The Feely Top 25: After Week 1

Some of my thoughts may be echoed from the Week 1 recap, but whatever.

1. USC
Last Week: #1
Week 1: W at Arkansas 50-14
Thoughts: The last time USC had to replace a bunch of talent at QB and RB, they were fine despite my doubts. I decided not to doubt them twice, and the win at Arkansas seems to have rewarded me.

2. Ohio State
Last Week: #2
Week 1: W vs. Northern Illinois 35-12
Thoughts: The Ohio State offense was as explosive as expected early. Still some concerns about the defense after NIU RB Garrett Wolfe's performance, but not enough to knock them below...

3. Texas
Last Week: #3
Week 1: W vs. North Texas 56-7
Thoughts: It's close, though. QB Colt McCoy looked good, but North Texas's defensive reputation has faltered, so that doesn't mean much. Texas is the usual great team outside of that, not much else to say except that I'm looking forward to the Ohio State game. As is everyone.

4. Oklahoma
Last Week: #4
Week 1: W vs. UAB 24-17
Thoughts: I refuse to drop their stock after one performance, but I am worried. I only dropped OU from my preseason #2 with Bomar to #4 without because I thought they could win with a steady senior QB, rushing, and defense. Paul Thompson had a mediocre line, but I have faith he'll improve, Adrian Peterson was Adrian Peterson, but the defense gelling is the key.

5. Notre Dame
Last Week: #5
Week 1: W @ Georgia Tech 14-10
Thoughts: Not a great win by any means, but there's still just as many questions about the teams below them as there are about UND. The defense was decent, there's still all that offensive talent, and they'll likely improve their performance.

6. Florida
Last Week: #6
Week 1: W vs. Southern Miss 34-7
Thoughts: Both offense and defense looked good, so there's no reason for me to knock them down to my #2 SEC team. At the same time, there's always the worry that Chris Leak will continue to be the Alex Rodriguez of college football.

7. Auburn
Last Week: #9
Week 1: W vs. Washington State 40-14
Thoughts: I thought Wazzou could be a close game, but Auburn dominated in mostly impressive fashion. LSU still has all that shiny talent, but a big win for Auburn (note to self: "The Tigers" does not clarify which team you're talking about) over what I consider to be a solid team allows me to leapfrog them up here.

8. LSU
Last Week: #8
Week 1: W vs. Louisiana-Lafayette 45-3
Thoughts: Even though Auburn's win was more impressive, LSU still had a good day themselves. Offense, particularly QB JaMarcus Russell looked good, and the defense shut down two Sun Belt stars, for whatever that's worth.

9. Michigan
Last Week: #10
Week 1: W vs. Vanderbilt 27-7
Thoughts: The defense looked great, Mike Hart didn't get injured, that's what matters. It'd be nice if the receivers caught something, though. But rushing and defense could be enough for Michigan to win the Big Ten, or dare I say it, make it to the National Championship. If Notre Dame and Ohio State were at the Big House, I'd be less tenative, however.

10. Florida State
Last Week: #14
Week 1: W @ Miami 13-10
Thoughts: Outstanding defensive performance for the second time in a row against the Canes. The offense, not so much. Still, the only threat between now and the Florida game is against Clemson, and even that's at FSU.

11. West Virginia
Last Week: #13
Week 1: W vs. Marshall 42-10
Thoughts: Well, I'm impressed. Even if the talent didn't match up, I expected Marshall to hang in there due to sheer passion and hate, but WVU just ran right over them. Or, in two cases, Pat White passed over them for TDs. The blowout win plus Michael Bush's injury makes them my slight Big East favorite.

12. Iowa
Last Week: #16
Week 1: W vs. Montana 41-7
Thoughts: Everyone looked as good as they should. A lot of returning talent, everyone could've been a year early in picking when they'd have their big year.

13. Louisville
Last Week: #11
Week 1: W vs. Kentucky 59-28
Thoughts: The Bush injury knocks them down here, as now I'm iffy on their chances against WVU and Miami. To be downgraded from "potentially scary" to "very good" is no big deal though, and they still have a chance in both those games as long as Brohm stays healthy.

14. Miami
Last Week: #12
Week 1: L vs. Florida State 10-13
Thoughts: The Miami defense looked great, but it remains to be seen if the offense's struggles were merely playing Florida State's D or something deeper. I easily could've swapped Miami and Louisville, but I'm being cautiously optimistic on the latter.

15. Tennessee
Last Week: #20
Week 1: W vs. Cal 35-18
Thoughts: I doubt Cal is this bad, but an impressive win nonetheless. The Vols have shaken off the spectre of last year, and can now begin to be ranked where their talent deserves to be. However, I'm still worried about them playing Florida and LSU, or even at Georgia.

16. Cal
Last Week: #7
Week 1: L @ Tennessee 18-35
Thoughts: A new QB, a new #2 CB, and thousands of Tennessee fans were the problems here. One could be replaced, one should improve, and the third won't be worrying Cal any more. They still have Marshawn Lynch, and they still have some defensive talent, so they're still my #2 Pac 10 team. However, after tasting "near-USC" level projections, it's back to having their heels nipped by the Oregons and Arizona States of the world.

17. Clemson
Last Week: #15
Week 1: W vs. Florida Atlantic 54-6
Thoughts: Excellent win via both air and ground, but the loss of LB Anthony Waters worries me. They still have a bunch of defensive talent, but a team can't lose its leading tackler without some concerns. With Waters, they might've held steady at 15, and would definitely be above Cal.

18. Georgia
Last Week: #17
Week 1: W vs. Western Kentucky 48-12
Thoughts: Not much to say about the WKU win, it kept them at about the level I expected. Nothing too impressive, just the big win they should've gotten.

19. Virginia Tech
Last Week: #18
Week 1: W vs. Northeastern 0
Thoughts: Not much to say about the Northeastern win, it kept them at about the level I expected. Nothing too impressive, just the big win they should've gotten.

20. Penn State
Last Week: #21
Week 1: W vs. Akron 34-16
Thoughts: A good win, if only to prevent a letdown against a solid, if slightly overrated, Akron team. I still have doubts about replacing players like QB Michael Robinson and CB Alan Zemaitis, but it looks like PSU won't return to its horrible pre-2005 state.

21. Nebraska
Last Week: #22
Week 1: W vs. Louisiana Tech 49-10
Thoughts: Well, the new offense has taken. The big, confidence-building win they needed, and they're a clearer than ever favorite to take the Big 12 North.

22. Oregon
Last Week: #25
Week 1: W vs. Oregon 48-10
Thoughts: Looks like Oregon hasn't lost any momentum from last year. The usual concerns about a non-USC Pac 10 defense remain (regarding both Oregon and passing all over Stanford), but they did more than enough to leapfrog Arizona State as my #3 Pac 10 team.

23. Arizona State
Last Week: #19
Week 1: W vs. Northern Arizona 35-14
Thoughts: I still think they'll be their usual 8-4ish above-average selves, but Northern Arizona hanging tough for three quarters is not a good sign. The teams that have leapfrogged ASU may be going somewhere -- I no longer have that feeling here.

24. Texas Tech
Last Week: #24
Week 1: W vs. SMU 35-3
Thoughts: Same old, same old. The SMU offense looked horrible, but I still don't take it as a sign that Tech is going to have much of a defense. Still the college football version of those Dallas Mavericks teams that couldn't stop anyone.

25. TCU
Last Week: #23
Week 1: W @ Baylor 17-7
Thoughts: Disappointing, but still enough to hang on as the token mid-major. And hey, they still have the schedule to run the table.