The TFFE Top 25: After Week 7

#1 Ohio State (7-0, #2 last week)
Perhaps a bit untested, yes, but they've been dominating their schedule like a #1-worthy team should. Pretty much the same story as LSU - that defense is frightening, and that offense'll made do 90% of the time.

#2 LSU (6-1, #1)
They're still really really good. As I said, Kentucky's the type of team that can give them trouble, but let's not forget their complete annihilations of Virginia Tech, South Carolina, and even a not half bad Mississippi State team.

#3 Oklahoma (6-1, #3)
By the end of the year, this team could be amazingly frightening. That defense is excellent, if not quite at the level of the two teams above, and that offense is young enough to get much better. If the Colorado loss was more bad luck than the complete abberation in performance that it was, the Sooners would have a chance for one of the top two spots.

#4 Oregon (5-1, #6)
Had one hell of a re-establishing win, smoking a Washington State team that isn't going anywhere, but it is way better than THAT. With the Cal game one fluke fumble away from being a tie, Oregon's easily the most impressive, and probably at the moment the only elite, team in the Pac 10, and the Michigan game looks even better now.

#5 West Virginia (5-1, #4)
Steve Slaton or Pat White did not die during their bye week.

#6 Florida (4-2, #5)
Tim Tebow either.

#7 South Florida (6-0, #11)
Damn. Re-established themselves after a suspect effort against FAU quite nicely; by smoking Central Florida, they've gone from a very good team that can beat other very good teams to a team that could beat anyone in the country when they're on.

#8 Missouri (5-1, #10)
I'm not bumping Missouri down for proving that they are, in fact, a top-ten team. They just happened to play a top-five one.

#9 USC (5-1, #7)
Lurking down here until they show something more. As much talent as anyone, but they just seem like they're coasting.

#10 California (5-1, #9)
They obviously deserved to take Oregon State to OT, so I can't fault them too much. Otherwise, same old, same old; that defense is amazingly suspect, but if Nate Longshore's at QB, him and the receiving corps are elite enough to win any shootout.

#11 South Carolina (6-1, #8)
They're good. Pretty good. Prettay...prettay good. A good enough team to win every game here on out, but they haven't been all that impressive lately - nothing much to get excited about.

#12 Arizona State (7-0, #16)
Another team that had a re-establishing win; the Sun Devils just curbstomped Washington. The schedule so far's been both fairly weak and mostly at home, so there's still questions. But they've been more impressive than, say...oh wait, BC isn't next. Disregard that.

#13 Kentucky (6-1, --)
Hey, they proved themselves. I don't think they're an elite team, but they're more like Cal - that offense is good enough to make sure they can hang with anyone, and that defense'll make do.

#14 Texas (5-2, #12)
They were another shaky team with a big win, but they're hut by having two losses rather than one. Plus it was against Iowa State. They could win every game from here on out, or they could wind up with 3 to 5 losses.

#15 Michigan (5-2, --)
They're back, and they're pretty easily the #2 team in the Big Ten at the moment. They're not quite elite as expected in the preseason, but they're more than capable of beating Ohio State, as long as Chad Henne keeps playing well. Week in, week out, Mike Hart's almost definitely the best player in the country.

#16 Boston College (7-0, #15)
Meh. They haven't done anything yet to disprove that they're simply an 8-4 team that happens to have a bunch of 6-6 and under teams on their schedule.

#17 Illinois (5-2, #13)
Still quite one-dimensional, but that's good enough. Once again, if Juice Williams improves, look out.

#18 Penn State (5-2, #23)
With an actual quarterback, they'd be top-ten, top-five worthy. Come on, can't they trade?

#19 Wisconsin (5-2, #14)
The run defense is slowly going from "weakness" to "detriment" to "Nebraska."

#20 Texas Tech (6-1, --)
This is one of the up years. Graham Harrell, both the first multi-year starter at TTU in a while and the first actual high-talent QB in Mike Leach's system, is putting up the type of insane year - 258/347 (74.4%), 3153 yards, 31/3 TD/INT - that was expected of Colt Brennan. As a junior!

#21 Virginia Tech (6-1, #17)
Well, they finally showed the form expected in the preseason. Against Duke.

#22 Tennessee (4-2, --)
Playing well at the moment. Playing the best of any of the teams in that glut in the center of the SEC. Which is good enough for top 25 at the moment. Yeeeeep.

#23 Cincinnati (6-1, #19)
Another decently above-average team there's not much to say about. The Louisville game could've gone either way, but outside of almost-definite wins against Pitt and Cuse, that can be said about any Big East game involving the Bearcats. They should be the favorites against Rutgers and UConn, though.

#24 Georgia (5-2, #20)
Playing quite uninspiring ball at the moment. The running game's up to the challenge, gotta see more from QB Stafford or the defense.

#25 Kansas (6-0, #25)
They're hanging from a precipice here after not looking all too great against Baylor. So very untested.