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Week 7 Top 25 Rundown
(20) Oklahoma at (3) Texas -3
How is this number not at least double??? Longhorns better on both sides of the ball.
(7) Ohio State -13 1/2 at Purdue
Buckeyes seek their sixth victory in seven games against Purdue (1-5, 0-2), which has lost 19 straight against ranked opponents since beating then-No. 10 Iowa 27-14 in 2003. Boilermakers haven’t lost six consecutive games since Sept. 24-Oct. 29, 2005.
(11) Iowa +2 1/2 at Wisconsin
Iowa has won 10 in a row dating back to last season - its longest win streak since a 20-game run from 1920-23 - and it is off to its best start since 1985. Iowa has won five of the last seven meetings with Wisconsin, including a 38-16 victory last season. This is the Hawkeyes’ first visit to Madison as a ranked team since 2003.
(23) Houston at Tulane +17
The Cougars (4-1, 0-1) are the first C-USA team to beat three BCS conference opponents since Louisville in 2003. The Cougars are 10-4 all-time against Tulane, including a six-game winning streak that has seen them outscore the Green Wave by an average of 22.5 points.
(6) USC -10 at (25) Notre Dame
Of the Fighting Irish’s six consecutive losses to top-10 teams, three have come against USC. The Trojans are 31-2 since Oct. 19, 2002, against ranked opponents.
Texas Tech at (15) Nebraska -10 1/2
Cornhuskers’ defense - first in the Big 12 with averages of 162.6 passing yards and 8.0 points allowed - has a chance to hold its own against Texas Tech (4-2, 1-1). Texas Tech is second nationally in scoring offense (43 ppg), passing offense (444 ypg) and total offense (522 ypg). The Red Raiders allow averages of 349.7 yards and 21.3 points.
Minnesota at (14) Penn State -17 1/2
Penn State’s defense has never been a question mark this season, and its once-shaky offense seems to be turning the corner after a sloppy start. Minnesota’s offense, on the other hand, remains a work in progress. That could be bad news for the Golden Gophers on Saturday at Beaver Stadium, where the 14th-ranked Nittany Lions look to turn the Big Ten’s top-ranked defense loose on the conference’s lowest-rated offense.
Arkansas at (1) Florida -24 1/2
The Gators, who lead all Football Bowl Subdivision schools in total defense (202.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (6.4 points per game).
Colorado State at (12) TCU -22 1/2
Though it’s still in position to play the role of BCS buster, TCU (5-0, 1-0) fell two spots in the poll this week after a 20-17 win at Air Force last Saturday night in its conference opener. Temperatures in Colorado that day dipped into the teens, and the Horned Frogs had a tough time getting their offense on track while playing in an icy mist. TCU now returns to Amon G. Carter Stadium, where it has won 11 straight, and skies are expected to be clear with temperatures in the mid-60s.
(18) Brigham Young -17 at San Diego State
Cougars (5-1, 2-0) have scored 136 points in three wins since a 54-28 loss to Florida State on Sept. 19. The Cougars have won seven of their last eight meetings with the Aztecs (2-3, 0-1), averaging 46.0 points in the victories.
(4) Virginia Tech -3 1/2 at (19) Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech have two of the most potent offenses in the ACC, but with an edge in the Coastal Division at stake, both are focused on defense this week. The No. 4 Hokies visit the No. 19 Yellow Jackets on Saturday, looking to knock off their third ranked opponent of the season. Virginia Tech (5-1, 3-0) and Georgia Tech (5-1, 3-1) have each put up big offensive numbers this season, with the Hokies scoring a conference-leading 34.2 points per game, while the Yellow Jackets are averaging an ACC-best 426.7 total yards of offense.
(17) Kansas at Colorado +9 1/2
For the second straight outing, Kansas (5-0, 1-0) had a tough time keeping its perfect record intact, but its high-powered offense was ultimately able to bail out a leaky defense for a 41-36 win over Iowa State last Saturday. The Jayhawks outlasted Southern Mississippi 35-28 in their previous contest Sept. 26.
(9) Miami (FL) -14 at UCF
Miami, looking to go 5-1 for the first time since opening 8-1 in 2005, is fourth in the ACC in rushing with 137.6 yards per game. It will face a UCF team with the nation’s 15th-ranked rush defense, allowing 94.4 per game. The Knights (3-2), who are coming off a bye week, are 0-19 against Top 25 teams since becoming a Division I program in 1996. Central Florida has trailed at halftime in all of its games this season.
(22) South Carolina +18 at (2) Alabama
Alabama is 5-2 against ranked teams since the beginning of last season and won at then-No. 7 Virginia Tech 34-24 in its season opener Sept. 5. Spurrier has faced the Crimson Tide once with South Carolina, a 37-14 home loss on Sept. 17, 2005. Alabama leads the series 11-2, including a 8-1 mark in its home state. The Gamecocks’ only win in Tuscaloosa was 20-3 on Oct. 2, 2004.
Missouri +7 at (16) Oklahoma State
The off-field issues surrounding All-American receiver Dez Bryant haven’t proved to be too much of a distraction for Oklahoma State on the field, but the No. 16 Cowboys are still hoping the situation will be settled before their next game. Oklahoma State looks to win its fourth straight when it hosts Missouri on Saturday night, hoping Bryant will be reinstated from his suspension in time to play. The Cowboys (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) posted a thrilling victory over Missouri (4-1, 0-1) last year, knocking off the then-No. 3 Tigers 28-23 on Oct. 11, 2008, to derail their national title hopes. Oklahoma State’s coaching staff is trying to keep the team focused on Saturday’s rematch, but it could be difficult given the news that Bryant and his reinstatement application has made this week.
(24) Utah -16 1/2 at UNLV
The 24th-ranked Utes look for a third straight victory as they visit struggling UNLV on Saturday night in a Mountain West contest. After spending three weeks unranked following a 31-24 loss at Oregon on Sept. 19, Utah (4-1, 1-0) returned to the AP Poll this week after beating Louisville 30-14, and Colorado State 24-17 on the road last Saturday. The Rebels lost 59-21 to then-No. 18 BYU last Saturday after falling 63-28 at Nevada a week earlier. UNLV has allowed 1,384 yards of offense in those two defeats.
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