While football has proven to be quite a thrill ride so far this year, it is not just the NFL that is supplying the excitement.
In the midst of professional football's potent entertainment value, the young NCAA football season has presented its own basket of surprises, with top−ranked teams rising and falling as frequently and dramatically as the stock market.
While Alabama, Ohio State and Boise State have had a varyingly firm grip on the top three spots, teams such as Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Texas have not lived up to preseason expectations and have plummeted from the upper echelons of their respective leagues. This has left the door open for a group of surprise squads that look poised to make a run at the title.
The Crimson Tide, Buckeyes and Broncos all notched another win this past weekend, but they did so in diverse fashions.
Ohio State mercilessly annihilated its Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent Eastern Michigan 73−20, closing out a non−conference schedule that included only one Bowl Championship Subdivision (BCS) opponent. Although things will heat up next week as Big 10 play begins, the Buckeyes' first real test will likely come Oct. 16 when they travel to Madison, Wis., to take on No. 11 Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, Boise State closed out what many people believe to be the most challenging part of its schedule with a 37−24 victory over Oregon State on the blue turf in Boise, Idaho. The Broncos will now be forced to sit back and watch as their hopes for a spot in the BCS championship rest largely in the hands of other teams. However, fans will be circling Nov. 26 on their calendars, which is when the Broncos will travel to Reno for a game with the suddenly relevant No. 25 Nevada Wolf Pack.
While the Buckeyes and Broncos won with little stress, Alabama was truly pushed to the limit in a game that may end up being the toughest of its season. The Crimson Tide was flat−footed in the first half, trailing 20−7 at the break thanks to a near−perfect performance by Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who finished the day with 357 passing yards.
The Crimson Tide was not going to go quietly, however, and came out in the second half looking like the top−ranked team in the country. Head coach Nick Saban's defensive adjustments may have been the most crucial change, as a pair of interceptions in the final five minutes helped Alabama escape 24−20. Things will not get any easier for the Crimson Tide, though, as they will meet the No. 7 Florida Gators next week in a rematch of last season's Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship.
If any of the top three were to fall, there are some up−and−coming teams currently soaring up the rankings that would be more than happy to take their spots.
Oregon is perhaps the most threatening of these teams. The Ducks have surprised many people with a potent offense that is scoring 57.8 points per game, and they have shot up the rankings to now sit right behind the top three at No. 4. Next up, the Ducks will duke it out with No. 9 Stanford, a contest which could prove even more entertaining than the Florida−Alabama matchup. Last season, the Ducks fell 51−42 to a powerful Cardinal unit in a dazzling offensive performance from both teams.
The Louisiana State University Tigers are also looking to pounce on the top squads. After an unimpressive victory over a suspension−depleted North Carolina squad to open the season, there were many questions about the talent of the LSU team. But the Tigers are quickly dispelling those concerns, thanks to a 4−0 start and a gritty 20−14 win over No. 22 West Virginia last weekend.
Combining a strong defense with a run−first, grind−it−out offense, the Tigers are looking a lot like many of the great SEC squads of the past. In the Associated Press polls, LSU has jumped a full nine spots, from No. 21 during the preseason to No. 12 currently, and does not look to be stopping anytime soon.
As the college season rolls into its fifth week, many questions remain unanswered. But with a quartet of marquee matchups on the horizon, one thing is for sure: The roller coaster ride is far from over.
