Blue Through and Through College Football Ratings--Week Seven

This week was a good comparison between these rankings and the AP and Coaches polls.  The latter two both had Mississippi highly ranked ahead of undefeated teams despite two losses.  The Blue Through and Through rankings did not have Mississippi ranked, so no surprise when they lost to Arkansas.  Now with a 3-3 record, the Rebels drop off the "other teams considered" list.

It has taken a much longer-than-usual seven weeks to somewhat sort out the best teams.  You'll notice that there are less teams being considered this week, as we're beginning to get a clearer picture of which teams are stronger and which have just scored upsets this year.  With the decrease of other teams being considered, wins over those teams are dropped from the "Biggest Wins" factor.  When a listed team is shown with more than one team that is not being considered, it is only because there is doubt as to which win is the biggest.

Clemson becomes the fourth #1 team in as many weeks with three Top 25 wins and another over North Carolina State.  Texas A&M has three wins over Top 25 teams while Alabama and Ohio State each have two such wins.

(Note:  the rankings are based on logic rather than hype or potential.  Teams with the same record are judged by their biggest wins and their losses, if any.  Impressive wins over Top 25 teams are more important than other wins, and losses to Top 25 teams hurt far less than other losses.

The "Biggest Win" refers to the highest-ranked win; generally, only ranked teams and teams being considered are listed.  Sometimes, as in the case of Western Michigan, they don't have a win over teams in these rankings, and it is unknown at this time which of their listed wins is the biggest.)


2-1   Clemson (7-0) had a tough time with former Bronco quarterback Ryan Finley and former offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz with North Carolina State before winning 24-17 in overtime; Biggest Wins: #6 Louisville 42-36, #13 Auburn 19-13, #20 Troy 30-24 and North Carolina State 24-17 in overtime
1-2     Texas A&M (6-0) did not play; Biggest Wins:  #13 Auburn 29-16, #15 Arkansas 45-24 and #16 Tennessee 45-38 in two overtimes
5-3    Alabama (7-0) ran over #16 Tennessee 49-10; Biggest Wins: #15 Arkansas 49-30, and #16 Tennessee 49-10
6-4     Ohio State (6-0) got some luck in a 30-23 win in overtime over #14 Wisconsin; Biggest Wins: #14 Wisconsin 30-23 in overtime and #21 Oklahoma 45-24
4-5   Michigan (6-0) did not play; Biggest Wins: #14 Wisconsin 14-7 and Colorado 45-28
7-6    Louisville (4-1) topped Duke 24-14; Biggest Win: Florida State 63-20; Lost to #1 Clemson 42-36
9-7  Boise State (6-0) won a wild 28-23 game over Colorado State; Biggest Win: Washington State 31-28
10-8   Washington (6-0) rested this week; Biggest Win: Stanford 44-6
13-9 Western Michigan (7-0) shut out Akron 41-0; Biggest Win: Central Michigan 49-10
11-10   Baylor (6-0) bashed Kansas 49-7; Biggest Win: Oklahoma State 35-24
12-11 Nebraska (6-0) scored a narrow 27-22 win over Indiana; Biggest Win: Wyoming 52-17
16-12 West Virginia (5-0) tripped Texas Tech 48-17; Biggest Wins: Kansas State 17-16 and Texas Tech 48-17
23-13 Auburn (4-2) did not play; Biggest Win:  #22 LSU 18-13; Lost to #1 Clemson 19-13 and #2 Texas A&M 29-16 
8-14   Wisconsin (4-2) lost to #4 Ohio State 30-23 in overtime; Biggest Win:  #22 LSU 16-14; Lost to #4 Ohio State 30-23 in overtime and #5 Michigan 14-7
15-15   Arkansas (5-2) humbled Mississippi 34-30; Biggest Win: #24 TCU 41-38; Lost to #2 Texas A&M 45-24 and #3 Alabama 49-30
3-16    Tennessee (5-2) was wiped off the field by #3 Alabama 49-10; Biggest Wins: #17 Florida 38-28 and Virginia Tech; lost to #2 Texas A&M 45-38 in 2 OT's and #3 Alabama 49-10
14-17 Florida (5-1) flew by Missouri 40-14; Biggest Win: Missouri 40-14; Lost to #16 Tennessee 38-28
21-18 Navy (4-1) took the week off; Biggest Win:  #19 Houston 45-40; Lost to Air Force 28-14
22-19   Houston (6-1) survived a scare from Tulsa 38-31; Biggest Win: #21 Oklahoma 33-23; Lost to #18 Navy 45-40
18-20 Troy (5-1) came back to beat Georgia State 31-21; Biggest Win:  Southern Mississippi 37-31; Lost to #1 Clemson 30-24

24-21 Oklahoma (4-2) blasted Kansas State 38-17:  Biggest Win:  #24 TCU 52-46; Lost to #4 Ohio State 45-24 and #19 Houston 33-23
-----22 LSU (4-2) smashed Southern Mississippi 45-10; Biggest Wins:  Mississippi State 23-20, Southern Mississippi 45-10 and Missouri 42-7;  Lost to #13 Auburn 18-13 and #14 Wisconsin 16-14 
-----23 Utah (6-1) held on for a 19-14 win over Boise State victim Oregon State; Biggest Win: USC 31-27; Lost to California 28-23
-----24 TCU (4-2) did not play; Biggest Win:  Iowa State 41-20; Lost to #15 Arkansas 41-38 and #21 Oklahoma 52-46
-----25 Memphis (5-1) tipped Tulane 24-14; Biggest Win: Kansas 43-7; Lost to Mississippi 48-28

Dropped Out:  Miami of Florida, Arizona State, Virginia Tech and Air Force

Also Considered:
Virginia Tech (4-2); lost to Syracuse 31-17; Biggest Win:  North Carolina 34-3; Lost to #16 Tennessee 45-24 and Syracuse 31-17
North Carolina (5-2) outpointed Miami of Florida 20-13; Biggest Wins: Florida State 37-35 and Miami of Florida 20-13; Lost to Virginia Tech 34-3 and Georgia 33-24
Florida State (5-2) cut down Wake Forest 17-6; Biggest Wins:  Miami of Florida and Wake Forest 17-6; Lost to #6 Louisville 63-20 and North Carolina 37-35
Colorado (5-2) rebounded for a 40-16 win over Arizona State; Biggest Win:  Arizona State 40-16; Lost to #5 Michigan 45-28 and USC 21-17
Miami of Florida (4-2) lost to North Carolina 20-13; Biggest Win: Georgia Tech 35-21; Lost to Florida State 20-19 and North Carolina 20-13
South Florida (6-1) beat Connecticut 42-27; Biggest Win: Cincinnati 45-20; Lost to Florida State 55-35
Arizona State (5-2) was humiliated by Colorado 40-16; Biggest Wins:  Texas Tech 68-55 and California 51-41; Lost to USC 41-20 and Colorado 40-16
North Carolina State (4-2) lost to #1 Clemson 24-17 in overtime; Biggest Win:  Wake Forest 33-16; Lost to #1 Clemson 24-17 in overtime and East Carolina 33-30
Washington State (4-2) stopped UCLA 27-21; Biggest Win:  Stanford 42-16; Lost to #7 Boise State 31-28 and Eastern Washington 45-42
Stanford (4-2) edged Notre Dame 17-10; Biggest Win:  USC 27-10; blown out by #8 Washington 44-6 and Washington State 42-16
Wake Forest (5-2) lost to Florida State 17-6; Biggest Win:  Indiana 33-28; Lost to Florida State 17-6 and North Carolina State 33-16