Week 13 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

After another week hiatus (and attending a horribly frustrating self-inflicted Nebraska loss to Michigan State), I return with my Week 13 Recap. The top two offenses in the nation get smashed on the road. A couple teams put up 80 on weak opponents. Florida is going to finish the year with four wins after an amazing loss to Georgia Southern, who didn’t even complete a pass. I love college football. Check out the fallout below and the carnage that happened to the BCS and Heisman projections…

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: East Carolina, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Texas

Dropped from the rankings: Minnesota (21)

25 (NR). Washington (7-4) – This is not just because the team put up 69 points at the one place in the Pac-12 that weird stuff happens, but their only losses are to top 20 teams, only one of which got out of hand. They are still among the most talented teams in the nation and could put on quite a show in the closing weeks of the year.

24 (25). Oklahoma (9-2) – The Sooners are still hanging onto a top 25 ranking. There is not really anything that the team is great at. They are just Oklahoma and get their wins. Their two losses were both blowouts, though.

23 (23). USC (8-3) – This USC team is confusing. If Pat Haden and company have not seen enough from Orgeron to know that he should coach the Trojans next year, then he should be fired.

22 (22). Duke (9-2) – It just feels weird to have Duke on this list two weeks in a row and not have it be a joke. Who is feeling better going into the Duke-UNC game next week? The 9-2 team or the team that scored 80 points in the game’s first 45 minutes?

21 (14). Texas A&M (8-3) – It appears that Johnny Football’s kryptonite is LSU’s defense. They just cannot win the big games in conference. They can upset teams and blow out teams, but when they need a win, pressure gets to them.

20 (12). UCLA (8-3) – Jim Mora suffered his first loss at home as head coach of the Bruins. It was an ugly one too, with a third consecutive Pac-12 South title on the line.

19 (24). LSU (8-3) – The Tigers are still holding strong and are clearly the best 3-loss team out there. They have the wins to make them a top 10 team, but that loss to Mississippi still confuses me.

18 (17). South Carolina (9-2) – This team just somehow keeps slugging along. You look at the record and the conference, and you think they are a stout team. They are not. Their league is weak, and they are…sort of average. I do not understand the Cocks.

17 (18). Northern Illinois (11-0) – This is one of the toughest cases in the nation. Jordan Lynch looks like he could beat anyone, but we saw last year in the BCS that they actually cannot. They are unbeaten, though. Let’s just hope that the BCS doesn’t take both the Huskies and Fresno State and pit them against each other a la 2010 Fiesta Bowl.

16 (16). Louisville (10-1) – The Cardinals seems to have the exact same format to every game they play. They are probably a lot better than this ranking, but we just do not have the evidence to prove that. I wish they were in the ACC this year.

15 (15). UCF (9-1) – After a near disaster and minor miracle against Temple, UCF got back to what they are best at. I would be surprised if they lose again this year.

14 (19). Michigan State (10-1) – The Spartans have taken care of business in every game this year, except against Notre Dame. That and Oklahoma State’s loss in Morgantown are two of the most confusing losses in recent memory.

13 (20). Arizona State (9-2) – The Sun Devils are hot, and I would not at all be shocked to see them take out Stanford in the Pac-12 Title Game.

12 (13). Fresno State (10-0) – You gotta love Fresno State and Derek Carr. They are just pure offense. I want to see them take on the big boys in a BCS game.

11 (5). Oregon (9-2) – I guess motivation is everything with Oregon. “We want Bama.” “Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl…been there, done that.” The Duck players are idiots. Have fun in the Sun Bowl.

10 (11). Stanford (9-2) – After that loss to USC, Stanford puts up 63 points in the Big Game against one of the worst defenses in college football history. Nice.

9 (10). Wisconsin (9-2) – This is appearing to be one of the toughest teams out there. The wins against run-based and physical BYU and Minnesota are as impressive as anything they have done this year.

8 (3). Baylor (9-1) – I do not think anyone saw that coming. Oklahoma State is talented and definitely good enough to win the conference, but completely shutting them down like that is shocking. There were injuries that played a part, no doubt. But that was a complete shellacking.

7 (9). Missouri (10-1) – This is exactly the type of team that Alabama does not want to see in the SEC Championship Game. I think they are better with Maty Mauk in there too. They might want to think about making him the permanent starter, but no way will they do that with their Senior Day coming up against the Aggies.

6 (8). Auburn (10-1) – It is amazing how much a miracle last second touchdown can change the outlook of a season. They are playing for perhaps a BCS Championship Game berth next week against the Crimson Tide.

5 (7). Clemson (10-1) – This team was riding a similar wave last year into the Palmetto Bowl, and they disappointed. I cannot see that happening again.

4 (6). Oklahoma State (10-1) – The Cowboys are one of the most balanced and scary offenses out there. Beating Baylor the way they did is one of the two or three most impressive wins of the year in all of college football. The Big 12 just cannot get an unbeaten team…Oklahoma State losing in Ames, K-State losing at Baylor, and now Baylor losing in Stillwater. I loved that conference…

3 (4). Ohio State (11-0) – Urban Meyer is in such a frustrating spot right now. Can one of the premiere college football programs out there have back-to-back undefeated seasons and not even get a chance at a national title? Yeah, the BCS will be missed…sure…

2 (2). Alabama (11-0) – The Iron Bowl is going to be quite a show. I can’t wait to see that scene.

1 (1). Florida State (11-0) – As long as Winston stays eligible, this team will not lose again. They just need to stay focused against a horrible Florida team and presumably Duke, and they will get their shot at Bama.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Minnesota at Michigan State (#14), 9:00AM BTN – This will be a physical and ugly game in probably terrible conditions. Can Sparty avoid looking ahead to Ohio State? PREDICTION: Michigan State 20-13

4. Notre Dame at Stanford (#10), 4:00PM FOX – Notre Dame has beaten Michigan State and Arizona State this year, so they are more than capable of pulling an upset. Stanford has to have a bit of revenge on its mind after the overtime controversial loss last season. This could be a classic. PREDICTION: Stanford 31-28

3. UCLA (#20) at USC (#23), 5:00PM ABC – The Battle for LA may not have any real implications as far as the conference goes, but this will not be the beatdown that it was a season ago. Both teams are playing at or near their best at this point in time, making for a highly entertaining matchup. PREDICTION: USC 41-35

2. Clemson (#5) at South Carolina (#18), 4:00PM ESPN2 – South Carolina prevailed last season, but Clemson still only has that one loss. I bet they want this game even more than whatever BCS game they end up in. PREDICTION: Clemson21-10

1. Alabama (#2) at Auburn (#6), 12:30PM CBS – If you do not want to watch this, then you obviously are not a college football fan. This is going to be one of the most interesting games of the season. There is always something strange that happens in this game. Last year was an absolute raping, but that will not happen to this Auburn team. There is something a little quirky about them. I think they got a shot. PREDICTION: Alabama 24-16

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama – He is one of the most successful QBs in recent memory. If there is an award for a career, then it is his. They might just do that with Winston’s investigation going on.

4. Andre Williams, RB, Boston College – Williams is the first player in conference history to rush for 2000 yards in a season, and many people forget the tough games BC gave Florida State and Clemson. He is the real deal.

3. Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois – Lynch absolutely should be invited to the ceremony. He is the most exciting player in the nation, and he puts the team on his back just like Colin Klein, Tim Tebow, and other great dual threat QBs before him. His numbers are staggering, as well.

2. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – Boyd seemed to be out of it earlier, but now with Mariota and Manziel faltering, he is right there as the best senior QB in the nation and in the driver’s seat to secure at least an invite.

1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – Cam Newton still won despite his controversy. Winston, barring a terrible upset in the next couple weeks, will be the winner.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Ohio State over Stanford

Orange Bowl – Baylor over Clemson

Sugar Bowl – UCF over Missouri

Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma State over Fresno State

BCS Championship Game – Florida State over Alabama

What did you think of this weekend? Rankings? Heisman predictions? Let me know below!

Week 3 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

So, what did we learn in week 3? Johnny Football is ridiculous. The SEC defenses are now undoubtedly overrated. The Big Ten is horrible top to bottom. Oregon can lay a fifty-spot on anyone. It was an interesting week of college football, and while not a whole lot of upsets happened, there is still some necessary shakeup in the national landscape. Read up!

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: Florida, Fresno State, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Utah State

Dropped from the rankings: Nebraska (20), Northern Illinois (24)

25 (19). Notre Dame (2-1) – They had a tough and ugly win at Purdue. They didn’t look great, but they know how to win.

24 (21). Wisconsin (2-1) – They are the latest Big Ten victim losing at ASU. It was a great game, in which we saw both teams surrender their first points of the year.

23 (22). Miami (2-0) – Miami took the week off in preparation for their battle with Savannah State next week. Nice scheduling, Miami.

22 (NR). Oklahoma (3-0) – Blake Bell showed that he should have been the starter all along. With that offense and arguable a top 10 defense, this team should make some serious noise in the Big 12.

21 (15). Northwestern (3-0) – Northwestern had an unexciting win over Western Michigan, who just came off a loss to Nicholls State. They got away with a double digit win, but they need to blow teams like that out if they want to be a serious threat in the Legends Division.

20 (NR). Central Florida (3-0) – A win over Penn State showed that this team is for real. There are a handful of non-AQ teams that are going to threaten perfect seasons. This is the most complete of them all.

19 (17). Texas Tech (3-0) – They had the spotlight on Thursday night, which they squandered offensively. It was a win over a ranked team, but the offense showed that it is not invincible.

18 (18). Mississippi (3-0) – The Rebels breezed to another nice win, this time over the unraveling Texas Longhorns. This team is going to be scary in the SEC.

17 (22). Texas A&M (2-1) – It is not often that a team gains ground for losing and giving up 49 points, but that offense is absurd. They might not lose the rest of the year. The defense needs to find something, though.

16 (11). Michigan (3-0) – The Wolverines flirted with one of the more confusing losses ever (Akron has won 3 games in the last 3 years combined, and hasn’t beaten a Big Ten team since 1894), but they escaped with a win that no one should feel good about.

15 (25). Arizona State (2-0) – I am starting to buy into this team. Their running game against Wisconsin’s front 7 is what most impressed me about the Sun Devils.

14 (14). South Carolina (2-1) – The Gamecocks had a nice win over Vanderbilt. That was a classic trap game, but they got past the upset-minded Commodores.

13 (12). Oklahoma State (3-0) – They continue to score points and look impressive doing it. They have done nothing to give up the Big 12 frontrunner status.

12 (13). Georgia (1-1) – The gauntlet of their season has already passed. With the exception of a game against LSU, they should be able to win out.

11 (7). LSU (3-0) – They show glimpses offensively of being incredibly tough. I can’t wait until they get to the meat of their schedule.

10 (6). Louisville (3-0) – They looked sloppy against the putrid Kentucky squad, but they got it done. They will not lose in conference, unless they really are overlooking someone. They cannot afford to do that if they want the national respect required to see a BCS Title berth.

9 (9). Baylor (2-0) – The Bears are now rested and ready to wreak havoc on the Big 12. They are probably going to start at least 7-0 until they play Oklahoma.

8 (16). UCLA (2-0) – Winning at 9AM is something. They had an 18 point comeback at one of the toughest places to play in America. They are going to be a tough out. There is no one who should challenge them in the South.

7 (5). Ohio State (3-0) – They are surrendering way too many points to teams that have no business scoring on them. They need some serious help if they are going to win a National Title. And is it just me, or are they better without Braxton Miller?

6 (10). Washington (2-0) – They got a big road win out of the way against one of the top offenses in the country. They are going to roll and continue to be under the radar until their back-to-back games against Stanford and Oregon.

5 (8). Florida State (2-0) – They were sluggish for a half, and then they demolished Nevada and their third string QB. This team can score on anyone when they want to.

4 (4). Clemson (2-0) – Look for the Tigers to come back from their idle week and torch some teams. They get Florida State at home in October. That could decide who is playing for the BCS Championship.

3 (2). Stanford (2-0) – The Cardinal defense is not as stout or sharp as they have been in years past. They are still built unlike any other team in the conference. They should be able to pound out wins against most teams. Kevin Hogan still has not lost as their starting QB.

2 (1). Alabama (2-0) – The defense looked silly against Johnny Football and Mike Evans. I feel foolish not putting them #1, but that game was telling. You can score on this team.

1 (3). Oregon (3-0) – They obliterated an SEC team at home. The fans chant “We want Bama…We want Bama…” How about focusing on Washington, UCLA, and Stanford before thinking about that. All three of those teams can take them down. However, if this offense is rolling, they will not be beaten.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Utah at BYU, 7:15PM ESPN2 – The Holy War is always one of the most physical and entertaining games of the year. Both of these teams can really play. This seems destined to be one of the more memorable games of the young season.

4. Utah State at USC, 12:30PM ESPN2 – Utah State is one of the best offenses in the country. USC finally found some legs against BC. I think that this could be a really interesting matchup.

3. Boise State at Fresno State, Friday 6:00PM ESPN – This is likely going to be the matchup that decides the Mountain West. It would have been nice to see how Fresno would have done against a Pac-12 team yesterday, but the uncertainty just gives this matchup even more intrigue.

2. Michigan State at Notre Dame (#24), 12:30PM NBC – The Notre Dame games against Michigan State are always the most entertaining of all of their rivals. Sparty hasn’t lost yet, and Notre Dame survived a scare. This should be a great game.

1. Arizona State (#15) at Stanford (#3), 4:00PM Fox – The first of a host of Pac-12 battles will really show what these teams are made of. Stanford cannot sleepwalk through this one. Arizona State is going to travel up there with a ton of momentum.

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – He holds onto his spot, even with a week off. He could have a Barry Sanders-type year if Art Briles sticks to the ground game all year like he should.

4. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA – I don’t really know why he is so overlooked, but he is a sharp-shooter and a terrific runner. He is like an accurate Vince Young.

3. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – The team seems poised to get him invited to New York. He is going to continue putting up crazy passing stats throughout the year. He is the best pure passer in the country.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – Putting up some 450 yards through the air and 100 on the ground, essentially putting the entire team on his shoulders, proved that he is the best player in the country. He is a jerk and everything that is wrong with college football, but man is he fun to watch.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – He is putting up stats in any way he wants to. He is the scariest dual threat player I have seen. He is perhaps only rivaled by Kaepernick and Dennis Dixon before he got broken.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Stanford over Ohio State

Orange Bowl – Clemson over Louisville

Sugar Bowl – Alabama over Oklahoma

Fiesta Bowl – Texas A&M over Baylor

BCS Championship Game – Oregon over Florida State

What did you think of this weekend? Thoughts? Give me your rankings in the comments!