Blue Through and Through College Football Rankings: Week 6

After six weeks, we finally have some clarity in college football, though with the level of parity noted last week, it still may be two more weeks before NCAA football sorts out its true Top 25 teams.  We still have teams in the Top 25 who are untested but are ranked because everyone below them has suffered bad losses.  And, there are an unusually high number of teams being considered below the Top 25 because there frankly is little difference between them at this point.

The parity is not that there are a lot of great teams; rather, there are about 20 in the same class below the top seven or eight.  And, there are about 20 below that group who are roughly the same, including several not on this list.  The bottom line is that there are roughly 45 teams that are within a win or a loss of being in the rankings. 

Texas A&M, which had been ranked #1 two weeks ago, added yet another win over a Top 25 team to make it three thus far that the Aggies have beaten.  Clemson has now matched that total with the ranking of Auburn this week.  A&M has a slight edge because of bigger wins within the Top 25 and a bigger win over a common opponent, Auburn.

Thus, Michigan's 78-0 win accomplished nothing; the Wolverines' drop is because of the information above plus the loss by Colorado to USC.

Washington fell despite their blowout win; again, a blowout win over an average or poor team means nothing.  What does matter is that the team which represented their biggest win (Stanford) was blown out by Washington State.

(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     Texas A&M (6-0) knocked off #3 Tennessee 45-38 in two overtimes; Biggest Wins: #3 Tennessee 45-38 in two overtimes, #15 Arkansas 45-24 and #23 Auburn 29-16
4-2   Clemson (6-0) blitzed Boston College 56-10; Biggest Wins: #7 Louisville 42-36, #18 Troy 30-24 and #23 Auburn 19-13
3-3    Tennessee (5-1) lost to #1 Texas A&M 45-38 in two overtimes; Biggest Wins: #14 Florida 38-28, #17 Virginia Tech 45-24 and Georgia 34-31; lost to #1 Texas A&M 45-38 in 2 OT's
1-4   Michigan (6-0) became the latest team to enjoy playing Rutgers, beating them 78-0; Biggest Wins: #8 Wisconsin 14-7, Colorado 45-28 and Penn State 49-10
8-5    Alabama (6-0) dropped #15 Arkansas 49-30; Biggest Wins: #15 Arkansas 49-30 and Mississippi 48-43
6-6     Ohio State (5-0) rocked Indiana 38-17; Biggest Win: #24 Oklahoma 45-24
10-7    Louisville (4-1) did not play; Biggest Win: Florida State 63-20; Lost to #2 Clemson 42-36
9-8   Wisconsin (4-1) was idle; Biggest Win:  LSU 16-14; Lost to #4 Michigan 14-7
14-9  Boise State (5-0) cruised past New Mexico 49-21; Biggest Win: Washington State 31-28
5-10   Washington (6-0) humiliated Oregon 70-21; Biggest Win: Stanford 44-6
11-11   Baylor (5-0) did not play; Biggest Win: Oklahoma State 35-24
16-12 Nebraska (5-0) was idle; Biggest Win: Wyoming 52-17
12-13 Western Michigan (6-0) turned back Northern Illinois 45-30; Biggest Wins: Northwestern 22-21, Central Michigan 49-10, Northern Illinois 45-30 and Illinois 34-10

19-14 Florida (4-1) postponed their game with LSU; Biggest Wins: Vanderbilt 13-6 and Kentucky 45-7; Lost to #3 Tennessee 38-28
12-15   Arkansas (4-2) lost to #5 Alabama 49-30; Biggest Win: TCU 41-38; Lost to #1 Texas A&M 45-24 and #5 Alabama 49-30
21-16 West Virginia (4-0) was idle; Biggest Win: Kansas State 17-16
23-17 Virginia Tech (4-1); humbled North Carolina 34-3; Biggest Win:  North Carolina 34-3; Lost to #3 Tennessee 45-24
22-18 Troy (4-1) did not play; Biggest Win:  Southern Mississippi 37-31; Lost to #2 Clemson 30-24
15-19 Miami of Florida (4-1) lost to Florida State 20-19; Biggest Win: Georgia Tech 35-21; Lost to Florida State 20-19
17-20 Air Force (4-1) lost to Wyoming 35-26; Biggest Win:  #21 Navy 28-14; Lost to Wyoming 35-26
-----21 Navy (4-1) surprised #22 Houston 46-40; Biggest Win:  #22 Houston 45-40; Lost to #20 Air Force 28-14
7-22   Houston (5-1) lost to #21 Navy 46-40; Biggest Win: #24 Oklahoma 33-23; Lost to #21 Navy
-----23 Auburn (4-2) routed Mississippi State 38-14; Biggest Win:  LSU 18-13; Lost to #1 Texas A&M 29-16 and #2 Clemson 19-13
-----24 Oklahoma (3-2) edged Texas 45-42:  Biggest Win:  TCU 52-46; Lost to #6 Ohio State 45-24 and #22 Houston 33-23
-----25 Arizona State (5-1) nudged UCLA 23-20; Biggest Wins:  Texas Tech 68-55 and California 51-41; Lost to USC 41-20

Dropped Out:  Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, Stanford

Also Considered:
Florida State (4-2) beat #19 Miami of Florida 20-19; Biggest Wins:  #19 Miami of Florida and Mississippi 45-34; Lost to #7 Louisville 63-20 and North Carolina 37-35
Mississippi (3-2) was idle; Biggest Win:  Georgia 45-14; Lost to #5 Alabama 48-43 and Florida State 45-34
Georgia (4-2) turned back South Carolina 28-14; Biggest Win:  North Carolina 33-24; Lost to #3 Tennessee 34-31 and Mississippi 45-14
North Carolina (4-2) lost to #17 Virginia Tech 34-3; Biggest Wins: Florida State 37-35 and Pittsburgh 37-36; Lost to #17 Virginia Tech 34-3 and Georgia 33-24
LSU (3-2) was postponed at Florida; Biggest Wins:  Mississippi State 23-20 and Missouri 42-7;  Lost to #8 Wisconsin 16-14 and #23 Auburn 18-13
Utah (5-1) beat Arizona 36-23; Biggest Wins: BYU 20-19 and USC 31-27; Lost to California 28-23
South Florida (5-1) topped East Carolina 38-22; Biggest Win: Cincinnati 45-20; Lost to Florida State 55-35
Memphis (4-1) prevailed over Temple 34-27; Biggest Win: Kansas 43-7; Lost to Mississippi 48-28
Colorado (4-2) lost to USC 21-17; Biggest Win:  Oregon 41-38; Lost to #4 Michigan 45-28 and USC 21-17
Stanford (3-2) lost to Washington State 42-16; Biggest Win:  USC 27-10; blown out by #10 Washington 44-6 and Washington State 42-16
North Carolina State (4-1) nudged Notre Dame 10-3; Biggest Win:  Wake Forest 33-16; Lost to East Carolina 33-30
Wake Forest (5-1) beat Syracuse 28-9; Biggest Win:  Indiana 33-28; Lost to North Carolina State 33-16
Texas Tech (3-2) lost to Kansas State 44-38; Biggest Win:  Louisiana Tech 59-45; Lost to #25 Arizona State 68-55 and Kansas State 44-38
TCU (4-2) squeaked by Kansas 24-23; Biggest Win:  Iowa State 41-20; Lost to #15 Arkansas 41-38 and #24 Oklahoma 52-46
Indiana (3-2) lost to Ohio State 38-17; Biggest Win:  Michigan State 24-21 in overtime; Lost to Wake Forest 33-28
San Diego State (4-1) upended UNLV 26-7; Biggest Win: California 45-40; Lost to South Alabama 42-24
USC (3-3) knocked off Colorado 21-17; Biggest Wins:  #25 Arizona State 41-20, Colorado 31-17 and Arizona State 41-20; Lost to #5 Alabama 52-6, Stanford 27-10 and Utah 31-27
Pittsburgh (4-2) beat Georgia Tech 37-34;  Biggest Win:  Penn State 42-39; Lost to North Carolina 37-36 and Oklahoma State 45-38
Penn State (4-2) trounced Maryland 38-14; Biggest Win:  Maryland 38-14; Lost to #4 Michigan 49-10 and Pittsburgh 42-39
Maryland (4-1) was creamed by Penn State 38-14; Biggest Win:  Central Florida 30-24; Lost to Penn State 38-14