Numerous so-called upsets took place last week and proved once again that we should do away with national polls until at least October. I have spoke time and time again that they are a waste of time and are actually unfair.

But lets get back to reality. College football fans on campuses at Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin awoke Friday morning with renewed dreams of winning a BCS National Championship. After all, unranked Oregon State upset top-rated USC, 27-21. But the euphoria lasted less than 48 hours for most of those fans.
 No. 3 Georgia looked pretty bad in a 41-30 home loss to No. 8 Alabama. No. 4 Florida, also lost at home, falling to Ole Miss 31-30. No. 9 Wisconsin blew a 19-point lead and lost to unranked Michigan 27-25 in Ann Arbor.

In all, nine ranked teams lost last week, including six teams that were upset by unranked opponents. Three of the top four teams and four of the top 10 in The Associated Press Top 25 were among those that fell. Like I said earlier, why bother with polls?
The very same thing happened last year.  The fifth week of the 2007 regular season produced eight Top-25 upsets, one fewer than what we just witnessed in the last four days.

So recent lessons show us the season is just getting started. History also tells us that it’s not yet over for one-loss teams like Ohio State, Florida and Georgia. In fact, it’s just beginning.

 
NFL Is Just As Crazy

The NFL is at the quarter mark and we have seen a possible changing of the guard. Five of the eight divisions this morning are led by different teams than the ones that won divisions last year. Looking down the standings as of now include Buffalo, Tennessee, Denver, New York Giants, and San Francisco.
The story of the NFL’s first quarter -- superpowers New England and Indianapolis falling back to the pack -- is a stunner, but, as it turns out, it’s really no different than any other year in the recent history of the league.

I went to NFL.com and was able to learn that in the past 15 seasons, 66 of the 100 division winners have been different than the season before. There’s never been a year when less than half of the division winners changed. Not once.

For you Carolina Panthers fans out there, I hope this gives you even more hope for your 3-1 Panthers.

 
Checking Out The Conferences (Again)

The latest round of upsets has left the Big 12 as the lone conference that can match up with the SEC.

This week’s poll has Big 12 schools at No. 1. And 4. And 5. And 7.  Conversely, the SEC claims Nos. 2, 3, 11, 12 and 13, which isn’t bad, either. The lesser weights have been giving the heavyweights all they can handle and, in the case of Ole Miss-Florida, more, showing the conference is not top-heavy. It is just plain heavy, period.
 
Both conferences have six teams in the Top 25, two others receiving votes and the top five rated teams in the nation. The NCAA could have an entertaining eight-team playoff and just invite teams from these two leagues.
 
I still give the edge to the SEC. The top of the conferences are relatively even, but there are too many unproven second-tier Big 12 teams. Baylor and Texas A&M are very weak, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State have played no one worth mentioning and Nebraska, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State lost to their only legitimate September opponents. The lower half of the SEC has shown itself to be stronger.
The SEC is 25-4 overall while the Big 12 is 38-10. ACC fans, your conference is 26-10. Virginia Tech helped out with a big road win at Big 12 member, Nebrasksa. But Wake Forest hurt you with a loss to Navy.
 

Johnson Feels He Is Back Where He Belongs

Jimmie Johnson is back in a familiar place -- atop the point standings. Johnson was as impressive as ever on Sunday in Kansas. After winning the pole, he stayed in front for most of the afternoon and gave us a thrilling finish with Carl Edwards.

Johnson now holds a 10-point lead in the standings over Edwards and a 20-point margin over Greg Biffle. The list of legitimate title contenders is now down to these three drivers.

Edwards did make a race of it, however. Over the last 20 laps of the race on Sunday, Edwards, who was in second, steadily gained ground on Johnson. He finally reached JJ’s bumper on the last lap. Running out of time, Edwards pulled a desperation move as he charged into the Turn 3. Diving to the low line, he pounded on the gas as he barreled through the turn. He had to know that his momentum was going to push him into the wall. Apparently, Edwards hoped he would bounce off the concrete wall and still maintain enough speed to beat Johnson to the finish line.
It didn’t work out as he smashed into the wall with such force on Sunday that it slowed him down so much that Johnson was able to charge back past him and beat Edwards to the checkered flag. Still, I, for one, admired Edwards’ effort.
Biffle continues to be the surprise of the Chase. This guy did not win a race during the regular season and finished eighth in the standings. He won in New Hampshire, won again in Dover, and finished third on Sunday.