More than half the college teams have played half their schedule. It’s a perfect time to look at college football at the halfway mark, with a note to all players near and far: The Heisman is there for the taking, gentlemen.
Best team:Alabama. Top-ranked Florida is leading in five of the six computer polls, and if the Gators beat Arkansas on Saturday, they will be No. 1 in Sunday’s first BCS rankings.
Florida and second-ranked Alabama are 1-2, respectively, nationally in total defense and pass efficiency defense. That’s a wash. Yet, if both met on a neutral field today I’d take the Crimson Tide. Barely.
Florida’s lone weakness entering the year, at wide receiver, is beginning to show. The Gators have no real deep threat, while Alabama has one of the nation’s best home run hitters in sophomore Julio Jones, who hasn’t broken out yet.
Florida’s Tim Tebow remains spectacular. Beating LSU two weeks after a brain-numbing concussion only added to his lore. However, Alabama junior quarterback Greg McElroy is steady and efficient, and his 1,233 yards passing and nine touchdowns top Tebow.
Most surprising team: Idaho. Few can remember the last time Idaho didn’t stink. It was 1999, the last time it had a winning record. But if the Vandals beat visiting Hawaii on Saturday afternoon — they’re 10-point favorites — they’ll be eligible for their second bowl in history.
They’re 5-1 with three victories coming on the road, almost their total from their previous five years. They were picked second to last in the WAC after losing nine of 10 games by double digits a year ago.
In his third year, coach Robb Akey has developed a real good quarterback in returning starter Nathan Enderle and a gritty defense that’s 20th against the run.
Most disappointing team: Florida State. This isn’t close, folks. With the wolves already snapping at aging Bobby Bowden’s heels, the Seminoles were ranked 18th in preseason and picked first in the ACC Atlantic. They have tanked at 2-4. From 1992-2000, Florida State was 71-2 in the ACC. Now it’s 0-3, last in the division.
This year, you can’t blame the quarterback. Junior Christian Ponder is more than adequate, but FSU’s leading rusher, Jermaine Thomas, averages only 29.17 yards per game and its defense is 108th nationally, 101st against the pass.
Questions shouldn’t just surround Bowden, who has become nothing more than a figurehead, but also defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who will reportedly retire with Bowden, and offensive chief Jimbo Fisher, who will replace Bowden.
FSU has four of its last six games on the road, and finishes up at top-ranked Florida. It has gone to a bowl every year since going 6-5 in 1981 and hasn’t had a losing record since Bowden’s inaugural 5-6 season in 1976. That all could change.
Best player: Case Keenum, QB, Houston. Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will be the trendy pick, but the Cornhuskers have only one notable victory, over Missouri.
Houston is 3-0 against BCS teams, and in wins over Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Mississippi State, two of which were on the road, Keenum was 109-for-156 for 1,235 yards with eight TDs and four interceptions. He threw five touchdowns in a loss to UTEP, when Houston’s defense collapsed.
He’s leading the nation in passing yards (2,130) and TD passes (17) with only four picks. More important, Houston is 4-1 against a tough schedule.
Most disappointing player: Jevan Snead, QB, Mississippi. Remember seeing him in preseason Heisman lists? Well, the savior of everyone’s sleeper pick in the SEC is 11th in the SEC in pass efficiency. He’s only 65-of-139 for 868 yards with nine picks and nine TD passes. He has thrown seven interceptions in the past two weeks, including four last week against Alabama.
The fans have turned on him, and Ole Miss has gone from ranked eighth in preseason to out of contention in the SEC West.
