The past weekend demonstrated a certain amount of stability at the top of the weekly 11 Best 11s Poll. The situation was enhanced by No. 2-ranked Texas Tech having a bye.
The Red Raiders will need their rest, as they are not likely to get any next Saturday night at Oklahoma. The Sooners should also benefit from their bye week as well.
Of the teams who played, some impressed above and beyond the norm. Case in point, Texas' destruction of Kansas on the road by a 35–7 score. The Longhorns were outstanding in each area of the game.
Another impressive unit was Florida. The Gators, a 22-point favorite at game time over South Carolina, showed no mercy on the Gamecocks, winning by 50.
Alabama continued their workman-like performances by cracking the Sylvester Croom code. The Crimson Tide snaped the two-year losing streak to the Alabama alum, and his Mississippi State Maroons, with a business-like workout.
Sir Walter Scott once remarked, "What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." At this point of the season, all the Tom Foolery is ended. No more pretense. No more hiding weaknesses. We are on the cusp of Rivalry Week, and there is no escape from the reality of who is the stronger, and, who is the weaker.
The 11 Best 11s
RANK THIS WEEK RANK LAST WEEK
1) ALABAMA #1
2) TEXAS TECH #2
3) FLORIDA #3
4) TEXAS #5 (TIE)
5) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA #4
6) PENN STATE #5 (TIE)
7) OKLAHOMA #7
8) OHIO STATE #8
9) UTAH #10
10) BOISE STATE #9
11) MISSOURI #11
On The Porch : Georgia, Cincinnati, Oregon State, Oklahoma State, LSU
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about 1 month ago
BT- How about those Miami Hurricanes?? First place in the ACC and going BCS bowling, just when they were left for dead. Earlier this season in your country Joe article you called Miami-FSU in the ACC title game which was a huge reach at the time, here we are mid November and it's looking like reality.
Looks like Florida-Texas in Miami this year...
from about 1 month ago
Mitch: Thanks for your always dependable intelligent remarks.
Country Joe has more sense than any of us.
I see Florida in New Orleans.
Herd goes one way, I go t'other.
BT
about 1 month ago
I know the Joes of Penn State would never wish to lose game, or lose a Big Ten title for that matter, but the rematch looming against the Beavers of Oregon State must make even old Joe cringe...
Not to mention all those folks trying to sell travel plans to Penn Staters in these hard economic times...Southern Cal is much warmer then PA in winter but its much sweeter with Southern cal playing in the Rose..
Course Joe could lose to Michigan State...and get a more exciting matchup then the bash with the Beavers.
Or the Beavers could be trapped in the PAC Ten finish...but a PSU Beaver rematch is a big blah for the teams, travel agents, networks, TV ratings...
Well the Beavers will bring fans at least anyway...
from about 1 month ago
Dan, I am hopeful that Penn state can draw the great crowd Paterno's Lions need in order to defeat the rampaging Spartans of Michigan State.
Good Luck, and thanks for the comment!
from about 1 month ago
"Dan, I am hopeful that Penn state can draw the great crowd Paterno's Lions need in order to defeat the rampaging Spartans of Michigan State."
Well, it's too bad that this isn't 1986... Sorry, Penn State fans!
Coming off a bye week, I just think that Michigan State is well rested, fully rested, and the better team in this one... Michigan State should win this one fairly easily, by AT LEAST 3 TOUCHDOWNS!
from about 1 month ago
Jimson, I'm gonna get you one day !
about 1 month ago
Looks good, BT. I think 5-7 are interchangeable but I pretty much agree with this one. ;)
from about 1 month ago
I agree.
Thanks for the comment.
about 1 month ago
Why did PSU move down after killing Indiana? Yet teams like USC move up for beating Stanford? Interesting...
from about 1 month ago
I moved Sou Cal down after the showing vs. Stanford. I moved Penn State down after the Indiana showing. I moved Texas up as they were extremely impressive against Kansas, a legitimate Bowl team.
Penn State has to play their best game of the year to beat rampaging Michigan State. Penn State has got to get off the floor and put up their dukes early vs. the Spartans. Hopefully for Nittany Lion fans, Joe Paterno will have them ready to play.
Hang in there Issac, the Nittany Lions still have the inside track for the Rose Bowl.
BT
about 1 month ago
BT. Outstanding!
This is most logical ranking I have seen from any of your articles the entire season. I'm glad you watched Texas play, and I'm glad we impressed you.
I also hope that you like that Mack didn't run up the score. I love our classy coach.
Hook'em!
from about 1 month ago
Texas' win at Kansas was more impressive to me than any performance of the week.
Thanks for the comment.
about 1 month ago
I have reviewed some thoughts from Texas fan and concluded they are in error. For example:
1) "Texas and Oklahoma have the same record but Texas should be ranked ahead of Oklahoma because they beat them." This will come back to bite the Longhorns if Oklahoma beats Texas Tech. Under the "Texas-Fan-logic" Since Texas Tech and Texas will then have the same record, Texas Tech should be rated ahead of Texas because they beat them.
2) "If Oklahoma beats Texas Tech, Texas should become the higher rated team of OU & UT in the BCS rankings". Rest assured, if OU beats Texas Tech, they will jump Texas because Texas will have done nothing but get ready for lowly A&M and the Sooners will be the talk of the nation.
Remember Texas logic, the Longhorns should not be ranked ahead of Texas Tech so they will have to aleways be behind a Texas Tech with the same record. That means if they stay in front of OU, TT stays in front of UT. That's Texas logic, professed in many articles here, not mine.
The Wild Card is Oklahoma State. if the Pokes beat the Sooners in the final game, the Pokes and Sooners both have 2 conf. losses, TT and UT have only one, and TT won the tie-breaking match between the two.
Unless Missouri can then upset Texas Tech in the BIG12 Title game, Texas will go to the Fiesta Bowl as the AT-Large Slot from the Big 12 (provided TT is in the BCS Title Game) or if Oklahoma beats TT then Texas will end up in the Sugar Bowl or the Cotton Bowl.
The best thing for Texas fans is start saying immediately, "Oh, we don't think we should be ranked ahead of Oklahoma just because we beat them".
about 1 month ago
BT,
I have one question.
If Texas Tech finishes 13-0, Texas finishes 11-1, and Florida finishes 12-1, who goes to the NCG?
Texas lost to #1 Texas Tech on the road on a last second play while Florida lost to an unranked Ole Miss at home. Texas has the toughest schedule, according to Rivals.com.
Do you still put in the SEC conference champion even though their resume is not as shining as Texas'?
from about 1 month ago
Kent- In that scenario, Florida will (and should) get the nod as SEC champs. Their lone loss was far worse than ours, but their run ending in a SEC game victory will be plenty. Now, should they somehow lay an egg against Florida State in a couple weeks, and THEN beat Alabama... Texas would be an undisputed #2 in the BCS and get a shot at redemption vs. Texas Tech.
From a Texas Fan's standpoint, we have some outs- but they involve chaos for the SEC teams in the discussion. Alabama losing to Auburn, then shocking Florida. Florida losing to FSU, then beating 'Bama. Tech winning out, then losing to Mizzou in KC on 12/6. We would then play the SEC winner in Miami.
The only thing we know for sure, is we have to win on Thanksgiving. We gave up controlling our own destiny in Lubbock. The rest of it is out of our hands due to a phenomenal effort from Tech, and a phenomenal play at the end by Crabtree.
about 1 month ago
According to what I have read from the Texas fans, Texas should not be ranked below Oklahoma if they have the same record because they beat Oklahoma. This in turn means that Texas Tech should not be ranked below Texas if they have the same record as they beat Texas. This means that regardless of what happens Saturday in Norman, Texas should not be ranked ahead of Texas Tech.
In addition, if Texas Tech loses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma loses to Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas will end in a two-way tie in the South and since Texas Tech will own the tie breakers as they beat Texas.
And another thought: Since Texas beat Sou Cal for the 2005 natl title on a great play at the end of the game does that diminish Texas's win?
from about 1 month ago
BT- I am hoping you are referring to some other Texas fans. Any number of the "Experts" are well on record that WHEN you lose is more important that WHO you lose to. This is the fundamental logic in Oklahoma passing Texas if they win the next two. Unfortunately for Tech fans, the same will hold true if they lose to either Oklahoma or Missouri.
As to the reference to pasadena, the fundamental difference is that BOTH teams played Superb for the duration of the 60 minutes in one of the best games ever. And you better believe USC folks felt that way. For days and weeks up to the game, the thoughts were that Texas folks wasted their money. Adults told MY KIDS (6 and 4) that we were going to get killed and wasted our money... AT DISNEYLAND of all places. And as bad as all that was, the 'You got lucky' rhetoric after the game was infinately worse.
That said, I, for one, have commended Texas Tech for playing a beautiful game at every opportunity back on 11/2. That said, because of the WHEN vs. WHO, it is simply too late in the season for them (or anyone else) to lose.
about 1 month ago
"We are on the cusp of Rivalry Week, and there is no escape from the reality of who is the stronger, and, who is the weaker."
BT, don't you know that in rivalry week, you can throw the records out the window?
Well, not 100% of the time... but upsets have been known to happen. Craziest thing. Such as WV-Pitt, last year... ;-)
Here's my 11, a bit late:
1. Alabama (prev: 1)
2. Texas Tech (prev: 2)
3. Texas (prev: 3)
4. Oklahoma (prev: 4)
5. Florida (prev: 5)
6. USC (prev: 6)
7. Utah (prev: 7)
8. Penn State (prev: 8)
9. Boise State (prev: 9)
10. Ohio State (prev: 10)
11. Missouri (prev: 12)
On the porch: Georgia, Oklahoma State, Ball State
If Oklahoma beats Texas Tech, that opens up the door for Florida, depending on margin of victory (in both games). A narrow Oklahoma win would see me put Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech all T-3 (tied for third), with the next ranking being sixth. Florida pounding Citadel by the spread or a larger margin would get them to No. 2 in my ranking.
Of course, the season will not be over after this week, and Alabama and Florida won't be able to share the SEC title. But the Big XII would become a mess! Don't rule out the possibility of Missouri springing an upset, as the Big XII title game is in *Kansas City* this year, not in Texas!
Personally, I'm rooting for a massive pile-up, with teams crashing left and right, kind of like last year. I want to see the BCS computers (and the BCS itself) explode. ;-)
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