Blue Through and Through Top 25

Note:  When we list several unranked teams among a team's biggest wins (example TCU and Oklahoma State), it isn't because they are big wins, but because those wins are simply their biggest victories and all of those wins are about the same in importance.

In this year of parity, Miami of Florida was the only team this week to score a Top 25 win (over Duke), and now Duke is no longer in the Top 25.  Those pollsters who were surprised by Florida's 27-3 win over their #23 team Georgia didn't realize that Florida should be #2.

Many of the top teams were idle this week, leading to little movement.  Iowa and Ohio State jumped ahead of both Baylor and TCU as those two teams are hurt by the Big 12's conference strength.  Iowa has now beaten two teams in the Top 25.  Ohio State's win over Penn State is now more impressive than the biggest win for Baylor and TCU.  Texas Tech, still the biggest win for both Baylor and TCU, lost to Oklahoma State for the Red Raiders' fourth loss of the year.

Pollsters who have Stanford ranked high and do not rank Northwestern forgot that Northwestern defeated the Cardinal.  While Stanford should be ranked higher because of one less loss, the difference between the two teams should not be much.

Most of the nation's pollsters were surprised when North Carolina beat one of their "top 25 teams", Pittsburgh.  We were not, as Pittsburgh has not been ranked this season.  We did have both teams in the "other teams considered" list.  The pollsters will now have to admit they were wrong and drop Pitt from their top 25 lists.

Navy's biggest win is now over Air Force, as the Falcons have surpassed East Carolina as Navy's toughest opponent.

#1-1 LSU (7-0) did not play; Biggest Wins:  #2 Florida 35-28 and #21 Mississippi State 21-19

#2-2 Florida (7-1) ripped Georgia 27-3; Biggest Wins: #11 Mississippi 38-10 and Georgia 27-3; lost to #1 LSU 35-28
#3-3  Michigan State (8-0) was idle this week; Biggest Win: #14 Michigan 27-23  
#4-4 Memphis (8-0) took care of Tulane 41-13; Biggest Win: #11 Mississippi 37-24
#5-5 Clemson (8-0) outlasted North Carolina State 56-41; Biggest Win: #15 Notre Dame 24-22

#6-6 Alabama (7-1) did not play; Biggest Wins:  #17 Texas A&M 41-23, #24 Wisconsin 35-17 and Georgia 38-10; Lost to #11 Mississippi 43-37
#9-7  Iowa (8-0) turned back Maryland 31-15; Biggest Wins:  #18 Northwestern 40-10, #24 Wisconsin 10-6 and Pittsburgh 27-24 
#10-8  Ohio State (8-0) did not play; Biggest Win: Penn State 38-10
#7-9 Baylor (7-0) was idle; Biggest Wins: Texas Tech 63-35 and West Virginia 62-38
#8-10 TCU (8-0) blew away West Virginia 40-10; Biggest Wins:  Texas Tech 55-52, Kansas State 52-45 and West Virginia 40-10

#11-11   Mississippi (7-2) got by Auburn 27-19; Biggest Wins:  #6 Alabama 43-37 and #17 Texas A&M 23-3; Lost to #2 Florida 38-10 and #4 Memphis 37-24
#13-12 Oklahoma State (8-0) came from behind to beat Texas Tech 70-53; Biggest Wins: Texas Tech 70-53, Kansas State 36-34, West Virginia 33-26 in overtime
#12-13   Utah (7-1) frustrated Oregon State 27-12;  Biggest Wins:  #14 Michigan 24-17 and California 30-24; Lost to USC 42-24
#14-14   Michigan (6-2) pulled out a 29-26 win over Minnesota; Biggest Win:  #18 Northwestern 38-0; Lost to #3 Michigan State 27-23 and #13 Utah 24-17

#15-15  Notre Dame (7-1) struggled to a 24-20 win over #22 Temple; Biggest Wins:  #22 Temple 24-20 and Navy 41-24; Lost to #5 Clemson 24-22
#16-16 Stanford (7-1) pulled out a 30-27 win over Washington State; Biggest Win: #25 UCLA 56-35; Lost to #18 Northwestern 16-6
#17-17 Texas A&M (6-2) downed South Carolina 35-28; Biggest Win: #21 Mississippi State 30-17; Lost to #6 Alabama 41-23 and #11 Mississippi 23-3
#19-18  Northwestern (6-2) was idle; Biggest Wins:  #16 Stanford 16-6 and Duke 19-10; Lost to #7 Iowa 40-10 and #14 Michigan 38-0
20-19 Toledo (7-0) did not play; Biggest Win: Arkansas 16-12
24-20 Houston (8-0) shut out Vanderbilt 34-0; Biggest Wins: Vanderbilt 34-0 and Louisville 34-31
21-21 Mississippi State (6-2) was idle; Biggest Win: Auburn 17-9; Lost to #1 LSU 21-19 and #17 Texas A&M 30-17 
#18-22 Temple (7-1) lost to #15 Notre Dame 24-20; Biggest Win: Penn State 27-10; Lost to #15 Notre Dame 24-20
#23-23 Florida State (7-1) took it out on Syracuse 45-21; Biggest Win: Miami of Florida 29-24; Lost to Georgia Tech 22-16
------24 Wisconsin (7-2) bombed Rutgers 48-10; Biggest Win: Illinois 24-13; Lost to #6 Alabama 35-17 and #7 Iowa 10-6

#25-25 UCLA (6-2) edged Colorado 35-31; Biggest Win:  California 40-22; Lost to #16 Stanford 56-35 and Arizona State 38-23

Dropped Out:  Duke

Also Considered:

Oklahoma (7-1) crushed winless Kansas 62-7; Biggest Win:  Texas Tech 63-27; lost to Texas 24-17
BYU (6-2) did not play; Biggest Win:  Boise State 35-24; Lost to #14 Michigan 31-0 and #25 UCLA 24-23

Navy (6-1) came from behind to beat South Florida 27-19; Biggest Win: Air Force 33-11; Lost to #15 Notre Dame 41-24
Penn State (7-2) blanked Illinois 39-0; Biggest Win:  Indiana; Lost to #10 Ohio State 38-10 and #18 Temple 27-10
Boise State (7-2) ran away from UNLV 55-27; Biggest Win: Washington 16-13; Lost to BYU 35-24 and Utah State 52-26
USC (5-3) beat California 27-21; Biggest Wins:  Utah 42-24 and California; Lost to #15 Nore Dame 41-31, #16 Stanford 41-31 and Washington 17-12
North Carolina (7-1) defeated Pittsburgh 26-19; Biggest Win:  Pittsburgh 26-19; Lost to South Carolina 17-13
California (5-3) lost to USC 27-21; Biggest Win: Washington 30-24; Lost to #12 Utah 30-24, #25 UCLA 40-22 and USC 27-21
Pittsburgh (6-2) fell to North Carolina 26-19; Biggest Win:  Virginia Tech 17-13; Lost to #9 Iowa 27-24 and North Carolina 26-19
Georgia (5-3) fell to #2 Florida 27-3; Biggest Win: Vanderbilt 31-14; Lost to #2 Florida 27-3, #6 Alabama 38-10 and Tennessee 38-31
Appalachian State (7-1) beat Troy 44-41 in three overtimes; Biggest Win:  Georgia Southern 31-13; Lost to #5 Clemson 41-10
Duke (6-2) lost to Miami of Florida 30-27; Biggest Win: Virginia Tech 45-43; Lost to #19 Northwestern 19-10 and Miami of Florida 30-27
Western Kentucky (7-2) trounced Old Dominion 55-30; Biggest Win:  Vanderbilt 14-12; Lost to #1 LSU 48-20 and Indiana 38-35

Marshall (8-1) thwarted Charlotte 34-10; Biggest Win:  Purdue 41-31; Lost to Ohio 21-10