RANK	TEAM	RECORD	PREVIOUS	SOS	NEXT GAME
1.	Alabama	7-0	1	26	v. Tennessee
2.	Texas	6-0	3	56	at Missouri
3.	Florida	6-0	2	46	at Mississippi State
4.	USC	5-1	4	11	v. Oregon State
5.	Miami	5-1	6	16	v. Clemson
6.	Iowa	7-0	14	20	at Michigan State
7.	Oklahoma	3-3	8	45	at (25) Kansas
8.	Georgia Tech	6-1	11	7	at Virginia
9.	Oregon	5-1	12	15	at Washington
10.	Virginia Tech	5-2	5	2	at UNC (Oct. 29)
11.	Cincinnati	6-0	10	71	v. Louisville
12.	LSU	5-1	13	22	v. Auburn
13.	Penn State	6-1	15	106	v. (22) Michigan
14.	Houston	5-1	21	80	v. SMU
15.	Texas Tech	5-2	NR	68	v. Texas A&M
16.	Nebraska	4-2	9	37	v. Iowa State
17.	Arkansas	3-3	18	6	at Ole Miss
18.	South Carolina	5-2	19	24	at Vanderbilt
19.	TCU	6-0	16	53	at BYU
20.	Boise State	6-0	17	38	at Hawaii
21.	Oklahoma State	5-1	23	108	at Baylor
22.	Michigan	5-2	24	90	at (13) Penn State
23.	Notre Dame	4-2	25	13	v. Boston College
24.	Ohio State	5-2	7	35	v. Minnesota
25.	Kansas	5-1	22	112	v. (7) Oklahoma

Shell game: This week Texas jumps in front of Florida for the No. 2 spot.  Honestly, I would pick Texas on a neutral field right now.  Texas and Florida are clearly part of the three-team top tier.  So, why is it that each offense has not looked right?  The statistics certainly do not back that up.   Tebow did sustain the King of Concussions three weeks earlier and Brandon Spikes was out of the lineup, but the experts in the desert had the Gators pegged as 24-point favorites.  Meyer and co. barely survived what would have - in wagering terms - twice the upset Ohio State suffered.  In many ways, Texas is just as puzzling on offense.  Whether it is slow starts or lots of turnovers, it does not look crisp to the naked eye.  What has not changed is Bama’s crippling dominance.  Did you see Saban switch to the Wildcat in the 4th Qtr to kill off South Carolina?  A smart, quick, low cost solution.

I had to do it: When I watch Iowa play all I see is the other team screwing up.  I just cannot see the Hawkeyes playing well, but that is clearly not the case.  I know/think that the Big Ten stinks, but they have played a top 20 schedule and despite some close calls they appear to be improving while sporting the top turnover-forcing defense in the country.

I couldn’t do it: I was super tempted to omit the Buckeyes from my ballot entirely.  Ohio State is the single most baffling team when you consider my self-proclaimed philosophy of ranking.  It is possible to make completely opposite arguments regarding the Buckeyes ability to defeat other teams in front of them.  That defense gives them the ability to beat anyone.  Conversely, that offense prevents them from having the opportunity from beating anyone.  They get to hang around this week, but it will take some increased marksmanship for them to advance.

Is that…Oklahoma? You saw correctly, OU advanced one spot to #7 this week armed with a 3-3 record after their loss to Texas.  I am not sure how I feel about that ranking but if you believe in Texas and Miami, then you should believe in Oklahoma.  I don’t think they will lose again this season because of that defense.  And, unlike certain other teams with tremendous defenses, the Sooners have a strong offense even without the Heisman winner.