TFP Top 20 - September 30, 2003
 

Yeah, I'm late. Meh, do better next week, blah blah.

1. Oklahoma (6) 139 - 1
2. Miami-FL (1) 129 - 2
3t. Ohio State - 118 - 3
3t. Virginia Tech - 118 - 5t
5. Florida State - 111 - 5t
6. Tennessee - 99 - 8
7. Louisiana State - 94 - 7
8. Arkansas - 93 - 10
9. Nebraska - 79 - 14
10. Michigan - 68 - 12
11. Georgia - 67 - 13
12. Texas - 57 - 15
13. Washington State - 49 - hm
14. Southern California - 45 - 4
15. Minnesota - 40 - 17
16. Northern Illinois - 38 - 18
17. Kansas State - 21 - 16
18. Pittsburgh - 18 - hm
19. Purdue - 15 - hm
20. Louisville - 13 - nr

Honorable Mention: Air Force 12, Iowa 12, Oregon 10, Texas Christian 9, Michigan State 9, Washington 7, Florida 6, Toledo 5

Oregon fell from #11 to Honorable Mention with their loss to Washington State.
Apparently Virginia Tech's beating of Connecticut (47-13) impressed our pollsters more than Florida State's beating of Duke (56-7).
The SEC dogfight continues, four teams almost equally ranked (#6, #7, #8, #11), two from each division. Georgia is at Tennessee on October 11, while Arkansas plays LSU on November 28. (In case you forgot, LSU beat Georgia 17-10 already this year.)

National Championship Race (* denotes undefeated):

Mostly control own destiny: Oklahoma*, Miami-FL*, Virginia Tech*, Ohio State*, Tennessee*, Florida State*, Arkansas*, LSU*, Nebraska*, Minnesota*

Need help (eliminated on next loss): Northern Illinois*, TCU*, Air Force*, Louisville*, Georgia, Michigan, Washington State, Southern Cal, Oregon, Iowa, Texas, Purdue, Washington, Michigan State

Thanks, RoadRage.

Some observations:
1. It was interesting to me to see where USC would fall respective of the other one loss teams like Texas, Michigan, etc. They ended up behind most of the "powerhouses" like Georgia, Michigan etc.
2. Washington State is overrated.
3. Minnesota and Northern Illinois are undefeated and slotted below five one-loss teams. I don't really have an opinion about it, but I found it interesting.
4. Toledo isn't the second best team in the MAC. Miami of Ohio is.
5. TCU is overrated. Glad to see the TFP poll reflect this.
6. I think Michigan State may be the best of the "honorable mention" category.

Darn, I was so busy yesterday I didn't get in.

Southern Cal's loss wasn't to a ranked team like the ones by Texas, Michigan, Georgia. It seems appropriate to me that they'd be below those teams.

Washington State's overrated status is similar to Oregon's last week, a knee-jerk reaction to a big win. It'll subside soon.

I think Minnesota has a legitmate shot at running the table. Their two biggest hurdles come in the next 3 weeks, Michigan and Michigan State. If they are still undefeated on October 19, they must be considered legitmate contenders for a title shot. They can still see Pasadena with one loss. Michigan State (4-1, #9 BCS SOS) has a three game set (10/18 @ Minnesota, 11/1 vs Michigan, 11/8 @ Ohio State) where they can be right back in the hunt for New Orleans if they win out.

TCU was rather underwhelming against Arizona Saturday night. TCU and Louisville each have only one other significant game, November 5 against each other in Fort Worth TX. Winner of that game should win C-USA, but any trip downriver from Memphis and the Liberty Bowl will require several upsets.

It depends on what you mean by significant game, but I'd pay alot of attention to TCU's home game against Cincinnati and Louisville's road trip to Cinci. I'm not so sure the Bearcats can't win the conference. They can score and have some nice wideouts, and have already beaten West Virginia.