#1 takes it on the chin, BYU mov’in on up…
With the mighty Trojans losing to the Oregon State Beavers, how will the top 25 rankings be affected? Well, the Cougars will be moving on up in the standings. It will most likely only be one spot, but when was the last time the Cougars have been in the top ten this early in the season?
With the SEC still having four teams in the top ten and the Big-12 having three, the loss by the Trojans is really setting this season up to be a dream come true for anyone wearing blue. As conference battles heat up, it will be very interesting to see how the rankings will change from week to week.
Big games will be:
Oklahoma: 10/11 Texas, 10/18 Kansas, 11/22 Texas Tech
Georgia: 9/27 Alabama, 10/18 Vanderbilt, 10/25 LSU, 11/01 Florida, 11/15 Auburn
Florida: 10/11 LSU, 11/01 Georgia, 11/08 Vanderbilt, 11/29 Florida State (rivalry/throw everything out the window)
LSU: 10/11 Florida, 10/25 Georgia, 11/08 Alabama
Mizzou: 10/18 Texas, 11/29 Kansas
Texas: 10/11 Oklahoma, 10/18 Mizzou, 11/01 Texas Tech, 11/15 Kansas
Alabama: 9/27 Georgia, 11/08 LSU, 11/29 Auburn
Wisconsin: 10/04 Ohio State, 10/11 Penn State, 10/25 Illinois (This should be their last week this high)
Texas Tech: 10/25 Kansas, 11/01 Texas, 11/22 Oklahoma
Tell me I am not the only one that is seeing this? All of those teams will be knocking each other out of the top 10 while BYU continues its ascension. This really could wind down with BYU being in the top 5 very quickly…provided we don’t slip up in the next month. Oh baby, it would be a very exciting time to be on the team. Each day meaning more and more as you draw closer to a possible…..I am going to say it, TITLE SHOT. I am not trying to get to ahead of myself, because I know they would send a 1 loss SEC or Big-12 team in front of us. But just sit back and look at the possibilities: if we do go undefeated, everyone and their mother is going to have something negative to say about the BCS. Just sit back and look at some of those schedules. Enjoy the weekend folks, because the next few months could be a roller-coaster ride.
About the USC game: Oregon State came out and from the start dominated the offensive/defensive lines. They were able to consistently run the ball, mixing in their passing attack to keep USC’s big physical players guessing. UCS also came out, off their bye week, very flat and were down before they knew it. I guess Pete Carroll was right when he was quoted as saying,”I guess the Trojans know how to have a bye week.” -with a smile and a wink- It was amazing to see the confidence the OSU Beavers had. They stood toe to toe with their mouths running the entire game. OSU’s run defense was phenomenal, holding USC’s RB’s to 86 yards on 22 carries. WOW, that is defensive domination. OSU won all three of Bronco’s pillars: they held USC under 24 points, under 100 yards rushing, and were +2 in the turnover margin. This was possibly the greatest win in OSU history.
I love the blog, but I have to disagree. I can see BYU dropping at least a spot this week with the bye.
Gooch-
I know it is easy to start talking about the what ifs(I do by the way), but I am still not sure how good our defense is. What scares me a little is we haven’t played a team with a quarterback that can throw the ball and wont until TCU. Do you think our defense is really that good? Are they good enough to get by TCU and UTAH? Thanks for insight on the program.
Not sure BYU will move up this week – Penn State could jump them, and I’m not sure a one-loss USC team goes from #1 to outside the top 10. The USC name still carries a lot of weight.
I DO think we could be looking at a top-5 ranking pretty quickly here. My guess is we’ll hit it after we beat TCU (and ESPECIALLY if TCU knocks of Oklahoma).
It’s no fun if you don’t let yourself dream about the possibilities. I have to say, we were gone for much of the first half and turned espn on to check the score and when we saw OSU up by 14 and ready to strike again, my husband and I both started laughing our heads off.
I know Bronco is aware that every game you have a possibility of losing, I hope the team sees the loss by USC and makes sure they come out determined next week. So many are just itching for BYU to have a mess-up so they can call over-rated.
I’m excited for the whole conference, I can’t express how badly I want TCU to beat OU.
As for our defense, I think it’s hard to pitch shut-outs even against bad teams.
Utah hasn’t been able to do that.
And we’re doing it with our 2nd and 3rd string.
I am hyped about Bradley, Pendleton, and Sorenson. Johnson can lay the wood as well.
Come on everyone be a little optimistic. The bye week shouldn’t have an affect on our ranking. With other teams in action there will be shuffling going on both above and beneath, but we should either stay but or move up one spot.
Interesting that they beat USC with their running game, and Utah seems to have a good running defense. Bodes well for Utah beating OSU and giving more credibility to the top MWC teams. This game definitely is an illustration that a mental advantage is so important.
Something tells me that the UofU-OSU game will be very interesting. My head tells me that if the U wins it’s better for our conference and makes the game on November better. but something inside of me fells like they won’t make it undefeated and it makes me giddy. If USC couldn’t run against OSU I don’t think the U will do any better. I’m going to watch that game for sure.
Remember – after we BEAT Washington on the ROAD we FELL 3 spots. So I think it is not likely we stay at 11 with a bye week. The question to me is how far do we drop?
I agree Gooch that the bye week SHOULDN’T have an effect on the ranking, especially with a big upset like this. But the truth of the matter is that UCLA fell out of the top 25 just because they had a bye week. Voters maybe forget about a few teams?
I’m optimistic that the non BCS conference headlines continue to remind the voters that some of the best teams in NCAA football aren’t part of the little BCS club. If the trend continues.
Let’s just keep hoping that more BCS favorites lose and the non BCS teams stay ranked, losing ONLY to BYU.
What about Georgia Alabama game? Its possible for us to move up 2 spots by the end of the week end.
We need to keep winning and keep winning big because of the lack of talent that we will be playing!
I think BYU would have dropped on a bye before the conf. started winning out-of-conf. It seems that the outside perception of the conf. is MUCH different currently. I think if TCU plays well…keeps it close, or even wins…that will be huge. I also think the USC loss is a real opportunity for the Utes (it hurts me to say it), to make a big impression with a home win against OSU. This can really be a watershed year for the conf. It sure is fun to watch.
The BCS pollsters will find BCS schools to move ahead of BYU over the next two weeks. With a bye and then Utah State, the Cougars will fall prey to the bias of the media in dissing the MWC and BYU.
Mr. Gouch-
I very much respect your experience and comments but I humbly disagree with your guess as to BYU moving up one place into the top 10 because of SC’s loss. ESPN hosts I belive correctly predict that they will drop but stay in the top 10 so BYU will not move up. That is correct because a loss by the mighty Trojans (I am a BYU alumnus) is not the same as a BYU loss. Even with one loss they are a top 10 team. I do not doubt that BYU’s offense could not score on SC’s defense, but I do doubt whether or not BYU defense could hold down SC’s offense. The Trojans’ had an off night but they can run the table and still get back into the BCS Championship game.
The name is Gooch, and you aren’t seeing the big picture. We won’t be moving up solely because of USC’s loss. We could move up because all the teams in front of us have to play each other. In the current top 10 there will be at least 2 maybe 3 teams that will have 2 or more loses. So if you do the math, we will be moving up as long as we continue to win. We have to see the big picture.
Before I could get my message posted Quinn beat me to it – but that’s why he was a better defending than I could be: quicker first step. I have to agree, Walt. Chaos has reigned every week so far this season in the rankings, and we know that stuff will happen in the top 10. And AZ Couger, the Mormon paranoia started getting old with the issuing of the Manifesto. The BCS doesn’t hate BYU, they would rather ignore it. However, there definitely is no Illuminati-like conspiracy against non-BCS schools. The BCS is all about the money, and what better way to pump up ratings for the bowls game than to bring in a worthy and credible outsider a la Boise St. vs. Oklahoma – and even they can see that BYU is no Hawaii. The two consecutive shutouts demonstrate that.
If TCU Beats OK, the possibility of BYU in the NC game exists.
Well looks like everyone underestimated how far the cougars would jump in in the polls. For having a bye week and jumping from #11 to #8 and #7 in the polls is huge!!
Well, that weekend couldn’t have turned out much better than it did!
It wasn’t that bad of a beating. Consider:
*Turnover 1: Fumble recovered at TCU 44. Result: TD.
*Turnover 2: Fumble recovered at OK 35. Result: Punt.
*Turnover 3: Int at the OK 5. Result: Punt.
*Turnover 4*: Downs at TCU 42. Result: Punt.
*Turnover 5*: Downs at OK 13. Result: TD.
*Turnover 6: end-game Int.
With a few more bounces their way, the game could have been much closer. I don’t think a TCU win was in the works by any measure, but considering their scores were the product of long pass plays, and OK was shut down for much of the game, I don’t think we should take TCU lightly by any means.
Oops – posted on wrong blog.
All of those doubting Thomas’s out there remember you have to look at the whole picture. BYU will be move up another spot or two next weekend, and Herbie-street will be eating his arrogant words all off season. Ohio State sucks!
Just note all the above and realize we did indeed move up several spots! You nailed it, Gooch! And it has to say something about either 1) the respect the press and others really are feeling for BYU, and/or 2) these guys are starting to want to see a playoff as much as we do to kill the BCS!
My “Upset watch” predictions for top 25 teams this week:
*Missouri @ Nebraska: This is a Pick’em game. Don’t be surprised with a Missou loss.
* Texas Tech @ Kansas St: Texas Tech will lose this game.
* Ohio State will lose @ Wisconsin.
* Auburn will lose @ Vandy.
* UConn will lose @ UNC.
BYU could definitely be moving up a spot or two, assuming they don’t get jumped.
Those are some definate must watches, but I still think Missouri stays unbeaten. All the others look like good bets. I have been impressed with the Ohio St. offense with Wells/Pryor in the backfield. They are a difficult combination, and with Wisconsins lack of a passing attack…..this will be a very interesting Saturday. I can’t wait for another 9 hours infront of the TV.
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