Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn't be. Get used to the idea of Texas likely winning the national championship. The Longhorns are just toying with teams now with the defense stepping up its play and Colt McCoy finally playing like the Heisman-caliber star he was expected to be.

Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn't be. Get used to the idea of Texas likely winning the national championship. The Longhorns are just toying with teams now with the defense stepping up its play and Colt McCoy finally playing like the Heisman-caliber star he was expected to be. The blowout win over Oklahoma State a few weeks ago is more impressive than it might seem.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Even though the Gators aren't doing much for the style points, there really haven't been many problems coming up with wins. The defense is making up for the lack of pizzazz on offense with a rock-solid pass defense, ranking second in the nation, while the scoring defense leads the nation.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Even though the Gators aren't doing much for the style points, there really haven't been many problems coming up with wins. The defense is making up for the lack of pizzazz on offense with a rock-solid pass defense, ranking second in the nation, while the scoring defense leads the nation. Only Arkansas has scored 20 points.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The offense really does seem flat. That's hard to do considering the Gators lead the SEC in rushing and are averaging 439 yards and 35 points per game. 27 points at home against Vanderbilt? When Georgia Tech is hanging 56 points on the Commodores in Nashville, struggling to beat the SEC's worst team in an ugly blowout doesn't inspire confidence.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The defense continues to play at a national title level, Mark Ingram is running at a Heisman level, and finally, Julio Jones is becoming part of the fun.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The defense continues to play at a national title level, Mark Ingram is running at a Heisman level, and finally, Julio Jones is becoming part of the fun. There might be some struggles, and not everything is working smoothly, but the Tide keeps on rolling like it knows how it's supposed to win games.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Greg McElroy. Which one of these things just doesn't belong? Throw in Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli, Cincinnati's Zach Collaros or Tony Pike, TCU's Andy Dalton, Boise State's Kellen Moore, and even Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, issues and all, and Alabama doesn't come close to measuring up in quarterback play.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: LSU's two losses are to Florida and Alabama. Theoretically, that might make the Tigers No. 3. The defense is starting to play like the LSU defense again and despite the stats, everything is there to hang around with anyone.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: LSU's two losses are to Florida and Alabama. Theoretically, that might make the Tigers No. 3. The defense is starting to play like the LSU defense again and despite the stats, everything is there to hang around with anyone.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: LSU is No. 4 by default. Cincinnati struggled way too much with Connecticut, Oregon lost, Boise State struggled to put away Louisiana Tech, and TCU is beating up a bunch of bad teams. If you want to put any one of six teams here, there's no complaining.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Call it an aberration. It might have been a loss, but the offense wasn't stopped. Not only did the Duck attack keep rolling, but the passing game was terrific.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Call it an aberration. It might have been a loss, but the offense wasn't stopped. Not only did the Duck attack keep rolling, but the passing game was terrific. There won't be the same defensive problems against Arizona State.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Uhhhhhh, huh? Didn't Oregon just get blasted? If you listen quietly, you can hear Toby Gerhart rumbling for another 11 yards. Now, at 7-2, it's harder to justify putting the Ducks ahead of an unbeaten Boise State. Call this a wait and see ranking. If Oregon is really who everyone thinks it is, then beating Arizona State and Arizona over the next two weeks won't be a problem before dealing with Oregon State.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: All of a sudden, Ohio State is playing like Ohio State. Terrelle Pryor might not be the superstar of superstars quite yet, but he's playing better, and the offensive line just whipped a tremendous Penn State defensive line.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: All of a sudden, Ohio State is playing like Ohio State. Terrelle Pryor might not be the superstar of superstars quite yet, but he's playing better, and the offensive line just whipped a tremendous Penn State defensive line. The Buckeyes have won their last three games by a combined score of 117-14. If they beat Iowa, after all the screaming and all the problems, they'll be going to Pasadena.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Does Ohio State have the toughness to beat Iowa? The Hawkeyes might be without Ricky Stanzi, but you don't come up with as much magic as they have without knowing how to battle teams like Ohio State, who's only three games removed from the clunker against Purdue.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: No one's stopping this rushing offense. Not Florida, not Alabama, not Texas, not Duke, no one. Josh Nesbitt is running the attack at an unbelievably high level, and no one has a chance without several weeks to prepare.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: No one's stopping this rushing offense. Not Florida, not Alabama, not Texas, not Duke, no one. Josh Nesbitt is running the attack at an unbelievably high level, and no one has a chance without several weeks to prepare. However ...
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: ... the defense is mediocre, and it has taken too much to get by teams like Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. Georgia Tech might be good enough to beat anyone in the country with its offense, but it's also flaky enough to lose to anyone in the country because of it defense and its inconsistency.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Zach Collaros has stepped in and is playing like a Big East Player of the Year. The offense is third in the nation while the defense is first in the nation in tackles for loss and third in sacks.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Zach Collaros has stepped in and is playing like a Big East Player of the Year. The offense is third in the nation while the defense is first in the nation in tackles for loss and third in sacks. The win at Oregon State is looking better and better by the week.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Uhhhhhh, with the world watching, the defense isn't supposed to go bye-bye against a team like Connecticut. There's still a wee bit of a prove-it factor with the Bearcats, but there won't be any question marks if they beat West Virginia, a hot Illinois, and Pitt. Especially Pitt.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Now this is what you're supposed to do if you're trying to make a statement. Try out these numbers. No FBS team, including Clemson, has scored more than 17 on the Horned Frogs, with Texas State the only team get over 20.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Now this is what you're supposed to do if you're trying to make a statement. Try out these numbers. No FBS team, including Clemson, has scored more than 17 on the Horned Frogs, with Texas State the only team get over 20. TCU has won its last four games 178-25.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn't be. We apologize for not putting TCU closer to the top five. However, beating Colorado State, BYU (yes, BYU), UNLV, and San Diego State isn't that great. If TCU whacks Utah, we promise a big move up.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Don't read too much into the final score against Louisiana Tech. The offense did whatever it wanted to do and the defense came up with the textbook definition of taking its foot off the gas.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Don't read too much into the final score against Louisiana Tech. The offense did whatever it wanted to do and the defense came up with the textbook definition of taking its foot off the gas. The O really is good, and it's not just really good because it plays in the WAC.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Yeah, Boise State could've beaten Louisiana Tech by 40 if it kept up the intensity, but it didn't. Yeah, the Tulsa win could've been by more, but it wasn't. At home, no one's touching the Broncos. On the road, though, appears to be a different story. Would you take Boise State over USC if the game was played in Los Angeles? (How about in the Fiesta Bowl?)

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The only reason it's this high is because the uniforms look like USC's and Pete Carroll is still on the sideline. It's USC, and the brand name is earning the high ranking.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The only reason it's this high is because the uniforms look like USC's and Pete Carroll is still on the sideline. It's USC, and the brand name is earning the high ranking. Based on how the team is playing, a case could be made that it should be around the mid-20s.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Take away two brilliant scoring plays, one on a Damian Williams catch and run and the other a Will Harris pick six, and USC played like a steaming pile of bull cookies ... again. The Trojans are getting worse when they should be hitting their stride.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Winning at Iowa State as easily as Oklahoma State did was impressive. The Cowboys are very quietly playing like the No. 2 team in the Big 12 and have a shot at an at-large BCS bid by winning out.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Winning at Iowa State as easily as Oklahoma State did was impressive. The Cowboys are very quietly playing like the No. 2 team in the Big 12 and have a shot at an at-large BCS bid by winning out.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: There's the question of why and how OSU is ahead of Houston, considering the Cougars' win in Stillwater in Week 2, but the ranking is based on how good the teams are right now. OSU would hang 65 on the Houston defense if the two played tomorrow.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offensive line is playing extremely well, and the team appears to have its confidence again. Very quietly, if the Badgers play up to their capabilities, they'll be 10-2 and with a wee bit of a case to be in the hunt for an at-large BCS spot (with an emphasis on the word wee).

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offensive line is playing extremely well, and the team appears to have its confidence again. Very quietly, if the Badgers play up to their capabilities, they'll be 10-2 and with a wee bit of a case to be in the hunt for an at-large BCS spot (with an emphasis on the word wee).
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: UW has had a bad habit all season long of making games far too close. The secondary was too soft against Indiana and made Ben Chappell look like Ben Roethlisberger. If the Badgers are for real, they'll blow out Michigan by 30 at home.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: It shouldn't be. The Nittany Lions' best win was over Temple. Maybe Northwestern. Whatever. They had two big tests and failed them both. Badly.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: It shouldn't be. The Nittany Lions' best win was over Temple. Maybe Northwestern. Whatever. They had two big tests and failed them both. Badly.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Losing to Iowa and Ohio State, even at home, isn't anything to be too upset about. The defense has stuffed everyone else cold, and it wasn't all that bad in the two losses. Penn State has given up more than 17 points twice. Take a guess what two teams hit the mark.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offense really is amazing. No. 1 in scoring, No. 1 in passing, No. 1 in total yards ... and it's not even close. No one's stopping the Cougars right now.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offense really is amazing. No. 1 in scoring, No. 1 in passing, No. 1 in total yards ... and it's not even close. No one's stopping the Cougars right now.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Everyone's getting fat on the Cougar defense. Any team worth top 10 consideration doesn't need to push so hard to beat Tulsa or Southern Miss. Houston is 116th in the nation in total defense. Anyone in the top 25 would hang 500 yards and 50 points on UH.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Shhhhhhhh. Pitt is deep in the Big East title chase. At 8-1, the Panthers are playing as well as anyone in the conference, Cincinnati included, and now they have a chance to show what they can do over the next three weeks.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Shhhhhhhh. Pitt is deep in the Big East title chase. At 8-1, the Panthers are playing as well as anyone in the conference, Cincinnati included, and now they have a chance to show what they can do over the next three weeks. The running game is the best in the league while the D leads the nation in sacks.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn't be. This might be a top 10 team right now. The five-game winning streak is nice, but it took a major comeback to beat UConn and beating South Florida might not be the big deal it appears to be on paper.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offense is improving week after week, while the defense continues to be solid. In the four losses this season, Tennessee lost to Florida and Alabama (no shame there), and lost to UCLA and Auburn by a total of six points.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offense is improving week after week, while the defense continues to be solid. In the four losses this season, Tennessee lost to Florida and Alabama (no shame there), and lost to UCLA and Auburn by a total of six points.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Beating Georgia, South Carolina, and Memphis isn't that big a deal. Even so, the ranking can't be any lower; the Vols are playing as well as anyone in the SEC outside of the two big boys.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Huh?! Iowa drops below Wisconsin and Penn State after beating them on the road? The defense is still solid and the team really is good, but ...

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Huh?! Iowa drops below Wisconsin and Penn State after beating them on the road? The defense is still solid and the team really is good, but ...
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: ... the rankings are based on right now, for the most part, and without Ricky Stanzi the offense is in big, big trouble. Until James Vanderberg proves he can play, Iowa isn't moving back up. Remember, Northwestern lost its starting quarterback, too, and was losing at the time.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Don't blow off the win over Duke. The Blue Devils' offense had been ripping apart the ACC (at times), and the Tar Heels held Thaddeus Lewis and the passing game to just 113 yards and stuffed the ground game, allowing just 12 yards.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Don't blow off the win over Duke. The Blue Devils' offense had been ripping apart the ACC (at times), and the Tar Heels held Thaddeus Lewis and the passing game to just 113 yards and stuffed the ground game, allowing just 12 yards. The run defense leads the ACC.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Is UNC the real deal or are the last two weeks just a mirage? Yeah, beating Virginia Tech and Duke might be solid, but the Tar Heels are just a few weeks removed from losing three straight ACC games. The passing game still isn't working.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Hokies have the easy part of the schedule to close things out and should only get better as the season winds down. At least that's their hope.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The Hokies have the easy part of the schedule to close things out and should only get better as the season winds down. At least that's their hope. The running game continues to work and the pass defense has been special.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The win over East Carolina was a snoozer. The passing game is supposed to be getting better and better, and it's not. The offense hasn't exactly blown up over the last few weeks, and if Ryan Williams isn't producing there wouldn't be much production to rely on.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The three losses have come to Cincinnati, in a shootout against Arizona, and at USC. That's not bad. Even though Cal struggled to keep playing after losing Jahvid Best, the 31-14 win in Berkeley is still impressive.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The three losses have come to Cincinnati, in a shootout against Arizona, and at USC. That's not bad. Even though Cal struggled to keep playing after losing Jahvid Best, the 31-14 win in Berkeley is still impressive.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It shouldn't be. The Beavers are playing extremely well, with four wins in the last five games. The pass defense has struggled and there hasn't been any pass rush, but the Beavers are getting past the problems to win.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Is anyone playing with more confidence? The Tigers, bolstered by a brilliant few games from C.J. Spiller, are in a position to win the Atlantic. The defense is playing better than it has in years, while the offense has hit the 40 mark three games in a row.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Is anyone playing with more confidence? The Tigers, bolstered by a brilliant few games from C.J. Spiller, are in a position to win the Atlantic. The defense is playing better than it has in years, while the offense has hit the 40 mark three games in a row. The three losses came by a total of 10 points.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: It's Clemson. You know the clunker is going to come at some point. Of course, that's not a real reason to be ranked lower. There's still the loss to Maryland to answer for, and for all the points, the yards aren't coming in bunches. Outside of Spiller, this isn't a consistent offense.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Ryan Mallett is coming off a brilliant performance against South Carolina. The offense is coming into its own at the perfect time. Why The Ranking Should Be Lower:

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: Ryan Mallett is coming off a brilliant performance against South Carolina. The offense is coming into its own at the perfect time.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The secondary continues to struggle. The defense is playing better overall, but watch out next week against Levi Brown and a Troy passing attack that can light it up.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offense is tuning up at the right time. There wasn't just the nice win over Ole Miss, but there was the blowout over Furman to beef up the stats for the SEC's No.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: The offense is tuning up at the right time. There wasn't just the nice win over Ole Miss, but there was the blowout over Furman to beef up the stats for the SEC's No. 1 attack.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: Whoopee, Furman. The Tigers aren't all that far removed from the clunkers against Arkansas, Kentucky and LSU. Now the team will get a chance to show if it's for real against Georgia and Alabama.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: On any given day, the Canes have the talent and the speed to hang with anyone in America. The explosiveness was on display in the blowout win over Virginia, and even if Miami doesn't get to the ACC title game, there's a chance to get an at-large BCS bid.

Why The Ranking Should Be Higher: On any given day, the Canes have the talent and the speed to hang with anyone in America. The explosiveness was on display in the blowout win over Virginia, and even if Miami doesn't get to the ACC title game, there's a chance to get an at-large BCS bid.
Why The Ranking Should Be Lower: The consistency isn't there. The offensive line is struggling, especially in pass protection, while the defense has been hit or miss. The focus hasn't always been there, but now the Canes can prove that it's all coming together by beating North Carolina.