Walker-Sports Top 25 Poll:Texas Does it Again

The college football season just keeps rolling on, and things are getting tense. The Big 12 and the SEC appear to be ready to go down to the wire. However, there are plenty of other schools from around the country who are ready to put their stamp on the title hunt as well. Let’s take a look at where everyone stands in the Walker-Sports Top 25 Poll after another week of action.

1) Texas Longhorns: The Longhorns has their first true test of the season and they handled it well. Oklahoma State game at Texas with everything they had, but in the end, Colt McCoy and company proved to be too tough to bring down.


2) Alabama: On the road in the SEC, no problem for Nick Saban’s crew. Alabama made the trip to Tennessee and they put together a solid performance. With LSU getting knocked off, the SEC West should be all Bama’s for the taking.


3) Penn State: Great game on the road in a hostile environment that has dominated Penn State since the 1970’s. To this point it has been the Penn State spread offense that has been the talk of the town. However, Saturday night PSU showed they still have a dominate defense. The Buckeyes had no where to run and were shut down all day long.


4) Florida Gators: Kentucky was supposed to be a test and the Gators beat them 63-5. Do you think that Urban Myers was looking to get some extra love from the pollsters by running up the score? It wouldn’t be the first time he tried such an act.


5) Texas Tech: Texas Tech just might be real… maybe. Saturday they went on the road to Kansas and destroyed them. Granted, Kansas does not appear to be as good as we originally thought, but the Red Raiders are a team that must be respected. The schedule will not get any easier with top ranked Texas coming up next weekend.


6) Georgia Bulldogs: The Georgia Bulldogs are legit. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the 52-38 thumping they put on LSU, the worst home lost the Tigers have ever suffered. Georgia is legit and they are going to make a strong play to win the SEC. A rematch with Alabama could be huge.


7) Oklahoma Sooners: The Oklahoma Sooners are doing everything right. But time is running short on them if they want to get back into the National Title hunt. As long as Texas is winning, the Sooners will continue to be locked out of the Big 12 title race and as a result the national title as well.


8) USC: I keep getting this sneaking feeling that USC is going to back their way into the BCS scene. USC was not impressive in their win over Arizona but then again Arizona is not ranked. Nonetheless, USC is still doing their thing and waiting for Oregon State to lose.


9) Utah: Not a whole lot to see here. Utah keeps trucking along and as long as they can avoid a pitfall Utah will keep their invitation to crash the BCS party in January.


10) Boise State: The kings of the WAC continue their reign at the top. Playing on random nights also helps to give this team plenty of national exposure. They will need to continue to impress and do it big time if they want back in on the BCS hunt.


11) Oklahoma State: A tough lost on the road for Mike Gundy and company. However, the Cowboys are still a stacked team. Saturday they get Iowa State and even though they dress like USC, they have a very long way to go before they can come close to playing like them. Oklahoma State will get their program back on track Saturday.


12) Tulsa: Undefeated and just rumbling along. Tulsa is a team that many have not seen, but they may run the best spread attack this side of Florida. Tulsa most likely won’t figure into the BCS scenario but they are a great team to watch and you can bet they’d give any WAC or Mountain West team a run.


13) Ball State: Much like Tulsa Ball State is just a good story. Jason Whitlock has been all about this team all year. Granted, that actually hurts this team in my book, but I can overlook that and see a good team in Ball State. Perhaps there should be an one off game were Tulsa and Ball State can meet up in since they will just miss out on the BCS but are far too good to play in their conferences respective bowls.


14) Missouri Tigers: Missouri snapped a two game losing streak by destroying Colorado. Mizzu is likely out of the Big 12 title hunt, but they are in prime position to make a repeat trip to play in the cotton bowl.


15) Florida State: Seemingly this team has come out of nowhere. Florida State has not done any very well all season, but they have not done anything poorly. Right now they have to be considered odds on favorite to win the ACC Championship.


16) TCU: TCU continues their winning ways with their beat down of Wyoming. The only blemish on the TCU record is a lost to a then top ranked Oklahoma Sooner’s team. It will be interesting to see where TCU lands when all the dust has settled.


17) BYU: Back to their winning ways, but t has to seem a little deflated with the hopes of a BCS game gone. One has to think that the BYU vs. Utah game will be huge with BYU’s goal to upset Utah’s season.


18) Minnesota: They aren’t very good but they are that bad. I liken Minnesota to a poor mans Texas Tech. They have avoided the dangerous chunks of their schedule and won the games they are supposed to win.


19) Michigan State: The Spartans knocked off their instate rivals Michigan on Saturday, but it seems as though everyone who plays UM has done that. Nonetheless, Michigan State has done enough to keep them in the upper part of the Big 10. It looks as though the Spartans will beat out Wisconsin for that trip to the Capital One Bowl.


20) Oregon: Welcome back Oregon Ducks! They’ve only gone through about 15 quarterbacks and there is a chance there are not even the best team in their own state. That hasn’t stopped them from working their way back into the top 25.


21) LSU: Horrible lost at home. That should seal LSU’s fate by knocking them out of the BCS and SEC title races. Now the Tigers will have to play for pride. Also I feel bad for Troy who gets LSU on Saturday.


22) North Carolina: This is a tough ranking for me personally. The Tar heels are a much improved team but I am not completely convinced they are a legitimate Top 25 team. They are alive and well in the ACC competition, so are 9 out of 12 teams. Time will tell with this squad.

23) South Florida: The Big East is horrible. South Florida is the highest ranked team and they are 1-2 in conference. If I was Tulsa I’d be clamoring right now to get the Big East BCS for themselves.


24) West Virginia: See #23 ranked South Florida.


25) Cal: The Cal Bears seem to make the random appearance in the Top 25 here and there, but they can never keep it together for multiple weeks. I have a feeling this trip to the Top 25 will not be any different.

Walker-Sports Top 25 Poll:Don't Mess With Texas

Week 8 is in the books, and the Texas Longhorns put their stamp on the college football polls with their beat down of the Missouri Tigers. Elsewhere in the country the ACC proved why it is an average conference at best, Penn State is ready to put their name in the ring for a BCS Championship run. Basically what it comes down to is this is a great season for college football so keep up with your top 25 polls and make sure your favorite team doesn’t get dropped.



1) Texas Longhorns: The Longhorns had a big home game on Saturday night and they did not disappoint. Texas came out swinging against the Missouri Tigers and the Longhorns put on a show for the ages. Colt McCoy is the best playing in college football today, and completing 81% of his passes proves that. The Texas Longhorns may be around for a while.


2) Alabama: Ole Miss just finds a way to mess with peoples heads. They gave Alabama all they could handle on Saturday afternoon. However Nick Saban’s defense showed up and they were strong to hold the fort down. Next week they get to square off against lowly Tennessee.


3) Penn State: Talk about halftime adjustments. I’m not sure who made the speech but it sure worked. Penn State was in a slow tough game with Michigan on Saturday even. Then I ordered a beer, looked up and they were crushing the Wolverines. This is an explosive Penn State offense, when they face Ohio State it will be a game for the ages.


4) Florida Gators: Tim Tebow has willed this team all season and there is no more important time for him to put his mark on the Florida Gators than right now. He may not have the numbers that he put up last season, but you can believe he is every bit as important. The race for the SEC East will be a tight one, but in Tebow we trust.


5) Texas Tech: Just win baby. The Red Raiders keep winning games, and they keep avoiding Big 12 opponents. I feel like they are a boxed who knows they are not a real champion. Despite great talent, I still think this is the fifth best team in the Big 12 and they will exposed shortly.


6) Georgia Bulldogs: This is a team that I just like. They are horrible to gamble with, as we have see in the College Football Pick’em game, but they are a solid squad nonetheless. The Bulldogs are just hanging around and taking care of business. The Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville this year will be huge and you can believe that Walker-Sports will be there.


7) Oklahoma Sooners: Sam Bradford is playing his ass off. He set Oklahoma records for passing yards on Saturday against Kansas. If the Sooners want to get back into the BCS Title hunt, he will need to continue to perform at a high level on the football field. The Sooners have an uphill battle to fight especially with the way Texas is playing. Bob Stoops will need to work extra hard to keep his team focused and sharp going through the rest of the season.


8) Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy has put together a good team. There really is no other way to put it. Add in the fact that Gundy is one of my favorite coaches in college football, and I like OSU. I don’t think they are a BCS team but they are damn good and they are fun to watch.


9) Ohio State: The Buckeyes put an end to all that Michigan State talk last weekend. Now it’s time for them to step back up to the big leagues. OSU has a history of blowing big college football games. The last time the whole nation watch them they were being run out of L.A. by the Trojans. Saturday they have a grudge match against Penn State. The winner will likely get the Big 10, the Rose Bowl and maybe a chance at the BCS Championship. Let’s hope Jim Tressel has learned to coach under pressure.


10) USC: The Trojans proved that Washington State is the worst team in BCS Conference football. 62-0 is beyond embarrassing. The Trojans are a good team and it’s hard to ignore the rumors of them slipping into the backdoor of the BCS Championship. Personally I think that is B.S. If the Trojans make it the BCS Championship and leapfrog a one lost SEC or Big 12 team, then the BCS has failed us once again.


11) Utah: Well BYU is out of the way, and Utah is getting votes in the Harris Poll. This could be their year to make a second run to a BCS game. However, BYU taught us, that staying focused the entire season may not be that easy.


12) Boise State: With Hawaii out of the way, Boise has reclaimed their rightful position atop the WAC. However, this team has grown too big for their own good. Winning the WAC is no long the big accomplishment it used to be, not when you have won a Fiesta Bowl. Boise has their eyes on another BCS trip and they will stop at nothing to get it.


13) LSU: The Tigers seem to follow this formula every year. Lose against good SEC teams, hang around till someone else in conference knocks that team off, and then slip away with an SEC Title and chance at the BCS. Right now it looks like the LSU Tigers are right on schedule.


14) South Florida: The Bulls are a good team in a horrible conference. The Big East should trade in their BCS Spot with a WAC or Mountain West team.


15) Pittsburgh: It’s just strange seeing this team in the top 25. However, good ole Dave may have finally put together a team he can be proud of. Now they just need to make sure they don’t stumble coming down the stretch.


16) BYU: Well they had a good run.


17) Kansas: Sometimes life just isn’t fair. Playing Oklahoma a week after they lost a potential national title. Now that’s just not fair. On the bright side of things, Kansas gave Oklahoma all they could handle and made it a very interesting game.


18) Ball State: Undefeated, no chance at the BCS, but still fun to watch. Chances are you have never seen this team or any team they play on the field but that doesn’t mean they don’t belong on this poll.



19) Missouri Tigers: Chase Daniels is still a very good quarterback, but you won’t be seeing this Missouri Tigers team anytime soon. A trip to the Cotton Bowl is nothing to be ashamed of, really it isn’t.


19) Tulsa: Much like Ball State, this is a college football team most of you have never seen, but do yourself a favor and try to check them out. If nothing else, just watch how they execute their spread offense, one of the best in the country.


20) Georgia Tech: The triple option is alive and well in the south. More importantly quietly the Rambling Wreck has compiled a 6-1 record and has a chance at an ACC title. Saturday they are facing the hottest team in the ACC, Virginia in a game that could have a huge affect on the outcome of the conference.


21) Florida State: The job Bobby Bowden and have done with the Seminoles this season is largely overlooked due to the success Joe Pa is having up at Penn State. What that tells me is no matter where FSU end this football season at, Bowden will be another year just so he cans one up Joe Paterno.


22) TCU: Back in the top 25 for the second time this season. Sounding beating BCS crasher BYU will do that to a team. TCU is solid on defense and they can shut down just about any offense in football.


23) Boston College: Like most of the ACC, Boston College has flown under the radar all year, but they have compiled an impressive 5-1 record. The crowning moment of which was a win at home against Virginia Tech. Boston College now has a chance to control its fate and reach the ACC Title game once again.


24) Minnesota: Talk about one of the great turnarounds in college football. 1-11 last season 6-1 to this point of this season. Some of that is due to cupcake scheduling in the first half of the season. It will be interesting to see how Minnesota holds up against the Big 10 going down the stretch of the season.


25) Northwestern: Two weeks ago, nerdy schools wee all the rage in the top 25, now Northwestern is the lone one remaining. Not surprising considering they are one of the only smart schools to have at least some success on the football field at one time or another.

Walker-Sports Top 25 Poll: Hook'em Horns

What a week in college football and it just seems to keep on giving. Now Tommy Bowden is fired and there was such a shake up in the Top 25, that Walker-Sports just had to share their new poll with all the readers out there.

1) Texas Longhorns: No we are not trying to be like the AP and ESPN. Texas jumped to the top spot in this week’s poll because we had Missouri and LSU ranked behind OU. Despite all that, Texas is the number 1 team in the land and there is a huge target on their back now as they attempt to navigate the Big 12:

2) Alabama: Being idol can kill you. That’s what happened to the Tide. They had the weekend off, and because of that, they were unable to best the performance Texas put on in the Cotton Bowl. Don’t worry Bama fans, I don’t think the Longhorns will be riding on top very long.

3) Penn State: The destroyed Wisconsin on Saturday. I’m not sure if Wisconsin has just fallen apart that bad or what their deal is. What I do know is this is by far the best Penn State team I’ve seen since the 1990’s. They will be representing the Big 10 in the BCS.

4) Florida: Talk trash, come to the swamp and you will become Gator bait. That’s what the Florida Gators showed the world Saturday night. Urben Myers crew put on a clinic Saturday against LSU (a team I had ranked at #2). The Gators are right back in the hunt, and you better believe Saturday’s game was a statement game.

5) Texas Tech: The Nebraska Cornhuskers gave the Red Raiders all they could handle on Saturday, but somehow Texas Tech pulled through. This team is a fraud, but till someone can prove that Texas Tech is fraudulent they will remain a top ranked program.

6) BYU: Just win baby. Stay focused and don’t let a 3-5 team upset what could be a very special season.

7) Georgia: Don’t look now but the Bulldogs are back. UGA and company handled their business against a Tennessee program that is counting the days till Fulmer is fired. All Georgia has to do is make it to the SEC Title game. It’s in their backyard and they can make good things happen.

8) Oklahoma: Tough lost on Saturday. Not only did the Sooners lose the Red River Shootout for the third time in four years. The lost to Texas just added fuel to the fire that Bob Stoops cannot coach in the big games.

9) Oklahoma State: He’s a man! He’s 41 and he has one damn good football team. The Oklahoma State Cowboys are the real deal and they showed everyone just how good they are by knocking off Missouri on Saturday.

10) Ohio State: Why is it not surprising that as the season rolls into it’s second half Ohio State have weaseled its way back into the Top 10? This team is as good as Beanie Wells will allow them to be. As long as he provides protection and takes the pressure off Pryor the Buckeyes will be just fine.

11) USC: A solid dominating win over Arizona State Saturday night. They didn’t blow them out, they didn’t put up the gaudy numbers, but they showed the rest of the Pac 10 that all roads still run through USC.

12) Utah: Just like their cross state rivals, just keep plugging away and don’t become so obsessed with BYU that you over look someone else on the schedule.

13) Missouri: Tough break against a good Oklahoma State team. Now, the Tigers must put Saturday’s lost behind them because they have a chance to fix everything next Saturday when they take on the top ranked Texas Longhorns.

14) Kansas: The Jayhawks are a solid team with a great QB. As I’ve said multiple times this year, they aren’t as good as last year. Nor are they amongst the elite in the Big 12, but that won’t stop them from making noise all year.

15) Boise State: The kings of the WAC just do what they do best and that’s win games on the blue turf and just wait for someone to give them a shot at the big boys.

16) LSU: I doubt that the LSU Tigers will be talking trash and making bulletin board material for anyone in the upcoming weeks. All it did last week was set themselves up for failure and knock them out the top 10.

17) Virginia Tech: After an average performance against Western Kentucky the Hokies had the week off. Now they have to face the rest of the ACC. Virginia Tech is just a solid team that will more than likely play for an ACC Championship.

18) North Carolina: UNC got their first national exposure of the season and they made the best of their 10 minutes of fame by knocking off Notre Dame. The Tar Heels are quickly becoming the team to beat in the ACC. Next week they will be put to the test against a suddenly resurgent Virginia team.

19) South Florida: This is the highest ranked team in the Big East. Now what does that tell you about that conference? The Bulls are hoping they can make keep afloat and make an appearance in a BCS game in January.

20) Wake Forest: Wake got the win over Clemson on Thursday night, and they can go down as the straw that broke Tommy Bowden’s back and cost him his job.

21) Vanderbilt: The bubble seems to be bursting on Vandy. However, this marks the fourth week Vanderbilt has been ranked and that is a first for the school.

22) Michigan State: plunking and lumbering away, with a running game like theirs, the Spartans can remain a factor in any game they play.

23) Ball State: All this team has done is go out and win and win. They are doing all they can to remain viable and just make a showing.

24) Pittsburgh: Who would have thought that Pitt. Would find their way into the Top 25. Dave is coaching for his job and right now he is doing a good job with it.

25) Cal: Cal has climbed their way back into the top 25 after their embarrassing lost earlier this season that left the Bears losing their lunch.

Walker-Sports Top 25 Poll:Beware of Pirates

Well I didn’t think it was possible, but college football was actually better this weekend than it was last week. From what I can tell this is going to be an amazing season. Just wait till OSU and USC square off next weekend. However, before they take the field, let’s see where they stand on the Walker-Sports College Football poll.

1) Georgia Bulldogs: Yes I know every other poll in the country has USC sitting here, but Georgia has done nothing to deserve losing their #1 spot. If you don’t like them in this spot, just wait a few weeks, I can’t imagine them running the table.

2) USC: The Trojans had the week off, and got to scout a shaky looking OSU. One has to think Pete Carol has something special up his sleeve for an OSU offense that is still looking to find its rhythm.

3) Oklahoma Sooners: The Sooners have climbed in this week’s poll and they deserve it. The Sooners beat a scrappy UC squad on Saturday and can now look ahead to the Big 12 schedule.

4) Florida Gators: This team is only as good as Tim Tebow. Lucky for them, Tebow is pretty damn good. The Miami game was uglier than the score indicated but they still showed better than OSU.

5) OSU: Buckeye fans have to pray that their team was just overlooking Ohio U. Combine that with Beanie Wells being hurt and maybe they aren’t as bad as they looked. Buckeye faithful better hope that is the case.

6) LSU: The hurricane saved Troy from being killed by the Tigers. Nonetheless an idol LSU means they can hold onto their spot.

7) Missouri Tigers: Chase Daniels had one of the most impressive outings I have ever seen. He was 16-17 and resting on the bench before halftime. Look out Tim Tebow you have some serious competition for that Heisman this year.

8) Auburn: The Tigers make the jump in the standings due to another outstanding performance on defense. Combine that with the fact that they have found a solid starting QB and the Tigers are ready to do battle in the SEC West.

9) Kansas: The Jayhawks fell, but not too far. They played well this past weekend, but would have liked to see a bigger blowout.

10) Wisconsin: The Badgers got off to a slow start against Marshall, but somehow they scored about 30 points in 10 minutes on the fourth QT. The Big 10 could actually be very interesting this season.

11) Texas Longhorns: Great game to travel across state and take on a semi-hostel UTEP crowd. Colt seems to be over his sophomore slump and that is very good for the Longhorns.

12) Texas Tech: The Red Raiders crushed Nevada and the pistol offense. However, the team still failed to live up to the hype on defense. I have a nasty feeling the Red Raiders are in for a big fall when they hit the Big 12.

13) Arizona State: Stanford had nothing against the Sun Devils. ASU showed off a dynamic passing attack and yet again their aggressive defense flexed their muscle.

14) South Florida: In a primetime game against UCF, South Florida made a solid showing. Despite a slow start in the first half, South Florida got the ball running and showed why they may be the team to beat in the Big East.

15) East Carolina: The Pirates are crashing the party, and with two more games against ACC opponents they will make a solid case to crash the BCS party as well.

16) BYU: Possibly the luckiest team in the country today. It took a horrible call and a blocked XP to keep this teams BCS hopes alive. BYU better not overlook UCLA next weekend.

17) Penn State: Despite the off the field distractions, Penn State destroyed Oregon State. Maybe the Beavers were jetlagged, because they definitely did not show up to play.

18) Oregon: The Ducks played the worse team in Division I football and they did exactly what they were supposed to do. They destroyed Utah State 66-24.

19) Wake Forest: Wake Forest is saving the ACC right now. They stood toe to toe with Ole Miss and won a teeth clincher.

20) Clemson: The seat is getting hotter and hotter under Tommy Bowden. His Tigers looked better on Saturday, but they are far from where they were though to be.

21) Utah: The Utes had a bit of a Michigan hangover as they got off to a slow start on Saturday. However, they were able to put that behind them and went on to roll UNLV.

22) Fresno State: The Bulldogs had the week off and they will need the rest. Next week they have a chance to put their stamp on the BCS when they take on the Wisconsin Badgers.

23) UCLA: Now that they week 1 heroics are behind them, the Bruins need to focus on BYU if they want to actually make a run at breaking the USC monopoly on the city.

24) WVU: A horrible outing against ECU. WVU is very lucky they were able to remain in the top 25. Hopefully they can regain their focus and figure out what went wrong this past weekend.

25) Illinois: Eastern Ill. probably wished they had Tony Romo at their disposal for this game. Juice seems to be advancing as a passing QB, and that means Illinois could be a dangerous opponent for a lot of teams this season.

R.I.P. UGA VI

Saturday the SEC got a little lonelier, as it lost one of its most famous faces. Uga VI the mascot for the Georgia Bulldogs passed away. Uga was 9 years old and passed due to heart failure. He will be greatly missed. Uga will be buried inside the Southwest corner of the Bulldogs stadium.