Top 25 Rankings: Oct. 22, 2007

Oh, number two spot. I don't really want to put BC here; I think they will be the fourth straight #2 team to go down when they head to Blacksburg.

But I'll give it to the Eagles, as the computers point to them as #1.

I'm not one of those people who scoffs at the idea of computers evaluating teams. Unlike people, computers don't have biases that, say, excuse a loss by USC to Stanford but not by South Florida at Rutgers.

Don't worry, the computers are hating on USC. In the new BCS rankings, it looks like Oklahoma is also getting help from the polls. The computers have them 14. I dropped them three spots after their narrow win in Ames.

I've got four new teams in the rankings this week. UCLA is probably the most controversial because they can't win non-conference games, but they're in the Pac-10 driver's seat after holding on against Cal.

Here's my ballot:

1. Ohio State (8-0,1). Need to avoid turnovers at Penn St. Saturday night.
2. Boston College (7-0,3). Can a Boston team finally lose? Makes me puke.
3. LSU (7-1,5). Lucky as Sh*t University. That's how Les planned it.
4. Oregon (6-1,8). The nation's best offense? USC game is next bench mark.
5. West Virginia (6-1,10). Right back in the BCS hunt with blowout of MSU.
6. Arizona St.(7-0,13). Moves up as others fall. Cal is biggest test.
7. Oklahoma (7-1,4). Apparently the Sooners are not morning people.
8. Florida (5-2,11). Lots of credit from me for win at Kentucky.
9. Missouri (6-1,15). First team to shutdown Michael Crabtree.
10. South Florida (6-1,2). Need to move on, or UConn will make it two straight Ls.
11. Kentucky (6-2,9). Still in East's wild race.
12. USC (6-1,12). Win at Oregon will turn season around.
13. Virginia Tech (6-1,14). A loss to B.C. puts VT squarely as a pretender.
14. Auburn (5-3,19). Move up with close loss at LSU. Not far from 8-0, or 2-6.
15. Kansas (7-0,18). Did what Oklahoma couldn't, won at Colorado.
16. South Carolina (6-2,6). Were looking ahead to other team from Tennessee.
17. Georgia (5-2,17). Were lucky to beat Vandy themselves.
18. Michigan (6-2,20). Wish non-conference was the same as NFL preseason.
19. Penn State (6-2,21). Look to repeat 2005. Is OSU ready for white out?
20. California (5-2,7). So close to 7-0. Now just hope to play on New Year's.
21. Rutgers (5-2,NR). Looking to knock out Top 5 team for second straight week.
22. Hawaii (7-0,25). Where will they get a signature win?
23. Virginia (7-1,NR). How do they keep winning the close ones?
24. UCLA (5-2,NR). Best team that lost to Utah 44-6.
25. Alabama (6-2,NR). May be LSU's last road block in the regular season.