November 2, 2009

Mike Huguenin
Rivals.com College Football

Mike Huguenin is the college sports editor for Rivals.com.
He can be heard on Rivals Radio every Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. ET and can be reached at mhuguenin@rivals.com.

We were impressed enough by Texas' win at Oklahoma State to move the Longhorns to the top spot in this week's 1-120 rankings.

Texas' neutral-site victory over Oklahoma and its road victory over the Cowboys trumps Alabama's neutral-site victory over Virginia Tech and its road victory over Ole Miss.

The Longhorns' accomplishments also trump Florida's road win at LSU and the Gators' neutral-site win over Georgia.

On to the rankings:

Mike Huguenin's 120 at 1:20

1. Texas (8-0)
BUZZ: If you're a Longhorns fan, go ahead and make reservations for the national championship game in Los Angeles. NEXT: Saturday, vs. UCF.

2. Alabama (8-0)
BUZZ: Let's see if the week off leads to some improvement for the Alabama passing attack. NEXT: Saturday, vs. LSU.

3. Florida (8-0)
BUZZ: The Gators already have clinched the SEC East title. They're focused on other things now. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Vanderbilt.

4. Iowa (9-0)
BUZZ: The Hawkeyes' poor performance in the first three quarters against Indiana had everyone abuzz. Then again, so did their fourth-quarter performance. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Northwestern.

5. Cincinnati (8-0)
BUZZ: The Bearcats play three of their final four games at home. The only road contest is a trip to Pitt that likely will determine the Big East title. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Connecticut.

6. TCU (8-0)
BUZZ: Only one of the Horned Frogs' four remaining opponents has a winning record. NEXT: Saturday, at San Diego State.

7. Oregon (7-1)
BUZZ: The Ducks have outscored their five Pac-10 foes by a score of 208-58. NEXT: Saturday, at Stanford.

8. Boise State (8-0)
BUZZ: Boise State has won 11 consecutive WAC games. Barring a colossal collapse, that will increase to 12 on Friday. NEXT: Friday, at Louisiana Tech.

9. Georgia Tech (8-1)
BUZZ: Navy's triple-option attack rolled up 338 yards on Wake Forest two weeks ago. Think Paul Johnson has noticed that? NEXT: Saturday, vs. Wake Forest.

10. LSU (7-1)
BUZZ: The Tigers have everything in front of them. But can they win in Tuscaloosa? NEXT: Saturday, at Alabama.

11. Penn State (8-1)
BUZZ: How good are the Nittany Lions? We'll have the answer Saturday night. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Ohio State.

12. Utah (7-1)
BUZZ: The Utes still have TCU and archrival BYU on their schedule. NEXT: Saturday, vs. New Mexico.

13. USC (6-2)
BUZZ: USC defenders will be having nightmares about LaMichael James and Jeremiah Masoli for the next few days. Did those guys get tackled at all? NEXT: Saturday, at Arizona State.

14. Miami (6-2)
BUZZ: Once again, defensive problems cropped up for the Hurricanes, who need more difference-makers on that side of the ball. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Virginia.

15. Houston (7-1)
BUZZ: That loss to UTEP looks worse and worse by the week. NEXT: Saturday, at Tulsa.

16. Pittsburgh (7-1)
BUZZ: This week's game is the final breather of the season. The final three contests: Notre Dame, at West Virginia and Cincinnati. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Syracuse.

17. Arizona (5-2)
BUZZ: The Wildcats control their destiny in the Pac-10 race. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Washington State.

18. Ohio State (7-2)
BUZZ: The Buckeyes break out some trickery for a change. But why use it against New Mexico State? NEXT: Saturday, at Penn State.

19. Oklahoma State (6-2)
BUZZ: Now, the Cowboys need to focus on finishing second in the Big 12 South - ahead of archrival Oklahoma. NEXT: Saturday, at Iowa State.

20. California (6-2)
BUZZ: Just keep the Golden Bears away from Oregon and USC, and they're fine, thank you. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Oregon State.

21. BYU (6-2)
BUZZ: This week's game will be the third in a five-game stretch in which the Cougars play on the road four times. NEXT: Saturday, at Wyoming.

22. Oklahoma (5-3)
BUZZ: Saturday's game has all the earmarks of an old-time defensive struggle. NEXT: Saturday, at Nebraska.

23. Virginia Tech (5-3)
BUZZ: The Hokies have lost two in a row and they play three of their remaining four on the road. But here's a secret: Thursday's game is the toughest one left. NEXT: Thursday, at East Carolina.

24. Notre Dame (6-2)
BUZZ: The Irish should be able to throw effectively on Navy. But the Midshipmen should be able to run effectively on the Irish. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Navy.

25. Oregon State (5-3)
BUZZ: Saturday's game will be a big one in the Pac-10's bowl pecking order. NEXT: Saturday, at California.

26. Wisconsin (6-2)
BUZZ: The Badgers have the look of a team that's going to finish 10-2, which means New Year's Day in Florida. NEXT: Saturday, at Indiana.

27. Clemson (5-3)
BUZZ: The Tigers have a big one Saturday in their quest to win the ACC Atlantic Division title. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Florida State.

28. Boston College (6-3)
BUZZ: The Eagles haven't won back-to-back games since Sept. 26/Oct. 3. NEXT: Nov. 14, at Virginia.

29. Texas Tech (6-3)
BUZZ: The Red Raiders finished 3-0 against the Big 12 North. So far, though, they're 0-2 against the Big 12 South. NEXT: Nov. 14, at Oklahoma State.

30. South Carolina (6-3)
BUZZ: The remaining three games are Arkansas, Florida and Clemson. If the Gamecocks don't watch out, they could finish 6-6. NEXT: Saturday, at Arkansas.

31. Stanford (5-3)
BUZZ: Each of the Cardinal's remaining four opponents is ranked in the BCS top 25. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Oregon.

32. USF (6-2)
BUZZ: Bulls QB B.J. Daniels played well in the victory over West Virginia, and it seemed as if coaches gave him more freedom in the offense. NEXT: Nov. 12, at Rutgers.

33. Auburn (6-3)
BUZZ: All of a sudden, the offense awakens from its slumber. Win No. 7 is just around the corner. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Furman.

34. West Virginia (6-2)
BUZZ: WVU still has a shot at the Big East title, but the Mountaineers need to make sure they win this week. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Louisville.

35. Tennessee (4-4)
BUZZ: The Vols are in great shape to finish second in the SEC East. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Memphis.

36. Ole Miss (5-3)
BUZZ: Because they already have one FCS win, Saturday's game won't help Ole Miss' bowl hopes. And with the final three games against Tennessee, LSU and Mississippi State, all of a sudden you start to wonder if the Rebels can get to seven wins. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Northern Arizona.

37. Central Michigan (7-2)
BUZZ: The Chippewas' seven-game winning streak came to an end with a loss to Boston College. NEXT: Nov. 11, vs. Toledo.

38. Nebraska (5-3)
BUZZ: Huskers tackle Jared Crick had five sacks against Baylor. That's a season's worth of sacks for most DTs. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Oklahoma.

39. Fresno State (5-3)
BUZZ: Each Bulldogs loss has come to a team in the BCS top 25, including setbacks to unbeatens Boise State and Cincinnati. NEXT: Saturday, at Idaho.

40. Arkansas (4-4)
BUZZ: If the offensive line can keep Ryan Mallett upright this weekend, the Hogs can beat the Gamecocks. NEXT: Saturday, vs. South Carolina.

41. Missouri (5-3)
BUZZ: The Tigers have some issues, no question. Still, the remaining schedule isn't that difficult, and a 9-3 finish wouldn't be that big a surprise. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Baylor.

42. Florida State (4-4)
BUZZ: There were more than 20,000 empty seats for the Seminoles' home game against N.C. State. NEXT: Saturday, at Clemson.

43. North Carolina (5-3)
BUZZ: The victory over Virginia Tech gives the Tar Heels a chance to have a good season after all. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Duke.

44. Navy (6-3)
BUZZ: Losses to Ohio State and Pitt weren't a surprise. But the loss to Temple was. NEXT: Saturday, at Notre Dame.

45. Rutgers (6-2)
BUZZ: The Scarlet Knights used a big play in the waning seconds to beat Connecticut, their first win over a team with a winning record this season. NEXT: Nov. 12, vs. USF.

46. Connecticut (4-4)
BUZZ: The Huskies have had back-to-back last-minute losses and are in danger of not being bowl eligible. NEXT: Saturday, at Cincinnati.

47. Minnesota (5-4)
BUZZ: Minnesota almost gave one away against Michigan State, but some big plays in the fourth quarter led to the win. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Illinois.

48. Michigan State (4-5)
BUZZ: If the Spartans have any bowl hopes, it would behoove them to beat the Broncos this weekend. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Western Michigan.

49. Georgia (4-4)
BUZZ: Given the state of their defense, the Bulldogs are looking at the possibility of a 6-6 finish. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Tennessee Tech.

50. Kansas (5-3)
BUZZ: The Jayhawks have lost three in a row and are reeling. A loss this week to the Wildcats and they really will be reeling. NEXT: Saturday, at Kansas State.

51. Michigan (5-4)
BUZZ: The Wolverines have turned into a stumbling, bumbling mess. In other words, they look like they did last season. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Purdue.

52. Air Force (5-4)
BUZZ: The Falcons already have lost to Navy, and they sure don't want to get swept by the other service academies. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Army.

53. Mississippi State (4-5)
BUZZ: The win at Kentucky means the Bulldogs have given themselves a chance at a bowl bid. It's a slim one, but, hey, it's still a chance. NEXT: Nov. 14, vs. Alabama.

54. Kentucky (4-4)
BUZZ: The Wildcats simply made too many mistakes in falling to Mississippi State. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Eastern Kentucky.

55. Arizona State (4-4)
BUZZ: The Sun Devils' defense will pose some problems for the Trojans. NEXT: Saturday, vs. USC.

56. Washington (3-5)
BUZZ: The Huskies need to be wary when they travel to play the Bruins. NEXT: Saturday, at UCLA.

57. Wake Forest (4-5)
BUZZ: The defense let the Demon Deacons down in the final minutes against Miami. NEXT: Saturday, at Georgia Tech.

58. Nevada (5-3)
BUZZ: The Wolf Pack have won five in a row and the streak should reach six this weekend. NEXT: Sunday, at San Jose State.

59. East Carolina (5-3)
BUZZ: The Pirates beat the Hokies last season; can they pull that trick two seasons in a row? NEXT: Thursday, vs. Virginia Tech.

60. Troy (6-2)
BUZZ: Since losing at Florida on Sept. 12, the Trojans have won six in a row. NEXT: Saturday, at Western Kentucky.

61. Northwestern (5-4)
BUZZ: The Wildcats played well for three quarters against Penn State. Alas, it's a four-period game. NEXT: Saturday, at Iowa.

62. UCLA (3-5)
BUZZ: The Bruins have the Pac-10's Washington schools in back-to-back weeks, which means they could get two more wins. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Washington.

63. Southern Miss (5-4)
BUZZ: The defense had been playing well, but it was shredded by Houston. NEXT: Nov. 14, at Marshall.

64. Kansas State (5-4)
BUZZ: The Wildcats need to get to seven wins to become bowl eligible, and a visit from stumbling Kansas could be helpful in that quest. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Kansas.

65. Texas A&M (5-3)
BUZZ: The Aggies could wrap up bowl eligibility this weekend against the Buffs. NEXT: Saturday, at Colorado.

66. Duke (5-3)
BUZZ: Break up the Blue Devils! They've won three consecutive ACC games. NEXT: Saturday, at North Carolina.

67. Idaho (7-2)
BUZZ: The Vandals can further enhance their reputation if they can beat Fresno State this weekend. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Fresno State.

68. Temple (6-2)
BUZZ: Temple has won six in a row and remains the leader in the MAC East title chase. NEXT: Thursday, vs. Miami University.

69. Northern Illinois (5-3)
BUZZ: If NIU can get to eight victories, a bowl bid would be all but assured. NEXT: Thursday, vs. Eastern Michigan.

70. Iowa State (5-4)
BUZZ: The Cyclones are one win from bowl eligibility, and that would be quite an accomplishment in coach Paul Rhoads' first season. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Oklahoma State.

71. Ohio University (6-3)
BUZZ: A victory over Ball State kept the Bobcats in the hunt for the MAC East crown. NEXT: Nov. 10, at Buffalo.

72. Virginia (3-5)
BUZZ: The loss to Duke basically eliminates any hope for a bowl bid. NEXT: Saturday, at Miami.

73. Purdue (3-6)
BUZZ: It's a long shot, sure, but the Boilermakers still have a shot at bowl eligibility because the remaining schedule really isn't that daunting. NEXT: Saturday, at Michigan.

74. N.C. State (3-5)
BUZZ: Russell Wilson and the offense did their part against Florida State. The defense, though, failed to show up. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Maryland.

75. SMU (4-4)
BUZZ: June Jones could end up deserving coach of the year mention; the Mustangs have a legit shot to finish 8-4. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Rice.

76. Kent State (5-4)
BUZZ: The Golden Flashes have been one of the nation's biggest surprises. They are squarely in the mix in the MAC East race. NEXT: Saturday, at Akron.

77. Western Michigan (4-5)
BUZZ: The Broncos have been a disappointment this season. A rebuilt defense has not played well. NEXT: Saturday, at Michigan State.

78. Tulsa (4-4)
BUZZ: The Golden Hurricane started 4-1, but they have hit the skids. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Houston.

79. Marshall (5-4)
BUZZ: The Herd gave one away at UCF on Sunday night. NEXT: Nov. 14, vs. Southern Miss.

80. Middle Tennessee (5-3)
BUZZ: The Blue Raiders play their next three games at home, and they know they're in good shape to finish second in the Sun Belt. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Florida International.

81. Bowling Green (3-5)
BUZZ: If the Falcons' defense comes to play, Bowling Green can snag a road victory on Tuesday. NEXT: Tuesday, at Buffalo.

82. Syracuse (3-5)
BUZZ: This weekend's game will be the first away from the Carrier Dome since Sept. 12. NEXT: Saturday, at Pittsburgh.

83. Indiana (4-5)
BUZZ: The Hoosiers looked like a bowl team for three quarters against Iowa. In the fourth quarter, though, they reverted to form. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Wisconsin.

84. Maryland (2-6)
BUZZ: The Terps' win over Clemson likely will go down as the ACC's biggest upset this season. NEXT: Saturday, at N.C. State.

85. Louisville (3-5)
BUZZ: The Cardinals hit the road this weekend and that's bad news; they're 0-4 on the road. NEXT: Saturday, at West Virginia.

86. UCF (5-3)
BUZZ: It's not often you see a wide receiver left wide open on a play at the goal line. That happened to the Knights, and they took advantage. NEXT: Saturday, at Texas.

87. Toledo (4-5)
BUZZ: The win over Colorado in September was something to remember. Unfortunately, so was Saturday's loss to Miami University. NEXT: Nov. 11, at Central Michigan.

88. Colorado State (3-6)
BUZZ: The Rams have lost six in a row. But all is not lost: The final three games are eminently winnable, and a bowl bid still could await. NEXT: Saturday, at UNLV.

89. Colorado (2-6)
BUZZ: This has been a brutally bad season for Dan Hawkins and the Buffs. Can anything be salvaged? NEXT: Saturday, vs. Texas A&M.

90. Louisiana-Lafayette (4-4)
BUZZ: The Ragin' Cajuns still have a legit shot at finishing in the upper half of the Sun Belt. NEXT: Saturday, at Arkansas State.

91. Buffalo (3-5)
BUZZ: The Bulls have won two of their past three, thanks to an offense that has found itself. NEXT: Tuesday, vs. Bowling Green.

92. Louisiana-Monroe (4-4)
BUZZ: The Warhawks might have a shot at a bowl bid if they can finish 7-5. NEXT: Saturday, at North Texas.

93. Arkansas State (2-5)
BUZZ: The Red Wolves have showed relatively well in non-conference play. Now they need to show some spark in the Sun Belt. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.

94. Illinois (2-6)
BUZZ: Illinois played well in pounding Michigan on Saturday, showing that a lack of talent isn't necessarily the main reason the Illini are 2-6. NEXT: Saturday, at Minnesota.

95. Wyoming (4-4)
BUZZ: The Cowboys have scored 20 points in their four losses. NEXT: Saturday, vs. BYU.

96. San Diego State (4-4)
BUZZ: The victory over New Mexico puts the Aztecs in a primo spot to earn a bowl bid. NEXT: Saturday, vs. TCU.

97. UAB (3-5)
BUZZ: As mediocre as the Blazers are, they still have a chance to finish 6-6 - and get a bowl bid. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Florida Atlantic.

98. UTEP (3-5)
BUZZ: The Miners define inconsistency. Wins over Houston and Tulsa, but losses to Memphis and UAB? Wow. NEXT: Saturday, at Tulane.

99. Baylor (3-5)
BUZZ: The punchless Bears have scored 34 total points in their past four games. Without Robert Griffin, this offense is anemic. NEXT: Saturday, at Missouri.

100. Army (3-5)
BUZZ: A win Saturday, and the Black Knights suddenly have a legit shot at becoming bowl eligible. NEXT: Saturday, at Air Force.

101. UNLV (3-6)
BUZZ: That ticking sound you hear? It's the clock winding down on Mike Sanford's coaching tenure in the desert. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Colorado State.

102. Vanderbilt (2-7)
BUZZ: The Commodores showed that they do have an offensive pulse. Unfortunately, the defense didn't show up against Georgia Tech. NEXT: Saturday, at Florida.

103. Florida Atlantic (2-5)
BUZZ: The Owls can gain some cachet for the Sun Belt if they can beat a Conference USA foe this weekend. NEXT: Saturday, at UAB.

104. Memphis (2-6)
BUZZ: Memphis had to replace its basketball coach after last season. Will school officials be looking for a football coach after this season? NEXT: Saturday, at Tennessee.

105. Washington State (1-7)
BUZZ: The Cougars are the worst Big Six team in the nation. NEXT: Saturday, at Arizona.

106. Florida International (2-6)
BUZZ: Any hope for an upper-division finish in the Sun Belt likely relies on a win this week. NEXT: Saturday, at Middle Tennessee.

107. Utah State (2-6)
BUZZ: The Aggies have lost 11 consecutive road games. At least this week's venue is a popular tourist spot. NEXT: Saturday, at Hawaii.

108. Louisiana Tech (3-5)
BUZZ: This week, it's a visit from unbeaten Boise State. Next week, it's a trip to LSU. NEXT: Friday, vs. Boise State.

109. Hawaii (2-6)
BUZZ: The Warriors started 2-0. Not much has gone right since. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Utah State.

110. New Mexico State (3-6)
BUZZ: The Aggies get this weekend off after being on the wrong end of three consecutive blowouts. NEXT: Nov. 14, at Hawaii.

111. North Texas (2-6)
BUZZ: The Mean Green snapped their six-game losing streak with a win over Western Kentucky. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Louisiana-Monroe.

112. Tulane (2-6)
BUZZ: The Green Wave's one FBS win came by one point, over Army. NEXT: Saturday, vs. UTEP.

113. Miami University (1-8)
BUZZ: The RedHawks emerged from the ranks of the winless with an upset of Toledo. NEXT: Thursday, at Temple.

114. Ball State (1-8)
BUZZ: The Cardinals' final three games are against teams that are better than them. NEXT: Nov. 12, at Northern Illinois.

115. Akron (1-7)
BUZZ: The Zips play perhaps their biggest rival this weekend, and they could put a big crimp in the Golden Flashes' MAC East title hopes. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Kent State.

116. San Jose State (1-6)
BUZZ: The Spartans have struggled, for sure. But they've also played the toughest schedule in the nation. NEXT: Sunday, vs. Nevada.

117. New Mexico (0-8)
BUZZ: This has not been a good season for the Lobos. Making it worse is that they still haven't played any of the Mountain West's "Big Three": BYU, Utah and TCU. NEXT: Saturday, at Utah.

118. Rice (0-8)
BUZZ: The Owls had one of the nation's best offenses last season. This season, the offense has been ? offensive. NEXT: Saturday, at SMU.

119. Eastern Michigan (0-8)
BUZZ: Three of the final four games are on the road, and a winless season beckons. NEXT: Thursday, at Northern Illinois.

120. Western Kentucky (0-8)
BUZZ: The Hilltoppers scored 49 points against North Texas, their season-high by 25. But they gave up 68, their season-high by five. NEXT: Saturday, vs. Troy.

Mike Huguenin is the college sports editor for Rivals.com. He can be reached at mhuguenin@rivals.com.