1. Alabama (Last week: 1) – Mark Ingram is back and it doesn’t look like he missed a beat. Their first test awaits this weekend with Arkansas.
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2. Ohio State (2) – The gap between Ohio State and the next best Big Ten team may be bigger than I anticipated.
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3. TCU (3) – Sadly, TCU’s beatdown of Baylor was one of the toughest tests they’ll face this season.
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4. Oregon (6) – The Ducks are averaging more than a point per minute through three games.
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5. Nebraska (8) – Washington isn’t anything special, but that was still a true beatdown of a respectable opponent.
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6. Texas (4) – Texas’ defense is dominant as ever, but the offense really needs to get on track.
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7. Boise State (7) – Boise State’s last test comes this weekend against Oregon State.
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8. Stanford (11) -In the past two weeks Stanford beat UCLA and Wake Forest by a combined score of 103-24.
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9. Arkansas (15) – I fully expect Arkansas to give Alabama all they can handle on Saturday.
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10. South Carolina (14) – We’ll know if South Carolina is for real in the next two weeks: at Auburn, then home vs Alabama.
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11. Oklahoma (10) – A blowout of FSU, and two close wins against Utah State and Air Force. Looks like Stoops has a motivation problem on his hands.
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12. Wisconsin (9) – The Badgers are sleepwalking through September and better wake up before the Big Ten schedule starts.
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13. Miami FL (12) – Miami was idle this week.
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14. Florida (13) – The Gators can thank Matt Simms for a gift-wrapped victory. Sloppy offense will hurt the Gators sooner or later.
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15. LSU (17) – The offense may not be pretty, but LSU’s defense can keep them in any game.
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16. Arizona (NR) – I’ve been hesitant to rank Arizona, but that was an impressive win on Saturday against Iowa.
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17. Iowa (5) – When you play as many close games as Iowa, your luck is bound to run out sooner or later.
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18. Utah (22) – Still confused where to rank Utah. I’m not sure Pitt is any good, so I don’t know if the Utes are for real.
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19. Florida State (20)- The Seminoles bounced back with a very nice win against BYU. Nice job putting the Oklahoma debacle behind them.
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20. Auburn (25) – I’m concerned by all the close calls, but encouraged by their defense which has looked very good.
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21. Oregon State (16) - A close win against Louisville wasn’t an impressive warm up for their showdown with Boise State.
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22. Nevada (NR) – Nevada proved against Cal that their offense can hang with anyone in the nation.
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23. Air Force (NR) – It’s not often that teams enter the rankings after a loss. But a 3-point loss at Oklahoma is no ordinary defeat. The Falcons are for real.
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24. Kansas State - (24) – That wasn’t exactly an impressive win against Iowa State. But a win is a win, especially in conference.
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25. USC - (19) – I guess I’ll keep the Trojans ranked for now, but this team may be worse than last year. They’ll be exposed against Oregon, Stanford and possibly Arizona and Oregon State as well.
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Dropped out: Michigan (18), North Carolina (21), Houston (23)

1. Alabama (Last week: 1) – Bama had no trouble with Penn State and their freshman quarterback.
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2. Ohio State (2) – Buckeyes defense has allowed just one touchdown this season.
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3. TCU (4) – Not much to say about a scrimmage against Tennessee Tech.
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4. Texas (5) – The Longhorns really should be getting more than 34 pts from their offense against Rice and Wyoming.
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5. Iowa (5) – Adam Robinson torched the Iowa State defense for 156 yards in just 14 carries.
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6. Oregon (8) – Tennessee’s rushing attack looked unstoppable against a decent Vols defense.
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7. Boise State (3) – I guess all we know about Boise State now is that they would be competitive against James Madison.
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8. Nebraska (10) – Huskers piled up 360 rushing yards against Idaho.
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9. Wisconsin (11) – A close loss to Boise State doesn’t change my opinion of the Hokies at all. They’re still the class of the ACC and a top-10 team.
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10. Oklahoma (16) – Apparently the Sooners woke up after the closer-than-expected win against Utah State in week one.
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11. Stanford (17) – Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the country. And their defense isn’t too shabby either.
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12. Miami FL (6) – Miami’s defense kept them in the game, but Jacory Harris couldn’t get out of his own way.
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13. Florida (13) – South Florida gave the Gators a scare before they got back on track in the 2nd half.
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14. South Carolina (NR)- This doesn’t look like a Steve Spurrier team, but they’re his best team in years.
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15. Arkansas (20)- They haven’t faced anyone yet, but Ryan Mallett seems to have improved his decision making.
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16. Oregon State (17)- Beavers were idle this week.
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17. LSU (21) – Vanderbilt made it closer than expected, but LSU moves up in the rankings by default.
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18. Michigan (15) – Michigan barely snuck by Notre Dame despite the Irish playing with inept QBs for half the game.
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19. USC (18)- One week the Trojans offense looks unstoppable, the next they struggle to score against Virginia?
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20. Florida Sate (14) – The Seminoles defense was exposed by Landry Jones. Fortunately no one in the ACC has an offense like Oklahoma’s.
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21. North Carolina (22) - Tar Heels were idle this week.
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22. Utah (24) – Schedule shapes up nicely for Utah. They could be undefeated heading into Air Force game on Oct. 30.
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23. Houston (25) – Cougars defense was surprisingly good against a talented UTEP offense.
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24. Kansas State - (NR) – Daniel Thomas looks like one of the nation’s top running backs.
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25. Auburn - (NR) – The Tigers squeaked by Mississippi State, but Cam Newton looked good once again.
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Dropped out: Virginia Tech (9), Georgia Tech (12), West Virginia (23)

1. Alabama (Last week: 1)- Bama didn’t miss Ingram against San Jose State. I’m betting they won’t miss him against Penn State either if he’s out again.
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2. Ohio State (2) – Yes, it was only Marshall. But Terrelle Pryor had the best game of his career. A very encouraging sign for the Buckeyes.
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3. Boise State (5) – The Broncos are for real. If they’re one of two or fewer undefeateds, they deserve a shot at the National Championship Game.
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4. TCU (6) – Andy Dalton looked a little rusty, but the defense looked very good. Contained Jacquizz Rodgers and made Ryan Katz try to beat them.
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5. Texas (3) – Shaky star for the Longhorns. This team is built around the running game, but struggled against a weak Rice defense.
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6. Miami FL (9) – Miami took care of business in week one and now gets a shot to prove they’re back against the Buckeyes.
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7. Iowa (8) – Hawkeyes season rests on Ricky Stanzi’s health. He survived this scare, but he’s starting to look injury prone.
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8. Oregon (15) – New Mexico isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but 72-0 is impressive against anyone. Kenjon Barner and LaMichael James could be a scary duo.
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9. Virginia Tech (7) – A close loss to Boise State doesn’t change my opinion of the Hokies at all. They’re still the class of the ACC and a top-10 team.
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10. Nebraska (11) – Didn’t learn anything about the Huskers against Western Kentucky. And won’t learn anything about them against Idaho this week.
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11. Wisconsin (14) – Badgers were sloppy in week one, but their running game looked as dominant as ever.
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12. Georgia Tech (12) – Somewhat disappointed by Georgia Tech’s defense. They allowed 178 rushing yards to South Carolina State.
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13. Florida (4) – The Gators looked like anything but a top-10 team on Saturday. Total yardage against Miami OH was even at 212 apiece.
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14. Florida State (17) – After seeing how Oklahoma played in week one, the Seminoles may be a favorite this weekend.
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15. Michigan (NR)- Denard Robinson was unstoppable against a respectable UConn defense. But then again, Tate Forcier looked good at this time last year.
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16. Oklahoma (13)- The Sooners defense was a mess against Utah State. If they don’t turn it around, they’ll get embarrassed by Florida State.
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17. Stanford (19)- Tough to judge a game against Sacramento State, but Andrew Luck sure looked dominant.
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18. Oregon State (16) – Tough loss against a very good TCU team. They proved they can at least hang with anyone in the country.
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19. USC (18)- Matt Barkley sure looked good, but the Trojans defense has a lot of work to do.
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20. Arkansas (20) – It’s going to be tough to judge Arkansas until their Sept. 18 showdown at Georgia.
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21. LSU (22) - A win is a win, but the Tigers didn’t show much by squeaking by a depleted Tar Heels squad on Saturday night.
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22.North Carolina (10)- The Tar Heels showed a lot of heart against LSU. If they get everyone back, they could end up winning the ACC.
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23. West Virginia (23)- Can’t really say we learned anything from their 31-0 win against Coastal Carolina.
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24. Utah - (NR) Great win against Pitt to start the season, but I think Pitt was overrated to being with. Only had Pitt at No. 25 in preseason rankings.
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25. Houston - (24) Case Keenum got off to a nice start, but their defense is shaky. Expect a lot of shootouts in Houston this year.
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Dropped out: Missouri (21), Pittsburgh (25)

1. Alabama – The Crimson Tide return just about everyone on both sides of the ball. But most importantly Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson return to form the best backfield in the nation.
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2. Ohio State – The Buckeyes return seven starters on what should be one of the nation’s best defensive units. Their only real tests will be at the Horseshoe against Miami and at Iowa in late November.
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3. Texas – The Longhorns will play a different brand of football in 2010 but they won’t miss a beat thanks to their power running game and dominant defense.
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4. Florida - The Gators lose a lot on both sides of the ball, but Urban Meyer has a stacked roster and won’t miss a beat in the post-Tebow era.
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5. Boise State – The yearly dilemma continues. If the Broncos run the table, do they deserve a shot at the title? With games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech, they just might.
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6. TCU – The Horned Frogs are poised to run the table again in the regular season, but without any real tests how much will it mean?
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7. Virginia Tech – The Hokies schedule is filled with cupcakes, with one notable exception: Boise State on October 2.
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8. Iowa – The Hawkeyes 2009 success was no fluke. They return just about everyone, including Adrian Clayborn who may be the nation’s top defensive player.
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9. Miami FL – The Hurricanes will enter the championship conversation on Sept. 11 if they can win at Ohio State
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10. North Carolina – Overly optimistic? Perhaps. But the Tar Heels have the defense and the favorable schedule to become a top-10 team.
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11. Nebraska – The ‘Huskers defense shouldn’t miss a beat without Ndamukong Suh. They’re heavy favorites in the Big 12 North.
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12. Georgia Tech – Josh Nesbitt is a legitimate Heisman candidate, but how much will he miss Demaryius Thomas and Jonathan Dwyer?
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13. Oklahoma – The schedule makers didn’t do Landry Jones and Sooners any favors with games against Florida State and at Cincinnati.
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14. Wisconsin – The Badgers 2010 season rests on the very large shoulders of John Clay. He enters the season as a Heisman darkhorse.
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15. Oregon – The Ducks overcame as much adversity as anyone in 2009 to win the Pac-10. Can they do it again?
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16. Oregon State - The Beavers and Ducks could be headed towards a winner-take-all Civil War game for the Pac-10 title.
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17. Florida State – With the entire offense returning, the Seminoles could be poised to return to glory in the post-Bowden era.
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18. USC - The Trojans have as much talent as anyone, but there will be a learning curve for the new coaching staff and young roster of players.
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19. Stanford – Losing Toby Gerhart hurts, but Andrew Luck is ready to step into the spotlight as one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks.
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20. Arkansas – A favorable schedule (Bama at home, no Florida) gives Arkansas a shot in the SEC, but Ryan Mallett needs to make some major strides.
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21. Missouri - Blaine Gabbert may be the nation’s most underrated quarterback. The Tigers could give Nebraska a fight for the Big 12 North.
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22. LSU – This could be a breakout year for Jordan Jefferson, Terrance Tolliver and the Tigers offense. Patrick Peterson may be the nation’s best defender.
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23. West Virginia – With Tony Pike and Brian Kelly out of the picture at Cincinnati, the Mountaineers should reclaim their spot atop the Big East.
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24. Houston - Expectations for the Cougars are as high as they’ve been in years. Case Keenum won’t be sneaking up on anyone this time around.
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25. Pittsburgh – Dion Lewis and Jonathan Baldwin will do their part, but can Tino Sunseri fill the shoes of Bil Stull?
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Others in consideration: Arizona, Utah, Georgia, South Florida, Penn State, Cincinnati, Clemson, Washington, UCLA, Connecticut

1. Alabama – The Crimson Tide return just about everyone on both sides of the ball. But most importantly Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson return to form the best backfield in the nation.
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2. Ohio State – The Buckeyes return seven starters on what should be one of the nation’s best defensive units. Their only real tests will be at the Horseshoe against Miami and at Iowa in late November.
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3. Oregon – The Ducks overcame as much adversity as anyone in 2009 to win the Pac-10. 2010 should be a smoother ride and could produce a return trip to Pasadena.
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4. Iowa – The Hawkeyes 2009 success was no fluke. They return just about everyone, including Adrian Clayborn who may be the nation’s top defensive player.
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5. Boise State – The yearly dilemma continues. If the Broncos run the table, do they deserve a shot at the title? With games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech, they just might.
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6. Texas – There will be some rookie mistakes from Garrett Gilbert, but by season’s end he’ll have Longhorn fans forgetting all about Colt McCoy.
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7. TCU – The Horned Frogs are poised to run the table again in the regular season, but without any real tests how much will it mean?
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8. Miami FL – The Hurricanes will enter the championship conversation on Sept. 11 if they can win at Ohio State
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9. Florida - The Gators lose a lot on both sides of the ball, but Urban Meyer has a stacked roster and won’t miss a beat in the post-Tebow era.
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10. North Carolina – Overly optimistic? Perhaps. But the Tar Heels have the defense and the favorable schedule to become a top-10 team.
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11. Virginia Tech – The Hokies schedule is filled with cupcakes, with one notable exception: Boise State on October 2.
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12. Florida State – With the entire offense returning, the Seminoles could be poised to return to glory in the post-Bowden era.
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13. Wisconsin – The Badgers 2010 season rests on the very large shoulders of John Clay. He enters the season as a Heisman darkhorse.
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14. Oregon State - The Beavers and Ducks could be headed towards a winner-take-all Civil War game for the Pac-10 title.
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15. Oklahoma – The schedule makers didn’t do Landry Jones and Sooners any favors with games against Florida State and at Cincinnati.
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16. Georgia Tech – Josh Nesbitt is a legitimate Heisman candidate, but how much will he miss Demaryius Thomas and Jonathan Dwyer?
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17. USC - The Trojans have as much talent as anyone, but there will be a learning curve for the new coaching staff and young roster of players.
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18. Missouri - Blaine Gabbert may be the nation’s most underrated quarterback. The Tigers could give Nebraska a fight for the Big 12 North.
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19. Stanford – Losing Toby Gerhart hurts, but Andrew Luck is ready to step into the spotlight as one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks.
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20. Arkansas – A favorable schedule (Bama at home, no Florida) gives Arkansas a shot in the SEC, but Ryan Mallett needs to make some major strides.
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21. Houston - Expectations for the Cougars are as high as they’ve been in years. Case Keenum won’t be sneaking up on anyone this time around.
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22. LSU – This could be a breakout year for Jordan Jefferson, Terrance Tolliver and the Tigers offense. Patrick Peterson may be the nation’s best defender.
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23. West Virginia – With Tony Pike and Brian Kelly out of the picture at Cincinnati, the Mountaineers should reclaim their spot atop the Big East.
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24. Auburn – The Tigers closed on a high note in ’09, nearly knocking off Alabama. They enter 2010 with momentum and confidence.
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25. Pittsburgh – Dion Lewis and Jonathan Baldwin will do their part, but can Tino Sunseri fill the shoes of Bil Stull?
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Others in consideration: Arizona, Utah, Georgia, South Florida, Penn State, Cincinnati, Clemson, Washington, UCLA, Connecticut