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NCAA College Football 2006 Week 11 Top 25
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DTMagazine Home NCAA Top 25 Pre-season Rankings College Football Picks Week 12
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NCAA College Football Top 25 - Week 11
Rick Gagliano | 11/13/06
Through games of November 11
--- Week 11 Notes below ---
There were four major upsets in college football last week, but none bigger than Rutgers last gasp 28-26 win over Louisville on Thursday night, which set the stage for more fireworks on Saturday.
Just 7 days after Louisville had beat up on rival West Virginia and seemed secure in their advancement in the polls and possible berth in the national championship game, the Cardinals were dismantled by the Scarlet Knights, as Rutgers erased a 25-7 deficit, shutting out Louisville for the entire 2nd half.
Rutgers rode the legs of RB Ray Rice, the arm of QB Mike Teel and the leg of kicker Jeremy Ito to capture sole possession of 1st place in the heady Big East conference.
The question immediately raised was whether or not Rutgers - should they remain undefeated (they still have to play at West Virginia, Dec. 2) - was worthy of playing for the national championship against the winner of Michigan - Ohio State.
On Saturday, four more teams would fall from grace in the Top Ten, clarifying the situation a least a little.
The first of the high-ranked teams to fall was Auburn, as they were thoroughly dusted at home by Georgia, 37-15. The Tigers were outgained by 267 yards as their defense folded and the offense could not respond. Their opportunity was already significantly compromised by an earlier loss to Arkansas and the loss on Saturday dropped them to 9-2.
The next victim to fall was 8-1 Cal, who lost to Arizona, 24-20, at about the same time Florida was surviving a major scare by South Carolina, winning 17-16 on a blocked extra point and last second field goal attempt. The Gators still have two non-conference games remaining, but have secured themselves a spot in the SEC championship game. Their opponent will likely be Arkansas, who still has conference games against Mississippi State and LSU. The Razorbacks would have to lose both to not qualify.
But while the Gators were relishing their win, the Texas Longhorns were in the midst of a dogfight at Kansas State which they would eventually lose, 45-42. The two teams rolled up and down the field, scoring at will, especially in the wild 3rd quarter in which 35 points were scored. In the end, the Longhorns, who had already lost to Ohio State back in September, saw their championship dreams fade away. Though they will play for the Big 12 championship unless they lose to Texas A&M on Nov. 25 (a distinct possibility), their aspirations were foiled for good on Saturday.
The shuffling in the major polls left Ohio State and Michigan at the top, though one will be shaken loose this coming weekend, when the Big 10 powerhouses square off at Ohio State. It leaves USC and Florida as the two most likely choices to play the winner of that game for all the glory on January 9, though teams such as Notre Dame, Arkansas, Rutgers, Wake Forest and West Virginia still with arguments and games remaining.
The debate is far from over, but at least one entrant will be verified come this Saturday, when Michigan travels to Ohio State.
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