Reality Rankings: Psalms 75:10 edition
The picture is slowly getting clearer throughout the nation. LSU fell, as expected. However, Florida State laying an egg in the second half wasn't in my line of (fore)sight. Win some, lose some. More separation games abound this weekend with Stanford-Notre Dame, LSU-South Carolina and, of course, our favorite hatefest, the Red River Rivalry.
Thankfully, OU had its best performance in the the post-Ryan Broyles era against Texas Tech last week. This gives Sooner fans a realistic hope that we can not only beat the Longhorns, but also be in the mix for the Big 12 title.
This is an Big 12 elimination game for both teams. No hype needed. Just. Get. It. Done.
Enjoy this week's Reality Rankings as we prepare to cut off the horns of the wicked:
1. Alabama (1) - Tide shouldn't have any problem with Missouri. However, they'll get more of a challenge in the following weeks against Tennessee, Mississippi State and LSU.
2. Florida (4) - Gators make me look good by knocking off LSU. Now, they get a bit of a breather against Vanderbilt before their separation game with South Carolina.
3. Notre Dame (3) - Will get a solid test against Stanford this weekend. This game will go a long way in determining whether the Irish are pretenders or contenders.
4. Oregon (7) - Ducks keep looking more and more impressive. As such, they rise in the Reality Rankings. USC, Stanford and Oregon State await.
5. West Virginia (9) - Mountaineers are looking tough playing in tight games. They need to tighten up their defense some if they're to contend for the national title. However, this outfit is primed to win the Big 12 as long as Geno Smith and his offense keep clicking.
6. Kansas St (5) - Upset alert coming up against Iowa State. Looking ahead to West Virginia is not advised.
7. Ohio St. (-) - I'm not all that impressed with the Buckeyes, but their schedule is so weak that they could realistically be undefeated through the regular season. Fitting that they are ineligible for the Big 10 championship game.
8. South Carolina (-) - Gamecocks make their debut in the Reality Rankings. I'm not yet sold on these guys, unlike most people seem to be. We'll see soon with upcoming games against LSU and Florida.
9. Oregon State (8) - Beavers could have been more impressive against Washington State. They will need much better performances when Stanford and Oregon come calling.
10. Florida State (2) - Tough loss for the Seminoles, giving up the game in the second half against North Carolina State. They are still on track for the ACC title, but national title hopes are gone.
Dropped from rankings: Georgia (6), Texas (10)