| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State |  1 |
| 2 | LSU |  1 |
| 3 | Oregon | — |
| 4 | Arizona State | 2 |
| 5 | Boston College | 1 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 5 |
| 7 | Kansas | 2 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 1 |
| 9 | Missouri | 1 |
| 10 | Georgia | 16 |
| 11 | Boise State | 5 |
| 12 | Connecticut | 12 |
| 13 | Michigan | 4 |
| 14 | Virginia Tech | 2 |
| 15 | Alabama | 3 |
| 16 | Tennessee | 10 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 9 |
| 18 | Southern Cal | 5 |
| 19 | Auburn | 7 |
| 20 | Hawaii | 3 |
| 21 | Texas | 5 |
| 22 | Wake Forest | 4 |
| 23 | South Florida | 13 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 10 |
| 25 | Florida | 16 |
Dropped Out: Kentucky (#15), Rutgers (#19), Virginia (#20), California (#21), Penn State (#22), UCLA (#25).
Georgia. Every Gator fan I talked to hated what Georgia did after their first touchdown. Understandable. But I was there, and it was incredible. It was a much more intense – spoken in the voice of Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords – version of UCLA charging the field at the Rose Bowl in 2006, begging USC to just come on and fight them. USC and Florida, athletically, were better than the teams that beat them. USC and Florida both mounted attempts to get themselves pumped up, but no response could ever be effective as that initial moment of “Wow, those guys really want it.” Georgia’s record outside of the Fulmer mugging looks pretty good – and they now lead the SEC East.
UConn! I’m a believer. Nice win. Unbelievably, Syracuse is the least intimidating of a remaining schedule consisting of Rutgers, Cincy, the Orangemen and West Virginia.
I still don’t know what to do about Texas. Peter Bean should stop complaining about rankings, since the ‘Horns had to come from behind to beat the worst Nebraska team in half a century – but, hey, they are 7-2.
This poll makes me want to cry. Michigan – without Henne and Hart – is somehow a consensus top-15 team despite the two worse losses of the season’s opening couplet. I, too, don’t know what to do with them. Oregon and Arizona State are the cream of the Pac-10? Ohio State is somehow number one again? (I have a feeling it’ll be just like Oklahoma circa 2003-2004: unanimous #1 suffers humiliating end of season, surges back to BCS title game, suffers humiliating end of season….) Poor Hawai’i can’t schedule anyone, so I’m stuck wondering what to do with them. And Mark Mangino gets to wear whatever the damn hell he pleases because his team is undefeated.
But at least there’s the Sun Bowl! Ahhh, El Paso. So lovely in late December. I doubt USC ends up at what’s apparently now called the Brut Sun Bowl (3rd place Pac-10 team), but that doubt is based on my belief that the Trojans will beat Oregon State, Cal, Arizona State and UCLA, because I am an unrepentant homer. The winner of the Oregon-ASU game is the obvious front runner for the Rose and an almost surreal darkhorse for the BCS title game; with the addition of the fifth BCS game who knows what the hell is going to happen. The loss to Oregon hurt, but it wasn’t a surprise. (See: We lost to fucking Stanford?!) It’s still possible for USC to be in a BCS game without winning the Pac-10, especially with the SOS improving considerably in the latter third of the schedule. But, again, the Sun Bowl is also a possibility. Sad smiley goes here.
And in case anyone was wondering, Everywhere Else > El Paso.
82 Sluggo Win 
Your in-person interpretation of “The Celebration,” as Doug Gillett called it, matches my initial impression exactly. That is to say that’s how it came across on TV, and it’s good to see that someone who was actually there got the same vibe.
It was an absolutely inspired motivational ploy; given the recent history of that series, it was just what Dr. Bulldog ordered.
Remember to stay awake while driving.
Everywhere Else > El Paso? I suppose from the stand point of the actual locale, El Paso leaves much to be desired… but it’s not Detroit or Fort Worth, or my favorite Bowl destination: Boise.
But least you forget, I shall remind you the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl when the Trojans lost to Utah 10-6!!!! It’s not something I (nor most USC fans I reckon) would like to revisit. Plus the string of Pac 10 embarrassment at Las Vegas Bowl is enough to convince me that USC must avoid the dreaded 4th place finish.
Of course one more loss and the Trojans are a shoe in for Emerald Bowl with its prestigious $850,000 payout. But I suppose San Francisco > El Paso; much less dirt and more tolerant of male on male post touchdown awkward embrace.