Week 2 Helmet Sticker and Top 25 Poll
JimmieChesh 09/09/2012Week two of the college football season had much excitement with plenty of upsets all over the country. Several ranked teams fell and some were shockers.
My week two helmet sticker goes to Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks junior quarterback Kolton Browning. The Sun Belt representing Warhawks traveled to Little Rock, in their token early season SEC road game, (though it was played at a neutral location). This one looked as if it would be the expected blowout as the Razorbacks had a 28-7 lead with under ten minutes left in the third quarter.
Some say that when you’re the little guy, and you keep hanging with the big dog’s, you will eventually not have enough, and lose. That didn’t happen as UL-Monroe pulled off the come from behind overtime victory.
Browning threw the ball 67 times, for 412 yards and two touchdowns. He was also ULM’s leading rusher, carrying the ball 16 times for 69 yards and one more touchdown. The Warhawks won 34-31 in overtime.
Much change to the bottom of the poll this week:
1 USC
2 Alabama
3 Oregon
4 Florida State
5 Georgia
6 Oklahoma
7 West Virginia
8 Clemson
9 South Carolina
10 Ohio State
11 LSU
12 TCU
13 Texas
14 Michigan State
15 Kansas State
16 Michigan
17 Florida
18 Virginia Tech
19 Louisville
20 Tennessee
21 Mississippi State
22 BYU
23 Notre Dame
24 UCLA
25 Nebraska
Teams who just missed the cut: Arizona, Oregon State, Wisconsin
(click here for my week one poll)
(click here for my pre-season poll)
Who Fell Out
Utah – With all due respect to the Utah State Aggies, as a team that is now “too big for the in-state rivalries”, the Utes had no business losing to USU. It was a solid football game, but a school from a conference that won’t exist next season, should never upset a team from a BCS conference.
Wisconsin – The Badgers fell to Oregon State. A program that is on the rise, sure, but they haven’t been very good the last couple seasons. Great win for Coach Riley and the Beavers. A team that represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl the last two seasons, has been an offensive power with a starting running back that has been in the Hesiman talk, scored just 7 points against a team with three wins last season. Credit Oregon State, but that’s an awful loss for the Badgers.
Oklahoma State - After destroying a vastly inferior opponent 84-0, the Cowboys traveled to Tuscon and gave up 59 points to the hosting Arizona Wildcats. This game was actually pretty even statistically. It was the turnover battle that was the difference. The Cowboys gave the ball away four times and couldn’t recover. 59 points is a lot of points to allow.
Arkansas - Not much else I can say that I didn’t list above in my weekly helmet sticker award. A top-ten team, from the SEC, blowing a three touchdown lead and losing to a school from the Sun Belt. That is absolutely embarassing.
New in the Poll
Tennessee - Though the season is young, I’ve had the Volunteers greatly underrated. Solid win against a tough opponent in week one, and destroying a soon to be D-IA program in Georgia Southern. They look like a team that could do some scary things in that great SEC conference this season.
Mississippi State - Another team I’ve not given enough respect so far in this young season is the Bulldogs. That Auburn game was entertaining, and they won by three touchdowns. Junior quarterback Tyler Russell is possibly one of the most under the radar guys in the SEC this season.
Notre Dame - The Irish have been floating around the bottom of my poll, but finally jumped in this week. This Notre Dame squad looks surprisingly impressive so far. Purdue isn’t exactly a Big Ten power, but is an in-state rival and provided a great match up for the Irish. The real test for Notre Dame comes this week as they face Michigan State. A chance for them to truly prove their worth.
UCLA - Where did the Bruins come from? Very impressive win over the Cornhuskers in the Rose Bowl. Looks like they could surprise the Pac-12 south this season.
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