CFI Top 25 - Week Seven

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (4)
Record: 6-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 2
Associated Press: 2
Last Week: BYE
Is there a bunch that has earned time off more than Nick Saban’s boys? Nevertheless, Coach Saban surely found something to work on.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Mississippi; 10/25: @ Tennessee

2. Texas Longhorns (6)
Record: 6-0 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 1
Associated Press: 1
Last Week: Won vs. Oklahoma 45-35
The defense may have allowed 35 points, but they shut down DeMarco Murray (six yards, seven carries) and made key fourth quarter stops when they needed them. The ‘Horns are for real.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Missouri; 10/25: vs. Ok. St.

3. Penn St. Nittany Lions (5)
Record: 7-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 2
Associated Press: 3
Last Week: Won @ Wisconsin 48-7
At times it appeared the Badgers had 10 players on the field. Which times? Whenever Darryl Clark (16-of-25, 244 yards) dropped back to pass or Derrick Williams fielded a punt.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Michigan; 10/25: @ OSU

4. Southern California Trojans (7)
Record: 4-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 4
Associated Press: 6
Last Week: Won vs. Arizona St. 28-0
Even with Rudy Carpenter, the Trojans toyed with the Sun Devils. However, USC can’t be happy with five turnovers, including three Mark Sanchez interceptions.
Up Next: 10/18: @ WSU; 10/25: @ Arizona

5. Oklahoma Sooners (1)
Record: 5-1 (1-1)
Coaches Poll: 6
Associated Press: 4
Last Week: Lost vs. Texas 45-35
Too many mistakes to win the Red River Rivalry: penalties, they allowed a kick return for a touchdown and lost the turnover battle. OU needs to find a running game.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Kansas; 10/25: @ Kansas St.

6. Georgia Bulldogs (8)
Record: 4-1 (1-1)
Coaches Poll: 9
Associated Press: 10
Last Week: Won vs. Tennessee 26-14
UGA got their win, but were sloppy finishing drives. Despite eight trips inside the Vols’ 25-yard line, five of which broke the ten-yard line, the Bulldogs penetrated the goal line only twice.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Vanderbilt; 10/25: @ LSU

7. Oklahoma St. Cowboys (18)
Record: 6-0 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 10
Associated Press: 8
Last Week: Won @ Missouri 28-23
Force Missouri’s first three-and-out…check. Create turnovers…check. Shut down the Tigers’ running game…check. The Cowboys’ defense proved Oklahoma St. is not one-dimensional.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Baylor; 10/25: @ Texas

8. Florida Gators (13)
Record: 5-1 (3-1)
Coaches Poll: 7
Associated Press: 5
Last Week: Won vs. LSU 51-21
After LSU cut Florida’s lead to 20-14, Tim Tebow had his best drive of the season: he ran for four yards on third-and-three, completed a 37-yard pass to the two-yard line and ran for the score.
Up Next: 10/18: BYE; 10/25: vs. Kentucky

9. Missouri Tigers (3)
Record: 5-1 (1-1)
Coaches Poll: 12
Associated Press: 11
Last Week: Lost vs. Oklahoma St. 28-23
None of Chase Daniels’ final 30 passes hit the ground, unfortunately for Mizzou, three of those throws landed in the waiting arms of Cowboys.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Texas; 10/25: vs. Colorado

10. Ohio St. Buckeyes (9)
Record: 6-1 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 11
Associated Press: 12
Last Week: Won vs. Purdue 16-3
Not the blowout that was expected, but Ohio St. kept Purdue out of the end zone, limiting the Boilermakers to a field goal.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Michigan St.; 10/25: vs. PSU

11. LSU Tigers (2)
Record: 4-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 13
Associated Press: 14
Last Week: Lost @ Florida 51-21
What happened? The short story: the Bayou Bengals lacked the speed on defense to slow down the Gators, and freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee was not ready for this spotlight.
Up Next: 10/18: @ South Carolina; 10/25: vs. UGA

12. Texas Tech (10)
Record: 6-0 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 5
Associated Press: 7
Last Week: Won vs. Nebraska 37-31
The defense allowed three fourth quarter touchdowns to force overtime, but senior Jamar Wall sealed it with the game’s first turnover, intercepting a Joe Ganz pass in overtime.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Texas A & M; 10/25: @ KU

13. Utah Utes (11)
Record: 7-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 13
Associated Press: 14
Last Week: Won @ Wyoming 40-7
With a pair of defensive scores as bookends (interception return in the first quarter made it 7-0 and a fumble return in the fourth quarter capped the scoring) and a special teams touch-down in between, the offense was able ease up.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Colorado St.; 10/25: BYE

14. BYU Cougars (12)
Record: 6-0 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 8
Associated Press: 9
Last Week: Won vs. New Mexico 21-3
Quarterback Max Hall bounced back nicely from his two-interception game at Utah St. by tossing three scoring strikes (no interceptions) against New Mexico. Wide out Austin Collie turned in his fourth straight 100-yard game (162 yards).
Up Next: 10/16: @ TCU; 10/25: vs. UNLV

15. South Florida Bulls (14)
Record: 5-1 (0-1)
Coaches Poll: 20
Associated Press: 19
Last Week: BYE
With the lowly Orange coming to Tampa, the Bulls should be able to avoid the mid-season losing streak that plagued them last season.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Syracuse; 10/25: @ Louisville

16. Kansas Jayhawks (15)
Record: 5-1 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 15
Associated Press: 16
Last Week: Won vs. Colorado 30-14
KU finishes strong for the second straight week, putting the Buffs away on a pair of Jake Sharpe fourth quarter touchdown runs. Sharpe was a workhorse with 31 carries for 118 yards.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Oklahoma; 10/25: vs. T. Tech

17. Boise St. Broncos (17)
Record: 5-0 (1-0)
Coaches Poll: 16
Associated Press: 15
Last Week: Won @ Southern Miss 24-7
The Broncos went down south and took care of the Golden Eagles in the second quarter, when they put up 24 points. Freshman quarterback Kellen Moore was responsible for three scores.
Next: 10/17: vs. Hawaii; 10/24: @ San Jose St.

18. California Golden Bears (19)
Record: 4-1 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 22
Associated Press: 25
Last Week: BYE
The Bears had an extra week to prepare for the first of three tough road tests in Pac-10 play, with trips to Tucson, the Coliseum and Corvallis.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Arizona; 10/25: vs. UCLA

19. Virginia Tech Hokies (21)
Record: 5-1 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 18
Associated Press: 17
Last Week: BYE
Tech will visit a pair of Atlantic Division foes in the Seminoles and Eagles, setting up a pair of ACC Championship game rematches.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Boston College; 10/18: @ FSU

20. Michigan St. Spartans (NR)
Record: 6-1 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 17
Associated Press: 20
Last Week: Won @ Northwestern 37-20
Sparty took advantage of two first quarter turnovers by Northwestern to jump out to a 17-0 lead and the ‘Cats never got closer than 10. State played mistake-free football—no turnovers. Javon Ringer reached the 1,000-yard plateau for the second straight year.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. Ohio St.; 10/25: @ Michigan

21. North Carolina (NR)
Record: 5-1 (1-1)
Coaches Poll: 21
Associated Press: 18
Last Week: Won vs. Notre Dame 29-24
The Tar Heels were out-gained by 150 yards by the Irish, but when you win the turnover battle by five, yards don’t matter as much. Linebacker Quan Sturdivant returned a pick for six.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Virginia; 10/25: vs. BC

22. Vanderbilt Commodores (13)
Record: 5-2 (3-2)
Coaches Poll: 23
Associated Press: 22
Last Week: Lost @ Miss. St. 17-14
Don’t call it an upset—the talent between Vanderbilt and Mississippi St. is fairly even, which showed on Saturday. The ‘Dores were able to muster up just 107 yards of total offense.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Georgia; 10/25: vs. Duke

23. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (22)
Record: 4-1 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 19
Associated Press: 21
Last Week: Won vs. Clemson 12-7
With their win over Clemson in a lifeless contest, the Demon Deacons remain the lone undefeated club in the Atlantic Division. Star defenders Aaron Curry (game-high nine tackles) and Alphonso Smith (interception) shined.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Maryland; 10/25: @ Maryland

24. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (NR)
Record: 6-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 26
Associated Press: 26
Last Week: Won @ SMU 37-31
The Golden Hurricane failed to score at least 45 points for the first time this season, but 37 were enough to win and crack the CFI Top 25.
Up Next: 10/18: vs. UTEP; 10/26: vs. UCF

25. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (NR)
Record: 5-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 30
Associated Press: 30
Last Week: Won vs. Gard.-Webb 10-7
The Ramblin’ Wreck’s lone blemish is a three-point loss at Virginia Tech.
Up Next: 10/18: @ Clemson; 10/25: vs. Virginia

Five to Watch: Ball St., Cincinnati, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, TCU

Dropped Out: Auburn (20), Wisconsin (23), Illinois (24), Kentucky (25)