EPIC CARNIVAL'S NCAA FOOTBALL TOP 20+1: WEEK 10

by OMDQ, One More Dying Quail

This is getting ridiculous: three teams, all separated by one point. One. Oregon is lucky number one this week, taking over the top spot from Ohio State. The Buckeyes scored three fourth quarter touchdowns last week to beat Wisconsin, 38-17, but ended up trailing the Ducks by the narrowest of margins when all was said and done. They are joined at #2 by LSU, which played its fourth consecutive game against a ranked opponent. The Tigers have won three of those, none by more than a touchdown, to remain in the national title hunt.

Loss of the week goes to Boston College, which dropped from #2 to #8 after falling, at home, to Florida State, 27-17. Here’s my question: why hasn’t more attention been focused on the blatant defensive pass interference penalty that went uncalled late in the fourth quarter, with the Eagles trailing 20-17 and quarterback Matt Ryan desperately trying to get something going? The announcers mentioned it briefly, then returned to the game (and rightfully so); I might’ve thought, given how bad the play looked to my eyes, that somebody would have mentioned it at some point.

The basic trend this season has been for the +1 team to enter in that position before climbing up the rankings. Last week’s +1, Boise State, suffered no such fate. Last year’s Fiesta Bowl champions topped Fresno State to get into the Top 20+1, destroyed San Jose State, 42-7…and finds itself in the “Others Receiving Votes” section this week. Very odd. They aren’t likely to improve much over the next two weeks: their two opponents, Utah State and Idaho, are a combined 1-18 on the season.

Rank/School (First Place Votes)/Total Points (Last Week)
1. Oregon (2) 120 Last Week: T-5
T-2. Ohio State (2) 119 Last Week: 1
T-2. LSU (2) 119 Last Week: 3
4. Oklahoma 108 Last Week: T-5
5. Kansas 100 Last Week: 7
6. West Virginia 86 Last Week: 8
7. Missouri 82 Last Week: 9
8. Boston College 81 Last Week: 2
9. Georgia 73 Last Week: 10
10. Arizona State 68 Last Week: 4
11. Connecticut 65 Last Week: 13
12. Virginia Tech 60 Last Week: 11
13. Auburn 54 Last Week: 14
14. Michigan 51 Last Week: 12
15. Florida 44 Last Week: T-18
T-16. Texas 35 Last Week: 15
T-16. USC 35 Last Week: 17
18. Hawaii 21 Last Week: 16
19. Clemson 15 Last Week: Unranked
20. Virginia 13 Last Week: Unranked
+1: Kentucky 10 Last Week: Unranked

Dropped Out: South Florida (T-18), Alabama (#20), Boise State (PLUS ONE)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Boise State 7; Cincinnati 6; Tennessee 4; South Florida 4; Florida State 3; Alabama 2