Danario Alexander, leading receiver for the Missouri Tigers in 2009, underwent surgery on his left knee Tuesday, according to a report from SI.com. Alexander will be unavailable for next week’s NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day, but he should be fully recovered by the time teams are ready for training camp.

Alexander injured his knee during practice for the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl. He had little pain during the week so he still played in the game. Following his performance, a MRI showed Alexander had a defect in the cartilage of the left knee. A team of specialists, including Dr. James Andrews, recommended surgery for Alexander.

During his senior season, Alexander caught 113 passes last season for 1,781 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was a projected 4th or 5th round pick by NFL Mocks. He becomes the second wide receiver this week to be ruled out of the combine. Georgia Tech’s Demaryius Thomas broke his foot yesterday.

Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was going through the three-cone drill when he suffered an unfortunate injury. Thomas broke his left foot while training in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to a SI.com report.

Per the report:

His agent, Todd France, told SI.com that it was a clean break and doctors expect a recovery time of four to six weeks. “There are no longterm effects from the injury and Demaryius will be 100 percent by the time OTA’s begin,” said France, who added that surgery is a possibility. “If surgery hastens the healing process, that is something we will consider.”

According to observers at Athletes Performance, where Thomas has been training, the 6-foot-3, 227-pound receiver had been turning in sensational workouts in preparation for the combine. He recently ran a verified 4.38 in the 40, which was recorded on film and will be sent to every team in the league, France told SI.com.

Thomas is currently the number two wide receiver in the NFL Mocks rankings and No. 23 overall on the Big Board.

Thomas possesses great size at 6′3, 229-pounds and is a very talented player. He was overlooked in college due to Georgia Tech’s option-based offense, but he had an excellent junior season. Thomas finished the year with 46 receptions, 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns — 25.1 yards per reception. Over his career, he had 120 receptions, 2,339 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The Georgia native was moving up draft boards and word of the 4.38 40-yard dash time should only help his draft stock. His broken foot could push him back to the early to mid second-round range.

A week after defeating an Oregon team ranked in the top 10, the Cardinal put a whooping on another top 10 team. This time, the victim was Southern Cal.

Stanford got off to an early 14-0 lead and had a 21-7 lead at halftime. Southern Cal made some big plays in the third quarter to cut the lead to just 28-21, but, Stanford dominated the final quarter, outscoring the Trojans 27-0 in route to a 55-21 victory.

Stanford has moved in the top 20 and is arguably the hottest team in the nation. Meanwhile, Southern Cal’s quest for an eighth straight 11-win season, BCS Bowl bid and top-four finish is all but over. USC is now 4-3 in conference play and is tied for fifth in the Pac-10. Stanford still has a chance at the Rose Bowl while the Trojans may be relegated to the Emerald Bowl.

The most points ever given up by a Pete Carroll-led USC team came three weeks ago when Oregon lit up the Trojans for 47 points. Then, Stanford scored 55 points at USC Saturday. In other words, this is the worst defense that Carroll has had at USC. By far.

On the flip side, Stanford had scored 106 points in their last two games.

Many feel the Cardinal have the most-balanced offense in the entire country and they showed why on Saturday.

Quarterback Andrew Luck, a redshirt Freshman, was 12-of-22 for 144 yards with 2 TDs and 0 interceptions. Toby Gerhart continued to show that he is an elite player by rushing for 178 yards on 29 carries and scoring three touchdowns.  Gerhart was understandably excited.

“To do that against a storied program, a perennial power, it’s the greatest feeling in the world. It was just will. The offensive line just moved people. We got after them and got downhill, and it was just a good offensive day.”

Stanford rushed for 325 yards and picked up 469 total yards, while holding the Trojans to just 334 total yards. Stanford was also extremely efficient when they needed to be, converting eight of their 11 third down attempts and converting on their only fourth down try.

Stanford has just two games remaining. They play host to California in their annual rivalry game and then head back home to host Notre Dame.

Stanford is currently in a three-way tie for second place in the Pac-10. Unfortunately for the Cardinal, they lost to the two teams they are tied with – Arizona and Oregon State.

The best bet for a Stanford BCS berth would be to have Arizona lose one of their final three games. That very well could happen because the Wildcats host Oregon and then travel to Arizona State and USC. Stanford would love for Arizona to upset Oregon and lose one of their final two games because Stanford also needs Oregon to lose at least one game. The Ducks are currently in first place in the Pac-10 at 6-1.

Oregon State plays Washington State and Oregon on the road in their final two games. Wazzou is maybe the worst of any team in a BCS Conference, so it is unlikely that Beavers will drop that game. That means the Cardinal will need Oregon to defeat their rivals and lose their game this week at Arizona.

To summarize, Arizona has to beat Oregon and then lose to either USC or Arizona State and Oregon has to defeat Oregon State to get Stanford to the Rose Bowl.  It’s a complicated scenario that seems unlikely, but it’s far from impossible.

Is TCU a National Title Contender?

In the highly anticipated MWC matchup between TCU and Utah, the Horned Frogs dominated from start to finish. TCU gained 549 total yards while holding the Utes to just 284 total yards and just 65 yards rushing. The Horned Frogs rushed for 342 yards.

The game seemed like it would be a good one early on but TCU turned a 7-7 tie into a 35-7 blowout in just over six minutes spanning from the end of the first quarter into the second quarter.

Junior Quarterback Andy Dalton is playing great football for the Frogs. He’s completing 63% of his passes (149-of-236), has 2,088 yards and 17 touchdowns with just 4 interceptions. He’s making great decisions and is avoiding mistakes. He’s also rushed for 389 yards and 2 TDs.

TCU’s running game has been outstanding. Dalton has 389 yards and is just the team’s fourth leading rusher. Joseph Turner (622 yards), Ed Wesley (598 yards) and Matthew Tucker (471) make up the three-headed monster at Running Back. The team has rushed for 2,521 yards, is averaging 5.3 yards per carry and has scored 30 touchdowns.

There is a very good argument for TCU.

TCU is the only team in the country to rank in top four in both total offense and total defense, ranking fourth in both categories.

That defense is led by Defensive End Jerry Hughes, who has 49 tackles and 10 sacks. The unit is also extremely well coached by Defensive Coordinator Dick Bumpas and Head Coach Gary Patterson.

TCU has won three key road games. They won at likely ACC Atlantic Division Champion Clemson, at Virginia, and blew out conference rival BYU at Provo.

The Horned Frogs have defeated three teams currently ranked in the top 25 (Clemson, BYU, & Utah). Alabama has defeated just two teams currently ranked in the top 25 (Virginia Tech, LSU) while Florida (LSU) and Texas (Oklahoma State) have defeated just one each.

TCU isn’t just beating these teams either – they are destroying them. Outside of a close, come from behind win in Death Valley against a very talented Clemson team and a scare at Air Force, TCU has won every game by at least 16 points and is winning by an average of 26.3 points per game.

Unfortunately the Frogs need a loss by Texas to make the title game and that doesn’t seem likely. The Horns host Kansas Saturday, play at rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving and then have 9 days to prepare for the Big 12 Championship against either Nebraska or Kansas State.  The Horns should be a heavy favorite in all three games.

TCU is one of the country’s elite team.

And they probably won’t get the chance to prove it.

FBS Notes

After disappointing losses to Southern Cal and Purdue, Ohio State is going back to the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes were in third place in the Big 10 just two weeks ago, but after wins against second-place Penn State and first-place Iowa, the Buckeyes clinched the Big 10 title. They conclude their season in the Big House against Michigan Saturday.

Duke’s performance has been one of the stories of the season. It looked like the story would get even better after they took a 10-0 lead against ACC Coastal leader Georgia Tech. Then, the Yellow Jackets scored the game’s last 49 points, winning 49-10. Tech has clinched a spot against either Clemson or Boston College in the ACC Championship and has a week off before finishing the season against rival Georgia on November 28. The Jackets have won 8 in a row and are the BCS’ top ranked one-loss team.

Props to Redshirt Freshman QB E.J. Manuel of Florida State. He stepped in for an injured Christian Ponder and led FSU to their first win against Wake Forest in four years. On the road. He was 15-of-20 (75%) for 220 yards with 1 TD passing and 1 interception. He also had 10 carries for 45 yards and a TD rushing. If Manuel can lead the ‘Noles to a home win against Maryland Saturday, FSU will be bowl-bound after a 2-4 start.

Miami Sophomore QB Jacory Harris has now thrown 16 interceptions after his 4 interception performance against North Carolina on Saturday. Harris looks great at times but his inconsistency has cost the Canes a shot at the ACC title. Then again, without him, it’s unlikely that they would have even been in the ACC race to begin with. The media was way too quick in anointing Harris, but he is still just a true sophomore.  There is plenty of room for improvement but there is also plenty of time for improvement.

LSU is not a top-10 team. LSU nearly lost to Louisiana Tech, coming from behind to win 24-16 last weekend. The Tigers have not had an impressive win all season. Sure, they kept it close with the nation’s top two teams, Florida and Alabama, but a loss is still a loss.  Their best win is also tainted in the eyes of some because of the excessive celebration penalty called on Georgia Wide Receiver A.J. Green after Georgia took a late lead.

Houston Quarterback Case Keenum probably lost his chance at the Heisman Trophy after Houston was upset by Central Florida. Keenum threw for “only” 377 yards and 3 TDs. I would also like to congratulate UCF on their first ever win over a top 25 team. Houston entered the game ranked 15^th.

If Charlie Weis wasn’t done after the loss to Navy, he is now. Notre Dame was defeated by Pittsburgh and Weis is now just 35-25 in five seasons at Notre Dame. He’s just 6-4 against what was considered a fairly weak schedule. And with games left against Connecticut and at red-hot Stanford, it may get even worse for Weis and the Irish.

Performance of the Week:

Toby Gerhart, Running Back, Stanford

Gerhart takes home the honor for the second straight week after rushing for 178 yards on 29 carries and scoring three touchdowns, leading Stanford to a 55-21 blowout win at Southern Cal.

The Heisman Race

We have a little bit of shake-up, but the top 2 remain the same.

1. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Last Week: 19 carries, 149 yards, 2 TDs
Season: 194 carries, 1,297 yards (6.7 yards per carry), 25 receptions, 225 yards, 3 TDs.

2. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Last Week: 23-of-34 for 181 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
Season: 254-of-351 (72.4%), 19 TDs, 9 INTs, 1 TD rushing

3. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
Last Week: 9 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD, 87-yard punt return TD
Season: 74 receptions, 1,172 yards, 11 TDs, 23 carries, 159 yards, 2 TDs, 1 punt return TD

4. Case Keenum, QB, Houston
Last Week: 33-of-56 for 377 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Season: 358-of-514 (69.7%), 4,194 yards, 31 TDs, 6 INTs, 3 TDs rushing

5. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
Last Week: 18 rushes, 97 yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD, 1-of-1, 17 yards, and a TD passing.
Season: 153 carries, 836 yards (5.5 ypc), 6 TDs, 24 receptions, 382 yards, 4 TDs, 1-of-2, 17 yards, 1 TD, 11 punt returns for 191 yards, 1 TD, 16 kickoff returns for 543 yards, 3 TDs, 1,952 all-purpose yards, 15 Total TDs.

Looking in:

Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas

My Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. TCU
5. Cincinnati
6. Boise State
7. Georgia Tech
8. Pittsburgh
9. Ohio State
10. Oregon
11. LSU
12. Iowa
13. Penn State
14. Oklahoma State
15. Wisconsin
16. Virginia Tech
17. Stanford
18. Clemson
19. Utah
20. Brigham Young
21. North Carolina
22. Houston
23. Rutgers
24. Oregon State
25. Miami (FL)

Game of the Week

#9 Ohio State @ Michigan

12:00 pm, EST, ABC

The Line: OSU – 12

Michigan came out of the gate strong, starting 4-0. The Buckeyes started the year a disappointing 5-2. Both teams have since gone in difference directions. Michigan is just 1-6 since their 4-0 start and the Buckeyes have won four straight claims and clinch the Big 10 title. Michigan has to win this game in order to become bowl eligible. If they don’t, Rich Rodriguez’s club will be home for the holidays for the second straight season – that won’t make the big wigs and boosters at Michigan happy.

Sure, the game is in the Big House, but I don’t think that matters. The Buckeyes have a better team, plain and simple.

Michigan’s defense is awful. They give up over 400 yards per game and 5.73 yards per play, ranking 89^th in the country.

Ohio State’s defense is one of the nation’s elite. It is an extremely well coached unit and is fifth in the country in total defense. The Buckeyes give up just over 258 yards per game and only 4.08 yards per play.

Michigan’s offense is improved but they still rank just 56^th in the nation. The Wolvers average less yards than they give up at 391.36. They average 5.74 yards per play. They have struggled against good defenses and Ohio State’s defense will easily be the best the Wolverines have seen.

Terrelle Pryor is playing much better as of late so I like the Buckeyes to come away with a comfortable win.

Keep an Eye On…

#11 LSU @ Ole Miss – 3

Ole Miss has been disappointing this season, losing three games after being projected as a top-10 team, but the Rebels have won 4 out of 5 after a 3-2 start and played their most complete game of the season last week against Tennessee. The Rebels dominated the Vols, 42-17. Running Back Dexter McCluster was incredible, rushing for 282 yards on 25 carries with 4 TDs against a Tennessee defense that has been very stout this season.

Both defenses are stout. LSU gives up just under 312 yards per game while the Rebels give up 313 yards per game. Both units are extremely talented and it will likely come down to which offense can make more plays.

LSU’s offense is awful. The Tigers rank 107^th in the country in total offense. They average just 310 yards per game. Ole Miss’ offense has had a lot of trouble with turnovers and inconsistent play from QB Jevon Snead, but they have been a much better unit then the Tigers. They rank 41^st in the nation, gaining 405 yards per game and 5.96 yards per play.

California @ #17 Stanford – 7

If you haven’t seen the balance of their Stanford offense led by Quarterback Andrew Luck and Running Back Toby Gerhart, do yourself a favor and check it out.

We should see some points in the “Big game.” Both defenses have had several lapses but both offenses are capable of scoring points.

It looks like Stanford should come away with the victory, but this is a rivalry game and Cal is a very talented team.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and a contributor at NFL Mocks Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)

Oregon had high hopes at the start of the season and it all started with a revenge game at Boise State to start the season. Before the game even got started, LaGarrette Blount told the media that they “owed Boise a beating.” By the end of the game, the only beating Blount gave was the punch he threw at Byron Hout.

The Broncos did the beating, holding the Ducks to 151 total yards and just six first downs in route to a 19-8 victory.

Things didn’t get a lot better the following week. Oregon’s offense woke up and scored 38 points, but they allowed Purdue, who currently sits at 3-6, to score 36 points. The Boilermakers caught what would have been the game-tying two-point conversion with 1:01 left, but Kyle Adams was out-of-bounds.

The next week, Oregon defeated 18^th ranked Utah 31-24 and never looked back. Their defense has played much better as has Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. The Ducks have dominated every opponent they have face since then, starting with a 42-3 blowout win over previously unbeaten California a week after the Utah win.

But no win was larger than the Ducks 47-20 destruction of Southern Cal. The Ducks held the powerful Trojans to just 327 yards and absolutely lit up the USC defense, scoring 47 points and racking up 622 yards, including an astounding 391 yards rushing.

There are four main reasons for Oregon’s improved play.

• - Chip Kelly’s coaching job

He kept his team afloat after an extremely disappointing early-season loss and an incredible amount of negative publicity for his school and what was thought to be his team’s best player (Blount). He rallied has troops and has Oregon playing as well (maybe even better) as any team in the country. The opening week loss and subsequent punch are now things of the past.

• - The emergence of LaMichael James

The freshman out of Texarkana, Texas has been an absolute beast. After getting just 11 carries in his first two games, James has rushed for over 100 yards in every game but one. That one game was a 52-6 victory over Washington State in which things got out of hand pretty quickly. James wound up with just 13 carries, but still managed 81 yards and 2 TDs. James saved his best performance for Oregon’s biggest game – he went for 183 yards and a TD on 24 carries Saturday night against the Trojans. He now has 918 yards and 7 TDs on just 131 carries (7.0 ypc). James’ most impressive game may have come in a 24-10 victory over UCLA. Backup QB Nate Costa had to make his first career start because of Jeremiah Masoli’s injury and he passed for just 82 yards. UCLA knew James had to run, but that didn’t stop him – he had 152 yards on 20 carries.

• - Oregon’s defensive improvements

After holding Boise State to a season-low 19 points and 361 total yards in a loss, the Ducks were shredded by a pretty bad Purdue team for 36 points and 451 total yards. They followed that up by holding Utah to just 297 total yards and have played well in every game following the Utah game. In fact, the 20 points that USC scored on Oregon were the most points the Ducks have allowed since Utah scored 24 against them back in week 3.

• - Jeremiah Masoli has become a very good Quarterback

After struggling in his first three games (29-of-64(45%), 0 TDs, 2 INTS), Masoli has really turned his game around. He has played in four games since then (he missed the UCLA game because of an injury) and has put up incredible numbers. He is 68-of-96 (71%) for 748 yards, 6 TDs and zero INTs. He has also rushed for 291 yards and 4 TDs during that stretch. Masoli was 19-of-31 for 222 yards and a touchdown and added 164 yards and a TD on the ground in the blowout win over the Trojans. Masoli is making better decisions and the Ducks’ offense is playing at a very high level because of it. He has now accounted for 14 total TDs and has just 2 interceptions.

The Ducks probably don’t have a chance at a National Championship because of their opening game loss, but they do control their own destiny in the Pac-10. They have road dates with two ranked teams – Stanford and Arizona and have home games against Arizona State and rival Oregon State in the annual “Civil War.”

Only One-Half for Brandon Spikes?

I like the fact that Spikes has come out and apologized and I can’t really fault Tim Tebow for trying to defend him, but this warranted at least a full game suspension. Spikes blatantly tried to gouge the eyes of Georgia Running Back Washaun Ealey on Saturday and his classless act deserved worse than a half-game suspension. There is no place for that in college football and Spikes should have been made an example of. It seems like Meyer will stop at nothing to win another championship and if he wasn’t going to give Spikes the punishment he deserved, than the SEC should have stepped up and done it themselves.

I do like one thing Meyer did – he took action immediately- even if the punishment doesn’t match the crime.

Long time FSU Defensive Mickey Andrews Announces his retirement

Mickey Andrews is one of the best Defensive Coordinators of all time and he transformed Florida State into the national power that they become during the ‘90s. It’s unfortunate that such a loyal man and great coach is going out like this – Florida State is fielding easily their worst defense since Andrews has been there. Click here to see a very good article about Andrews’ career and just what he really meant to Florida State.

Performance of the Week

Jeremiah Masoli, Quarterback, Oregon

The Junior Quarterback went 19-of-31 for 222 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He also rushed for 164 yards on just 13 carries and added another TD on the ground while orchestrating a blowout win over Southern Cal, 47-20.

The Heisman Race

Mark Ingram didn’t play but I’m not sure anyone did anything to merit leaping him.

1. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
   Last week: 18 attempts, 99 yards
   Season: 153 attempts, 1,004 yards, 8 TDs, 19 receptions, 186 yards, 3 TDs
2. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
   Last week: 22-of-27 for 268 yards and 2 TDs
   Season: 172-of-257 (66.9%), 2318 yards, 18 TDs, 2 INTs, 1 TD rushing
3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
   Last week: 16-of-21 for 171 yards and 1 TD
   Season: 198-of-275 (72%), 1977 yards, 15 TDs, 8 INTs, 1 rushing TD
4. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
   Last week: 15-of-21 for 164 yards and 2 TDs, 18 carries, 85 yards, 2 TDs
   Season: 99-of-153 (64.7%), 1323 yards, 10 TDs, 4 INTs, 139 carries, 551 yards (4 ypc), 8 TDs
5. Case Keenum, QB, Houston
   Last week: 44-of-54 for 559 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT
   Season: 285-of298 (71.6%), 3293 yards, 25 TDs, 5 INTs, 3 rushing TDs

My top 25

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Cincinnati
5. Iowa
6. TCU
7. Boise State
8. Oregon
9. Georgia Tech
10. LSU
11. Penn State
12. Pittsburgh
13. Utah
14. Houston
15. USC
16. Ohio State
17. Miami
18. Oklahoma State
19. Notre Dame
20. Arizona
21. Wisconsin
22. Virginia Tech
23. Oklahoma
24. South Florida
25. Clemson

Game of the Week:
#10 LSU @ #1 Alabama
3:30 pm EST, CBS
The Line: Alabama -10

It’s time for Saban Bowl III and if this installment is anything like the first two, we’re in luck.

In their first matchup, LSU pulled out a 41-34 victory after trailing 27-24 entering the fourth quarter. LSU scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes after a key Alabama fumbled.

Last season, it was LSU that pulled the near upset after tying the game with 6:12 left. Alabama’s field goal on the final play of the regulation was blocked and the game went to overtime. LSU QB Jarrett Lee was picked off in overtime and Alabama went on to win the game 27-21.

LSU, who is ranked 9th in the BCS could get themselves back into the BCS Title picture with a win over Alabama, setting up a potential rematch with Florida.

Both Quarterbacks have struggled to put points on the board for their offenses. In fact, Tennessee held Alabama without a touchdown while Florida kept LSU out of the end zone.

I think that both squads have excellent defenses that are capable of shutting down any opponent and although I do like the Tide’s defense better, I think it is their offense that is going to be the difference in this game.

And I like Alabama’s offense better for a couple of reasons. The number one reason is the balance that the Tide brings on offense. Alabama actually averages more yards per game on the ground (218 yards per game) then they do through the air (192 yards per game). LSU on the other hand, has had a lot of trouble running the ball, averaging 141.5 yards per game on the ground.

One of the best indicators of an offense is yards per play, so let’s look at that. The Tigers average 5.34 yards per play while the Tide’s offense averages just over 6 yards per play, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

LSU averages just 3.95 yards per rush, while Alabama averages 5.3. I think that it will be much easier for Alabama to shut down LSU’s running game than vice versa, forcing LSU throw the ball earlier in the game, giving Alabama the opportunity to force LSU QB Jordan Jefferson into mistakes.

I really like the way Alabama dominates the clock. They have the ball or over 32 minutes per game while LSU doesn’t have much of an edge in T.O.P. at all. Alabama’s running game and ability to sustain drives is going to be the difference in this game. The Tide should be able to control the clock and wear down the LSU defense in the fourth quarter.

Games to Watch

#16 Ohio State @ #11 Penn State – 4
3:30 pm EST, ABC Regional

Ohio State pitched another shutout last week when they beat New Mexico State 45-0. Penn State struggled early on and actually trailed Northwestern 13-10 before dominating the second half in route to a 34-13 win. I really like the Buckeyes’ defense. It is very good. The held NMSU to just 62 total yards and are one of the best coached units in the country year in and year out. The Buckeyes give up just 260 yards per game, good for sixth in the entire nation. The Buckeyes give up about 4 yards per play.

My problem with the Buckeyes is their offense. They average just less than 5.78 yards per play. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been awful. He is completing just 54.6% of his passes and has thrown 9 interceptions.

Penn State’s defense gives up just 254 yards per game, good for fifth in the nation. Penn State’s defense gives up slightly over 4 yards per play so the defenses are pretty much even.

However, Penn State’s offense is much more explosive, averaging almost 6.5 yards per play. The Nittany Lions have also had much more consistent Quarterback play from Senior Daryll Clark. Clark has 18 TD passes and 7 interceptions, but 3 of them game in one really bad game – Penn State’s 21-10 loss against Iowa. Penn State also has a feature back – Evan Royster. Royster has rushed for 859 yards. Ohio State lacks a feature back and Pryor is the team’s leading rusher with 554 yards.

I think that Ohio State’s defense will be the best Daryll Clark has seen but Penn State is too explosive and Ohio State has too many offensive deficiencies.

#8 Oregon @ Stanford +5.5
3:30 pm EST

Oregon is riding high after one of the biggest wins in the history of their program and now they have go on the road to take on a team that’s undefeated at home, has a consistent running game and a smart Quarterback – that’s an excellent recipe or an upset.

I really like what Chip Kelly is doing with the Ducks and I think he’s going to have his team ready to go.

#23 Oklahoma @ Nebraska +6
8:00 pm EST, ABC Regional

Nebraska was really starting to make me a believer. They were 4-1, fresh off a win at Missouri, with their only loss coming in the final seconds at Lane Stadium against Virginia Tech. Then, they lost two straight home games. They were blown out by Texas Tech 31-10 and then beaten by Iowa State 9-7. Another conference loss would probably end any chance at a Big 12 title game appearance.

Nebraska has had a lot of trouble and despite Oklahoma’s defensive performance against Kansas State (KSU had 364 yards and 30 points), I don’t expect the Huskers to have much success against the Sooner defense. Landry Jones seems like he is getting very comfortable in the offense, so I like the Sooners to cover.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and a contributor at NFL Mocks Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)

Three of the top six went down this weekend with each losing to an unranked team. 4th ranked Ole Miss was defeated by South Carolina, 5th ranked Penn State was beaten by Iowa for the seventh time in six games and 6th ranked California was destroyed by Oregon 42-3.

While many were very surprised by these outcomes, I don’t think any of these upsets should have shocked anyone. Ole Miss was overhyped from the get-go. They had a pretty good team last season, but still lost four games, but they did win two huge games in 2008. They were the only team to defeat Florida (and did it in Gainesville) and also defeated a former #1 – Texas Tech, in the Cotton Bowl. After the season, Ole Miss lost their two best players in the first round of the NFL Draft – DT Peria Jerry (24th overall to Atlanta) and OT Michael Oher (23rd overall to Baltimore). You can’t lose your best player on both your offensive and defense line and expect there not to be a drop-off. Add Greg Hardy, Ole Miss’ star defensive end, who has been banged up since Ole Miss’ week one win over Memphis and you’ve got yourself some trouble.

In fact, I, along with many others, picked South Carolina to win the game. The Gamecocks defeated a pretty good NC State team in Raleigh and suffered their only loss in the closing seconds against Georgia. The Gamecocks had a chance to win the game but a 4th down pass inside the Georgia 10-yard line fell incomplete.

Penn State’s loss is a little more surprising to me, but it probably should not have been. Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have now beaten Penn State seven of the last eight times they have played them. Penn State has posted very good records since 2005, but they don’t have a whole lot of impressive victories. They were blown out in the Rose Bowl by USC last season after finishing the regular season 11-1 and winning the Big 10 Championship. I’m not sure that Penn State has the talent to be an actual National Championship contender. I don’t think they have the athletes at all positions to run with teams like Florida, Texas and Southern Cal and they have proven that over the last few seasons. Although they are having much more success than Florida State, I think Penn State is in a similar situation – both teams are being held back from reaching the truly elite level by their Hall-Of-Fame Head Coaches – the reason those teams became elite programs in the first place.

California’s blowout loss to Oregon came out of nowhere. Just last week, I said that I would cast my Heisman vote for Jahvid Best and although I did say that I didn’t trust California as a team outside of Best, there’s no way I expected Oregon, with a struggling Quarterback, to blow to Bears out of the water. Coming into the contest against Cal, Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli was just 29-64 with 379 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs, including a 4-16 performance in a win over Utah a week ago. Against Cal, Masoli was 21-25 for 253 yards with 3 TDs and 0 INTs.

I’m not totally surprised that the Ducks won, especially since the game was played in Autzen Stadium, but the score is just unbelievable. Jahvid Best had just 55 yards on 16 carries, essentially taking him out of the Heisman Race.

So What Does This Say About Boise State?

Oregon has defeated Purdue and two former unbeaten, ranked teams- Utah and California. The Ducks have bounced back from the season-opening loss and the loss of their star Running Back. They have looked very good lately and worked their way back into the top 25, so what does all of this say about Boise State?

The Broncos dominated the Ducks in a week one win. They defeated Oregon 19-8 and held the Ducks to just 152 yards compared to the 524 yards that Oregon gained on California.

Last week, Boise State played an overmatched Bowling Green team and absolutely dominated, winning 49-14. Games like this tell us nothing, which is why you have to admire teams like BYU and TCU who are in a situation that is very similar to Boise State’s, but schedule much tougher competition. BYU has already played Oklahoma and Florida State, while TCU just went into South Carolina and came out with a win over Clemson.

There really isn’t anything standing in between Boise and an undefeated season and there hasn’t been since their week one win. Because of the schedule the Broncos play, we will never really know how good they are until the season ends, which is unfortunate for college football fans across the country. It’s also unfortunate for the Broncos because it gives them to chance to make a BCS National Championship game.

Florida State and Miami Back? Guess Not.

After a classic week one matchup between the ‘Canes and the ‘Noles, which was decided on a last second dropped pass by FSU giving Miami a one-point win, it looked like both teams may be “back.” I was skeptical after a week and FSU gave me even more reason to be skeptical after they had to score with less than a minute left to avoid losing at home to Jacksonville State.

Then, a week later, Miami dominated Georgia Tech 33-17 and Florida State absolutely destroyed 7th ranked BYU, rolling up over 500 yards of offense in a 54-28 win. Things were once again looking pretty in the sunshine state, but it didn’t last.

Florida State had one of their worst performances in years Saturday as they were defeated by the South Florida Bulls 17-7 in Tallahassee. Miami proved that they aren’t quite ready to be back on the national radar and that their fast climb in the rankings was a bit premature.

Both teams had their QBs struggle somewhat after both had looked like All Americans through the first three games. FSU QB Christian Ponder wasn’t too bad, going 25-37 for 269 yards, but he had a costly fumble that set up a USF FG that essentially ended the game. Ponder is completing 66.2% of his passes, had 4 TDs and just one INT so I still think a QB is one thing that the FSU coaching staff has finally found.

Jacory Harris looked nearly invincible in his first two starts, but then he ran into a very good defense that was the first team able to get pressure on the sophomore signal-caller. The Hokies held him to just nine completions on 25 attempts. He had an interception and a fumble. There will still be some growing pains because Harris is very young, but Miami has also found their QB.

Miami’s defense has been shaky, giving up 34, 17, and 31 points, but it is obvious that the team is on the right track.

Florida State, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about. There are a lot of problems with the Seminoles.They need a fresh start and that all starts with letting their Offensive Coordinator and Head Coach in Waiting actually become the Head Coach. Bobby Bowden is a legend. He built a terrible team into a program that had the most impressive 14 year run in the history of college football and as much as I respect Coach Bowden; it’s time for him to let it go. The ‘Noles need a young, charismatic Head Coach like Jimbo Fisher.

Even if Bowden doesn’t leave after the season, it is likely that Defensive Coordinator Mickey Andrews will, which is probably a good thing for FSU. Andrews and the whole defensive staff need an overhaul. FSU hasn’t had a typical dominating defense in quite some time and currently ranked 115th against the pass. They have no pass rush and their secondary has been awful. At times, their defense looks lost. If Fisher soon becomes the Head coach and is able to put together his own staff, the ‘Noles can potentially get back to where they want to be. Fisher has not proven himself to be the right man for the job yet, but he has showed some positive signs. No one will really know what Fisher can do until he has complete control of the team and is able to make his own decisions about his own coaching staff.

And if that’s not the case, there’s always Brian Kelly…

Performance of the Week

Jeremiah Masoli, QB, Oregon After being criticized for his disastrous start to the season, the Junior Quarterback silenced his critics. Masoli threw just four incompletions, going 21-25 for 253 with three touchdowns on Saturday. Oregon destroyed 6th ranked Cal 42-3 and Masoli was largely responsible.

“On offense the sky’s the limit for us,” Masoli said with confidence. “We’re the only ones who can hurt us. These last couple of weeks we’ve been in a funk, but today we moved past that.”

The Heisman Favorite

Last week, I hopped on the Jahvid Best bandwagon but after his 16-carry, 55-yard performance in a 42-3 loss to Oregon, Best has pretty much lost any hope to take home the hardware. It looks like the two frontrunners remain the same – the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, Florida QB Tim Tebow and Texas QB, Colt McCoy.

Tebow may have had the flu but he looked like his normal self against Kentucky after a less than average performance against Tennessee. He was 5-10 for just 44 yards and a TD but had 16 carries for 123 yards and 2 TDs before he left the game late in the third quarter after suffering a concussion with a 31-7 lead. Tebow continues to put up pedestrian passing numbers but he continues to run well, rarely turns the ball over and keeps leading his team to victory.

The big question about Tebow this week is why he was in the game in the third quarter with a 24-point lead. A case could be made that the Florida Coach Urban Meyer should have had Tebow out because he was sick. Under normal circumstances, there’s no Head Coach in the country that would have their starting QB out with a 24 point lead in only the third quarter. Hits are put of football and with how often Tebow runs the ball and takes hit, this was bound to happen. It seems like he is fine and will be good to go in the highly anticipated showdown with LSU on October 10.

Colt McCoy has been pretty good as well but could be playing much better. McCoy was 28-35 for 286 yards with 3 TDs in a 64-7 win over Utep on Saturday. He is now 103-145 with 1,145 yards and 9 TDs. He also has rushed for a TD. These are Heisman-like numbers on a top team, but his interception numbers are worrying me. He has thrown at least one interception in each game this season and has five total for the season. Although Tebow is just 44-68 for 643 yards and 6 TDs, his rushing (271 yards, 5 TDs) and his ability to make good decisions (just one interception on an incredible catch by Eric Berry) keeps him atop the list for now. McCoy will have plenty of chances to move back ahead of Tebow and I won’t be surprised if he does.

Last week, I mentioned Jacory Harris as a potential dark horse, but he played himself right out of that (see above).

Houston QB Case Keenum may no longer be a dark horse contender because he has now lead his team to wins over two Big 12 teams – Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Keenum is 93-134 for 1,160 yards with 8 TDs and 2 INTs. He also has three rushing TDs, giving him more total yards then either Tebow or McCoy and more total TDs then both. He has also thrown just two interceptions and his last touchdown Saturday was a four yard run with :49 left and his team trailing by five.

Cincinnati QB Tony Pike is 93-132 for 1223 yards and 11 TDs with just two interceptions. He also has two rushing TDs . He had lead his team to road wins at Big East rival Rutgers and at Oregon State.

Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen played his worst game of the season against Purdue Saturday. He threw his first interception in that game and threw for just 171 yards after passing for 300 or more yards in each of his first three games, but Clausen still hit Kyle Rudolph for the game winning TD with :25 leading Notre Dame to their second straight come from behind win. Clausen is 77-117 with1,122 yards with 10 TDs and one interception.

My Top 15

The more I see out of teams, the more teams I will rank, eventually giving an entire Top 25.

1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. LSU
5. Boise State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Cincinnati
8. Houston
9. Oklahoma
10. USC
11. Ohio State
12. TCU
13. Iowa
14. Oregon
15. Oklahoma State

Game of the Week

LSU @ Georgia

The Line: Georgia -3

In week one, the Dogs looked like they were going to have a lot of trouble on offense after 24-10 loss to Oklahoma State in Stillwater but since then the Dogs have lit up the scoreboard. They scored 41 points against a South Carolina defense that held QB Russell Wilson and NC State to just three points Jevon Snead and Ole Miss to just 10 points. They also scored 52 points at Arkansas before struggling to win 20-17 at home against Arizona State. The Dogs held the Sun Devils to just 204 yards and had 334 yards themselves but had they had three turnovers, including two Joe Cox interceptions that kept the Sun Devils in the game. Luckily for the Dogs, they bounced back and got themselves in position to win the game on a last second field goal. If they make those kind of mistakes against the Tigers, they won’t be so lucky.

LSU also struggled last weekend. Mississippi State had first and goal at the 2 with less than two minutes to play and LSU stopped the Bulldogs all four times, leaving Starkville with a 30-26 victory. LSU didn’t look good at all. The Bulldogs had over 100 more total yards than the Tigers, but committed four turnovers while LSU did not turn the ball over. The Tigers managed just 30 yards rushing – that’s not going to cut it.

If this game becomes another shootout, I think it will favor the Dogs considering they have already beat two pretty good teams in that style of a game. However, I think LSU got a wake-up call last week and will not allow that to happen.

I like LSU in this game. I don’t think that they will be looking ahead to the Florida game and I think their defense is going to force Joe Cox and the Georgia offense into mistakes because of LSU’s ability to shut down the Georgia running game. LSU’s talented WRs should be able to take advantage of these mistakes. Plus, the Tigers have already gone into one hostile environment (Washington) and come out with a victory.

Upset Alert

I was going to take Michigan State over Michigan but then I saw that the Spartans are actually a two-point favorite.

I’m going to put Georgia Tech on upset alert. The Jackets must travel to Starkville to take on Mississippi State. I’m not going to pick the Bulldogs to win the game but their near upset of LSU should give them some confidence against a Tech team that may be looking ahead to their next two games – a game in Tallahassee with the Seminoles and matchup at home against Virginia Tech in two weeks that could put Georgia Tech right back in the mix for an ACC title.

Other Potential Upsets:

UCLA @ Stanford – 5.5

Stanford is coming off a huge win over Washington, but the Bruins have played well. They are 3-0 and have two non-conference BCS wins (@Tennessee, Kansas State).

NC State @ Wake Forest – 2.5 I expect this one to happen. NC State has the more talented team.

USC – 5 @ Cal

Cal is coming off a terrible performance against Oregon by any team going on the road with a freshman Quarterback and a lot of inexperience has the potential to struggle.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger. Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)

Heavily Favored Trojans Go Down (Again)

Once again USC lost to an overmatched conference foe. This time, the Washington Huskies took down the Trojans. Don’t get me wrong, Washington is a very improved team. They played the 7th ranked LSU Tigers very tough. Steve Sarkisian is going to put this former power program back on the map, but they aren’t there yet making this a game that USC should not have lost. Then again, neither was Oregon State in ’08, neither was Stanford in ’07, and neither was UCLA in 2006, but the Trojans still managed to lose each game. Had they won any of these games, they would have played for the National Championship. If we are going to get on Jim Tressel for losing big games, shouldn’t we get on Pete Carroll for losing one of these games every year? Carroll is a great coach and a great recruiter, but shouldn’t we put some of the blame on him? His team should be able to get up before every game and even if they don’t, they should be able to recover in time to win these games against such lesser teams. This can’t all be on the players. This is more of a coaching issue.

Sure, we can blame the loss on Matt Barkley being hurt and Aaron Corp making his first career start and sure we can blame it on Steve Sarkisian, USC’s former Offensive Coordinator and the coaches that he took with him to Washington from USC but those are just more excuses for a football program that shouldn’t need to make up excuses. The athletes that USC recruits are just too talented to lose games like this. Southern Cal needs to start winning these games and if they don’t, Pete Carroll will never claim his second BCS championship.

Moral Victory?

After Lane Kiffin and his Tennessee Volunteers lost to the Florida Gators for the fifth straight season, many experts are calling it a moral victory for Kiffin’s squad because the top ranked Gators only beat the Vols 23-13. What? Is that what the once-proud Tennessee program has come to? Celebrating losses? When should a loss to one of your top rivals ever be considered a moral victory?

I do agree that Tennessee’s defense played very well, but they played very well in 2008 against the Gators in a 30-6 loss as well. This is why I don’t understand why the way Tennessee played defense is suddenly a blueprint on how take down the Gators. Actually, Tennessee’s defense only allowed 243 total yards in 2008 and allowed 323 yards this year. In fact, Tebow had a lower completion percentage, less yards rushing and less yards passing in their 2008 meeting. Had Tebow not uncharacteristically fumbled in the fourth quarter while Florida had a 23-6 lead, it’s likely the end result would have been the same 30-6 score.

Can Florida Be Beaten?

Monte Kiffin is an incredible defensive mind, but I’m not sure that his scheme is what made the Vols play so well on defense. Instead I believe it was players like LB Rico McCoy, All-American Safety Eric Berry and a pretty good Tennessee pass rush.

Do I agree that Florida could have some problems? Yes. I think they can potentially be run on up the middle if a team has a really dominating offensive line and you can use a ball-control offense to keep the ball out of Tebow’s hands. This running game could open up the play-action pass, but Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton and his WRs were not good enough to take advantage of this situation. Then again, with Florida’s talent in the back 7 and their pass rush, I’m not sure a team even could take advantage of this anyway. Sam Bradford and Oklahoma’s high scoring offense didn’t seem to be able to, scoring just 14 points in last season’s BCS Championship game. With Brandon Spikes in the middle, he could make up for an opposing team that  is strong up the middle in their line and has a good running game. And like the rest of the team, they are still very capable players in the middle of Florida’s defensive line. Still, there is hope for the rest of nation – no team is unbeatable, but Florida is and should be the odds on favorite to win it all right now. Florida does need to find a playmaker at WR to replace Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy. They thought they had one in Freshman Andre Debose, but he is out for the season with a hamstring injury. There is talent there, but no one really stepped up on Saturday.

Is the U “Back?”

Most experts and pundits have already answered this question with a resounding yes. I nearly put them in my top 5. Yes, they were a dropped pass away from losing their opening game to rival Florida State but came away with a 38-34 victory on the road. Miami’s defense had as much trouble stopping Christian Ponder and FSU as they had stopping Miami, but FSU’s blowout win over BYU helps Miami’s raise Miami’s stock quite a bit. After Florida State dropped 54 points in Provo against the Cougars, Miami’s defense doesn’t look so bad.

The ‘Canes then took on a team in Georgia Tech that scored 41 points and gained an astounding 421 yards rushing and took a 41-10 lead into the fourth quarter last season. Last Thursday was very different. After a nice 13 play, 45 yard drive to open the game that netted a field goal, Georgia Tech couldn’t get much going. Miami answered with a quick four play, 75 yard drive that ended in a Jacory Harris touchdown pass and the ‘Canes never looked back. Miami held the Jackets to just 94 yards rushing. Last year’s ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Jonathan Dwyer had just seven yards on five carries.

Jacory Harris has been the story for the ‘Canes. So far he’s completing 69.5% of his passes, is passing for 328 yards per game, has thrown 5 TDs and has 2 interceptions, but the ‘Cane’s defense is what will make or break the season. If they can keep playing the way they played Thursday night, they will be hard to beat. Saturday will be their offense’s toughest test as they face the Virginia Tech Hokies in Lane Stadium.

So Much for the MWC and the BCS

The Mountain West Conference has tried to get an automatic bid into the BCS, but has been unsuccessful in their bid thus far. Maybe now we know why.

The MWC has had one team (Utah) win two BCS bowl games. The ’04 Utes lead by Alex Smith went undefeated and destroyed Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. Last year’s Utes were even more impressive. They finished their season with a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama 31-17. The Utes beat an Alabama team that finished the 2008 regular season unbeaten.

The 2009 Utes had their 16 game winning streak snapped by the Oregon Ducks on Saturday, losing 31-24 in Autzen Stadium. Utah cut a 21-7 deficit to 28-24 but the Utes could not get any closer. Utah gave up 217 yards rushing to an Oregon team that is without starting RB LeGarrette Blount for the remainder of the season. Oregon isn’t exactly a powerhouse team either. They opened the season by being dominated by Boise State. Then they barely survived a game against a bad Purdue team last week. Utah fell out of the top 25 after previously being ranked 18th.

It was even worse for the 7th ranked BYU Cougars. After upsetting Oklahoma 14-13 and then dismantling Tulane 54-3, national title talk emerged in Provo. That talk quickly went away after the Cougars were blown out at home by Florida State. Christian Ponder and company scored early and often in route to a 54-28 victory over BYU in Provo. The Cougars gave up 512 total yards, including 313 yards rushing. The Seminole defense all forced five turnovers, including three Max Hall interceptions. So, not only did BYU’s BCS hopes come crashing down but so did Max Hall’s Heisman hopes. He now has as many touchdowns as he does interceptions (Six). The Seminoles on the other hand, made people forget about their terrible performance against Jacksonville State (a 19-9 win in which they trailed with a minute left), put themselves back into the top 25 and back onto the national radar. Who wouldn’t love to see Miami-FSU part 2 in Tampa for the ACC Championship?

TCU is still unbeaten but probably doesn’t have the schedule to get into the BCS. TCU must travel to BYU and host Utah in conference. TCU handled one of the two worst teams in the ACC, Virginia, but face their stiffest test this Saturday in Memorial Stadium against the Clemson Tigers. Clemson is a three-point favorite.

Why Give Love to Notre Dame?

Call me unimpressed. Jimmy Clausen has been very good but his team has not. After being unable to stop Michigan’s True Freshman QB Tate Forcier virtually all game in a 38-34 loss in the big house, Notre Dame allowed 30 points against the Michigan State Spartans. They would be just 1-2 if Larry Caper would have been able to haul in a pass from MSU QB Kirk Cousins. At worst, MSU would have tied the game if not for Cousins’ ill-advised pass on 2nd and 10 at the Irish 18 yard line that was picked off by Kyle McCarthy. Remember, this was a Michigan State team fresh off of a loss at home against Central Michigan.

Now, Notre Dame’s top big-play Wide Receiver this season, Michael Floyd is out for the season after breaking his collar bone on a near touchdown. Floyd had just 13 receptions in the first three games, but those 13 receptions went for 358 yards and five TDs. Golden Tate is a very good WR, but now another target outside of TE Kyle Rudolph must step up. Notre Dame’s defense needs to improve a lot after giving up a combined 68 points to Michigan and Michigan State.

Charlie Weis may have saved his job for another week, but I’m not sure how long he can keep this up, because Notre Dame’s easy schedule suddenly doesn’t seem as easy. Michigan was supposed to be a win for the Irish. After playing at Purdue, the Irish must deal with Washington, which was probably checked off as a win before the Huskies upset USC. They also must play USC and Boston college, a team they have lost six straight times to, at home. They have road trips to Pittsburgh and an improved Stanford team. Sure, there schedule isn’t overly difficult but with the way their defense is playing, there is still potential for what would be an extremely disappointing 8-4 season.

Performance of the Week

Greg Paulus, QB, Syracuse

The former Duke Point Guard playing in just his third career college football game had two turnovers, but made up for it by going 24-35 for 346 yards with two TDs. Paulus also rushed for a TD in a 37-34 upset win over Northwestern. After taking a 27-21 lead, the Orange feel behind 34-27. Paulus lead his team on a six play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 13 yard TD pass from Paulus to Mike Williams (who was also outstanding, catching 11 balls for 209 and two TDs). After Syracuse intercepted a pass, Paulus started his final drive on the Northwestern 39. He completed two more passes to set up the game winning field goal, a 41 yarder by Ryan Lichtenstein as time expired giving Paulus and the Orange their first win.

The Heisman Favorite

As good as QBs Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy are, neither has played up to their potential this season. Tebow was rather pedestrian in his first “real” game of the season against Tennessee after playing two cupcakes, passing for just 115 yards, rushing for 76 yards and turning the ball over twice (one Interception, one fumble). Tebow is 39-58 for 540 yards with five TDs and one interception in three games. He has 148 yards rushing and three TDs. McCoy threw one TD and two interceptions against rival Texas Tech and is 75-110 with 859 yards through three games. He has six TDs and four interceptions. He also has one rushing TD.

Jahvid Best, the junior RB from California, has been the nation’s best player so far. I’m not sold on Cal but I am certainly sold on Best as the nation’s best back. He rushed for 131 yards and FIVE TDs as Cal avoided the upset at Minnesota. Best has 412 yards on just 53 attempts this season. That’s an average of 7.8 yards per carry which is actually down from his 8.1 ypc last season. Best has eight TD runs. He also has seven catches for 59 yards and another TD, giving him eight total.

If Best does not keep it up in Cal’s next two contests, which are probably the Bear’s two biggest games of the year, at Oregon and home against USC, Miami QB Jacory Harris and Houston QB Case Keenum could get into the race. With all that being said, I expect both Tebow and McCoy’s numbers to improve throughout the season.

My Top 10

It’s early for any kind of top 10. Many teams on this list (Florida, Cal, Penn State, & Ole Miss) are yet to be really tested. Ole Miss, Penn State, and Cal all face top 25 caliber teams this week, so things should become a little clearer after the weekend. This is a mix of pre-season expectations and current performance.

1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. California
5. LSU
6. Miami
7. Penn State
8. Ole Miss
9. Boise State
10. Cincinnati

Game of the Week for September 26

Miami @ Virginia Tech

The Line: Miami -2.5

College GameDay will be at College Station to cover Iowa and Penn State, but they should be making the trip to Blacksburg. Then again, Kirk Herbstreit isn’t announcing the Miami-Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor has really struggled this season but made big plays when he had to last Saturday against Nebraska. First, Taylor scrambled and found Danny Coale on an 81 yard pass with just over a minute to go. Then, just three plays later, he avoided several tackles and extended a 3rd and goal with his feet before throwing an 11-yard touchdown to Dyrell Roberts. Taylor has to be MUCH more consistent if the Hokies want to have any shot at defeating the Hurricanes.

The Hokies will give Jacory Harris his toughest test defensively, but Harris has been fantastic this season and has handled just about everything anyone has thrown at him. The ‘Canes also seem to have found their running game, rushing for 184 yards against Georgia Tech.

Virginia Tech will have to rely on the run and after the way Miami defended Georgia’s Tech powerful rushing attack, I’m going to have pick the ‘Canes to cover, leave Blacksburg unbeaten and continue their surprising early season run.

Ole Miss on Upset Alert

South Carolina +5 over Ole Miss

Ole Miss has yet to prove themselves. South Carolina defeated a probable bowl bound NC State team in their house with an incredible defensive effort, winning 7-3. The offense got back on track a week later, but the Gamecocks came up just short as they failed to convert a 4th and goal inside Georgia’s 10 yard line and lost 41-37. Junior QB Stephen Garcia has shown improvement since the first game. He has 683 yards and is completing 62.7% of his passes compared with a 53.3 completion % last season. He has three TDs and two interceptions.

Rebel QB Jevan Snead does have 5 TDs and 384 yards but Ole Miss has played Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana so far. Snead struggled against the Tigers, throwing two interceptions in a 45-14 win. Ole Miss has a very tough run defense and South Carolina has just seemed to find their running game, improving each week, and rushing for 287 yards in a win over Florida Atlantic last week.

I think Steve Spurrier may have finally found his Quarterback and the home crowd combined with a Thursday night atmosphere will give 4th ranked Mississippi their first loss of the season.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and an avid college football fan. Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)