PITT SCHEDULE:
9. Iowa (11): Bye. Good or lucky? It really doesn't matter. There are 12 undefeated teams left, and the Hawkeyes are one of them. If they run the table, they're in the playoff. No questions asked.
10. Notre Dame (12): Bye. Admit it, you had Notre Dame-Temple circled on your calendar before the season. Not! Say it with me: Playoff. Implications.
21 Pittsburgh (22): The Panthers have won four in a row by a touchdown or less. Not bad for a team with a rookie head coach (Pat Narduzzi) and missing its best player (James Conner).
23 North Carolina (24): This Coastal Division thing is getting interesting. Tar Heels play a showdown game at Pittsburgh on Thursday, then get Duke on Nov. 7. Good for the Fightin' Fedoras. They've won six in a row,
24. Duke (NR): The Blue Devils survived Virginia Tech in four overtimes. Now they have to survive Miami, North Carolina and Pittsburgh, all in a row.
PENN STATE SCHEDULE:
1. Ohio State (Last week -- 1): It seems all downhill from here after a season full of questions. Even when you consider the quality of the competition (Rutgers), Ohio State finally looked totally dominant and relaxed. One team, one love, one (starting) quarterback. Countdown to Michigan State: less than four weeks.
16. Michigan State (6): The Spartans took the worry out of playing close by getting their biggest win (considering victory margin) of the season against Indiana.
18 Temple (20): The Owls (7-0) are off to their best start ever. Let's start the drum beat for Matt Rhule being national coach of the year. Notre Dame next.
19 Michigan (19): Bye. Wolverines needed a week off to get their jaws -- and spirits -- off the floor following the loss to Michigan State. Minnesota next.
25 Northwestern (NR): How many different ways can Nebraska lose? This time, it was missing a two-point conversion that would have tied the Wildcats with 4:18 left. Northwestern (6-2) sneaks in this week because it still owns one of the biggest wins of the season (over No. 8 Stanford).
WVU SCHEDULE:
3 Baylor (2): One educated observer told me the Bears won't miss a beat if Seth Russell (broken bone in neck) is out for a lengthy period. Certainly freshman Jarrett Stidham's backup numbers are impressive: 24 of 28, 331 yards, six TDs. Baylor has 10 more days off until a Thursday nighter at Kansas State.
7 TCU: Bye. Twelve days rest before a Thursday home game against West Virginia. All eyes on Gary Patterson's defense, which is giving up almost 400 per game.
13 Oklahoma State (15): Another terrible tragedy for the Stillwater and Cowboys community. Thoughts and prayers to those affected. The Cowboys played on through the horrible news of four deaths to beat Kansas.
16 Oklahoma (16): The Sooners' most complete performance of the season (Kansas State) is followed by their second-best, 63-27 over Texas Tech. Samaje Perine ran for four touchdowns. The Big 12's best scoring defense "held" the Red Raiders to 27.
LINK:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...rankings-clemson-at-no-2-alabama-enters-top-5
9. Iowa (11): Bye. Good or lucky? It really doesn't matter. There are 12 undefeated teams left, and the Hawkeyes are one of them. If they run the table, they're in the playoff. No questions asked.
10. Notre Dame (12): Bye. Admit it, you had Notre Dame-Temple circled on your calendar before the season. Not! Say it with me: Playoff. Implications.
21 Pittsburgh (22): The Panthers have won four in a row by a touchdown or less. Not bad for a team with a rookie head coach (Pat Narduzzi) and missing its best player (James Conner).
23 North Carolina (24): This Coastal Division thing is getting interesting. Tar Heels play a showdown game at Pittsburgh on Thursday, then get Duke on Nov. 7. Good for the Fightin' Fedoras. They've won six in a row,
24. Duke (NR): The Blue Devils survived Virginia Tech in four overtimes. Now they have to survive Miami, North Carolina and Pittsburgh, all in a row.
PENN STATE SCHEDULE:
1. Ohio State (Last week -- 1): It seems all downhill from here after a season full of questions. Even when you consider the quality of the competition (Rutgers), Ohio State finally looked totally dominant and relaxed. One team, one love, one (starting) quarterback. Countdown to Michigan State: less than four weeks.
16. Michigan State (6): The Spartans took the worry out of playing close by getting their biggest win (considering victory margin) of the season against Indiana.
18 Temple (20): The Owls (7-0) are off to their best start ever. Let's start the drum beat for Matt Rhule being national coach of the year. Notre Dame next.
19 Michigan (19): Bye. Wolverines needed a week off to get their jaws -- and spirits -- off the floor following the loss to Michigan State. Minnesota next.
25 Northwestern (NR): How many different ways can Nebraska lose? This time, it was missing a two-point conversion that would have tied the Wildcats with 4:18 left. Northwestern (6-2) sneaks in this week because it still owns one of the biggest wins of the season (over No. 8 Stanford).
WVU SCHEDULE:
3 Baylor (2): One educated observer told me the Bears won't miss a beat if Seth Russell (broken bone in neck) is out for a lengthy period. Certainly freshman Jarrett Stidham's backup numbers are impressive: 24 of 28, 331 yards, six TDs. Baylor has 10 more days off until a Thursday nighter at Kansas State.
7 TCU: Bye. Twelve days rest before a Thursday home game against West Virginia. All eyes on Gary Patterson's defense, which is giving up almost 400 per game.
13 Oklahoma State (15): Another terrible tragedy for the Stillwater and Cowboys community. Thoughts and prayers to those affected. The Cowboys played on through the horrible news of four deaths to beat Kansas.
16 Oklahoma (16): The Sooners' most complete performance of the season (Kansas State) is followed by their second-best, 63-27 over Texas Tech. Samaje Perine ran for four touchdowns. The Big 12's best scoring defense "held" the Red Raiders to 27.
LINK:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...rankings-clemson-at-no-2-alabama-enters-top-5
