NCAA Football Power Rankings – Week 4
There was no change in the rankings as my top five schools in the country all added another relatively easy win to remain undefeated this past weekend with the exception of Alabama; which needed some late game heroics to pull-out a four point 24-20 victory on the road over then- No. 10 Arkansas.
Here is a look at my top five after four weeks of action along with each team’s current odds to win this year’s BCS title.
It was not pretty and it took a couple of key interceptions down the stretch, but Alabama (4-0) found a way to get past Arkansas 24-20 to hold onto the top spot in the rankings. Trailing by three points late in the fourth quarter, Crimson Tide CB Robert Lester intercepted QB Ryan Mallett and returned the ball all the way to the Razorback’s 13 yard line. Three plays later RB Mark Ingram plunged in from one yard out to score the game winner. No. 15 Arkansas (3-1) covered as a 6 ½ point home underdog and the total stayed well ‘under’ the 56 ½ point line.
Ohio State (4-0) had another easy time of it as it rolled over Eastern Michigan 73-20. The game was over early as the Buckeyes scored 24 unanswered in the first quarter and led 38-14 at the half. Ohio State QB Terrelle Prior threw for 224 yards and four TD’s and ran for 104 yards and a score before taking a seat in the fourth quarter. It was the most points scored by a Buckeye team in 60 years despite the fact that Head Coach Jim Tressel tried to call off the dogs down the stretch. Ohio State easily covered the 43 ½ point spread as a home favorite and the 93 point total blew away the 58 point line.
TCU (4-0) had the spotlight to itself in a 41-24 win over Southern Methodist (2-2) this past Friday night. The game remained tight through the first two quarters with the Horned Frogs clinging to a four point lead at the half. The Mustangs struck first in the second half but TCU, led by QB Andy Dalton, scored three straight touchdowns to put the game out of reach early in the fourth. Dalton finished the game completing 14-of-26 attempts for 174 yards and one TD. The Horned Frogs barely failed to cover as a 17 ½ point road favorite and the total went ‘over’ the 54 ½ point line.
Boise State (3-0) faced possibly its biggest challenge left on the schedule when the Bronco’s took on then-No. 24 Oregon State (1-2). They passed the test with flying colors as they came away with a convincing 37-24 win. Boise State built a 24-10 lead at the half and behind QB Kellen Moore’s 70.3 completion percentage for 288 yards and three TDs never allowed this game to get too close for comfort. The Broncos could not cover the 17 ½ point spread as a home favorite and the total went ‘over’ the 56 ½ point line.
This Oregon (4-0) team has quietly strung together four straight wins to start the season before its huge PAC 10 showdown with No. 9 Stanford this upcoming Saturday night. Last week the Ducks outlasted Arizona State 42-31 as they rallied from a 10 point second quarter deficit to run off 28 straight points to secure the win. Oregon QB Darron Thomas completed 19-of-33 attempts for 260 yards and two TD’s and RB LaMichael James ran for 114 yards and one TD to help lead the way. The Ducks failed to cover by ½ a point as an 11 ½ point road favorite. The total went way ‘over’ the 56 point line.
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