The thirteenth week provided big hits and big finishes. The dust settled with one of the four unbeatens, Boise State, falling in overtime to Nevada after a missed field goal in both the fourth quarter and overtime. TCU might the third wheel as Oregon and Auburn now have the inside track to the BCS title game.
TOP 25 (Entering Week 14)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: at Oregon State
2)(3) Auburn: vs #13 South Carolina (SEC Title Game)
3)(4) TCU: IDLE
4)(6) Wisconsin: IDLE
5)(7) Stanford: IDLE
6)(8) Ohio State: IDLE
7)(11) Michigan State: IDLE
8)(12) Arkansas: IDLE
9)(2) Boise State: vs Utah State
10)(5) LSU: IDLE
11)(13) Oklahoma: vs #17 Nebraska (Big 12 Title Game)
12)(14) Virginia Tech: vs #21 Florida State (ACC Title Game)
13)(15) South Carolina: at #2 Auburn (SEC Title Game)
14)(16) Missouri: IDLE
15)(9) Alabama: IDLE
16)(19) Nevada: at Louisiana Tech
17)(17) Nebraska: vs #11 Oklahoma (Big 12 Title Game)
18)(18) Texas A&M: IDLE
19)(12) Oklahoma State: IDLE
20)(21) Utah: IDLE
21)(22) Florida State: vs #12 Virginia Tech (ACC Title Game)
22)(25) Mississippi State: IDLE
23)(NR) Northern Illinois: at Miami (OH)
24)(20) Arizona: vs Arizona State
25)(NR) West Virginia: vs Rutgers
Dropped out of the top 25: North Carolina State, Iowa
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Are GOP focused on economy...or social issues?
If one were to gauge the mood of the electorate this year, beyond the feeling of apathy for politics as usual; most would say that the economy was the most important issue. However, if one were to listen and I mean really listen to some campaigns and speeches; you would hear and see several candidates more concerned with other issues and areas. If you heard many Tea Party candidates talk like a Sharon Angle or Christine O'Donnell, you would quickly see that their social stances are far right of the majority of middle America aka Independents. Several Independents flipped from voting Democrat in 2008 to Republican in 2010 mainly due to the economy and jobs and the lack of major positive changes. Nonetheless, that did deter several conservative or far right candidates from focusing on abortion, Medicare, unions, or unemployment benefits. Among the right or base of the Republican Party there seems to be a disdain for the idea of social programs that can be viewed as government hand-outs or freebies if one were to use the scope used by such individuals.
The unrest with the economy drove the pessimistic electorate and lo and behold, the Republicans were able to not only reclaim the House majority, but picked up 20 more seats than needed to regain that majority. The victory was the biggest in a midterm election in 70 years. What the electorate in many areas that can be considered swing districts or potential battlegrounds did not realize was that they were blindly choosing the alternative. Many voters heard the social conservative stances of several candidates. Some agreed with them while others chose to pretend they did not hear the candidates' stances and focused more on what the candidate might do for the economic situation. Essentially, social conservatives shielded their controversial opinions or goals with a bad economy. They voiced to voters that the election was about the economy and candidates should not be largely criticized on their social stances since the electorate needed to shift the leadership and control in Congress to potentially shift and upgrade the economic climate.
The effects are going to be felt beyond Capitol Hill and Washington. Republicans not only made gains in both houses of Congress, but picked up multiple governor's mansions in key presidential states like Pennsylvania and Ohio while maintaining power in Florida by a razor thin majority. Furthermore, in states like Wisconsin, the power not shifted with governors, but many state legislatures also flipped from Democrat to Republican. What that all means is not only will the U.S. House seem a more conservative agenda being crafted, but in states with Republican control in both the executive and legislative branches; there could be dramatic changes ahead if party officials get their way.
Thus, the table is now set for what could be a rocky two years as Republicans are in position to not only say "no", but govern at the state and national level. And, they will largely govern based on social issues early as opposed to what they said they were running on: fixing the economy. It will probably not take too long before key Democratic achievements like the Affordable Care Act will be targeted. If one were to take a snapshot of the mood of the electorate two weeks ago, they would see six in ten voters voting with the economic recession as their primary concern. Beyond the often debated and talked about health care reform, no other social matter registered more than a minor blip on the electoral radar this year.
However, states will see their Republican governors and Republican state legislatures look to slow down the implementation of aspects of health care reform. Moreover, whether it be preventing funding for clinics that provide care to women including abortions or slow down equal rights progress in some states that involves gay marriage, conservative changes are ahead.
To put the shifts and changes into perspective:
Before the midterm elections, Democrats controlled 27 state legislatures outright. Republicans were in charge in 14 states, and eight states were split. (Nebraska, which has a single legislative chamber, is officially nonpartisan). Today, Republicans control 26 state legislatures, Democrats 17, and five have split control. In New York, officials are still determining who is in charge in the state Senate. Republicans control more legislatures than they have since 1952.
Millions and billions were poured into races to elect conservative candidates with the hopes of a more conservative agenda being implemented at the state level and potentially at various levels at the national level. Groups led by individuals like the Koch brothers and Karl Rove did not necessarily lead a Republican revolution ala Ronald Reagan or Newt Gingrich, but something much further right that speaks to the conservative wing having their own radical social agenda that they have accused President Obama and the Democrats of during the last two years.
Also, just as some Democrats misinterpreted 2008 as a reason to govern with little restrain; expect Republicans to misjudge the election as a mandate for them when many Democratic and Independent voters voted Republican because they saw them as the less of two evils in a given race. Liberals are bracing themselves for battles and a conservative social agenda that might be openly accepted in some states, but could face public backlash in others.
It will be a balancing act as one scans the country to see which Republicans act cautiously in order to not lose control in two years and which ones roll the dice with a mandate that does not exist and tune out the same voters they complained Democrats were ignoring.
The unrest with the economy drove the pessimistic electorate and lo and behold, the Republicans were able to not only reclaim the House majority, but picked up 20 more seats than needed to regain that majority. The victory was the biggest in a midterm election in 70 years. What the electorate in many areas that can be considered swing districts or potential battlegrounds did not realize was that they were blindly choosing the alternative. Many voters heard the social conservative stances of several candidates. Some agreed with them while others chose to pretend they did not hear the candidates' stances and focused more on what the candidate might do for the economic situation. Essentially, social conservatives shielded their controversial opinions or goals with a bad economy. They voiced to voters that the election was about the economy and candidates should not be largely criticized on their social stances since the electorate needed to shift the leadership and control in Congress to potentially shift and upgrade the economic climate.
The effects are going to be felt beyond Capitol Hill and Washington. Republicans not only made gains in both houses of Congress, but picked up multiple governor's mansions in key presidential states like Pennsylvania and Ohio while maintaining power in Florida by a razor thin majority. Furthermore, in states like Wisconsin, the power not shifted with governors, but many state legislatures also flipped from Democrat to Republican. What that all means is not only will the U.S. House seem a more conservative agenda being crafted, but in states with Republican control in both the executive and legislative branches; there could be dramatic changes ahead if party officials get their way.
Thus, the table is now set for what could be a rocky two years as Republicans are in position to not only say "no", but govern at the state and national level. And, they will largely govern based on social issues early as opposed to what they said they were running on: fixing the economy. It will probably not take too long before key Democratic achievements like the Affordable Care Act will be targeted. If one were to take a snapshot of the mood of the electorate two weeks ago, they would see six in ten voters voting with the economic recession as their primary concern. Beyond the often debated and talked about health care reform, no other social matter registered more than a minor blip on the electoral radar this year.
However, states will see their Republican governors and Republican state legislatures look to slow down the implementation of aspects of health care reform. Moreover, whether it be preventing funding for clinics that provide care to women including abortions or slow down equal rights progress in some states that involves gay marriage, conservative changes are ahead.
To put the shifts and changes into perspective:
Before the midterm elections, Democrats controlled 27 state legislatures outright. Republicans were in charge in 14 states, and eight states were split. (Nebraska, which has a single legislative chamber, is officially nonpartisan). Today, Republicans control 26 state legislatures, Democrats 17, and five have split control. In New York, officials are still determining who is in charge in the state Senate. Republicans control more legislatures than they have since 1952.
Millions and billions were poured into races to elect conservative candidates with the hopes of a more conservative agenda being implemented at the state level and potentially at various levels at the national level. Groups led by individuals like the Koch brothers and Karl Rove did not necessarily lead a Republican revolution ala Ronald Reagan or Newt Gingrich, but something much further right that speaks to the conservative wing having their own radical social agenda that they have accused President Obama and the Democrats of during the last two years.
Also, just as some Democrats misinterpreted 2008 as a reason to govern with little restrain; expect Republicans to misjudge the election as a mandate for them when many Democratic and Independent voters voted Republican because they saw them as the less of two evils in a given race. Liberals are bracing themselves for battles and a conservative social agenda that might be openly accepted in some states, but could face public backlash in others.
It will be a balancing act as one scans the country to see which Republicans act cautiously in order to not lose control in two years and which ones roll the dice with a mandate that does not exist and tune out the same voters they complained Democrats were ignoring.
College Football Week 13 Power Rankings
The twelfth week provided a few top 25 battles with little major changes to the national title picture. The top for the most held fort with only Nebraska dropping a field goal battle to rising Texas A&M.
TOP 25 (Entering Week 13)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: vs #20 Arizona
2)(2) Boise State: at #19 Nevada
3)(3) Auburn: at #9 Alabama
4)(4) TCU: at New Mexico
5)(5) LSU: at #11 Arkansas
6)(6) Wisconsin: vs Northwestern
7)(7) Stanford: vs Oregon State
8)(8) Ohio State: vs Michigan
9)(9) Alabama: vs #3 Auburn
10)(11) Michigan State: at Penn State
11)(12) Arkansas: vs #5 LSU
12)(13) Oklahoma State: vs #13 Oklahoma
13)(14) Oklahoma: at #12 Oklahoma State
14)(15) Virginia Tech: vs Virginia
15)(16) South Carolina: at Clemson
16)(17) Missouri: vs Kansas
17)(10) Nebraska: vs Colorado
18)(21) Texas A&M: at Texas
19)(18) Nevada: vs #2 Boise State
20)(22) Arizona: at #1 Oregon
21)(24) Utah: vs BYU
22)(NR) Florida State: vs Florida
23)(NR) North Carolina State: at Maryland
24)(23) Iowa: at Minnesota
25)(25) Mississippi State: at Mississippi
Dropped out of the top 25: USC, Miami (FL)
TOP 25 (Entering Week 13)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: vs #20 Arizona
2)(2) Boise State: at #19 Nevada
3)(3) Auburn: at #9 Alabama
4)(4) TCU: at New Mexico
5)(5) LSU: at #11 Arkansas
6)(6) Wisconsin: vs Northwestern
7)(7) Stanford: vs Oregon State
8)(8) Ohio State: vs Michigan
9)(9) Alabama: vs #3 Auburn
10)(11) Michigan State: at Penn State
11)(12) Arkansas: vs #5 LSU
12)(13) Oklahoma State: vs #13 Oklahoma
13)(14) Oklahoma: at #12 Oklahoma State
14)(15) Virginia Tech: vs Virginia
15)(16) South Carolina: at Clemson
16)(17) Missouri: vs Kansas
17)(10) Nebraska: vs Colorado
18)(21) Texas A&M: at Texas
19)(18) Nevada: vs #2 Boise State
20)(22) Arizona: at #1 Oregon
21)(24) Utah: vs BYU
22)(NR) Florida State: vs Florida
23)(NR) North Carolina State: at Maryland
24)(23) Iowa: at Minnesota
25)(25) Mississippi State: at Mississippi
Dropped out of the top 25: USC, Miami (FL)
Monday, November 15, 2010
College Football Week 12 Power Rankings
The eleventh week did not have a lot of flare, but some battles in the SEC were a highlight of the weekend. As the season nears its end, four teams still remain flawless.
TOP 25 (Entering Week 12)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: IDLE
2)(2) Boise State: vs Fresno State
3)(4) Auburn: IDLE
4)(3) TCU: IDLE
5)(5) LSU: vs Mississippi
6)(6) Wisconsin: at Michigan
7)(7) Stanford: at California
8)(8) Ohio State: at #23 Iowa
9)(9) Alabama: vs Georgia State
10)(10) Nebraska: at #21 Texas A&M
11)(11) Michigan State: vs Purdue
12)(12) Arkansas: at #25 Mississippi State
13)(13) Oklahoma State: at Kansas
14)(14) Oklahoma: at Baylor
15)(18) Virginia Tech: at #20 Miami (FL)
16)(21) South Carolina: vs Troy
17)(19) Missouri: at Iowa State
18)(22) Nevada: vs New Mexico State
19)(23) USC: at Oregon State
20)(25) Miami (FL): vs #15 Virginia Tech
21)(NR) Texas A&M: vs #10 Nebraska
22)(16) Arizona: IDLE
23)(17) Iowa: vs #8 Ohio State
24)(15) Utah: at San Diego State
25)(20) Mississippi State: vs #12 Arkansas
Dropped out of the top 25: Florida
The next best 5 for Week 12:
Florida State: at Maryland
Florida: vs Appalachian State
North Carolina State: at North Carolina
Northwestern: vs Illinois
Baylor: vs #14 Oklahoma
TOP 25 (Entering Week 12)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: IDLE
2)(2) Boise State: vs Fresno State
3)(4) Auburn: IDLE
4)(3) TCU: IDLE
5)(5) LSU: vs Mississippi
6)(6) Wisconsin: at Michigan
7)(7) Stanford: at California
8)(8) Ohio State: at #23 Iowa
9)(9) Alabama: vs Georgia State
10)(10) Nebraska: at #21 Texas A&M
11)(11) Michigan State: vs Purdue
12)(12) Arkansas: at #25 Mississippi State
13)(13) Oklahoma State: at Kansas
14)(14) Oklahoma: at Baylor
15)(18) Virginia Tech: at #20 Miami (FL)
16)(21) South Carolina: vs Troy
17)(19) Missouri: at Iowa State
18)(22) Nevada: vs New Mexico State
19)(23) USC: at Oregon State
20)(25) Miami (FL): vs #15 Virginia Tech
21)(NR) Texas A&M: vs #10 Nebraska
22)(16) Arizona: IDLE
23)(17) Iowa: vs #8 Ohio State
24)(15) Utah: at San Diego State
25)(20) Mississippi State: vs #12 Arkansas
Dropped out of the top 25: Florida
The next best 5 for Week 12:
Florida State: at Maryland
Florida: vs Appalachian State
North Carolina State: at North Carolina
Northwestern: vs Illinois
Baylor: vs #14 Oklahoma
Monday, November 8, 2010
College Football Week 11 Power Rankings
The tenth week gave us some big matchups including two top ten battles with #3 TCU taking down #6 Utah and #9 LSU giving #5 Alabama its second loss of the year.
TOP 25 (Entering Week 11)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: at California
2)(2) Boise State: at Idaho
3)(3) TCU: vs San Diego State
4)(4) Auburn: vs Georgia
5)(9) LSU: LA-Monroe
6)(7) Wisconsin: vs Indiana
7)(12) Stanford: at Arizona State
8)(8) Ohio State: vs Penn State
9)(5) Alabama: vs #20 Mississippi State
10)(10) Nebraska: vs Kansas
11)(16) Michigan State: IDLE
12)(17) Arkansas: vs UTEP
13)(18) Oklahoma State: at Texas
14)(11) Oklahoma: vs Texas Tech
15)(6) Utah: at Notre Dame
16)(13) Arizona: vs #23 USC
17)(15) Iowa: at Northwestern
18)(20) Virginia Tech: at North Carolina
19)(14) Missouri: vs Kansas State
20)(21) Mississippi State: at #9 Alabama
21)(19) South Carolina: at #24 Florida
22)(22) Nevada: at Fresno State
23)(NR) USC: at #16 Arizona
24)(NR) Florida: vs #21 South Carolina
25)(NR) Miami (FL): at Georgia Tech
Dropped out of the top 25: North Carolina State, Baylor, Florida State
The next best 5 for Week 11:
Baylor: vs Texas A&M
Texas A&M: at Baylor
Florida State: vs Clemson
Penn State: at #8 Ohio State
North Carolina: vs #18 Virginia Tech
TOP 25 (Entering Week 11)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: at California
2)(2) Boise State: at Idaho
3)(3) TCU: vs San Diego State
4)(4) Auburn: vs Georgia
5)(9) LSU: LA-Monroe
6)(7) Wisconsin: vs Indiana
7)(12) Stanford: at Arizona State
8)(8) Ohio State: vs Penn State
9)(5) Alabama: vs #20 Mississippi State
10)(10) Nebraska: vs Kansas
11)(16) Michigan State: IDLE
12)(17) Arkansas: vs UTEP
13)(18) Oklahoma State: at Texas
14)(11) Oklahoma: vs Texas Tech
15)(6) Utah: at Notre Dame
16)(13) Arizona: vs #23 USC
17)(15) Iowa: at Northwestern
18)(20) Virginia Tech: at North Carolina
19)(14) Missouri: vs Kansas State
20)(21) Mississippi State: at #9 Alabama
21)(19) South Carolina: at #24 Florida
22)(22) Nevada: at Fresno State
23)(NR) USC: at #16 Arizona
24)(NR) Florida: vs #21 South Carolina
25)(NR) Miami (FL): at Georgia Tech
Dropped out of the top 25: North Carolina State, Baylor, Florida State
The next best 5 for Week 11:
Baylor: vs Texas A&M
Texas A&M: at Baylor
Florida State: vs Clemson
Penn State: at #8 Ohio State
North Carolina: vs #18 Virginia Tech
Monday, November 1, 2010
College Football Week 10 Power Rankings
The ninth week saw some stability as the top teams held fort in the rankings.
TOP 25 (Entering Week 10)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: vs Washington
2)(2) Boise State: vs Hawaii
3)(3) TCU: at #6 Utah
4)(4) Auburn: vs Chattanooga
5)(5) Alabama: at #9 LSU
6)(6) Utah: vs #3 TCU
7)(8) Wisconsin: at Purdue
8)(9) Ohio State: IDLE
9)(12) LSU: vs #5 Alabama
10)(15) Nebraska: at Iowa State
11)(11) Oklahoma: at Texas A&M
12)(13) Stanford: vs #13 Arizona
13)(16) Arizona: at #12 Stanford
14)(10) Missouri: at Texas Tech
15)(18) Iowa: at Indiana
16)(7) Michigan State: vs Minnesota
17)(14) Arkansas: at #19 South Carolina
18)(20) Oklahoma State: vs #24 Baylor
19)(19) South Carolina: vs #17 Arkansas
20)(22) Virginia Tech: vs Georgia Tech
21)(23) Mississippi State: IDLE
22)(NR) Nevada: at Idaho
23)(NR) North Carolina State: at Clemson
24)(NR) Baylor: at #18 Oklahoma State
25)(17) Florida State: vs North Carolina State
Dropped out of the top 25: Miami (FL), USC, Florida
The next best 5 for Week 10:
USC: IDLE
Syracuse: vs Louisville
Miami (FL): at Maryland
Florida: at Vanderbilt
Maryland: vs Miami (FL)
TOP 25 (Entering Week 10)
Rank(last week)
1)(1) Oregon: vs Washington
2)(2) Boise State: vs Hawaii
3)(3) TCU: at #6 Utah
4)(4) Auburn: vs Chattanooga
5)(5) Alabama: at #9 LSU
6)(6) Utah: vs #3 TCU
7)(8) Wisconsin: at Purdue
8)(9) Ohio State: IDLE
9)(12) LSU: vs #5 Alabama
10)(15) Nebraska: at Iowa State
11)(11) Oklahoma: at Texas A&M
12)(13) Stanford: vs #13 Arizona
13)(16) Arizona: at #12 Stanford
14)(10) Missouri: at Texas Tech
15)(18) Iowa: at Indiana
16)(7) Michigan State: vs Minnesota
17)(14) Arkansas: at #19 South Carolina
18)(20) Oklahoma State: vs #24 Baylor
19)(19) South Carolina: vs #17 Arkansas
20)(22) Virginia Tech: vs Georgia Tech
21)(23) Mississippi State: IDLE
22)(NR) Nevada: at Idaho
23)(NR) North Carolina State: at Clemson
24)(NR) Baylor: at #18 Oklahoma State
25)(17) Florida State: vs North Carolina State
Dropped out of the top 25: Miami (FL), USC, Florida
The next best 5 for Week 10:
USC: IDLE
Syracuse: vs Louisville
Miami (FL): at Maryland
Florida: at Vanderbilt
Maryland: vs Miami (FL)
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