Arkansas (2-0) » Heard boos on way to 7-0 halftime lead on La.-Monroe – 18 14. Utah (2-0) » With Wynn (thumb) out, Utes raised Cain vs. UNLV – 21 15. S. Carolina (2-0) » Lattimore inspiring comparisons to Herschel Walker – NR 16. Arizona (2-0) » Big Foles (6-5, 245), big numbers (48-58, 567 yards) – NR 17. Michigan (2-0) » Forget Pat White, Wolverines’ Robinson is Superman – NR 18. Auburn (2-0) » QB Newton (6-6, 250) is War Eagles’ Mr. Big Stuff – NR 19. Miami (1-1) » Blacksburg, Columbus, it’s all a blur to Harris (4 INT) – 9 20. Stanford (2-0) » In new 3-4, shut out UCLA for first time in 69 years – NR 21. Oregon St. (0-1) » Interesting battle looms on Boise’s blue turf, Sept. 25 – 20 22. West Va. (2-0) » CB Hogan (Osbourn) may miss Maryland after DUI – 22 23. USC (2-0) » How did Kiffin get this job? His sparkling personality? – 25 24. Houston (2-0) » Put up 54 on UTEP without a TD pass from Keenum – NR 25. N. Carolina (0-1) » Is Davis guilty? Depends what the definition of “is” is – 24 |
HEATING UP
Oklahoma » Sooners struggled against Utah State, but hit on all cylinders against Florida State.
COOLING DOWN
Miami» Actually, you could insert any ranked team from the ACC in this space.
TOP 25 GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 7 Iowa at No. 17 Arizona
This will feel like a bowl game as Iowa (2-0) of the Big Ten travels to Tuscon to face Arizona (2-0) of the Pac-10 (ESPN). The top-10 defenses will be tested by quarterbacks Ricky Stanzi of Iowa and Nick Foles of Arizona, who rank No. 9 and No. 11 respectively in passer efficiency rating. Neither team has been challenged. Iowa has won its games by a combined 72-14. Arizona has won its by 93-8, and has yet to yield a touchdown.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Ryan Mallet, Arkansas, QB
The strong-armed senior will be tested between the hedges by a Georgia defense anxious to atone for last week’s loss at South Carolina, 17-6. The 6-foot-7 Mallett has completed 49 of 67 passes for 701 yards and six touchdowns, ranking No. 6 in the nation in total offense, but has rolled up his numbers against Tennessee Tech and Louisiana-Monroe. The Georgia defense ranks No. 16 (241 yards per game) and is propelled by safety Baccari Rambo.
STORYLINES
1. ACC is MIA » All four Atlantic Coast Conference teams ranked in the top 20 going into last weekend lost, none in dignifying fashion. Jacory Harris was intercepted four times as No. 9 Miami fell at No. 2 Ohio State, 36-24. No. 16 Georgia Tech was beaten by a Kansas team that lost the previous week to FCS North Dakota State, 6-3. No. 17 Florida State was bum-rushed by No. 8 Oklahoma, 47-17, the Sooners scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions. And the granddaddy of them all — No. 12 Virginia Tech losing at home to FCS James Madison, 21-16, a team it had stomped 90-0 in the last two meetings.
2. Here’s to you Mr. Robinson » When Michigan’s Denard Robinson emerged as a dual-threat quarterback in Week 1, the comparison was inevitable. Robinson could do the things for coach Rich Rodriguez that Pat White did at West Virginia. Some said the evaluation did not do White justice. But after rallying Michigan to a 28-24 win over Notre Dame, the comparison perhaps doesn’t do Robinson justice. The 6-foot, 193-pound sophomore leads the nation in rushing (455 yards) and his 885 yards of total offense is superior to 87 of the 120 teams in the FBS. With the No. 17 Wolverines vaulting up the rankings, consider Robinson an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.
3. James Madison » The Harrisonburg, Va. school has established its credentials, producing NFL standouts Charles Haley and Gary Clark, and winning the I-AA championship in 2004. But nothing could compare to the Dukes’ 21-16 upset of No. 12 Virginia Tech. It was the second time that an FCS team beat a ranked FBS squad. The first was Appalachian State’s defeat of No. 5 Michigan in 2007. It also was the fifth time this year that an FCS team beat one from the FBS. “The dirty little secret is the top six to eight teams at our level can play with anyone,” JMU coach Mickey Matthews told ESPN.
AREA INTELLIGENCE
MARYLAND
After a 62-3 romp over Morgan State, the Terps (2-0) have quarterback questions heading to No. 22 West Virginia (2-0). Should they (or can they) turn the reigns over to their best passer, Danny O’Brien, who has a sprained ankle, or leave it to the better runner and more experienced Jamarr Robinson?
NAVY
Midshipmen (1-1) have a tough test Saturday night at Louisiana Tech (1-1) of the WAC as they try to get their offense rolling. QB Ricky Dobbs, touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate in the preseason, has averaged only 2.0 yards per carry (54 rushes, 107 yards). Navy handled Tech last year, 32-14.
VIRGINIA TECH
Coming off its worst defeat in history, 21-16 to FCS James Madison, Tech (0-2) will try to make sense of it all against visiting East Carolina (2-0), which has scored 100 points. Two years ago, the Pirates shocked the Hokies, 27-22. Would an ECU win on Saturday even be considered an upset?
VIRGINIA
Saturday’s game at USC, a 17-14 loss, was winnable. The Cavaliers were intense and physical, but made too many mistakes (101 yards in penalties and two missed field goals) at inopportune moments. Virginia has a week off before entertaining FCS VMI (1-1), a 45-0 loser to William & Mary.
JAMES MADISON
Coming off their 21-16 upset of Virginia Tech, the Dukes got 11 points in the AP Top 25 poll. FCS teams became eligible after Appalachian State’s upset of Michigan in 2007. JMU has a bye before facing FCS Liberty (2-0) of the Big South, which pulled off its own shocker, 27-23, Saturday at FBS Ball State.
