AAC Stepping Up

We all know that college football is the greatest definition of the “have’s” and “have not’s” in all of sports. The Power 5 conferences get to play in the big money BCS bowl games and the playoff while the rest of the mice are left scurrying for whatever pieces of cheese remain.

This year the American Athletic Conference is making it’s claim to add a sixth to the Power 5.

In the latest AP poll, the AAC has three teams ranked, as both Memphis and Temple joined Houston in the Top 25.  Memphis, currently ranked 18th posted one of the biggest victories of the season as they took down Ole Miss, 37-24.  This was the same Rebels team that defeated Alabama in Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago.

“My message to the team was you don’t have to be better than you are. You don’t have to be someone you aren’t. The best you is what we need,” said Memphis coach Justin Fuente after the victory.

Fuente’s Memphis team is 6-0, which is the same record of both Houston and Temple, ranked 21st and 22nd respectively.  Earlier this season Houston took down Louisville on the road and Temple beat up Penn State.

Don’t get me wrong, a couple of big wins doesn’t put the AAC on equal footing as the SEC, but they are a conference which is stout at the top and deserves a certain amount of respect.

Let’s hope the pollsters remember that when these teams eventually beat each other.

Our Rankings

Our rankings are based upon what actually happened on the field and much less about perception of how good teams should be or past history of the conferences they play in.

1. Utah Utes- They keep beating good teams and although it isn’t quite as decisive as we’d like, there’s no reason to drop them.

2. Baylor Bears- Baylor keeps blowing out everyone they play and scoring 50 or 60 in the process.  We probably won’t know how good they are until they play TCU, and we might not even know then.

3. LSU Tigers- Nice win by LSU over Florida, who will be playing the rest of the season without their starting quarterback.

4. Clemson Tigers- Clemson keeps getting by and we’re ready for their showdown against Florida State.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide-  One slip-up keeps them out of our Top 4 and the Ole Miss loss to Memphis does them no favors, but the Tide seem to be hitting their stride.

6. TCU Horned Frogs- TCU keeps winning games and Trevone Boykin is great, but like Baylor, who have they beaten?

7. Michigan State Spartans- Michigan State won in the most improbable of ways on Saturday against a very good Michigan team.  This season is beginning to have a Cinderella feel to it for Sparty.

8. Ohio State Buckeyes– Impressive win over Penn State on Saturday.  They need to switch to J.T. Barrett.

9. Florida State Seminoles- Everett Golson is playing mistake-free football and Dalvin Cook is running like a Heisman contender.  Statement game coming up against Clemson.

10. Florida Gators- They probably shouldn’t even drop this far after losing on the road, at night in Baton Rouge in a very close game.  There will probably be another loss or two coming for the Gators this season.

Heisman Rankings

1. Leonard Fournette, LSU- Fournette is a monster and he should be playing on the next level.  Florida has a big time defense and he torched them for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  It’s his award to lose, but he’ll have some tough defenses ahead, namely Alabama.

2. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State- Urban Meyer is finally realizing that giving the football to Ezekiel Elliot is the Buckeyes best play.  Elliot gained 153 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown.

3. Dalvin Cook, FSU- Cook still has an injured hamstring and still ran for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  He is the key to the Seminoles undefeated season and will be a good running back on the next level.

4. Trevone Boykin, TCU- Boykin was brilliant in the Frogs 45-21 victory over Iowa State as he completed 27 of 32, for 436 yards with four touchdowns.  Boykin is setting all types of school records this season.

5. Seth Russell, Baylor- Russell had 540 yards from scrimmage with six touchdowns in Saturday’s 62-38 victory over West Virginia.  Russell is putting up huge numbers and the winner of the TCU game will take another step forward in Heisman voting.