1. Miami (7-0) How can you argue against the Hurricanes in the top spot? Miami has won 29 straight games and should be headed to Tempe, Ariz. if they can get past No. 3 Virginia Tech in that pivotal Dec. 7 matchup.
2. Oklahoma (7-0) With quality wins over Texas, Alabama and Iowa State, Bob Stoops has his Sooners looking invulnerable. The “Stoops Troops” are one of the best defenses in the country.
3. Virginia Tech (8-0) The Hokies are cruising through their easy Big East schedule. They must be careful not to overlook Syracuse or West Virginia on their way to Miami in December.
4. Notre Dame (8-0) The Irish don’t win with offense, and they don’t necessarily win with defense. They win with coaching and opportunities. Notre Dame has proven the critics wrong and could be 11-0 when it plays USC on Nov. 30.
5. Ohio State (9-0) The Buckeyes have an outstanding defense and one of the most exciting players in college football, freshman running back Maurice Clarett. And they are lucky they don’t have Iowa on the schedule this year.
6. Georgia (8-0) Georgia is off to its best start since the Herschel Walker days and can clinch the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division with a win over Florida Saturday.
7. Iowa (8-1) Iowa is one of, if not the hottest team in the country right now. The Hawkeyes have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and a great defense. They should go undefeated in the Big 10 for a chance at the Rose Bowl. But unless Ohio State loses, the Buckeyes will end up in Pasadena because they have the better overall record.
8. Texas (7-1) Chris Simms, Roy Williams, Cedric Benson, etc… The talent goes on, but Mack Brown can never seem to win “the big game.”
9. North Carolina State (9-0) The Wolfpack proved they were worthy of a top-10 ranking in their 38-6 shellacking of Clemson last Thursday on ESPN. We’ll see if they are for real in their next four games.
10. Washington State (7-1) Quarterback Jason Gesser has his team rolling. Gesser recently surpassed the likes of Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf on the Cougars’ all-time passing list. The game with No. 19 Arizona State Saturday will be a key Pac-10 contest.
11. Alabama (6-2) Head coach Dennis Franchione has the Crimson Tide playing like each game is a bowl game. Their two losses were to No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 6 Georgia.
12. USC (6-2) If quarterback Carson Palmer can continue throwing touchdowns without interceptions, the Trojans should run the table in the Pac-10.
13. Michigan (6-2) The Wolverines have not played up to expectations this year, but do they ever? They always beat Ohio State when the Buckeyes have a shot for the national title, and that will probably happen again this year.
14. LSU (6-2) If Nick Saban’s bunch can cut out the penalties and turnovers, the Tigers should make it back to Atlanta for another SEC Championship game.
15. Colorado (6-2) Colorado started off slow but have reeled off five straight wins and are 4-0 in the Big 12. Things look good for the Buffs, and they will look even better if they can find a way to beat Oklahoma Saturday.
16. Kansas State (6-2) The Wildcats lost by only three points to both Texas and Colorado, and they beat USC by a touchdown. K-State doesn’t play Oklahoma, but still has to beat Iowa State and Nebraska to have a chance at representing the North in the Big 12 Championship game.
17. Oregon (6-2) The Ducks have lost two straight and their defense has yielded 44.5 points per game in the process. Their schedule doesn’t get much easier with both of the Washington schools left to play.
18. Minnesota (7-1) The Gophers have an outstanding record, compliments of their weak schedule. But they no longer have that luxury with Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa filling the next three game slots.
19. Arizona State (7-2) Arizona State still has USC and Washington State on the schedule and will probably finish the season with four losses. But hey, at least they get to play in Tempe.
20. Florida State (5-3) The Seminoles and quarterback Chris Rix broke my heart by letting Notre Dame continue to go undefeated. Now Bobby Bowden has benched Rix (13-7 as a starter) in favor of Adrian McPherson.
21. Florida (5-3) When was the last time you saw two of the Florida schools ranked this low? Probably B.S. (Before Spurrier). Rex Grossman and co. are ready to pull the upset over Georgia this weekend. It should be a good one to watch.
22. Penn State (5-3) If any other coach would have charged at the refs, he would have been fined. But this is Joe Pa, everybody’s favorite grandfather-coach. The Nittany Lions should finish the season 9-3 and head to a New Year’s bowl.
23. Iowa State (6-3) Seneca Wallace is one of the more exciting players in college football. Unfortunately, he is out of the Heisman race unless he can lead his team to wins over No. 16 Kansas State and No. 15 Colorado.
24. Tennessee (4-3) Has there been a shift of power in the SEC? All signs point to… who knows? This is college football, anything can happen. But this is not the year for Tennessee and Florida.
25. Bowling Green (7-0) The Falcons knew what they were doing when they dropped LSU from their schedule this summer. Bowling Green leads the country with 47.7 points per game and have the nation’s second-longest win streak of 10 games. Are the Falcons going to make some noise in the Bowl Championship Series? No!