Duke Rises Up One Spot
Duke rose to No. 24 in the rankings this week following their 28-21 win against Wake Forest. The win gave the Blue Devils their first nine-win season since 1941 and clinched them at least a tie atop the ACC Coastal Division. Despite the historic win, Duke only moved up one place in the rankings, taking Ole Miss’ spot at 24, but they did receive 41 more votes than last week. The Blue Devils could also see themselves ranked in the BCS Poll as a result of their victory. Duke has the chance to keep this historic season going with a win against the Tar Heels next weekend, which would not only see them move up in the polls, but also would guarantee it a chance to compete for the ACC Championship in Charlotte.
Baylor Falls
There are only three undefeated teams left, as Oklahoma State dismantled Baylor in a 49-17 victory. The Cowboys were the first team all year to figure out how to stop the Bear’s top-scoring offense, holding them to their lowest point total all year. Oklahoma State’s Clint Chelf had a stellar performance, throwing for a career-high 370 yards and four touchdowns. The win dropped Baylor from No. 3 in the poll down to No. 9, while the Cowboys rose four spots to No. 7 and have a shot at playing in the Big 12 Championship game. The Bear’s hopes of competing for a national title are all but crushed now.
Oregon Upset by Arizona
Be careful what you wish for. Last week the Ducks players described their lack of desire to play in the Rose Bowl again, and now with a shocking defeat to Arizona, it appears they won’t have to worry about playing on New Year’s Day, or the national title game for that matter. In what has been a wacky season in the Pac-12, Oregon was the latest team to be upset, losing to unranked Wildcats 42-16. The surprising defeat dropped the Ducks seven spots in the poll all the way down to No. 12. The loss is good news for Stanford, who clinched the Pac-12 North division and will play Arizona St. in the Pac-12 championship for a chance to play in the Rose Bowl.
Auburn Moves to No. 4
Auburn has steadily moved up the polls the past several weeks, and despite not playing this weekend, find themselves ranked fourth heading into next weekend’s Iron Bowl against Alabama. Next weekend's matchup is just the second time that both teams with face each other when ranked in the top-5, and is arguably the biggest game of the season. Should the Tigers upset the Crimson Tide, it would have huge national title game implications for the entire BCS. Next weekend should be a wild week for college football and one to look forward to.
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