You could make a lot of observations after three of the top five and nine of the top 22 in The Associated Press poll lost Saturday and the top two struggled against unranked teams. One, a lot of quarterbacks of ranked teams are chicken; two, a lot of ranked teams don’t want a week in New Orleans for the BCS championship game to mess up their Christmas break; three, lowering the kicking tee has really leveled the playing field.
But seriously, folks, here are some random thoughts as voters picked up the pieces of a shattered AP poll:
* The Pac-10 doesn’t have the depth of the Southeastern Conference, but it has two of the top three teams. No. 2 USC (4-0) and No. 3 California (5-0) meet Nov. 10 in Berkeley for what could be the nation’s biggest regular-season game of the year, particularly if top-ranked Louisiana State (5-0) can’t survive the treacherous SEC and drops a couple of notches.
USC knows that it intimidates no one in the Pac-10 anymore. The Trojans outgained Washington (2-3) 460-190, yet the Huskies were lining up for an onside kick with 34 seconds left and trailing only 27-24.
“I’ve never seen a team work so hard and want to win so bad,” USC center Matt Spanos said of Washington. “They never quit. You have to respect a team like that.”
But thanks to 16 USC penalties, three turnovers and a missed field goal, Washington had three economic scoring drives of 14, 22 and 28 yards.
“We were so horrible, it was hard to watch,” USC coach Pete Carroll said.
* The Big 12 South has gone south. You can spin it north and say parity has finally arrived. However, after Texas self-destructed at home against Kansas State and Oklahoma sleepwalked through a loss to a remarkably improved Colorado team, it’s clear no Big 12 team is ready for the national stage.
The lone unbeatens are Kansas and Missouri, and if that holds up by the time they meet in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 24, you can relegate the Big 12 to I-AA.
Then again, that could have more intrigue than Saturday’s Oklahoma-Texas game in Dallas. The loser wheels out 0-2 in league, and Texas might limp in with true freshman John Chiles at quarterback. Starter Colt McCoy is questionable after leaving Saturday’s game late after throwing up on the sideline, presumably from a concussion and not from the score. It only ended the latest entry of his sophomore slump.
Turns out teams don’t think he throws deep well and are adjusting accordingly. His four interceptions against Kansas State give him nine this season, two more than in 2006.
“Coaches lose games,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “Kids win games. This goes back to me.”
* Florida (4-1) has to enter the national title picture through the back door. Don’t be shocked if it happens. The Gators did it in 2006, and few recall Auburn handed Florida its only loss.
That loss came two weeks later than Florida’s loss to Auburn (3-2) on Saturday. A year ago, Florida plummeted from second to ninth. On Sunday, Florida dropped from fourth to ninth. The difference is that a botched punt and quarterback Chris Leak’s subpar play against a devastating Auburn defense lost it a year ago. This time, Florida’s young defense gave up 192 yards in the first half to an unranked team.
The Gators’ offensive line has been so mediocre, tailback Kestahn Moore carried three times for 7 yards. Also, this loss to Auburn was at home.
“We need to get better,” Florida quarterback Tim Tebow said, “starting (Sunday).”
They’d better. They visit LSU on Saturday night.
* In case you haven’t noticed, sixth-ranked South Florida (4-0) is the top-ranked team in Florida.
* Speaking of the SEC, your marquee matchup of the season: South Carolina (4-1) at Kentucky (5-0). With LSU’s defense expected to overwhelm Florida, Saturday’s Kentucky-South Carolina winner will have the inside track in the SEC East.
* Penn State is the latest one-time Big Ten power to flop out of the top 25, thanks to its pratfall at Illinois. Nittany Lions quarterback Anthony Morelli has gone from ballyhooed to possibly losing his job. Six second-half possessions, four in the red zone, produced one field goal, thanks to two interceptions and a Morelli fumble.
