With a top-5 team losing each of the first four weeks, some unexpected teams may sneak into the national championship talks:
Boise State
The Broncos were already ranked in the top 10 after only four weeks and are now in the top 5 after loses by Ole Miss, Penn State and California. The three SEC teams ahead of Boise State will beat each other up, meaning an easy remaining schedule and a couple upsets could catapult the Broncos up the polls.
Cincinnati
Being in a weak Big East Conference helps the Bearcats enter national championship talks. Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike (1223 yards, 11 TD, 2 INT) and wide receiver Marshwan Gilyard (32 catches, 442 yards receiving, 6 TD) has become one of the elite tandems in the nation.
Houston
The Big XII wishes they didn’t schedule the Cougars. Beating Oklahoma State and Texas Tech in back-to-back weeks gives Houston a pair of quality non-conference victories. Quarterback Case Keenum stepped up in crunch time — leading a 95-yard game-winning touchdown drive against the Red Raiders.
