Magic Reappearing Act

For teams with losses, the opportunity to get back in the race is there

College Football Preview: Week 7

> The Red Zone | Tape It Up | Strike The Pose | Breaking The Code

> B.J.: No Love In The Heartland | Bad Bruins

> Caparell: Missouri The Machine | Blackburn: Top 25 Pop Quiz | Crystal Ball: Weekend Predictions

Oct. 10, 2007

By Tom Hart

Special to CSTV.com


	TOM HART Tom Hart calls football play-by-play for CSTV and is a contributor to CSTV.com. E-mail here!

In the original Pole Position video game from Atari, it didn't take much to blow up your open-wheel racer. Failing to navigate a turn that was tangent to a poorly placed roadside billboard turned your ride into a ball of flames. I'm beginning to wonder if Pete Carroll ever played the game. The beauty of the game is that your car reappeared, and with a little luck and some deft driving, you were right back in the mix.

That is still possible with USC, which will have plenty of chances against ranked competition to get back into the national title race.

The Top 5 in my AP poll this week are consistent with the rest of the voters. If USF hadn't struggled to beat a poor team, they would be ahead of Ohio State.

Boston College will garner more attention this weekend, as will Missouri. I'm not sure if the Tigers can win in Norman, Okla., but I know they deserve to be a Top 10 team. An opening weekend win on a neutral field against Ron Zook's Illini gets more impressive as the season wears on, and the demolishing of the `Huskers should leave no doubt that they are playing like one of the nation's best right now.

Oklahoma's win over Texas keeps the Sooners in my Top 10 right now, and they kick start a run of great teams in the teens. Oregon deserves a nice spot ahead of a two-loss Florida team, with unbeaten Arizona State and Cincinnati right behind. Wisconsin is the least impressive of the one-loss teams right now.

There are a couple of teams I left out this week that are waiting on the front porch. Wyoming's only loss came at Boise State, and their opening win against Virginia is the only blemish on the Cavs slate. Auburn still hasn't overcome their loss to Mississippi State, and Tennessee has yet to put together consecutive consistent outings.