Thirteen of the top 25 teams in the Associated Press college football ratings are still unbeaten midway in the 2011 season. Ten of them have one loss and two have two losses. In other words, most of the same teams keep winning week after week.
It is probably one of the most dominant Top Tens in years. How often have five unbeaten teams failed to make the Associated Press Top Ten at midseason? Last weekend, eight of the Top Ten teams played and they averaged more than 47 points each. They won by an average 28 points.
Only two of the Top Ten are expected to have much trouble winning this coming weekend. They are sixth-ranked Oklahoma State, which plays No 22 Texas, and No. 9 Oregon, which plays No. 18 Arizona State. But neither a Texas nor Arizona State victory would be considered a major upset.
Where are the upsets this year?
The law of averages may eventually catch up with some of these favorites, but it might have to wait another week or two. This weekend the top seven teams are favored by a total of 154 points, an average of 22 points, more than three touchdowns, per game. That's in spite of the fact that all off them except Wisconsin are playing on the road. Here's the lineup for the top seven, with the point spreads coming out of Las Vegas:
Most Top Teams Are Heavy Favorites
- No. 1 LSU, favored by 15 over Tennessee.
- No. 2 Alabama, by 25 over Ole Miss.
- No. 3 Oklahoma, by 35 over Kansas
- No. 4 Wisconsin, by 39 over Indiana
- No. 5 Boise State, by 32 over Colorado State
- No. 6 Oklahoma State by 7 over Texas
- No. 7 Stanford, by 21 over Washington State
Eighth-ranked Clemson is a seven point favorite over Maryland. Oregon is favored by 15 over Arizona State. No. 10 Arkansas has an open date.
The nation's other undefeated teams may be in for some trouble this weekend, but even their losses would not constitute major upsets. No. 12 Georgia Tech (6-0) is only a touchdown favorite over Virginia and No. 16 Illinois (6-0) is only a five point favorite over Ohio State. No. 17 Kansas State is actually a three-point underdog to unranked Texas Tech. No. 25 Houston (6-0) is off this weekend.
Michigan vs Michigan State
In perhaps the best game of the week, No. 11 Michigan (6-0) is a three-point underdog to No. 23 Michigan State (4-1) in a battle for a spot in the first Big Ten Conference championship game. The Spartans' home-field advantage probably accounts for that three-point advantage. Michigan State lost to Notre Dame in the third week of the season, but then came back with a win over Ohio State in a crucial Big Ten Conference battle
Michigan and Michigan State currently lead the Big Ten's Legends Division with 2-0 and 1-0 conference records. This week's winner will emerge as the division's undisputed leader since Nebraska and Iowa already have one conference loss each and Northwestern and Minnesota have two losses each.
The Big Ten will conduct its first conference championship game December 1 at Indianapolis, pitting the winners of the leagues Legends and Leaders divisions.
"2011 NCAA Football Rankings. AP Top 24, Week 7 (October 9)", ESPN
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