the NEW Power 16

well, more like top 16 of the AP Ballot, just call it the "Knee Jerk 16"

1) LSU - didn't flinch this weekend, and still have the single best win in the Top 25
2) Florida - flexed its offensive (and defensive) muscle against Tenn, so they get the #2 spot (and the poll gets nicknamed the "Knee Jerk")
3) USC - impressive in an away victory over Nebraska
4) Oklahoma - didn't do anything wrong, just didn't have as good a win as the 3 teams above them
5) West Virginia - the question here, as usual, is defense, they can put points on anyone, but could they stop a USC or Florida?
6) Ohio St - winning with a dominant 2nd half on the road is quite impressive and erased doubt from early stumbles with lesser opponents, just wait until the offense gets its legs under it
7) California - easy win makes up for last weekends' squeaker with Colorado St.
8) Penn St - will they provide a challenge for OSU in the Big Ten
9) Rutgers - i'd like to see them do something against someone meaningful (we might have to wait until the end of October, with back-to-back against USF & WVU)
10) Texas - poor showing in UCF, who scheduled that game? would any other power be caught dead playing such a "no win" game on the road?
11) Oregon - and here we fall off the wagon, these teams I don't feel particularly good about, but there isn't anyone else around
12) BC - good win at GT, but the ACC is just pitiful this year, VT and FSU really aren't pulling their weight
13) South Carolina - I'm still high from their win at UGA, but next week will provide a true test (@LSU), boy the hits don't stop coming in the SEC, do they?
14) Wisconsin - wow, the year the Big 10 is theirs for the taking, the always overlooked (and preseason favorite) Badgers seem to be choking it away
15) Louisville - um, they're just here by virtue of my lack of faith in the next 5-10 teams
16) Arkansas - yeah, yeah, yeah, didn't they just lose to Alabama? they did, but by 3, in last second fashion, on the road, without thier best WR, in Nick Saban's SEC re-debut. The Hogs will bounce back to win the next 6 to go to 7-1 taking a nice head of steam into the meat of the SEC schedule

Wow, that was harder than I thought, finding 16 teams to fill out the 16 spots, thus the bottom 3 are either weekend losers who may be better than they're playing now, or teams who haven't really shown me anything. All the teams after those (GT, Clemson, South Florida, Alabama, UCLA, Nebraska, etc) haven't really impressed me either, College Football meet Mr. Parity.

And no, I have no reason for picking the number 16.

Oh, and those links I promised:
Duke students need to work on its football celebrations
Looks like Red Sox fans should stick to asking Red Sox for autographs, what's the matter kid, did Jacoby Ellsbury turn you down?