The Truth Without Hype: Week 3 - What Happened to the Drama?

Does anyone remember all the upsets that we got to enjoy early in the season last year? I really, really miss them right now. Three weekends in we have barely seen any upsets at all, this past weekends Iowa/Arizona contest may have been the most important of the year and those teams were ranked 9th and 24th, hardly a large difference. Last year, a top five team lost in each of the first seven weeks of the season, this year, top five teams are still undefeated. The only one that even came close to losing was Boise State in week one and they were playing a team ranked sixth in the coaches poll. There has been one big upset, James Madison over Virginia Tech, but that team was already outside of the top ten and virtually no one actually got to watch. It strange to say this, considering that the gap between big programs and the FCS has never looked more narrow, but the gap between the top ten and everyone else has never looked wider. Florida doesn't even have to play decent to win by double digits anymore, seriously, the team looks like garbage every week and is never even challenged in the fourth quarter, and the same has gone for Texas so far. I just miss the drama, hopefully, we can actually see some teams start falling soon now that conference play is starting for many, and the mismatches should be over.

25. Florida - The Gators still are struggling quite a bit on offense, yet they still keep winning by double digits. The last two wins came against decent teams, so they've earned a vote even if the team isn't preforming well as a whole.

24. Fresno State - The Bulldogs were simply adequate in beating Utah State on Saturday, then again again, they were more convincing against this team than Oklahoma was.

23. Temple - A big win over UConn has many thinking that the Big East could very well be worse than the MWC, MAC, and WAC.

22. West Virginia - The Mountaineers became the first team from the Big East this season to win a game against another BCS conference team. They are the killer whale in a small pond.

21. Texas - The Longhorns still looked pretty lost on offense but they still look absolutely dominant on defense. Through three games, other teams defenses and special teams are outscoring their offenses against Texas.

20. Oklahoma State - The Cowboys offense has not been slowed by anybody yet but that defense is looking like it may not be up Big 12 standards once conference play starts.

19. NC State - The Wolfpack beat two-time defending Big East champion Cincinnati pretty badly this past week, giving them a 3-0 start.

18. Michigan State - The most exciting win of the weekend launches the Spartans into the top twenty. Unfortunately for the Sparty, the win was so exciting, it just might keep their head coach sidelined for a while, he had a minor heart attack just hours after the game ended.

17. Nevada - A previously unbeaten Cal team had no answer for QB Colin Kaepernick on Friday night and all of a sudden, BSU's conference schedule doesn't seem to be filled with automatic W's. The Wolfpack host BSU late in November.

16. Michigan - It's amazing how much one week can change things. It was almost Appalachian State all over again, as the Wolverines struggled to beat FCS foe UMass. The losses of both Notre Dame and UConn to underdogs didn't do their strength of schedule any favors.

15. Arkansas - Yes, the win over Georgia was big, but it was also very close. The Razorbacks still only have one significant win on the year but they most assuredly jump into the top ten if they can top Alabama this coming Saturday.

14. Kansas State - Quietly 3-0 with wins over two BCS teams. If only those teams weren't Iowa State and UCLA, they might even have a prayer at the top ten.

13. South Carolina - The Gamecocks struggled against Furham but those first two wins still look pretty good.

12. Utah - The Utes kept the momentum going with a demolition of the lowly Lobos of New Mexico.

11. LSU - This is the Tiger team people expect to see. After struggling against Vanderbilt and a barely there UNC team in the first two weeks, the Tigers crushed Miss. State.

10. Oklahoma - Yeah, it was close, but the Falcons are much better than anyone gives them credit for. The Sooners still have one of the nations better strength of schedules.

9. Auburn - An impressive come from behind win over Clemson, coupled with an early SEC win, make Auburn one of the most underrated 3-0 teams in the nation.

8. Boise State - The Broncos didn't miss a beat after 12 days off, crushing the Cowboys 51-6 in their own stadium in a game that didn't feel nearly as close as the score looks.

7. Stanford - The Cardinal look to have one of the best offenses in the nation after hanging 68 on Wake Forest.

6. Ohio State - The Buckeyes cruised past in-state "rival" Ohio. Maybe it's just me, but when they blow out nobodies, it just seems to lack a certain top-fiveness. I suspect they'll be blowing out somebodies soon though.

5. Nebraska - Jake Locker can kiss those Heisman votes goodbye after the Husker made him look absolutely terrible at home this week.

4. Arizona - A big win over Iowa, coupled with blowouts over a few nobodies makes the Wildcats the most surprisingly impressive team in the nation thus far.

3. TCU - Another week, another murder. Thats just how these Horned Frogs roll.

2. Alabama - No one has slowed the Tide to this point, the only reason they are not number one is because of the way Penn. State struggled against Kent State, thus slightly cheapening their only win over a decent team thus far.

1. Oregon - Speaking of not being slowed at all, the Ducks are averaging more than a point a minute after three games. Yes, two of those games were against garbage but a win at Tennessee is the third game and anyone scoring like this against decent competition deserves major props.

Also considered: Northwestern, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and USC.