Latest logjam best argument yet for college football playoff (Oct. 28 college football rankings)

The BCS picture is beginning to clear up, with multiple teams falling from the ranks of the unbeaten and several more one-loss teams coming in on the wrong side of the scoreboard. South Carolina could have climbed back into the top 10 with a 38-35 win over Tennessee but without Marcus Lattimore, the Gamecocks will have to rely on Connor Shaw the rest of the way, something I'm not convinced is a winning strategy. Unlikely Kansas State joins Notre Dame, Oregon and Alabama as the top four gunning for Miami heading into the stretch run of the season and none of them have a team on its schedule that looks insurmountable. That playoff can't come soon enough.

1) Alabama (8-0): The Crimson Tide heard all week from the Mississippi State faithful how they believed they could upset the defending national champions. It didn't take long for Alabama to shatter that belief, scoring quickly and easily to give the previously-unbeaten Bulldogs a harsh reality check in a 38-7 win. The Tide's offense sputtered a bit and the defense allowed a few big plays but Alabama continued its tradition of bending but not breaking and kept Mississippi State off the board until the backups were on the field. Alabama travels to LSU for a rematch of the rematch of the century next week and a victory there will have Alabama on the cusp of a return to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game for the first time since 2009 and a favorable path toward a return trip to the BCS Championship Game.

2) Kansas State (8-0): Texas Tech showed some swagger in the first half, staying within a field goal of Kansas State late in the first half. The Wildcats then decided they were done playing around, going on a 52-7 run over the last 35 minutes against the nation's No. 7 defense and put up 50 for the fifth time this season in a 55-14 win over the No. 14 Red Raiders. Heisman candidate Collin Klein accounted for four touchdowns and has K-State aiming for a crystal football, as well.

3) Notre Dame (8-0): Virtually every week, fans and pundits believe the Fighting Irish will finally come back to Earth. They will have to wait at least one more week and probably more. Notre Dame stormed into Norman and turned a close game into a blowout over the final 5:05, scoring 17 points, forcing an interception and forcing a turnover on downs in a 30-13 win over Oklahoma. Notre Dame has two road wins over Top 10 teams and less-than-stellar competition remaining on the schedule. The Irish share a win with Kansas State over the Sooners but the Wildcats' win may have been more impressive with some voters and the lack of a conference championship could have Notre Dame on the outside looking in come December. The Irish will have to hope either Kansas State or Alabama loses.

4) Oregon (8-0): The Ducks looked very impressive against a team that lost to Sacramento State. Still, Oregon scored 56 points in the first half of a 70-14 win over Colorado and have put video game numbers on the scoreboard all year. Depending on the polls later today, the Ducks have either two or three games remaining against top 25 teams but Southern California and Oregon State each lost and will likely fall from the top 10. Oregon will need some help if it wants to return to the BCS Championship Game.

5) Georgia (7-1): The Bulldogs' defense answered Jarvis Jones' challenge and dominated Florida, forcing six turnovers and allowing no touchdowns in their second straight win in the World's Largest Cocktail Party. The Gators had a chance to tie it late but when Jordan Reed tried to get fancy at the 5-yard line, Jones stripped the ball to seal the 17-9 victory. Georgia is on the cusp of a second straight trip to the SEC Championship Game and got a lot of help to climb back into the top 5. If the breaks keep falling their way (and if Aaron Murray can get it together), the Bulldogs could meet Alabama in Atlanta with a chance to make their own BCS argument.

6) LSU (7-1): The Tigers were off this week ahead of a much-anticipated matchup against No. 1 Alabama. LSU has been exposed much this season but have shown the heart and talent to pull out some impressive wins the box score won't necessarily reflect. An upset over the Crimson Tide on Saturday will put LSU back in the national title picture but the Bayou Bengals will need a lot of help for another chance to lay an egg in the BCS Championship Game.

7) Florida State (7-1): The Seminoles are a late North Carolina State touchdown away from being in the national championship conversation. Florida State throttled Duke 48-7 in a possible preview of the ACC Championship Game. The Seminoles have some things to work on (namely the four fumbles they had against Duke) but have an excellent chance of winning out and returning to a BCS bowl.

8) Florida (7-1): Florida had appeared to be back to relevance heading into Jacksonville to face Georgia but now look to not be ready for prime time. The Gators had a chance to wrap up a trip to the SEC title game but fumbled that away in the loss to Georgia. Florida is in the top 10 simply because too many teams lost to fall out of it. There are three likely wins on the slate before the Gators travel to Tallahassee but it's unlikely at this point Florida plays in a top-tier bowl game.

9) Oklahoma (5-2): The Sooners had aspirations of returning to the national championship picture. Now they have slim chance of even winning the Big 12, as their is no conference title game and Kansas State doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

10) Mississippi State (7-1): There was a buzz around Starkville as the Bulldogs won their first seven games and hit the road to play Alabama. The Crimson Tide did what they do to a lot of excited teams and slammed the door early. Mississippi State's ranking may have been inflated a bit with a narrow victory over Troy and wins over lowly South Alabama, Middle Tennessee and Jackson State but the Bulldogs still have a lot to play for, namely a mid-level bowl appearance.

Prep kicker nails 67-yard-field goal

Seventeen-year-old Austin Rehkow of Central Valley near Spokane, Washington, nailed a 67-yard field goal at the end of regulation Thursday and beat Shadle Park in overtime 62-55.

Although the NFL record is 63 yards, (last hit by San Francisco's David Akers in the 2012 opener against Green Bay) Rehkow is the third prep player to hit a field goal of at least 67 yards. According to the National Federation of High Schools Record Book, Dirk Borgognone of Reno, Nevada, nailed a 68-yarder in 1985.

Just for giggles, I'd love to plug one of these kids into an NFL field goal unit, complete with the big boys going full speed for the block. With the best athletes in the world coming, the kickers in the pros have less time to set up, aim and make the kick. Against a high school team, even a great one, I wouldn't be surprised to see Akers hit one from 70 yards away.

-  Reporting courtesy of kboi2.com

This doesn't warrant a red card?

If there was ever a play that deserves a red card and immediate ejection (and suspension) it's the one shown in the video.

KSL.com reports that East High (Utah) player Petiola Manu unleashed this vicious blow to Wood Cross' Makenzie Clark after frustration at some non-calls during aggressive play from Clark.

Manu apologized and the Utah High School Athletic Association is investigating and Manu will be disciplined by the school according to KSL.

"A knee to an unprotected head is unacceptable, that kind of unsportsmanship is unacceptable, and I don't want a player to get away with this to set a precedent for it to be able to happen again, that they can get away with something," Clark's mother, Susie Clark, said.

I would expect a season-long ban but the incident poses the question: Why was Manu allowed to finish the game? Where were the officials? Were they afraid of receiving a similar blow to the face?

LSU takes a tumble - College Football Week 7

LSU played with fire one too many times and finally got burned in a 14-6 loss to Florida, sending the Tigers out of the top 10. Both major college polls have West Virginia as a top-5 team but despite spectacular wins over Baylor and Texas in consecutive weeks I can't bring myself to place a team that gave up 63 and 45 points respectively in those games that high.

1) Alabama (5-0) - The Crimson Tide beat up Ole Miss two weeks ago and got a much-needed break on Saturday. Injuries to Dee Hart and DeAndrew White will test Alabama's depth the rest of the way but the defending champions are deep.

2) Oregon (6-0) - The Ducks piled up some points once again, beating Washington 52-21 and making the Huskies' stint in the top 25 a brief one. Marcus Mariota threw four touchdowns and has the Ducks primed for a push for Pasadena.

3) Florida (5-0) - The Gators announced their return to the upper pavilion of the SEC by overwhelming LSU in the second half. It was the lowest scoring output this season for Florida but the Gator defense chomped the Tigers' offense. Mike Gillislee ran for a career-high 146 yards and two touchdowns in preparation for a crucial SEC East gauntlet, including South Carolina and Georgia, in the next few weeks.

4) South Carolina (6-0) - The Gamecocks proved they were contenders after all by pounding a resurgent Georgia team 35-7. Connor Shaw accounted for three touchdowns in South Carolina's 10th straight win and the former SEC doormats are now looking to return to Atlanta for the second time in three seasons.

5) Kansas State (6-0) - The Wildcats followed an upset over Oklahoma with a 56-16 beatdown over rival Kansas. John Hubert and quarterback Collin Klein each ran for more than a 100 yards and combined for 6 touchdowns on the ground. Kansas State could be ready to make some BCS noise.

6) Notre Dame (5-0) - The Fightin' Irish are 5-0 for the first time in a decade after a 41-3 rout of Miami at Chicago's Soldier Field. It was an impressive and easy victory coming off a hard-fought win over Michigan. Notre Dame is relevant again but has a tough road ahead if it wants to return to a major bowl.

7) West Virginia (5-0) - Geno Smith is the heavy favorite for the Heisman Trophy, throwing for four more touchdowns in a 48-45 win over Texas. That's the good news for the Mountaineers. The bad news is West Virginia took it to the wire again for the second straight week, despite scoring a ton of points. Smith can't do it on his own so unless Dana Holgorsen can recruit a defense mid-season, don't expect the new guys to take home the Big 12 championship.

8) Florida State (5-1) - North Carolina State scored with 16 seconds left to beat Florida State 17-16 and threw a wet blanket on the Seminoles' national championship ambitions. Florida State can bounce back to compete for the ACC crown and has the offense to get back into the BCS National Championship discussion with a little luck.

9) Southern Cal (4-1) - The Trojans were down early but rallied to put away Utah 38-28. Matt Barkley had 303 yards and three touchdowns in the air. USC still should play for the Pac-12 title but a poor performance next week against Colorado could dash any BCS dreams.

10) Ohio State (6-0) - The Buckeyes aren't eligible to compete for any sort of championship this season but it doesn't mean they can't shake things up in the Big Ten. Quarterback Braxton Miller is coming into his own and Ohio State overwhelmed Nebraska 63-38. They aren't allowed to be Big Ten champions but they are the best team in the conference.

LSU not a top-3 team (College football week 4)

The SEC flexed some muscle this week, placing four teams in the AP top 6. That's underrated, as I have five  in the top 10.  Here are my top 10 teams for the week.

1) Alabama 4-0 - If anyone could be disappointed with a 40-7 victory, it's Alabama coach Nick Saban,  and rightfully so. The Crimson Tide had to settle for four field goals against a much weaker FAU team and had a two-game shutout streak snapped. All this after Owls defensive end Cory Henry provided the defending national champions with bulletin board material to fire them up. Alabama is traditionally built on defense, however, and were a brick wall up until the final drive.

2) Oregon 4-0 - The Ducks put up a 49-0 blitz over previously-unbeaten Arizona and looked like a complete team in all three phases of the game. About the only knock on Oregon was there were too many times players seemed more interested in individual glory than playing as a team, best exemplified by Colt Lyerla's touchdown run with quarterback Marcus Mariota still holding on to the ball. Regardless, this team can put up some points and should be making BCS Championship noise come December.

3) Florida State (4-0) - The Seminoles piled on  points against lesser competition over their first three games and showed no signs of slowing down against upstart Clemson. Florida State scored 35 second-half points in the 49-37 win over the Tigers and are now clearly in charge of the ACC.

4) Georgia (4-0) - Georgia has jumped out of the gate like rabid Bulldogs, averaging 47.5 points per game. They scored early and often Saturday before easing off the gas in a 48-3 win over Vanderbilt. With meetings against a rejuvenated Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida over the next few weeks, the Bulldogs can mark their territory in the SEC East and could be looking beyond Atlanta this season.

5) LSU (4-0) - Fans usually celebrate a hard-fought 12-10 victory over a division rival but LSU's win over a dysfunctional Auburn squad testified less to improvement on the Plains and more how overrated the Bayou Bengals might be. LSU was exposed against a weaker team but should rebound with a romp over a Tiger with less bite in the CAA's Towson on Saturday. Les Miles best get things turned around soon because three of LSU's next four opponents are South Carolina, Florida and Alabama.

6) Kansas State (4-0) - The Wildcats dropped 50 in their first two games before playing a tighter game against the Sun Belt's North Texas. Kansas State proved it belonged, however, by going on the road Saturday and beating previously unbeaten Oklahoma 24-19. The Wildcats forced three turnovers and John Hubert topped 100 yards rushing for the third time in 2012.

7) South Carolina (4-0) - The Gamecocks poured it on in a 31-10 over Missouri, keeping the Tigers winless in conference play. Connor Shaw was nearly perfect, Marcus Lattimore ran for two more touchdowns and South Carolina began an SEC East gauntlet in impressive fashion.

8) Notre Dame (4-0) - The Fightin' Irish recorded a second straight impressive victory over a Big Ten team, tieing up Michigan's Denard "Shoelace" Robinson in a 13-6 win. Unless it falls on its face the rest of the season, Notre Dame just might have returned to relevancy in college football.

9) Florida (4-0) - The Gators haven't lost to Kentucky since the Regan administration and their 38-0 win Saturday was just the latest in a string of impressive SEC wins. After stumbling out of the gate in an opening victory over Bowling Green, Will Muschamp has Florida primed for a run at the SEC championship.

10) Stanford (3-0) - The Cardinal is still riding high on its victory two weeks ago over Southern Cal. Stanford returns to the field Saturday against a humbled Arizona team and could be primed for a letdown with a trip to South Bend the following week.

Gamecocks-Tigers highlight SEC slate this week

Missouri at South Carolina - Quarterbacks Connor Shaw (South Carolina) and James Franklin (Missouri) are both nursing sore shoulders but are expected to play Saturday. The Tigers are playing their first conference game on the road and desperately seek a better showing than what they put up against Georgia. Franklin missed last week's win over Arizona State and with their signal caller back under center, Missouri should have enough firepower to outlast Steve Spurrier's fun-and-gun attack - Missouri 31-24

Akron at Tennessee - Zips coach Terry Bowden was never able to beat Tennessee while coaching at Auburn, going 0-2 against the Volunteers. He came close in the 1997 SEC Championship Game but Peyton Manning's late 73-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Nash gave the Vols their first conference title game victory. Akron earned its first victory under Bowden last week with a 66-6 thrashing of Morgan State but Tennessee is coming off a tough defeat to Florida and should rebound with an easy win over the visitors from the MAC. Tennessee 41-3

Ole Miss at Tulane - The Green Wave will take the field for the first time since the tragic injury to teammate Devon Walker and will look to win for their fallen brother. The Rebels suffered their first loss last week when they were throttled by Texas at home but should pick up their first road victory in nearly a year. Ole Miss 24-10


FAU at Alabama - The defending national champions vs. a 1-2 Sun Belt team coming off two straight blowout losses. This was sure to be a snoozer until the Owls' Cory Henry woke up the sleeping giants by telling the media the Crimson Tide could be beat. Yes, they can be beat, but it won't be this week.  
Alabama 63-7

LSU at Auburn - The battle of two Tigers usually produces memories but the only thing to be memorable about this is how much the Bayou Bengals unload on Auburn. LSU has too much speed, too much strength and too much depth. Auburn, meanwhile, is showing early signs of having the season spin out of control, being taken to overtime by Louisiana-Monroe before earning its first victory. LSU 34-10

South Alabama at Mississippi State - The Bulldogs are riding high with a 3-0 start and host a South Alabama team struggling to form an identity. The is the first time the Jaguars have faced a rank team but the fledgling program can only hope to gain big-game experience along with the paycheck. - MSU 31-0

Vanderbilt at Georgia - Both teams are coming off blowout wins against lesser teams. The difference is that the Bulldogs' was against an FBS school. No. 5 Georgia, winners of 13 straight, has its sights on big things after starting 3-0 while the Commodores are still trying to remain relevant. The Commodores, coming off a 58-0 thrashing of Presbyterian College, is looking to right the ship after two close losses to open the year but this isn't the week to do it. - Georgia 44-23

Kentucky at Florida - The Gators have won 25 straight in the series and look to be headed in the right direction after a few down years. The Wildcats are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Sun Belt's Western Kentucky but lead the SEC in passing and broke a long losing streak to Tennessee last season. Florida is coming off back-to-back road victories are should stay in control of the SEC East with an easy victory if it keeps its focus. - Florida 44-10

Rutgers at Arkansas - Tyler Wilson is expected to return for the Razorbacks and it couldn't come at a better time. Arkansas is skidding out of control after a chaotic offseason, a stunning loss to underdog Louisiana-Monroe and a humbling defeat to Alabama in which Wilson accused his teammates of quitting. The Hogs can go in one of two directions: Rally behind their leader or wilt in the face of his criticism. I expect the latter. Rutgers 31-21

South Carolina State at Texas A&M  - The Aggies say they aren't overlooking the Bulldogs but South Carolina State has done little to prove it deserves to be taken seriously. Texas A&M, led by true freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel throttled old Southwest Conference foe SMU last week, and should do more of the same this week. - Texas A&M 40-0

NFC Worst no more?

The San Francisco 49ers returned 11 starters from 2011's stout defense and through two games in 2012 appear they will remain just as stingy in 2012.

The defending NFC West champions went into Green Bay in Week 1 and did what many teams don't: Leave with a victory. They followed that up by clamping down on Matt Stafford and the Detroit Lions in their home opener in Week 2.

Most (if not all) had the Niners penciled in for another division title but that was largely due to them being a big fish in a small pond. That's not accurate: The 49ers were a Great White in a pond full of tadpoles.

 A funny thing happened, though.

The NFC West hasn't been doormats so far this season.

The St. Louis Rams had five of the first 65 picks in last April's draft and split their first two games. They are the division's only team with a negative point differential but that can be attributed to their opening loss to Detroit, which saw Stafford connect with Kevin Smith for a game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds remaining. They showed some spunk and rebounding against Washington, despite losing Steven Jackson to injury.

The Seattle Seahawks are sharing the basement with the Rams at 1-1 but they have a +16 point differential through their first two games, equal with San Francisco. Their only loss was to division foe Arizona in Week 1 and the Cardinals routed Dallas in their second game. Rookie quarterback Russell Wilson completed 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and has some Seahawks fans wondering why so much money was shelled out to Matt Flynn.

The Cardinals have been the division's, if not the NFL's, biggest surprise so far. They followed a season-opening win over Seattle by becoming the first team in 11 seasons to defeat New England in its home opener. This was done despite Larry Fitzgerald having just one catch for four yards. The team is 11th in the league in passing yards allowed and faces Philadelphia this week. If Micheal Vick can't stop throwing interceptions, the Cardinals could see their first 3-0 start since 1974.

The division is still San Francisco's for the taking. It is focused on returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1994 season and the NFC West shouldn't be much of an obstacle in that pursuit. At this rate, however, the six division games could give the 49ers a test and a better gauge whether or not they belong in the league's elite.