Top 25 Rankings — Sept. 15; and a defense of the Big Ten

By Nate Sandstrom

So the conventional sports talk story that came out of the college football weekend was that the Big Ten doesn't have the athletes to compete with USC or any other big conference school.

Of course if you accept that as fact, how do you explain Michigan beating Florida in the Capital One Bowl last year? Or that Wisconsin has taken two of its last three against SEC teams? By the way, Penn State has won their past two bowl games vs. the SEC. Over the past three seasons, the Big Ten and SEC have split eight bowl games. Hardly a dominating SEC performance, even if they won the past two national title games.

As for USC, sure they have a good run of waxing Big Ten teams. But they have lit up pretty much everyone for the past six years, not just the Big Ten (remember when they beat Oklahoma 55-19 in the national title game?). The Trojans'run certainly doesn't make the Pac-10 necessarily better than the Big Ten. See: Penn State 45 Oregon State 14 a few weeks ago.

What I take from Saturday's USC laugher 35-3 route of OSU is that USC is very good and Ohio State may not be. I've dropped the Buckeyes completely from my Top 25. Is anyone certain they will beat Troy this week if Beanie Wells doesn't play? However, that shouldn't be an indictment on Wisconsin or Penn State or anyone else in the conference.

Here are my latest rankings:

Team (W-L, rank last week)

1. Oklahoma (3-0,1). Despite public perception, OU has probably played the better sked.
2. USC (2-0, 2). Defense was simply dominant. They're off again this week.
3. Missouri (3-0,3). Three straight with 50+.
4. Florida (2-0,4). Tennessee could provide Tebow his first breakout game this year.
5. Wisconsin (3-0, 10). Timely D + opponent's bad kicking = Best road win this season.
6. Auburn (3-0, 5). 3-2 baseball games are more exciting that last week was.
7. LSU (2-0, 6). Now head to Auburn for SEC West control in their conference opener.
8. Georgia (3-0, 7). Have to be underwhelmed by effort at SC.
9. Penn State (3-0, 9). Have played no one, but done so well.
10. Texas (2-0, 8). Low-profile for a Horns team off to fast start.
11. Texas Tech (3-0, 12). Should finally break 50 this weekend against UMass.
12. Alabama (3-0, 14). I can't believe Arkansas has gone so far w/o losing. Roll Tide.
13. South Florida (3-0, 17). Great comeback showed poise.
14. Kansas (2-1,18). I know they lost, but I feel better about them after USF game.
15. Oregon (3-0, 13). Purdue gives Duck early X-mas gift.
16. East Carolina (3-0, 15). Does Saturday's game mean Tulane is better than W. Va.?
17. Wake Forest (2-0, 21). Trip to Fla. St. this weekend for ACC Atlantic favorite.
18. Florida State (2-0, 22). Have yet to be a 1-A team.
19. Nebraska (3-0, 25). Now off to prep for Va. Tech's trip to Lincoln.
20. Vanderbilt (3-0, 23). Half-way to first bowl berth in 26 years.
21. BYU (3-0, NR). Imagine what they would do Tennessee.
22. Utah (3-0, NR). UNLV win looks better. Michigan win looks worse.
23. Oklahoma State (3-0, NR). 23rd in nation. 7th in Big 12.
24. Fresno State (1-1, NR). Tough loss. Lots of season left.
25. Northwestern (3-0, NR). Tyrell Sutton is back.

Meanwhile, in the FCS, that was a slight shake-up after North Dakota State squandered a 10-0 lead at Wyoming for a 13-10 loss. The big game that was to be McNeese St.-Cal Poly unfortunately was ppd. due to Ike. Here's the rest of the rankings.

1. Appalachian State
2. Montana
3. McNeese State
4. Wofford
5. New Hampshire
6. North Dakota State
7. Richmond
8. Delaware
9. Cal Poly
10. Northern Iowa
11. Georgia Southern
12. E. Washington
13. James Madison
14. Southern Illinois
15. Western Illinois
16. Massachusetts
17. Elon
18. The Citadel
19. Central Arkansas
20. South Dakota State
21. UC-Davis
22. Hampton
23. North Dakota
24. Villanova
25. Portland State