CFR's Top Teams List: Week Eleven

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Florida
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. USC
7. Louisville
8. Rutgers
9. LSU
10. West Virginia
11. Texas
12. Notre Dame
13. Oklahoma
14. Tennessee
    
15. Wisconsin
    

Lurking
Wake Forest, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Auburn

Thoughts

Ranking teams two through six is incredibly difficult.  I'm still a little torn on whether Florida or Arkansas is the superior ball club.  I feel California's better than USC, but we'll get a better view of that next weekend.  USC beat Arkansas but that was ages ago and the Trojans just look a little more flawed than the 'Hogs right now.

I've kept Louisville ahead of Rutgers because without that setting, without an unbelievable second-half defensive effort, without the whole magic of the evening Louisville's probably the better team by a fraction.

I almost dropped Auburn severely in the rankings last week, and this weekend proved that I should have pulled the trigger on that.

Finally...

Two weekends ago someone lectured me about not having Boston College in my rankings, then the Eagles lost ugly to Wake Forest.  Last weekend I was lectured about not having Texas further up in the rankings, and then they went out and lost to Kansas State.  Sometimes I have a decent read on these teams, guys, you just have to wait the season out.

They are who we thought they were! 

I'm wrong sometimes, and tend to adjust accordingly.  But sometimes the conventional wisdom and the excitement of the weekend are also wrong.

Comments

[Mr. Fumbles]

The impact of rankings this week were chaotic. Saturday's games produced the most upsets and shake-ups in a long time. The Rutgers are definently one of the shakers baking Louisville's chances of a National Title. Louisville wasnt the only team that got its hope baked; Texas was robbed of all its cattle when Kansas State came in. Not only did they lose hope for the title they lost their rising, talented quartback, Colt McCoy. Who would have thought the last play of the game would have been a kneel-down by Kansas quarterback Josh Freeman? Is Ohio State and Michigan safe or will their hopes be baked like a Thanksgiving Turkey? By the way, watch Notre Dame climb the polls.

[Jae]

Ahh, CFR. Stubbornly ranking Cal high. I'm wondering if you saw that Arizona game, though. Cal had 13 points from their offense, and their one TD was one that the fine DeSean Jackson broke for 62 yards.

At least, you're consistent.

USC/Cal is going to be a good one. USC by 3 or so.

[ND101]

Ok, wait...you made this list AFTER this weekend right? How can you possibly have Texas, California, Louisville, West Virginia and LSU ranked higher than Notre Dame? Yes, Notre Dame got killed at home early in the season.....but so did arkansas. And yet you have them 4? Really puzzled by that list. You have 3 two loss teams ahead of ND. And I'm generally not a typical ND homer, but come on.....ranking them 12? That's a little biased, don't you think?

[CFR]

Yes, I saw the Cal game. Jackson was simply amazing. Cal may have gotten screwed out of a win tho, their guy intercepted the ball but got flagged for PI.

If that ball isn't tipped at the end and intercepted that's probably the win right there. Not their best game but they weren't being dominated by Arizona.

That game reminded me of the Rose Bowl in that there were about four ways for USC to win and only one Texas could win (narrow late victory after string of USC errors).

Cal could have won about four different ways and Arizona one way, and Cal handed that one to Arizona thanks to the INT return touchdown and blown PI call that would have stopped an Arizona TD.

That's a 14-point swing right there, making the game 20-10, and Cal probably scores on its last march, so it was more like a 27-10 game that miraculously swung Arizona's way. That's football, but it's not a big sign of anything more than Cal coughing one up.

As far as Notre Dame, their defense is the downfall right now. They're hemorrhaging points to teams like North Carolina and Air Force this late in the season which is just not good. I could be wrong on them, we have a few more games to find out.

[Jae]

I respect your takes, CFR, but I'm beginning to wonder if you purposely rank teams in such a manner to get comments from your readers. I don't have any problem with that, since this is your site. Anyway, keep up the good work, as I'm sure you're a busy guy and updating this site as often as you do is probably a bit of a burden.

Cheers

[Pete Burke]

You are obviously prejudice against the Irish - All they have done is won since Michigan. Quinn's looked outstanding in several comeback wins and time will tell against USC. Better show them some respect sooner than later or you had better find an outfit than looks good with egg on your face.

[CFR]

Jae, thank you for the kind words. They keep me going.

"I'm beginning to wonder if you purposely rank teams in such a manner to get comments from your readers"

Heh. Nah, just being me. I come to these rankings honestly, its not meant to be something manufactured and intentionally eliciting response although I gladly welcome and encourage comment.

[CFR]

I hold prejudice against no teams. The great part about this website is that I get to sit down every Thusday evening, Saturday morning etc. with a blank slate and ask "what's going on in college football".

The games that are played help to fill in and color that slate.

[phil]

I think rationalizing the Cal loss that way is somewhat absurd, but it does not really matter since the question of USC/Cal will be decided on the field this week.

I understand the concept of power rankings but still that was quite a beatdown that USC layed on Arkansas this year.

[Paxil]

Cal's offensive output against Arizona isn't highly shocking. USC would have ended up with 13 points total against Arizona if it wasn't for the Arizona kick returner botching a punt inside his 10 in the final minutes of the game. Arizona is usually very good on defense and when they really need to get up for a game (only about 3 times a year), they sometimes play outstanding.

[TorBear]

"Two weekends ago someone lectured me about not having Boston College in my rankings, then the Eagles lost ugly to Wake Forest. Last weekend I was lectured about not having Texas further up in the rankings, and then they went out and lost to Kansas State."

As a Cal fan desperately hoping to see my Bears play in a Rose Bowl some time during my life, all I can say is that you must be a complete and total moron for not ranking the Trojans higher. I mean, any idiot can see that not even Michigan and Ohio State put together would beat USC.

[BearAbroad]

im in italy right now, and i dont have much to complain about being here except for the fact that i will be missing the CAL-USuC game! anyone out there know an internet site that may host a live showing of that game?? feedback much appreciated, im dying here stuck with only football (the european variety).