Stanford needed three overtimes to win at USC, and the voters for the Scripps Legends Poll took notice, dropping the Cardinal a spot to No. 4.

The move allowed Oklahoma State to continue its climb up the rankings to third. Oklahoma State, which had no problem with Baylor, moved into the top 3 for the first time this season.

“Oklahoma State has gone on the road and won three big games against Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri, and they’re all competitive teams,” said former Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry, who now resides in the state of Oklahoma. “After the Sooners’ loss (a week ago), Oklahoma State is in great position. They gained great momentum with these wins on the road and they’ve got real star power with the quarterback (Brandon Wheeden) and receiver (Justin Blackmon).”

Both Alabama and LSU were idle this weekend and remained No. 1 and 2, setting up an epic showdown in Tuscaloosa next weekend. Many predict the winner of the much-hyped SEC matchup will be in New Orleans for the BCS championship game.

“Everybody has been waiting for this ballgame all year long,” former Auburn coach Pat Dye said. “I guarantee you it will live up to its billing.”

Clemson saw its national title hopes fade this past weekend after losing at Georgia Tech, 31-17. The upset dropped No. 9 Clemson four spots and out of the top 5.

Unbeaten Boise State moved back into the top 5 after a four-week absence.

No. 6 Oregon was the highest ranked among the once-beaten teams, followed by No. 7 Oklahoma and No. 8 Arkansas. Clemson and Nebraska rounded out the top 10.

Several teams moved up four spots in the rankings this week, including No. 11 South Carolina, No. 13 Houston, No. 14 Michigan, No. 15 Arizona State and No. 16 Penn State.

No. 19 Kansas State suffered its first loss of the season, dropping seven spots, while both No. 17 Michigan State and No. 18 Wisconsin fell eight spots after losses.

Idle Cincinnati made its first top 25 appearance of the season at No. 24, and No. 23 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Auburn moved back into the rankings.

Three Big 12 schools dropped from the top 25 in Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor.

(Image courtesy of Flickr, RASMITH116)

Stanford now has control of its own destiny.

The third-ranked Cardinal moved one spot behind the SEC powerhouses, LSU and Alabama, after Oklahoma and Wisconsin got knocked off last week. But now Stanford’s tough schedule begins. Enter USC.

Richard Billingsley: I think we could say the same thing about Stanford that we’re saying about Kansas State. In everyone’s eyes, you know, last week when Stanford played Washington they were impressive. That was the most impressive I’ve seen Stanford play because Washington is a good team. I’m telling you right now Washington is a good team. And Stanford just manhandled them. But now they have to turn right around go on the road and play in the Coliseum against this Southern Cal team that was just as impressive on the road against Notre Dame. This is going to be a great game and I think we’re finally – if Stanford is able to win this game I think you’re finally going to see some of the computers give more respect to Stanford. Now, I already do. They are higher in my rankings than any other computer and deservedly so. But this game I think is really going to give them respect across the board and if Stanford is able to go in there and win because that’s going to be a tough, tough game.

LaVell Edwards: Boy, I sure think so. In fact, I was so impressed with them I jumped them up to No. 3. I don’t know if they’re that good, but I guarantee you they were impressive against Washington. They haven’t used Luck all that much passing and so it’s going to be interesting to see if they can run the ball against SC like they have been doing against other people and if they can then I think they’ll win that ball game.

Dick MacPherson: I think that it all depends upon how USC defends them. Because I think Luck can throw the ball and he can really take advantage of a defense if they dare him to.

Moderator: And as John Robinson pointed out on one of our calls, he said that USC defense isn’t as tough as they’ve been in the past, other past teams. So, maybe Stanford with that balanced attack should be able to exploit that.

Edwards: One of the coaches said, too, which I thought was a great remark was that when I think of toughness I haven’t ever thought of Stanford until now. And Stanford’s always been a passing oriented team. But when they said toughness – you know, don’t think of Stanford, but they do now.

Moderator: Any other thoughts about the game?

Edwards: What would really be interesting is if Stanford runs it out or if Clemson runs it out. You know, and then one of those others get beat and say Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State and takes them out of it, they would be out of the mix. It’d be an interesting choice between Stanford and whoever. So, it would be an interesting thing – because I think somewhere down the line there’s going to be some choice like that made and whoever they choose may or may not be as good as a once beaten either an LSU or Alabama.

Moderator: And then you’ve got Boise sitting out there.

Edwards: Yeah, Boise’s always going to be there. All they do is beat people.

(Image courtesy of Flickr, Culture Shlock)

Moderator: How will the TCU – BYU game affect the rankings?

Richard Billingsley: As far as the impact on the rankings it’s not going to have a great impact, but I really want to talk about TCU and Brigham Young. The game being played in Arlington. It’s a mid-season great intersectional game, great atmosphere. You know, both of these teams lost early and since then they have both been rolling. And I think it’s just going to be an interesting game, myself, I’m very anxious to see who is going to win that game. So, I’ll be very interested to get the thoughts here from the coaches on TCU and Brigham Young.

Moderator: Well, LaVell, you probably know the best about Brigham Young.

LaVell Edwards: Well, BYU is kind of a hard team to figure out because they’re pretty good on defense I thought and then they had that bad second half against Utah and Utah is not that good. But other than that they’ve been playing pretty good. It’s all going to depend on how strong TCU’s defense is as opposed to how BYU’s defense plays because I don’t think either offense are all that great – or as good as they have been in the past.

Moderator: When I’m looking at the BYU record there and the 54-10 to Utah, I’m thinking how did that happen?

Edwards: Yeah, at halftime it was 14-10 and BYU should have been up by two touchdowns. BYU comes out and fumbles the second half kickoff. Utah takes it and score and just goes on from there.

Moderator: Mac, did you have anything to say about BYU or TCU?

Dick MacPherson: The only thing I’m seeing is the TCU head guy maximizes everything that he has. I think Coach Gary Patterson has done a great job there. I think that TCU is the better personnel than BYU right now.

Moderator: Well, you’re probably glad that TCU isn’t coming to your former league, the Big East, right?

MacPherson: Well, I’m so against all that traveling when the kids are supposed to be going to school. It’s sickening.

Billingsley: I totally agree.

Michigan State pulled off the miracle upset victory on a Hail Mary last weekend against Wisconsin. Now the Spartans must try to avoid the letdown against Nebraska.

Richard Billingsley: I’d like to talk about Michigan State/Nebraska because we’re looking here at the Big Ten and I think the cream of the crop. I think everybody would agree at this point in the season, is Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska. And Wisconsin has already played and beaten Nebraska decisively and then the Badgers of course have that last seconds on the clock loss to Michigan State just this past weekend. Now Michigan State has to go to Nebraska. So, we’ve got these three teams that we have this potential to analyze. Nebraska is playing better football than what they did in that loss to Wisconsin. There’s no doubt about that. Nebraska I think is a better football team at this point in the season than they were three or four weeks ago. But I look at the way Michigan State handled Wisconsin for the majority of that game. I think Michigan State’s probably the best team in the Big Ten right now. But having to go on the road and play Nebraska is going to be a real, real test for Michigan State. And I’m looking forward to the game simply because again it’s another game that we’re going to be able clearly define the Big Ten.

Moderator: LaVell, what do you think?

LaVell Edwards: Well, I think a couple of things. I think first of all, Nebraska played Wisconsin in Wisconsin. I think Nebraska is having a real advantage being at home, just like Wisconsin did when Nebraska played them. And I don’t think Nebraska can throw the ball at all hardly. They’re very, very limited in that capacity. They can run very well, but he is a not a good passer. On the other hand, I think the quarterback at Michigan State is pretty doggone good. I don’t see Nebraska running the ball or beating Michigan State just trying to run the ball. And if they’re reduced to that then I think Michigan State’s going to beat them.

Moderator: Mac, do you have anything on that at all?

Dick MacPherson: I think that Nebraska is a football team that can win any game they play. Even though Nebraska is missing the great quarterback, I think for Michigan State to win, the only way they can do it is to outcoach them with their offensive game plan. But I think Nebraska is going to stop them because they just a play great defense. Also, I’d have to take Nebraska especially after the game that Michigan State had to play this week to get there.

(Image courtesy of Flickr, peter890)

Things won’t get any easier for Georgia Tech anytime soon. The Yellow Jackets are on a two-game skid and unbeaten, fifth-ranked Clemson is heading to Atlanta this weekend.

Richard Billingsley: Well Georgia Tech had the upset loss a couple of weeks ago, plus they lost this past weekend and that kind of took the luster off of this game. I think everyone was pointing to this, perhaps, as Clemson’s biggest challenge in the ACC and it probably still is. The game is being playing in Atlanta. I think everyone has just been kind of holding their breath and almost expecting Clemson to lose a game somewhere along the way. It is going to be a very, very tough game for Clemson. I think Georgia Tech is very capable of winning that game. But if Clemson wins this then that game at South Carolina at the end of the season sets itself up to be a huge game – a potential undefeated season for Clemson and a real shot at a championship. They have to get over this hurdle.

Moderator: LaVell, do you remember on the call yesterday, I think it was Bobby Ross talking about the defensive backs for Georgia Tech and that they weren’t very good and that they just aren’t playing the defense that they need to play. And that sounds like Clemson with Watkins at the receiver, and the other one – that they could probably tear these guys up if they get going early.

LaVell Edwards: Well, that could create problems for them. I don’t think there’s any question about that. Playing at Georgia Tech I think is going to be a tall order, but Clemson they just seems like they’re getting better all the time.

Something’s happened with Georgia Tech and I don’t know – like they were saying yesterday on our coaches conference call they didn’t think they had the fullback, the running back like they had had the last couple of years. And I think with that option play, because I think Fisher even said that about Air Force and I think with that option if you don’t have that real good fullback and that guy that they fake to all the time – if you’re not real solid there then it’s pretty tough.

Moderator: Well, the guy that they had a couple of years ago that played three years for them is playing for the Steelers now – that Jonathan Dwyer. And he was a big guy and he was going 220 or so. But he was really fast. So, if you didn’t respect him up the middle, he’d rip off these 40 and 50 yard runs. So, you’d have to jam up the middle and that opened up the outside for those guys. And that’s what Bobby was saying that without that guy, teams are just daring them to go to the outside because they’re killing them on the outside and their cutting down the pitch.

Dick MacPherson: Well, Georgia Tech’s coach, Paul Johnson, he’s been such a great coach for so long he paid the price wherever he’s coached. In his style of offense the fullback is what runs the whole doggone thing but teams are playing the pitch and stopping his offense. I can’t get over how well Clemson is doing this season. They’re playing so well I’ve got to go with Clemson.

(Image courtesy of Flickr, FinanceBuzz)

Moderator: What are your thoughts on Michigan State’s upset of Wisconsin?

John Cooper: John Cooper got back on the call and answered this question I still think Wisconsin is the best team in the league. I did not think they played their best game the other night and I felt like if the game were going into overtime, I thought Wisconsin probably would have won the game, but the Hail Mary pass sort of turned out like a fluke. But anyway, you’ve got to give Michigan State credit. They’re well coached and they’ve got pretty good balance on both sides of the ball. I think Wisconsin’s got the best talent and if Wisconsin can come into Columbus and beat Ohio State this week, I still think they’re the team to beat in the league. Quite honestly, I think Nebraska probably will be favored over Michigan State, but right now, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska are the three top teams in our league.

Moderator: Bill, did you think that Michigan State would pull the upset?

Bill Mallory: I had a feeling that naturally it was going to be a darn good ballgame and it certainly was. That was one exciting game to watch. Wisconsin jumped out in that first quarter 14-0 and I thought well they’re going to maybe run away with this game, but that certainly wasn’t the case. I tell you, Michigan State is a good, tough, hard nosed, come after you, football team. In that 2^nd quarter things began to turn and when they got that intentional grounding in the end zone and it became and automatic safety, that just really started Michigan State’s momentum and then they came back, had a big play, a double reverse that took it to Wisconsin’s , well, it was then Wisconsin 14, Michigan State 9. Then, they blocked a Wisconsin field goal and then a punt that ended up being a touchdown in the end zone there and so at halftime it was 23-14. So, really, Michigan State really had momentum and then in that 3^rd quarter Wisconsin did get a field goal which made it 23-17 and then the 4^th quarter, that was a wild one. Michigan State went on to get 31 points, went for 2 and made it and then Wisconsin came back and tied it up. And then, you know, that Hail Mary at the end, and that sure worked. It landed in the hands of that young man, Nickel and he took it in and Michigan State won it 37-31.

Moderator: Who do you think will win the Big Ten now?

Mallory: SI think right now it’s going to be an interesting way the Big Ten. Michigan State has got to go in and play Nebraska this week there in Lincoln. That will be a very interesting game to watch and Wisconsin has got to go to Ohio State and play there. And you can’t sell Ohio State short. So, it’s up for grabs right now just where the conference is going, but it’s certainly an interesting race at this stage.

(Image courtesy of Flickr, Daaka2)

Syracuse pulled off a shocker.

It’s not necessarily shocking that the Orange beat West Virginia, but it is shocking how Syracuse won. 49-23.

“Well, it was just stomping, just one heckuva football game,” Legend Dick MacPherson said of his former team. “I just think you have to give credit to the Syracuse coaching staff that’s revived the program there tremendously and it’s been a long time since the Carrier Dome rocked like that.”

Syracuse took a 12-point lead into halftime and was able to blow the lead wide open early in the fourth quarter. Former Mountaineer coach Don Nehlen was impressed with Syracuse’s play.

“Well, Syracuse ate West Virginia alive,” Nehlen said. “Boy, I’ll tell you, they did a great job. That guy’s (Doug Marrone) done a wonderful job of coaching. You know, they exposed West Virginia’s spread offense – you know, they came after us about over fifty percent of the time and you know it’s hard to throw the ball on your rump. And the West Virginia quarterback got knocked down so many times that he wasn’t the same guy. But they beat us in all fazes. All fazes. Every single faze of the game. They just kicked the crap out of us.”

(Image courtesy of Flickr, Elise Michelle)

Stanford is in the driver’s seat.

Andrew Luck and the Cardinal controls its own destiny in the Pac-12 and likely in the national championship picture. They moved up to third in the Scripps Legends Poll after rolling over Washington and with help from Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

Former Washington coach Don James was impressed with third-ranked Stanford.

“Well, Stanford’s good,” James said. “I think going into the game I knew, with Luck, that they would be able to throw on us (Washington) because everybody else has thrown on us. Eastern Washington threw on us for 400 yards. So, I felt like we needed to stop the run. I looked at a couple of plays and they were in a two-deep defense and Stanford gashed that one, using Terry’s term, right up the middle. Both safeties came straight forward into the off tackle area and so I don’t know what – their secondary is not playing very good and I don’t think they have great athletes back there. So, I see Stanford’s a nine-point favorite going to SC and that’s unheard of when you go on the road down there and be favored by that much. But they’re solid. They can play on both sides of the ball and they’ve got a gifted quarterback.”

If Stanford can get by USC on the road, it still has to face Oregon in a few weeks, which will likely determine which team goes to the inaugural Pac-12 championship game.

“Oregon wants to win the Pac-12,” former USC coach John Robinson said. “If they beat Stanford they will be the Northern representative. Oregon is one of the better teams in the country. They possess a speed quotient that I don’t think anybody can really match in terms of the way they play and just the speed that they have. So, it’ll be a great match between the speed and the power-type of football. Stanford, Alabama and LSU, you turn them on TV and you think you’re back in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. I mean, those teams are just going to knock the crap out of you and Stanford’s like that and it’s hard for me to even say that, but it’s true.

“So, I think the Oregon-Stanford game is a classic match, but you know, the Trojans are going to show up here Saturday now. I know Stanford is good. But SC is an extremely young team maybe the youngest that’s playing right now with any kind of success. Certainly they are the youngest team with a 6-1 record. So, I think those kids are getting older and that’s one of things about college football. Those freshmen teams, the inexperienced teams get better as the year goes on. So, SC played well and their defense has improved dramatically. They play a very soft zone and, but don’t give up the ball – college football right now – it looks like the old All American Football Conference used to look way back in the ‘50’s. The guys just run straight down the field, people throw them long passes and they run for touchdowns there. The secondary looks like they’ve got a bunch of non-scholarship guys all over the country and can’t seem to play against the deep receivers. So, SC does a pretty good job of that so they may have a chance.”

USC moved back into the top 25 of the Scripps Legends Poll this week after a big win over rival Notre Dame in South Bend.

Earlier this season, Terry Donahue said USC’s defense looked worse than it had in decades — a strong accusation that was brought up on Monday’s teleconference.

“Well, the fact that they’re 6-1, I certainly give Southern Cal full credit,” Donahue said. “I mean, they’ve done a really good job getting to this point, I think, of being 6-1. I think the proof will be in the pudding this week when they play Stanford, when they play a really good football team.

“I was impressed with their game against Notre Dame from this standpoint, it was one of the first times that I’ve seen Southern Cal, in the past couple of years really try to go back to what I’m used to seeing from Southern Cal which is running the ball and you know dominating the line of scrimmage. Also trying to have the tailback gash you and having your defense just kind of hanging on because you can’t handle the offensive front of Southern Cal.

“They’ve really moved away from that since, and I’m not saying this to pump John up or anything, but ever since John Robinson’s left, that program has moved away from that kind of tradition. I think as a result even though they’ve won some National Championships and BCS Bowls and things like that, but when you don’t have a dominant defense with that kind of a team, which this year Southern Cal’s team does not, I think it’s harder to win like that.”

Donahue says that the jury is still out on how good this USC team will be.

“I don’t think this is a good Southern Cal defense,” he said. “I think they beat a very average Notre Dame team that was playing with a true sophomore quarterback. I don’t take anything away from the victory, it’s a hard place to play, they went all the way down there, won the game and won it in great fashion, but to me this is not a great Southern Cal team and it’s not a great Southern Cal defense and I think Stanford will gash them.”

(Image courtesy of Flickr, Daaka2)

Christmas may have come early for Clemson.

Former unbeaten teams Oklahoma and Wisconsin suffered devastating upsets that most likely took them out of the national title picture. And with the losses, Clemson made another jump in the Scripps Legends Poll, leaping over sixth-ranked Boise State into the top 5.

Former Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum ranked Clemson third, higher than any of the other legendary voters.

“I just thought Clemson and that receiver we were all talking about last week, Sammy Watkins, he is a such a special player,” Slocum said. “Clemson reminds me of some of the SEC, you know, if you look at Alabama and LSU and how athletic they are and physical they are I think Clemson has some of those same qualities. And a whole lot of speed and some big, active guys, too.”

Last week, Slocum was the only Scripps Legends Poll voter to have Oklahoma at No. 1 ahead of Alabama and LSU. The Sooners fell at home to Texas Tech in a shocker. Slocum joked he “was kidding” about picking Oklahoma No. 1 a week ago.

“I got burned on my pick of Oklahoma last week,” Slocum said. “After watching them play, I was really disappointed. I sat there the whole game and I watched every minute. I was really disappointed. You know, their quarterback was not very effective. They didn’t run the ball very well and they played no defense. So, I definitely voted them down quite a bit this week.”

Slocum dropped the Sooners to No. 12 this week.

He also joined the rest of the Scripps Legends Poll voters and put Alabama and LSU in the top two spots, voting the Tide No. 1. But Slocum says Clemson might be able to hang with the SEC teams this year.

“When I looked at Alabama and LSU I think the thing that sets them apart is that they are very athletic,” Slocum said. “They have a lot of speed on both of those teams, but they’re also big and physical and when I watch Clemson play I see some of the same attributes. They’ve got a lot of athletic skill on the field. Their young receiver, Sammy Watkins, is a great player. And then they’re a big, physical team.  They’ve got some defensive linemen that can run and they’ve got some running backs that can run. So, I thought just physically they reminded me, somewhat, of Alabama, LSU, that nature. They’re an undefeated team and they recruit in that same part of the country and they look a lot like those teams.”

Stanford and Oklahoma State rounded out Slocum’s top 5.

“Yeah, I think Stanford, to me, has obviously got a great quarterback, which Oklahoma State has as well,” Slocum said, “but they’re ability to run the ball I thought was really impressive the other night in the Washington game – that they’re ability to just line up and run the football which gives them balance. We know they can throw the football, but to run like they did against Washington I think the balance that Alabama can do that and LSU can do that and I think perhaps that Stanford has a little bit more balance capability than Oklahoma State.”

(Image courtesy of Flickr, [lauren nelson])