Yeofoot wrote:Wow, a lot of people moving up and down in the polls. I never realized how difficult it is to come up with solid reasons for why every team is given the rank that voters give them. Ok, OSU, the only easy rank, #1, where's ND now, where's LSU now, where's Michigan now. Is Texas' #8 rank going to move up each week someone falls? Is TCU the real deal? Does Tech fall out of the top 25? Does Nebraska improve their ranking for being good enough to compete against USC even though they lost? Does Michigan finally have their ducks in a row? Did everyone really forget about that Hart fellow?
ND is still in postition to make the BCS, even after last week's embarrassing loss to Michigan. One bad game shouldn't prevent a team from qualifying, and 9 wins are all that are required, at any rate (and a top-ten ranking for ND). So, they are clearly still 'in the hunt', BCS-wise.
Did Texas lose the the NC? That remains to be seen. Title pairings, end-of-season, determine BCS pairings. This one happened so early-on I believe Texas can still mount a 'challenge'. Big XII is clearly in their grasp. Big XII champions are assured a 'spot' in the BCS, regardless.
Is TCU for real? I guess it depends on how they do from this point forward. I don't know if beating Baylor (in Waco) and Texas Tech (at home) necessarily puts them in the NC picture. However, if (a big IF), they can win MWC, and finish 12-0 that could put them in the NC, assuming everything falls their way (basically everyone ahead of them needs to lose, some teams (LSU, Texas) probably have to lose two times.
Not likely, is how I would assess their chances, but you never know.
I have to admit I didn't see the Michigan 'rout' coming. I think I knew Hart was a good player, but I didn't think he (or Henne for that matter) would play as well as they did. Now, they need to focus on the Big Ten, and a trip to Glendale, if everything goes their way. (potential Rose Bowl pairing in the NC game).
Yeofoot wrote:The thing about Texas is that they don't have that unbeatable factor that that undefeated teams have. They have one game mode, and don't know how to bring it up a notch when all the chips are on the table. They will play their hand the same way whether they have a big or small pot.
No team is unbeatable. I think that became apparent last year, when USC nearly lost to ND. Texas struggled to beat Oklahoma St, & Texas A&M, and Bush & Co, nearly got the best of them in the Rose Bowl. Fortunately Vince Young was hero.
They will have to have a lot of cards fall their way to play TT, Nebraska,[/quote]
I'ts still inconclusive how good either team is. Texas Tech didn't look that good against TCU. Either a testament to TCU's defense, or Texas Tech's ineptitude on offense, away from home. Nebraska didn't look that good against USC. I think Texas will likely win the Big XII again.