Top 25 Update

How things appear after today's games, with strengths and weaknesses of each team:

teams that look really good so far

1.) Oregon
strengths: outscored Stanford 49-10 the last three quarters; dominant in 2nd half all season; explosive offense
weaknesses: outscored in the first half by Arizona St.; let Washington St. and Tennessee hang around too long

2.) Ohio St.
strengths: handling Miami
weaknesses: escaping Illinois

3.) Boise St.
strengths: handling Oregon St.
weaknesses: escaping VaTech

4.) TCU
strengths: beat Oregon St.; crushed Baylor
weaknesses: were only up 6-0 at halftime vs. Colorado St.

5.) Oklahoma
strengths: destroyed Florida St.; beat Air Force; beat Texas
weaknesses: barely escaped Cincy


teams that might be really good

6.) Nebraska
strengths: destroyed Washington; destroyed Kansas St.; talented QB
weaknesses: haven't played a top team; only beat South Dakota St. 17-3; young QB

7.) Auburn
strengths: beat South Carolina
weaknesses: almost lost to Mississippi; almost lost to Kentucky; almost lost to Clemson

8.) South Carolina
strengths: beat 'bama
weaknesses: no other really impressive victories; inconsistent offense

9.) Alabama
strengths: crushed Florida; beat Arkansas; dominant running game; probably better than many teams above them
weaknesses: lost to S. Carolina; inconsistent passing game; young defense


teams that are probably pretty good

10.) Michigan St.
strengths: beat Wisconsin; beat Michigan

weaknesses: needed a trick play in OT to beat Notre Dame

11.) Arizona
strengths: soundly beat Iowa
weaknesses: lost to Oregon St.

12.) Iowa
strengths: soundly beat Penn St.; elite defense
weaknesses: soundly beaten by Arizona

13.) Arkansas
strengths: almost beat Alabama; strong-armed QB
weaknesses: almost lost to Georgia; barely beat Texas A&M; interception-prone QB

14.) Stanford
strengths: beat USC; destroyed UCLA; strong-armed QB
weaknesses: outscored 49-10 by Oregon the last three quarters

15.) Utah
strengths: beat Pitt; blew out Iowa St.
weaknesses: only beat Pitt by 3 in OT; have yet to play a top team

16.) Florida State
strengths: beat Miami; blew out 4 of other 5 opponents
weaknesses: blown out by Oklahoma



teams that might be pretty good

17.) Nevada
strengths: destroyed Cal; prolific offense
weaknesses: struggled to put away BYU

18.) LSU
strengths: beat Florida; luckiest coach on Earth
weaknesses: almost blew a huge lead against a depleted UNC team; should've lost to Tennessee at home; almost lost to W. Virginia at home; took a 10-3 lead against Vandy into the 4th quarter; inconsistent offense; playing poorly and using poor strategy is bound to backfire eventually

19.) Air Force
strengths: almost beat Oklahoma on the road; beat Navy; strong ground game
weaknesses: only beat Wyoming by 6; less talent than top teams



20.) Oregon St.
strengths: beat Arizona
weaknesses: lost to Boise/TCU

21.) North Carolina State
strengths: soundly beat Georgia Tech; beat Cincy; dynamic QB
weaknesses: blew large lead against Virginia Tech; barely beat UCF


Teams that haven't really earned a spot in the top 25, but I can't just leave the rest blank

22.) Wisconsin
strengths: managed to win 5 games
weaknesses: struggled far too often against inferior teams

23.) Texas
strengths: played in the national title game last year; beat Texas Tech; loads of talent
weaknesses: blown out at home by UCLA; no impressive victories; inexperienced QB

24.) Oklahoma St.
strengths: undefeated; high-scoring offense
weaknesses: no impressive victories; almost lost to Texas A&M

25.) West Virginia
strengths: 4-1
weaknesses: no impressive victories; almost lost to Marshall


teams with resumes no less impressive

Miami
Florida
Missouri

I'm skeptical that South Carolina or Auburn are legitimate top 10 teams, but Auburn has to be above S. Carolina, who has to be above Alabama, who I'm pretty sure is a legitimate top 10 team (at least).  On a related note, I'd be shocked if Alabama won out and didn't go to the national championship game over an undefeated Boise State, TCU, Utah, or Nevada.