The Color & Pageantry Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1.     Alabama, 6-0, 2
2.     Oregon, 6-0, 3
3.     Clemson, 6-0, 4
4.     Ohio State, 6-0, 5
5.     Florida State, 5-0, 6
6.     Texas A&M, 5-1, 9
7.     UCLA, 5-0, 10
8.     Louisiana State, 6-1, 11
9.     Miami, 5-0, 12
10.   Louisville, 6-0, 7
11.   Stanford, 5-1, 1
12.   Baylor, 5-0, 13
13.   South Carolina, 6-1, 14
14.   Missouri, 6-0, 22
15.   Georgia, 4-2, 8
16.   Washington, 4-2, 16
17.   Florida, 4-2, 18
18.   Nebraska, 5-1, 20
19.   Texas Tech, 6-0, 21
20.   Fresno State, 5-0, 23
21.   Virginia Tech, 6-1, 25
22.   Northern Illinois, 6-0, 24
23.   Wisconsin, 4-2, NR
24.   Oklahoma, 5-1, 15
25.   Auburn, 5-1, NR

OUT: Northwestern (17) and Michigan (19).

VOTES: Oklahoma State, Utah, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Michigan State, Michigan, Texas and UCF.

NATIONAL ANALYSIS:  Missouri got a signature victory at Georgia on Saturday.  Due to decimating injuries, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs were down to their third string running back and fourth team wide receiver, forcing quarterback Aaron Murray to carry the offensive load while a young Dawg defensive unit comes together.  Murray could not get it done on this day, with quarterback James Franklin leading a balanced and potent Tiger attack.  However, Mizzou can get too excited because Franklin went down with a shoulder injury and is lost for the remainder of the regular season.....LSU smothered the Florida Gators at Baton Rouge. While the Gators have an elite defense, they are pedestrian on offense and are glaringly absent of playmakers, which forecasts at least a couple more losses, perhaps starting at the aforementioned Missouri next weekend.....Clemson was asleep as visiting Boston College, a noticeably improving team, took a lead into the third quarter before the Tigers prevailed.  The Seminoles visit on Saturday.....Utah upset top ranked Stanford at home, a huge victory for the Utes.  Utah is a tough place to play, as the Cardinal found out. Stanford is having some issues on offense, which has now come with a heavy cost in the form of being knocked out of national title contention.....Oregon defeated a stout Washington team in a hostile road environment, cementing the Ducks as a top contender for the national title....The Texas Aggies again had issues getting Ole Miss beat, sneaking away with a victory, which included a huge scare involving the knee of Johnny Football, who thankfully was not seriously injured....Since Arizona was able to win last year, the Wildcats thought it would be easy to take out a USC embroiled in a coaching change, but the Trojans came out inspired and got the win....Former Trojan Coach Lane Kiffin joined ESPN Gameday and comported himself very well in an interview with host Chris Fowler....Oklahoma thought Texas was an easy win, but got spanked in the Red River Rivalry exposing the softness many have often suspected of the Sooners. While Mack Brown might by in trouble, one has to wonder about Bob Stoops as well, as OU continues to underachieve....The ineptitude of Michigan finally got the Wolverines as they fell in 4OT at Penn State, who was just about as bad.  Who cold have imagined the UM faithful would longing for the days of Lloyd Carr?....Louisville, who did not look good in a nationally televised ESPN Thursday night game in defeating Rutgers, nor QB Teddy Bridgewater, showed the high standards necessary for national honors at the end of the season....South Carolina destroyed Arkansas, with Gamecock coach Spurrier noting how sad it was for the Hogs to take a loss like that,especially on homecoming weekend....Maryland barely beat a struggling Virginia, no doubt still wounded from the debacle in getting sandblasted at FSU last week....Wisconsin dismantled Northwestern, who seemed mentally out after the tough loss to Ohio State last week...The demise of Colorado over the last twenty years is mind boggling, noted by being down 47-6 to Arizona State at the half last night.....Oregon State seems to have gotten righted as the bombed Wazzu on the road....Miss. State barley beat Bowling Green....BYU defeated a most disappointing Georgia Tech.

For those who may be new readers, we offer game analysis of the two teams we have allegiance with; Florida State and Nebraska, in the order their games were played over any given weekend.
NEBRASKA ANALYSIS:

T-Magic

With starting quarterback Taylor Martinez out with turf toe and a youthful defensive unit experiencing a boatload of growing pains, to have the first road trip of the season to be against struggling Purdue is just what the doctor ordered.  Purdue came out ready to play, which was good as the Cornhuskers need to continue to face adversity in preparation for the difficulties coming later down the road.  Tommy Armstrong II, who has been playing quite well in relief of T-Magic, had a real rough day.  The decision to play both Armstrong II and Ron Kellogg III proved insightful, as it was the mature play of Kellogg III that would lead the Big Red offense on this day.  A hefty dose of Ameer Abdullah running the ball allowed the 'Huskers to win the day.  For some reason, the receiving core, which has been a strength, struggled once again, which is about to get concerning.  Sadly, the best player on the offensive line, Spencer Long, hurt a knee and it does not look good, which would be a devastating loss for Nebraska.  Purdue runs the kind of offense suited for the Blackshirts to excel, similar to Michigan State, and the Boilers had a rough day off it. CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste was ejected on a bullcrap call, but the a strong effort up front stifled the Purdue attack.  While his game is yet complete, Randy Gregory is showing signs of being a dominating player at defensive end.  The 44-7 win, with Jonathan Rose getting burnt on a long touchdown pass with less than a minute left ruining the shutout, was exactly the kind of day the Big Red needed.  There is much work to do, and still some time to make great strides with a bye next week and a trip to Minnesota following.  It is noted that many in the media and some fans have been advocating some sort of QB controversy, but that line of thinking we consider ill informed and ridiculous, as when healthy, the fleet footed Taylor Martinez is, well, magic.  Both Husker Mike of Cornnation and Tom Shatel of the Omaha World Herald have more in putting this fire out.  With Martinez back at the helm, Nebraska can still reach great heights in 2013, taking one game at a time.  With defense is growing, and a lot of youngsters are getting very valuable playing time, and some of these guys have very bright futures, which may start showing up during the critical November slate.

FLORIDA STATE ANALYSIS:

FSU was off this week, but will face #3 Clemson in Death Valley on Saturday night on ABC.  This is the highest ranked contest of ACC teams facing one another since the Seminoles joined the conference. The winner of this game is in real good shape going forward, particularly Clemson. Gene Williams and Warchant.com has a great article on the ramifications of the game.  Who will win it?  As Coach Bobby Bowden would say; we're fixin to find out.