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WEEK 13

TOP 25 - by Ricky Sixx


1. Miami 9-0 - Canes look to capture their third consecutive Big East title vs. Pittsburgh.

2. Ohio State 12-0 - So what if they barely win…name me another team (other than Miami) that has zero losses and you can place them at #2.

3. Iowa 11-1 - Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, Hawkeyes. You're going to the Rose Bowl.

4. Washington State 9-1 - The Apple Cup and a late game vs. the Bruins won't be easy, but two wins could lead to something more than just a Rose Bowl.

5. Oklahoma 9-1 - A trip to Tempe looks bleak. The Sooners still have a division, conference, and a BCS bowl still to play for.

6. Georgia 10-1 - It wasn't easy, but the Bulldogs take the SEC East and now have a week off to ponder Georgia Tech.

7. Alabama 9-2 - The Tide won the SEC West unofficially and will take its probation-fueled frustrations out on hated rival Auburn.

8. Kansas State 9-2 - The Wildcats do not have conference championship game to play for, but a 10-win season is a goal they can and should achieve.

9. Southern Cal 8-2 - Go Blue? Not Bruin blue but Michigan blue. If the Wolverines can beat Ohio State, the Trojans could be looking at a possible Rose Bowl visit. Of course, that is assuming they get by UCLA and Notre Dame.

10. Notre Dame 9-1 - Rutgers this week, USC next…does it really matter? Unless Rutgers Coach Schiano can pull of the shocker of century, Notre Dame will be in a BCS bowl game.

11. Michigan 9-2 - Not much to play for? How about giving a hundred thousand plus Buckeye fans something to cry about. Ghosts of John Cooper….

12. Texas 9-2 - Since the Longhorns don't have to worry about a BCS game, they can now concentrate on beating the Aggies.

13. Virginia Tech 8-2 The Hokies look to break a two game losing streak against West Virginia.

14. Penn State 8-3 - The Lions entertain Michigan State before they sit back and wait for the bowl season to begin.

15. Florida 8-3 - Gators look to rest up, while Ron Zook prepares to do something Steve Spurrier has never done…win in Tallahassee.

16. Pittsburgh 8-2 - Panthers look to upset Miami this Thursday. Their rewards - the Big East title, an Orange Bowl bid, and congrats from every team who has failed to beat Miami in the past three seasons.

17. Florida State 8-3 - If the Seminoles can just win one of the next two games, a BCS bowl birth would be locked up. The Wolfpack and Gators won't make it easy.

18. Maryland 9-2 - Maryland is probably playing best in the ACC. However, a Gator Bowl looks to be their destiny.

19. Colorado State 9-2 - Beat New Mexico this weekend and the Mountain West Conference belongs to the Rams outright, as well as a trip to the Liberty Bowl.

20. Colorado 8-3 - The Buffs locked up a shot at defending their Big 12 title by beating Iowa State. Next on the list is a Nebraska squad looking for revenge from last year's blow out loss.

21. LSU 7-3 - It is a bit unfair to judge this LSU team without Matt Mauck. With a healthy quarterback, the Tigers are easily top 13.

22. TCU 8-1 - Looks like the Horned Frogs are on their way to a 10-1 season and a visit to the Liberty Bowl to face Colorado State.

23. Texas Tech 8-4 - A big win over Texas has the Red Raiders controlling their own destiny in the Big 12 South. Now all they need to do to get to Dallas and a shot at the Big 12 Championship Game is beat Oklahoma. Good luck!

24. UCLA 7-3 - The Bruins actually have a shot at getting to the Rose Bowl. With games against the Pac-10's two best teams…don't count on it.

25. Boise State 10-1 - The record looks nice so you figure why not? The Broncos have enough offensive firepower to give any team fits.


Just outside: Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia, NC State, Auburn

 


MUST-WIN GAMES FOR BOWL BUBBLE TEAMS - by INSIDE99

28 bowls and 56 teams sum up why the NCAA has decided to allow schools playing .500 football into the post-season with a 6-6 record. This brings us to several marquee match ups this weekend, all must-win situations. With rivalry weekends rolling around and conference championships on the line, many of these games have gone unnoticed. NationalChamps.net will attempt to open those doors. Here is a list of teams floating on the bowl bubble this weekend of November 23rd.

WAKE FOREST is struggling to keep its bowl hopes alive this weekend at home against Navy. The Demon Deacons are not your typical bowl game regulars and have not seen the post-season since 1999. With a trip to Maryland the following week, Navy becomes a must-win situation.

PURDUE will have to beat in-state rival Indiana to close out the season. A win should lock the Boilermakers into a pre-New Years Day bowl.

WISCONSIN is playing for more than the "Little Brown Jug" against neighboring rival Minnesota. The 6-6 Badgers have slipped from a team once undefeated (5-0 in the beginning of October) to a team that has lost six of their last seven. Coach Alvarez gets a second chance in Madison with a victory.

MISSOURI will be playing a bad hand against a full house. They have to beat a red hot Kansas State team in Columbia to become bowl eligible. The Tigers best be able to bluff their way through this one…a daunting task.

OKLAHOMA STATE sits at 5-5 while lining up against Big 12 bottom-dweller Baylor this Saturday. The following week Oklahoma comes a callin' with much more at stake for the Sooners. Since OSU has not seen a bowl game since 1997, the Cowboys need to take care of business now. The Baylor game may not be very big for the rest of the country, but it sure is big in Stillwater.

TULANE has a shot if they can even up their record by beating regional rival Southern Miss. This is the closest the Green Wave has come to sniffing holiday play since Tommy Bowden left an undefeated program in 1998.

UAB needs to win one of their next two. Both are on the road against tough conference foes Louisville and Cincinnati. The Blazers backs are against the wall.

BRIGHAM YOUNG is playing a grand finale. A victory in Salt Lake City against hated in-state rival Utah is required. The Cougars are the only team in the state with a shot at making the round of 56.

NationalChamps.net has marked NEW MEXICO at Colorado State as a 'Top Game to Watch'. Why? The 6-5 Lobos not only need to win this one to stay bowl worthy, but, believe it or not, this game is also for the Mountain West crown. Most of the Lobos loses have been out of conference.

WASHINGTON is sitting on the bubble at 6-5. A win over rival Washington State guarantees an invitation. The team from Pullman has bigger rewards on the line, like a shot at the Rose Bowl or possibly a National Championship. The Huskies have been playing better football as of late. This game is big for both ball clubs, not just for bragging rights.

SOUTH CAROLINA must beat Clemson in 'Death Valley' for Lou Holtz' club to make a bowl…period. This one has all the makings of a 'Death Match' in more ways then one.

OLE MISS needs to win just one of the next two. Take your pick…either LSU this weekend or Mississippi State the following weekend in the great Egg Bowl Thanksgiving Day match up. A loss to LSU makes it double tough to beat rival MSU. If Eli Manning wants better consideration for the Heisman next fall, he needs to win one of these and get the Rebs eligible.

SAN JOSE STATE AT FRESNO STATE is a great regional rivalry most won't pay much attention. Both these squads are teetering on the bubble. The winner is in the driver's seat; the loser probably goes home for the holidays.

SOUTH FLORIDA should already be locked into a bowl with a current 8-2 record. Being an Independent does not bode well for the Bulls. They need to close out the season by beating Houston to make their case airtight.


 

 
 

Editor: Dave Hershorin