Week 2 Recap: Great games and here this week's Top 25 ...

The Big Ten Conference appears to be just fine. They are not the top conference, but they are competitive as they develop younger teams at the moment. The Big Ten is 18-4, after Week 2. Yes, Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State all lost games in Week 2, but to good teams or in tough venues, in the case of Purdue, who is not projected as a very strong Big Ten team. In the four losses, only one was a clear upset. By the way, Michigan (2-0) and Iowa (2-0) picked up solid rivalry wins on Saturday.

What is happening in the Big Twelve after two weeks? Texas is the cream of the crop, which isn't a surprise, but both Oklahoma teams have already stumpled. They were beat by two good non-BCS teams in Week 1 and Week 2, respectively. Iowa State fans need to stick with new coach Paul Rhoads and the Cyclones ... dispite the 35-3 loss to the University of Iowa. Games with Kansas State and Colorado should give the Cyclone nation some hope of erasing the 0-8 campaign from last year in conference play.

USC has a good team, but 18-15 at Ohio State isn't earth breaking. Is the Pac Ten overrated? What's up with Oregon? The Pac Ten picked up a very nice win at Tennessee with UCLA on Saturday. Of course, UCLA won last year vs. the Vols too.

Want to talk about an underperforming conference, I would point to the ACC. Which went through a similar story in '08 as well. They have improved, but I would put the best the Big Ten above the best in the ACC right now. I guess the Indiana at Virginia game later this season may give some bragging rights between the two conferences. By the way, the top two teams in the ACC have each picked up a loss thus far.

Let's look at the Top 25 after Week 2.

Florida is a very solid #1. Texas is a very solid #2 as we complete Week 2 of the 2009 college football season. Week 3 should be just as interesting folks.

1. Florida (2-0) LW 1 - The Gators win solid 56-6 over Troy (0-2), who was supposed to be the frontrunner in the Sun Belt in '09. Next up: Tennessee (1-1) for the SEC opener in The Swamp. The Volunteers will be licking their wounds from a losing fight with UCLA (2-0), again. The Gators have been pretty strong over the past three years stopping the Vols run game.


2. Texas (2-0) LW 2 - The Longhorns went on the road @ Wyoming (1-1) and pulled out a 41-10 win, after a slow start in the game. Next up: Big 12 opener vs. Texas Tech (2-0), who cost the Longhorns their likely shot in the BCS title game in '08, with the Red Raiders winning 39-33 over Texas in Lubbock. Are the Red Raiders ready to step up in this series, which the Longhorns have won five out of the last six?


3. USC (2-0) LW 3 - The Trojans win the first of two Big Ten-Pac Ten match ups in Week 2. (Oregon nipped Purdue by 2 at home), with a 18-15 final minute touchdown over then #5 Ohio State (1-1) in Columbus. The Trojans haven't lost to a Big Ten opponent, since '96. Next up: Pac Ten opener @ Washington (1-1), who may give the Trojans a good test, remember the 27-24 game in '07 in Seattle. The Trojans have had some scares in the Pac Ten Northwest, so is it the Huskies turn?


4. Alabama (2-0) LW 4 - The Crimson Tide took care of business in their home opener 40-14 over Florida International (0-1). Next up: another Sun Belt match up with North Texas (1-1) heading to Tuscaloosa.


5. Brigham Young (2-0) LW 10 - The Cougars appear pretty high here, we know. BYU won 54-3 @ Tulane (0-2) in back to back trips to the South. Next up: vs. Florida State (1-1), as Bobby Bowden's club scored 12 points in the 4Th quarter in a close 3 quarters vs. Jacksonville State.


6. LSU (2-0, 1-0 SEC) LW 6 - After a trip to the Pacific Northwest, the Tigers opened SEC play at home with a 23-9 win over Vanderbilt (1-1, 0-1 SEC). Next up: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (2-0), who beat the Big 12's Kansas State (1-1) 17-15 on a late FG and appear to be caring the Sun Belt banner for now. Can the Ragin' Cajuns take down back to back BCS schools?


7. Penn State (2-0) LW 7 - The Nittany Lions beat Syracuse (0-2) 28-7 to continue the home swing with three straight OOC game at Happy Valley, before opening the Big Ten season, also at home. Next up: vs. Temple (0-1) in the final tune up before the revenge match up with Iowa (2-0) in the Big Ten opener on 9/26.


8. California (2-0) LW 10 - The Golden Bears took down Eastern Washington 59-7 in a Week 2 tune up to a Big Ten-Pac Ten showdown at home in Week 3. Next up: @ Minnesota (2-0), who followed up their Week 1 OT win @ Syracuse, with a 20-13 home opener over Air Force (1-1). The Gophers are coming off a big emotional back on campus game, so how will they respond vs. the Golden Bears?


9. Boise State (2-0) LW 11 - The Broncos beat a weak MAC team, Miami-Ohio (0-2), by the score of 48-0, with QB Kellen Moore throwing 4 TD passes. Next up: WAC opener @ Fresno State (1-1), who fell victim to a double OT loss at Wisconsin on Saturday. Hopefully, the Bulldogs didn't fall victim to the flu bug too that the Badgers were suffering?


10. Ohio State (1-1) - LW 5 - Are the Buckeyes the top program in the Big Ten in '09? We won't know until the Big Ten season is played out, but the defense and offense didn't get it done in the 15-18 loss to #3 USC at home. Next up: vs. Toledo (1-1) in Cleveland. First year coach Tim Beckman picked up his first win in Week 3, with a home win over the Big 12's Colorado (0-2).


11. Oklahoma (1-1) LW 19 - The Sooners were bounced too far, after their Week 1 loss vs. now #5 BYU. After all, they only lost the game 13-14 in Arlington and the Sooners have been one of the most solid programs this decade in college football. The Sooners took care of business 64-0 over Idaho State in their home opener. Next up: vs. Tulsa (2-0), who will want to carrier on the banner that fellow C-USA member, Houston, did in Week 2 vs. OU rival, Oklahoma State. Could this be a dangerous game for OU at home? Or, is it only MWC or WAC teams that have Bob Stoops numbers at times?


12. Mississippi (1-0) LW 12 - The Rebels were idle Week 2 and we can't see much merit in bumping the Rebels up this early in the season, as compared to OU or the other programs ahead of the Rebels. Week 1 opponent Memphis is now 0-2. The Rebels will open back up in Week 3 hosting a FCS opponent, Southeastern Lousiana (2-0) at home., before the SEC opener @ South Carolina (1-1, 0-1 SEC) on 9/24.


13. Utah (2-o) LW 13 - The Utes picked up a 24-14 win on the road @ San Jose State (0-2) in Week 2 for their 16Th straight win in football. They hold the longest win streak right now in College Football. Next up: @ Oregon (1-1), who defeated Purdue at home, after an ugly opener in Week 1 at Boise State.


14. Virginia Tech (1-1) LW 14 - The Hokies rebounded with a 52-10 win over Marshall (1-1) at home, after the Week 1 loss to Alabama in Atlanta. Next up: vs. #21 Nebraska (2-0), who the Hokies beat in Lincoln 35-30 last year.


15. Georgia Tech (2-0, 1-0 ACC) LW 15 - The Yellow Jackets picked up a nice 30-27 win over then #25 Clemson (1-1, 0-1 ACC) on Thursday night at home. Next up: ACC road opener @ #18 Miami-FL (1-0, 1-0 ACC), who the Yellow Jackets rolled up 472 yards on the ground at home in last year's 41-23 win in the final regular season ACC game.


16. Georgia (1-1, 1-0 SEC) LW 16 - The Bulldogs turned around from Week 1's road loss at Oklahoma State to pull off a huge home and SEC opener vs. South Carolina (1-1, 0-1 SEC) by the score of 41-37. Yes, Georgia lost to #19 Oklahoma State, but they won the bigger SEC game. Next up: @ Arkansas (1-0), who beat up on a FCS opponent in Week 1 and has had more than a week to prepare for their SEC opener.


17. TCU (1-0) LW 17 - The Horned Frogs pick up a nice 30-14 win @ Virginia (0-2), in a nice non-BCS vs. BCS match up. The Horned Frogs were idle Week 1. Next up: vs. Texas State (1-0).


18. Miami-FL (1-0, 1-0 ACC) LW 18 - The Hurricanes were idle in Week 2 and will open more ACC play by hosting #15 Georgia Tech (2-0, 1-0 ACC) in another conference showdown on Thursday night at home. The Hurricanes have lost four straight to the Yellow Jackets.


19. Oklahoma State (1-1) LW 8 - The Cowboys couldn't take the momentium of the opening season win over #16 Georgia (1-1) into Week 2. The Cowboys lost 35-45 at home to one of the C-USA's better teams, Houston (2-0). Next up: vs. Rice (0-2).


20. Iowa (2-0) LW 20 - The Hawkeyes traveled to Ames for the Cy-Hawk series game with Iowa State (1-1), winning 35-3, for the the first victory in Ames, since '03. Iowa showed potential in their first road game, despite a off day by QB Ricky Stanzi. Next up: The Hawkeyes return to Kinnick to host Arizona (2-0) in the third Big Ten-Pac Ten showdown.


21. Nebraska (2-0) LW 21 - The Cornhuskers won their second home game of the season vs. a Sun Belt opponent with a 38-9 win over Arkansas State (1-1) in Lincoln. Next up: @ #14 Virginia Tech (2-0), in the Cornhuskers first road test of the year under coach Bo Pelini.


22. Oregon State (2-0) LW 22- The Beavers held on and won @ UNLV (1-1) 23-21 on Saturday. Next up: vs. #25 Cincinnati (2-0, 1-0 Big East), in an important Pac Ten-Big East showdown before Pac Ten play begins. The Beavers won the '08 Sun Bowl 3-0 over the Big East's Pittsburgh (2-0 in '09).


23. West Virginia (2-0) LW 24 - The Mountaineers avenged last year's loss at East Carolina (1-1), with 35-20 win over the Pirates at home. Next up: @ Auburn (2-0), who WVU beat at home last season by the score of 34-17.


24. Houston (2-0) LW NR - The Cougars pulled off a 45-35 mild upset @ then #8 Oklahoma State (1-1) on Saturday to avenge last year's 37-56 loss also in Stillwater. The Cougars get a bye week before hosting another Big 12 opponent, Texas Tech (2-0) on 9/26.


25. (tie) Cincinnati (2-0, 1-0 Big East) LW NR - The Bearcats beat SE Missouri State (0-2) 70-3 in Week 2, after a solid 47-15 Big East road win @ Rutgers (1-1, 0-1 Big East) in Week 1. Next up: @ #22 Oregon State (2-0) for a huge Big East-Pac Ten showdown.
    (tie) Kansas (2-0) LW NR - The Jayhawks picked up a nice road win 34-7 @ UTEP (0-2). Will they succesfully defend their Big 12 North title from last year? We will have to wait until Big 12 play. Next up: vs. Duke (1-1), who took care of business at Army, after opening loss vs. FCS foe.

Iowa is in our Top 25, with wins at Kinnick vs. what may be the FCS #1 program and the road to win for the mythical state title in Iowa. Head to head they would be very competitive vs. teams #21-25. A win vs. the Pac Ten this week, with the opener at Penn State for Iowa to follow: Iowa could very well be in the position to follow where they left off in '08.

Teams to Watch in Week 3: North Carolina: Remember, the Tar Heels were 2-0 at this point last year, but didn't get by East Carolina, who is up next for UNC.

Michigan (2-0) was 3-9 last year and the win Saturday over then #23 Notre Dame (1-1) was a good boost. By the way, Notre Dame lost their top WR, who was giving the Wolverines fits. Michigan beat Notre Dame 38-0 the last time they visited the Big House. Let's see what happens on the road for the Wolverines, who are certainly better than last year, but Top 25 right now?

Missouri (2-0) has wins over Illinois (1-1) and Bowling Green (1-1) to start the '09 season. The Tigers face Furman (2-0) at home, before a tough road test @ Nevada (0-1) to finish OOC play. We don't see three Big 12 North teams among the Top 25 in '09; two may be too many.
Teams who are currently ranked in Top 25 AP and/or Coaches' Polls, but not ranked here.

Exiting our Top 25 in Week 2: Notre Dame (1-1) LW 23 (L, 34-38 @ Michigan). Clemson (1-1) LW 25 (L, 27-30 @ # 15 Georiga Tech).

FCS wins over FBS in Week 2: None, but a couple near misses in the ACC, after 2 wins in Week 1. Florida State and Maryland, who were taken to the fourth quarter and OT, respectively, were almost victims three and four in the ACC this season.

peace