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.) Boise St.
strengths: handled Oregon St.
weaknesses: escaped VaTech

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

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


teams that might be really good

5.) Alabama
strengths: crushed Florida; beat Arkansas; dominant running game;
weaknesses: lost to S. Carolina; inconsistent passing game; young defense


6.) Auburn
strengths: beat South Carolina; beat Arkansas; the next Tim Tebow
weaknesses: almost lost to Mississippi St.; almost lost to Kentucky; almost lost to Clemson

7.) Michigan St.
strengths: beat Wisconsin; beat Michigan
weaknesses: needed a trick play in OT to beat Notre Dame

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

9.) Iowa
strengths: soundly beat Penn St.; beat Michigan; elite defense
weaknesses: soundly beaten by Arizona; no victories over top teams

10.) Wisconsin
strengths: beat Ohio St.
weaknesses: struggled far too often against inferior teams



11.) Ohio St.
strengths: handled Miami; dynamic QB
weaknesses: escaped Illinois; no victories over top teams

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

13.) Utah
strengths: beat Pitt
weaknesses: only beat Pitt by 3 in OT; have yet to play a top team

14.) Florida State
strengths: beat Miami soundly; blew out 4 of other 6 opponents
weaknesses: blown out by Oklahoma; barely beat BC


teams that might be pretty good

15.) South Carolina
strengths: beat 'bama
weaknesses: lost to Kentucky; inconsistent offense 



16.) Nebraska
strengths: destroyed Washington; destroyed Kansas St.; talented QB
weaknesses: lost to Texas; only beat South Dakota St. 17-3; young QB

17.) 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

18.) Texas
strengths: beat Nebraska; loads of talent
weaknesses: blown out at home by UCLA; no impressive victories; inexperienced QB




teams that haven't proven much of anything

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


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

21.) West Virginia
strengths: 5-1
weaknesses: no really impressive victories; almost lost to Marshall


22.) USC
strengths: crushed Cal; almost beat Stanford
weaknesses: lost to Washington; no victories over top teams

23.) Virginia Tech
strengths: almost beat Boise St.; beat NC State
weaknesses: lost to James Madison

24.) Missouri
strengths: undefeated; beat San Diego St.

weaknesses: haven't beaten any other teams with a winning record

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

teams with resumes no less impressive




Mississippi St.
Miami

Kansas St.
North Carolina
NC State
Rutgers
Oregon St.