A bye week was never so beneficial for the Oklahoma Sooners. Boise State goes down to TCU and is no longer a factor. Stanford goes down to Oregon and also is no longer a factor. With solid victories in the next three games, OU will overtake OSU and should overtake Alabama.
Alabama’s meat of the schedule is over and the Tide have reached a peak with the computers. Pesky Oregon may be the roadblock the Sooners can’t get past. I never thought I’d root for USC, but a Trojan win over Oregon is exactly what OU needs. Who woulda thunk it?
As tempting as it is to get all excited, though, there is still a long road ahead for the Sooners. Adjusting without Ryan Broyles against a dangerous Baylor team in Waco is not a given. Not to mention the task of facing the best offense in the country in Bedlam and if losing to Tech is possible, so is losing to Iowa St.
If it is to be, it will be. Let’s go Sooners!!
Here are this week’s rankings not based on grandiose fantasies:
1. Louisiana St. (Last week: 1) – LSU holds court against a Sun Belt Conference team. One last test left against Arkansas on Nov. 25 before the SEC championship game.
2. Oklahoma St. (2) – Last viable undefeated team left to challenge LSU. Cowboy offense appears to be unstoppable. However, it has one more quality defense still to face – Travis Lewis and the Oklahoma Sooners.
3. Oregon (6) – Oregon has five wins over teams with winning records (Nevada, California, Arizona St., Washington, Stanford). LSU loss was close at neutral site until injuries took their toll in second half. Edge to Oregon over Alabama.
4. Alabama (3) – Only two Crimson Tide wins have come against FBS teams with winning records (Penn St., Arkansas). Lost to LSU at home in overtime. Will not be challenged again until bowl game.
5. Oklahoma (7) – Bye week. Yet another big test for the Sooners: running the offense without Ryan Broyles. Can Sooners make a magical late season comeback? Five wins against FBS teams with winning records (Florida St., Ball St., Texas, Kansas St., Tulsa). Loss to 5-5 Texas Tech looks really ugly.
6. Clemson (8) – Four wins against FBS teams with winning records (Auburn, Florida St., Virginia Tech, North Carolina). Loss at Georgia Tech is not horrible.
7. Arkansas (9) – Two wins against FBS teams with winning records (Auburn, South Carolina). Loss via a manhandling at Tuscaloosa. Razorbacks, though, look to be getting hot just in time for LSU.
8. Stanford (4) – Hard dose of reality for the Cardinal getting smacked by Oregon. Two wins against FBS teams with winning records (Washington, USC). Hoping for a BCS bowl berth.
9. Houston (10) – Undefeated Cougars putting up some big numbers, but only one win against an FBS team with a winning record (Louisiana Tech). May sneak into first-ever BCS bowl after Boise St.’s loss.
10. Boise St. (5) – With no room for error for Boise St., a loss to TCU disqualified the Broncos from a BCS bowl. Will have to take consolation in having the most amazing run ever for a school in a non-automatic qualifying conference. Four wins against FBS teams with winning records (Georgia, Toledo, Tulsa, Nevada).