1) Ohio State- I could really care less how many rushing yards per carry the defense is giving up, because there aren't going to be a whole lot of teams - or any - good enough to get ahead of the Buckeyes' offense and force them to stop the run or lose the game.  Anthony Gonzalez, his oxygen tent and Rhodes Scholar aspirations balance so well against the blazing speed of Teddy Ginn and underrated consistency of Antonio Pittman that the mere threat of Troy Smith deciding he needs to run should scare the hell out of defensive coordinators everywhere.  After Michigan State showed that they don't deserve to be anywhere near the Top 25, it looks like smooth sweatervest sailing until Michigan comes to town in the OMGZ Game of the Century.

2) Auburn- Moderately impressed in my first extensive look at Auburn.  Their offense was amazingly efficient, although I have to wonder how they'll function against a defense capable of stopping 3rd and 18 consistently.  Defensively, looked like a lot of holes, but that's probably from the unexpected Syvelle Newton Effect and something you wouldn't have seen if Blake Mitchell wasn't so bad-ass when he went drinking.  A lot credit for beating...

3) LSU- ,who doesn't really give up a lot of points and appears to have JaMarcus Russel in quite the comfort zone.  Trip to Gainesville looms on Saturday in what's easily the Game of the Week, even in a weekend with some other solid contests.  Win that one and their position directly behind unbeaten Auburn remains.

4) USC- If the Wazzu offensive lineman hadn't needed a timeout to fix his shoe, maybe they don't win on Saturday night.  Mad props to Steve Smith for his great game and a tip of the hat to the running game for churning out some yards late when they needed it, but that secondary appeared to have some huge gaping holes in it at times.  John David Booty is only going to get more comfortable, but can the other side of the ball hold up against the likes of Cal and Oregon?

5) Texas- I know they played Ohio State, but how many cupcakes did Texas play in September?  North Texas, Rice and Sam Houston State?  Unless Nebraska or Oklahoma end up being pretty damn good, the Longhorns might go the entire season without a marquee win.

6) Michigan- Minnesota isn't very good, but Michigan handled them on the road pretty easily.  Game probably would have been different if not for the spectre holding call on the fake reverse bomb that cut the score momentarily to 21-14 and which the reversal of destroyed the morale of the Golden Gophers, but so it is.  Intriguing game against the Spartans.

7) Florida- When Tim Tebow comes into the game, why aren't there immediately nine men in the box?  Alabama's not that good, as it really did look like somebody taught John Parker Wilson to throw off of his back foot, as he did it sometimes when there wasn't even any pressure.  Chris Leak continues to play well, but as stated before, the Bayou Bengals' trip to The Swamp will help decide the national title fate of this team.

8) West Virginia- Bye week, still not impressed after watching them against Eastern Carolina.  Need to properly embarrass Mississippi State on Saturday to remain in my good graces.

9) Clemson- Along with Georgia Tech, probably the class of the ACC, which is just weird to say.  Another blowout win over an overmatched opponent.

10) Oregon- I swear, if our ABC affiliate shows Iowa State/Nebraska instead of Cal/Oregon this Saturday night, I'm going to kill somebody.  If the Ducks can pull out games against the Trojans and Bears, Dennis Dixon will reach Legend status rather quickly.

)11)Notre Dame- I said if we finished September undefeated, the Irish would vault to number one.  ND is 4-1 with not a test on the schedule until the end of the season.  How in the world do you rank this?  I don't think we're a top-tier team, yet the odds of us finishing with fewer than double digits wins are astronomically low, although none of these remaining wins will serve to be that impressive because of the competition.  Odd position to be in this early, having played five somewhat respectable teams, beaten four of them and still have a load of questions about your squad with no answers in the near future.

12) Rocky Top- Rained destruction on Memphis, and can debunk the myth of the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.  Erik Ainge's receivers probably won't drop every other fucking ball like Ole Miss's corps did.  Some Leak/Baker heroics from being undefeated with two of the best wins in the country.  So it is.

13) Louisville- Not a lot going on with this team until the two game stretch of West Virginia at home/Rutgers on the road.  That Miami win looks about worthless after Houston's near victory in the Orange Bowl.  

14) Georgia Tech- Love this team for a number of reasons.  1) Probably the best win ND has all year, and their continued victories make the Irish look better.  2) Every game Calvin Johnson catches a touchdown pass, it's like Reggie Ball is winning a gold medal in the Special Olympics.  3) I can't wait to see how the Chan Gailey Equilibrium kicks in at the end of the season as GT loses heartbreaker after heartbreaker to remain at seven wins for the season.

15) Boise State- Usually the road spells trouble for the Broncos, but they destroyed Utah in a game a lot of people doubted them in.  With Fresno State's general badness this season, a BCS bid doesn't look out of the question in the first post-Hawkins season.

16) California- I know I'm biting into offensive production against really terrible defenses, but as Nate Longshore gets better and better, the debacle on Rocky Top looks farther and farther behind them.  Again, will commit homicide - probably in the multiple variety- if Cal/Oregon isn't on Saturday night.

17) Oklahoma- Resting up Adrian for the Red River Shootout was probably a good scheduling move by the Oklahoma AD.  Or considering how much attention their president pays to football, it probably was a decision that came straight from the top.

18) Nebraska- Originally had them above Cal and OU, but then realized that they haven't beaten anyone and were generally dominated/outcoached by Southern Cal.  Season revolves around the Texas game.

19) Rutgers- Still haven't beaten anyone of any consequence, but hey, they're Rutgers and at this point in the season, why not?  Also, they won at South Florida, which is a tough place to play, in primetime.  Just ask Bobby Petrino about those Big East trap games.
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20) Iowa- Have slowly slid down the rankings all season, and now take quite a tumble as Ohio State handles them pretty easily.  Drew Tate's moxie = Drew Tate sorta acting like Peyton Manning some of the time, including those terrible picks in a big game.  Only true shot at redemption this season comes in Ann Arbor.

21) Washington- Hey, it's the 2002 Tyrone Willingham!  He recruits!  He pays attention to the game!  It's too rainy in Seattle for him to golf eighteen holes a day!

22) Florida State- Seems sort of high, but I still think that they could beat a lot of the teams above them on this list, just like they could also lose to a great deal of the teams below them.

23) TCU- BYU will sneak up and get you sometimes, and after thirteen straight wins, it was bound to happen.  Don't see any reason to drop them off the ballot, as they still had Mike Leach to three freaking points  The difference in bowl placement, however, between a one loss Hornfrogs and an undefeated Hornfrogs team is just huge.  Boise State remains the odds-on favorite to crash some BCS.

24) Missouri- They're 5-0 and took care of Colorado a lot easier than Georgia did.  Also, Brad Smith looks pretty good in J-E-T-S green.

25) Wake Forest- Undefeated and took care of Ole Miss a lot easier than Georgia did.  Neither of these teams have really beaten anybody, and as much as I want to put a rejuvenated, Newton's Laws Gamecocks team on here, near upsets are not wins.