Two unbeatens remain
Miami proves worth; Ohio State escapes with win
By Bryan Wideman, Sports Writer
1. Miami (9-0) The Hurricanes proved once again they are the best in college football. Their 26-3 domination over Tennessee silenced ESPN’s Trev Alberts and the rest of their critics and put them in the driver’s seat for the Fiesta Bowl.
2. Ohio State (11-0) The Buckeyes threw a 41-yard touchdown pass on fourth and inches while trailing Purdue 6-3 late in the fourth quarter Saturday. That may have been the gutsiest call of the college football season.
3. Iowa (10-1) Iowa was the next team to humiliate Northwestern completely. If Ohio State can get past Michigan, the Hawkeyes likely will head for the Roses. If not, Iowa possibly could make it to the Fiesta Bowl.
4. Washington State (9-1) The Cougars overcame two turnovers Oregon returned for touchdowns to secure themselves as the frontrunner for the Pac-10 Championship.
5. Oklahoma (8-1) Whoa, what about Reggie McNeal? The Aggies’ freshman quarterback came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes against that tough Sooners defense. His performance ended the Sooners’ hope for an undefeated season, but they still have a shot at the Fiesta Bowl.
6. Texas (10-1) Texas dominated a terrible Baylor team Saturday. The Longhorns will have their fare of trouble against Texas A&M in a few weeks. McNeal will show Chris Simms who the best quarterback in the Lone Star State is.
7. Georgia (9-1) The Bulldogs overcame their “Cocktail Party” hangover to give Ole Miss its fourth straight loss. This week’s matchup with Auburn is huge for the Bulldogs, especially with wide receiver Terrence Edwards out with an injury. With a win, they would clinch the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division. With a loss, Florida would have claim for the trip to Atlanta.
8. Alabama (8-2) The Crimson Tide will invade Baton Rouge this weekend in a game that pits two of the top three defenses in the country. If Alabama weren’t on probation, the winner of this game probably would be headed to Atlanta.
9. Notre Dame (9-1) The Midshipmen almost pulled off the monumental upset Saturday. But the luck of the Irish allowed them to put up 15 points in the closing minutes to beat Navy 30-23, ending the chance for two-consecutive losses.
10. Michigan (8-2) “The Little Brown Jug” remains in the hands of the Wolverines after taking care of business against Minnesota. Michigan is looking to destroy the national title hopes of Ohio State.
11. USC (7-2) Quarterback Carson Palmer is a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. He finally learned how to throw touchdowns without throwing interceptions. The Trojans have the toughest schedule in the country, and it does not get any easier with Arizona State, UCLA and Notre Dame left.
12. LSU (7-2) It took divine intervention for the Tigers to remain atop the SEC West, and LSU fans learned to never turn off the tube before the clock hits zero.
13. Kansas State (8-2) The Wildcats crushed Seneca Wallace’s Iowa State Cyclones 58-7 Saturday. K-State is one of the hottest teams in the country and will beat up on Nebraska this weekend in Manhattan, Kan.
14. Virginia Tech (8-2) The Hokies were handed another loss by Syracuse (4-6) in triple overtime Saturday. Their second-consecutive loss does not help team morale.
15. Florida (7-3) The Gators almost had a letdown after the huge win over Georgia last week. They barely escaped Nashville, Tenn., with a win.
16. Penn State (7-3) Joe Pa was extremely upset at Virginia for moving this game from Sept. 7 to Nov. 9, causing the Nittany Lions to play nine straight weeks in a row. They took out their anger in a 35-14 win.
17. Colorado (7-3) The Buffs clinched the Big-12 North title in a 42-35 overtime win over Missouri. They likely will get a rematch with Oklahoma in the Big-12 Championship game.
18. Florida State (7-3) The Seminoles are 2-0 since Adrian McPherson took over the starting duties at quarterback. But, the wins were less-than-impressive over Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.
19. Pittsburgh (8-2) The Panthers nearly got bit by the upset bug coming off their huge win over Virginia Tech. But they remained undefeated in the Big East with a 29-22 win over Temple.
20. Maryland (8-2) After two early losses to Florida State and Notre Dame, the Terps have caught on fire and are cruising through the ACC schedule.
21. North Carolina State (9-2) Consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Maryland showed the previously undefeated Wolfpack were products of a weak schedule.
22. Auburn (7-3) Auburn needs to beat Georgia this week to keep up with LSU for the SEC West championship. Don’t count on it.
23. Oregon (7-3) Three losses in four weeks have Ducks fans wondering what happened to the defense. They have the worst defense out of any top-25 team.
24. UCLA (7-3) The Bruins quietly are making their way through the Pac-10 schedule, but they still have Washington State and USC up ahead.
25. Boise State (9-1) Ryan Dinwiddie and the Broncos have outscored their last three opponents 152-18. They have the WAC Championship in the bag and are ready to play at home in the Humanitarian Bowl.