CFI Top 25 - Week Eight

1. Texas Longhorns (2)
Record: 7-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 1
Associated Press: 1
Last Week: Won vs. Missouri 56-31
The Longhorns put an exclamation point on their win over the Sooners, running roughshod all over the Tigers. Colt McCoy (29-of-32, 337 yards) solidified himself as the Heisman frontrunner.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Oklahoma St.; 11/1: @ T. Tech


2. Alabama Crimson Tide (1)
Record: 7-0 (4-0)
Coaches Poll: 2
Associated Press: 2
Last Week: Won vs. Mississippi 24-20
After scoring 24 straight points to take a 24-3 halftime lead, ‘Bama’s offense took the second half off and barely held off the Rebels.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Tennessee; 11/1: Arkansas St.

3. Penn St. Nittany Lions (3)
Record: 8-0 (4-0)
Coaches Poll: 3
Associated Press: 3
Last Week: Won vs. Michigan 46-17
If the Nittany Lions went into their contest with Michigan looking ahead to Ohio St., they were refocused at halftime. Penn St. scored on all six of their second half possessions.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Ohio St.: 11/1: BYE

4. Oklahoma Sooners (5)
Record: 6-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 5
Associated Press: 4
Last Week: Won vs. Kansas 45-31
Boomer Sooner and Sam Bradford (36-of-53) bounce back, as the sophomore signal caller airs it out for a school-record 468 yards.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Kansas St.; 11.1: vs. Nebraska

5. Southern California Trojans (4)
Record: 5-1 (3-1)
Coaches Poll: 4
Associated Press: 6
Last Week: Won @ Wash. St. 69-0
Did USC just score again? Quarterback Mark Sanchez connected on five scoring strikes—in the first half—including a pair to both Ronald Johnson and Patrick Turner.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Arizona; 11/1: vs. Washington

6. Georgia Bulldogs (6)
Record: 6-1 (3-1)
Coaches Poll: 9
Associated Press: 9
Last Week: Won vs. Vanderbilt 24-14
Sophomore Knowshon Moreno breaks out for 172 yards as he runs through, around and over the Vanderbilt defense. It was perfect timing, as the Dawgs head into the heart of conference play.
Up Next: 10/25: @ LSU; 11/1: vs. Florida

7. Oklahoma St. Cowboys (7)
Record: 7-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 8
Associated Press: 7
Last Week: Won vs. Baylor 34-6
Not looking back (to their upset win over Missouri) or ahead (to their trip to Austin), Okie St. gobbled up their “sandwich” game versus Baylor. Dez Bryant caught 11 balls for 212 yards.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Texas; 11/1: vs. Iowa St.

8. Florida Gators (8)
Record: 5-1 (3-1)
Coaches Poll: 7
Associated Press: 5
Last Week: BYE
They are number five according to the AP Voters, but are 10th in the BCS—facing an uphill climb.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Kentucky; 11/1: vs. Georgia

9. Ohio St. Buckeyes (10)
Record: 7-1 (4-0)
Coaches Poll: 10
Associated Press: 10
Last Week: Won @ Michigan St. 45-7
Like an experienced champion, the Buckeyes can smell another conference title and will enter the “Big Ten game of the year” against Penn St. playing their best football of the season.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Penn St.; 11/1: BYE

10. LSU Tigers (11)
Record: 5-1 (3-1)
Coaches Poll: 11
Associated Press: 11
Last Week: Won @ South Carolina 24-17
Facing the proposition of dropping a second straight conference game, the Bayou Bengals buckled down and held South Carolina to 38 second half yards (forced two turnovers).
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Georgia; 11/1: vs. Tulane

11. Texas Tech (12)
Record: 7-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 6
Associated Press: 8
Last Week: Won @ Tex. A & M 43-25
The Red Raiders found themselves in a game against an inferior opponent for the second week in a row, but pulled away in the second half behind Graham Harrell, who threw for 450 yards and three scores (two rushing touchdowns).
Up Next: 10/25: @ Kansas; 11/1: vs. Texas

12. Utah Utes (12)
Record: 8-0 (4-0)
Coaches Poll: 12
Associated Press: 12
Last Week: Won vs. Colorado St. 49-16
Five different Utes found the end zone in this laugher, as Utah out-gained the Rams by 251 yards, allowing them to cruise into their bye as the only undefeated Mountain West team.
Up Next: 10/25: BYE; 11/1: @ New Mexico

13. South Florida Bulls (15)
Record: 6-1 (1-1)
Coaches Poll: 14
Associated Press: 14
Last Week: Won vs. Syracuse 45-13
South Florida’s duel threat junior quarterback Matt Grothe slices the Orange, leading the Bulls with 248 yards through the air and 72 yards on the ground (four total touchdowns).
Up Next: 10/25: @ Louisville; 10/30: @ UC

14. Missouri Tigers (9)
Record: 5-2 (1-2)
Coaches Poll: 16
Associated Press: 16
Last Week: Lost @ Texas 56-31
The Tigers looked completely flustered in Austin. Did they still have a hangover from their upset loss at home to Oklahoma St.? Did they simply run into a buzz-saw known as Bevo? More than likely it was a combination of things, but one thing is clear—they are happy to be in the North.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Colorado; 11/1: @ Baylor

15. Boise St. Broncos (17)
Record: 6-0 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 13
Associated Press: 13
Last Week: Won vs. Hawaii 27-7
The Broncos took a step towards bringing the WAC title back to Boise by knocking off defending champion Hawaii and halting the Warriors' two-game winning streak. Freshman Kellen Moore continues to impress, with three touchdown passes, putting him on pace for 26.
Next: 10/24: @ San Jose St.; 11/1: @ NM St.

16. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (24)
Record: 7-0 (4-0)
Coaches Poll: 19
Associated Press: 22
Last Week: Won vs. UTEP 77-35
It is hard to ignore 77 points isn’t it? The Golden Hurricane score their way into the rankings.
Up Next: 10/26: vs. UCF; 11/1: @ Arkansas

17. TCU Horned Frogs (NR)
Record: 7-1 (4-0)
Coaches Poll: 15
Associated Press: 15
Last Week: Won vs. BYU 32-7
With BYU and Utah off to perfect starts, TCU was the forgotten team of the Mountain West Conference—they are forgotten no more.
Next: 10/25: vs. Wyoming; 11/1: @ UNLV

18. Pittsburgh Panthers (NR)
Record: 5-1 (2-0)
Coaches Poll: 20
Associated Press: 17
Last Week: Won @ Navy 42-21
Everyone knew Pittsburgh would out-throw Navy, but to out-rush the Midshipmen was impressive. Of course none of the enlisted men have the shake and bake of LeSean McCoy.
Next: 10/25: vs. Rutgers; 11/01: @ Notre Dame

19. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (25)
Record: 6-1 (3-1)
Coaches Poll: 21
Associated Press: 21
Last Week: Won @ Clemson 21-17
With their win at one-time ACC favorite Clemson and losses by Virginia Tech, and North Carolina, the Yellow Jackets could be the team to beat in the Coastal Division. Dominique Reese returned an interception—the first of six Clemson turnovers—to pay-dirt to give Tech a 7-0 lead.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Virginia; 11/1:

20. Brigham Young Cougars (14)
Record: 6-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 17
Associated Press: 18
Last Week: Lost @ TCU 32-7
The Cougars were simply not ready for what the Horned Frogs had in store. Max Hall had no touchdown passes and two interceptions, the inverse of his counterpart Andy Dalton.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. UNLV; 11/1: @ Colorado St.

21. Kansas Jayhawks (15)
Record: 5-2 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 18
Associated Press: 19
Last Week: Lost @ Oklahoma 45-31
Offensive stars Todd Reesing, Jake Sharpe and Dezmon Briscoe did their job, but where was the defense? KU allowed 674 yards to the Sooners.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Texas Tech; 11/1: vs. K-State

22. Boston College Eagles (NR)
Record: 5-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: NR (26)
Associated Press: 23
Last Week: Won vs. Virginia Tech 28-23
Despite five turnovers, the Eagles pulled out a win verses the Hokies thanks to a little “Beamer Ball” (Rich Gunnell 65-yard punt return for a touchdown) of their own on Chestnut Hill.
Up Next: 10/25: @ UNC; 11/1: vs. Clemson

23. Minnesota Golden Gophers (NR)
Record: 6-1 (2-1)
Coaches Poll: 25
Associated Press: 25
Last Week: BYE
Is there a better untold story in college football than Coach Tim Brewster taking the Gophers from 1-11 in his first season to 6-1, bowl eligibility and a spot in the top 25? Adam Weber’s ability to reduce his mistakes has been huge.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Purdue; 11/1: vs. Northwestern

24. Ball St. Cardinals (NR)
Record: 7-0 (3-0)
Coaches Poll: 21
Associated Press: 20
Last Week: BYE
Junior tailback MiQuale Lewis has been a difference maker this season for the Cardinals. His 914 yards is already 383 yards more than last season’s leading rusher.
Up Next: 10/25: vs. Eastern Michigan; 11/1: BYE

25. Cincinnati Bearcats (NR)
Record: 5-1 (1-0)
Coaches Poll: NR
Associated Press: NR
Last Week: BYE
Like TCU, Cincinnati’s lone blemish on the season came on their trip to Norman, Oklahoma. The ‘Cats have been forced to start three quarterbacks through six games this season and none of them is named Ben Mauk.
Up Next: 10/25: @ Connecticut; 10/30: vs. USF

Five to Watch: Florida St., Kentucky, Northwestern, Oregon, Troy

Dropped Out: California (18), Virginia Tech (19), Michigan St. (20), North Carolina (21), Vanderbilt (22), Wake Forest (23)

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, University of Texas Athletics, University of Minnesota Athletic Communications