Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1. Florida 12-0, 1
2. Texas 12-0, 2
3. Alabama 12-0, 3
4. Texas Christian 12-0, 4
5. Cincinnati 11-0, 5
6. Boise State 12-0, 6
7. Ohio State 10-2, 9
8. Oregon 9-2, 10
9. Penn State 10-2, 12
10. Virginia Tech 9-3, 13
11. Iowa 10-2, 14
12. Georgia Tech 10-2, 7
13. Brigham Young 10-2, 16
14. Oregon State 8-3, 17
15. Pittsburgh 9-2, 8
16. Miami 9-3, 18
17. Louisiana State 9-3, 19
18. Southern Cal 8-3, 20
19. Nebraska 9-3, 22
20. Utah 9-3, 21
21. California 9-3, 24
22. Houston 10-2, NR
23. Oklahoma State 9-3, 11
24. West Virginia 8-3, NR
25. Stanford 8-4, NR

OUT: Clemson (15), Ole Miss (25) & North Carolina (23)

VOTES: Clemson, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas Tech & Oklahoma.

The ACC, which in my opinion had gotten fairly close to the SEC in recent years, has now fallen quite far behind. Last season, not withstanding GT dumping UGA soundly, you could see some slippage happening, but with South Carolina controlling Clemson, Georgia winning at Tech and Florida playing name that score with Florida State, it clearly shows the gap has again widened....Speaking of the mediocre ACC, Al Groh is out at Virginia, deservedly so.....The ACC Championship game in Tampa, no doubt conceived to produce Miami-FSU games, will have plenty of empty seats with Clemson and Georgia Tech coming off ugly defeats....Notre Dame again got plenty of offense but could not stop Stanford and dropped to 6-6, which should open the door for the departure of Charlie Weis. I agree with Kirk Herbstriet that it seems Weis is mentally ready for the boot. Notre Dame is still a top five job, and there is no reason they cannot be among the nations elite on the field annually..... Toby Gerhart of Stanford is quite player, and he is solid on my post season All America team...Texas disposed of rival A&M at Aggieland but got gashed on defense, and that cannot bode well. Nebraska has the defense to hang with Texas in the Big XII title game but on offense, the 'Huskers are pedestrian...Somehow, Tennessee beat Kentucky for the 25th consecutive time....Auburn came out swinging but got dumped by Bama with a minute to go....Oklahoma State got blanked by OU, a stinging loss considering what was on the line. This season had the makings of special one for the Pokes coming in, but it has been anything but, and that goes for you too Ole Miss. How do you get stomped by lowly Mississippi State getting nearly 50 hung on you....The border game between Missouri and Kansas was a good one, and now we wait to see if KU coach Mark Mangino gets let go....Will Terry Bowden emerge at one of the upcoming openings?

Thankfully, my Seminoles will not have to deal with Tim Tebow again. Tebow dismantled the 'Noles Saturday. For the 'Noles, it was tough with a backup quarterback and our best offensive lineman out. It would not have mattered, particularly considering how bad the defense is. I can play safety better than the ones we put on the field, but with Tebow directing the opposing offense, it would have taken Ronnie Lott to make a difference. Tebow is the man, on and off the field, and as talented a player as I have seen. He is quite deserving of all his accolades and awards.

PHOTO/THE GLOBE

For the first time, Bobby Bowden hinted publicly he may not be back in 2010 to coach the Seminoles. As I have previously stated, I think he will be back provided Jimbo Fisher selects the new defensive coordinator. If Bowden is against that, then he will not be asked to return. Bowden once said he would get out if FSU was not getting it done on the field. Although the Seminoles should be a top ten team to start out 2010, the fact is we currently sit at 6-6, and no matter the reason, that just won't get it.