Friday, October 28, 2016

2016 TRS Football Rankings - Week 8

Yes, I know, there was a week between the last 2 posts of the rankings.

Things got away from me a bit, damn the real life.

In the meantime, things have changed a lot in the last 2 weeks.

What has changed you ask? Well.

We have a new number 1 after Ohio State choke.......err......lost in Happy Vally.  Isn't that the strangest name for an actual place?  Seriously, it sounds like it should be the title to either a children's book, a very sad Romance Novel where one of the characters has terminal cancer but the find love despite it, or the worst horror film ever.  Wait, those last 2 might be able to be joined.  hmmmmm....Maybe I should write that.....

Oh hell, I don't have time to post regularly, I would never get that book done.

Back to football.

3 of the top 10 dropped out, with Tennessee dropping like a stone.

6 teams dropped out of the rankings entirely, including some programs which were expected to be strong: Miami of Florida, Arizona State, Ole Miss, and Arkansas.

Yes, 1/5 of the ranked teams 2 weeks ago, are no longer ranked teams.  Boy do we have a big number of mediocre teams this year.

There is still 1 independent team ranked, but it's not Notre Dame,

So, on to the rankings

1. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Bama is rolling, pun intended.  They have played the last 3 weeks against teams who were ranked at the time, 2 of them on the road.  they won by a combined score of 131-54.  They are, once again, the most consistently outstanding team.

2. CLEMSON TIGERS
Clemson almost got caught looking past a decent North Carolina State team.  By all rights, they should have lost, buuuuuuuuuuuut they didn't so they still get credit for winning.  It also helps that the Auburn win is looking better and better.  That said, they are not 1b right now.

3. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Penn State?  Really?

Come on guys.

4. WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Is this the week that Washington finally gets a test in the Pac 12?

I really need to know if they are as good as they look.  They are thumping folks, and they have talent, but the Pac is not the ACC, let alone the Big 10 or SEC.  That said, Utah and Washington State are ranked, Cal can score with anyone, USC is likely about to be ranked again behind Sam Darnold.  This is the toughest stretch they are going to see.  If they can't finish this run, I will gladly drop them like a stone.  Well, not too gladly.

5. LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
So, Louisville was not happy about people picking at them about the Duke game.  They walked in against the Wolfpack team that should have beat Clemson and stepped on their neck.

I think that's only figurative, but as bad as it was, it might have been literal....the neck stepping I mean.

Damn

6. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

This. Is. A. Squad.

For the season, their combined score is 341-70.  That's an average of 48.7-10.

Now, it hasn't been murderers row, but Colorado is decent, Penn State beat OSU, Wisconsin is tough, and....well the meat is coming.  They should beat the Spartans, but I expect that Sparty will be up for this game, though so will the Wolverines after last year's game.  Maryland is getting better-ish, and they finish with Ohio State.

You know, after Michigan and Ohio State,Wisconsin, the Big Ten is kind of meh.

Pausing to appreciate excellence before we worry about the other 'good teams'

7. TEXAS AGGIES
Time to lick your wounds and bounce back.

8. WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS
Yup, really.

I realize they are in the MAC, and due that they don't have the toughest schedule.  Gotta give it to them though, after squeaking out a season-opening win over Northwestern, they have rolled eveyrone else.  BTW, that Northwestern team is 3-1 in the Big Ten.

9. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Nebraska has not lost...and it's damn near Halloween.  Now, I personally expect them to lose to Wisconsin, especially at Camp Randall, but 7-0 is something the faithful in Lincoln have been hungry for.

Now comes the fun part.  In the next 5 games, they have 3 ranked teams plus Minnesota and a rivalry game against Iowa.  That is a tough stretch, but if they can steal one at Wisconsin, they might be able to get 4-5 and will have their best season in years.

10. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
The Hokies are a dominant team, but they are a good one.  They held a top 10 spot by the skin of their teeth after thumping Miami on the rebound from a disappointing loss to Syracuse.

11. AUBURN TIGERS
12. BOISE STATE BRONCOS
13. HOUSTON COUGARS
14. UTAH UTES
15. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
16. COLORADO BUFFALOES
17. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
18. WISCONSIN BADGERS
19. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
20. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
21. OKLAHOMA SOONERS
22. LSU TIGERS
23. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
24. SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
25. FLORIDA GATORS
26. NAVY MIDSHIPMEN
27. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
28. TOLEDO ROCKETS
29. TROY TROJANS
30. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

CONFERENCE RANKINGS
SEC: 6
ACC: 5
BIG TEN: 5
PAC 12: 4
BIG 12: 3
MAC: 2
MWC: 1
INDEPENDENT: 1
C-USA: 0
AAC: 0

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