The Confidential

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Final

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Football, as well as the Bottom 4 BCS-level teams.  Here is the Final version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

1. Alabama (13-1): The SEC proves again that it can take care of business on the national stage.  But Alabama deserves special credit for turning into a dynasty. Wow.
2. Notre Dame (12-1): The Fighting Irish played a tough schedule and came out 12-0.  Sure, they lost to Alabama.  That just makes them #2.
3. Ohio State (12-0):  The Buckeyes were idle during bowl season, due to an improvident decision by its athletic director to not sit out last year’s bowl.  Urban Meyer has things going in Columbus though.
4. Oregon (12-1): A great January for Oregon.  They beat Kansas State by a decent margin and, most importantly, kept Chip Kelly.
5. Georgia (12-2): Georgia’s only losses were to South Carolina and Alabama.  Hard to argue with that.
6. South Carolina (11-2): South Carolina lost two games all season–to LSU and Florida.  Gives them the edge over Texas A&M.
7. Texas A&M (11-2): The Aggies showed that they belonged in the SEC.  The only losses were to LSU and Florida.
8. Stanford (12-2): The Cardinal have that inexplicable loss to Washington and a loss to Notre Dame.  Otherwise, Stanford beat Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA (twice), Wisconsin, and USC.  That’s all.
9. Florida (11-2):  The Gators were dismantled by Louisville, but had a very good season overall.  Hard to have Florida State leapfrog them when Florida won the head-to-head game.
10. Florida State (12-2): Florida State had a great season.  That loss to North Carolina State remains hard to justify though.
11. Louisville (11-2).
12. LSU (10-3).
13. Clemson (11-2).
14. Kansas State (11-2).
15. Oklahoma (10-3).
16. Northwestern (10-3).
17. Boise State (11-2).
18. Utah State (11-2).
19. Northern Illinois (12-2).
20. Cincinnati (10-3).
21. Nebraska (10-4).
22. Kent State (11-3).
23. Vanderbilt (9-4).
24. Oregon State (9-4).
25. Penn State (8-4).

* * *

121.  Illinois (2-10).  The Illini were overmatched in the Big 10 this year.  2013 should be better though.

122. Kentucky (2-10).  Kentucky beat Samford and Kent State.  That Kent State win looks pretty good now!

123. Kansas (1-11).  Kansas was the only Big XII team to not make a bowl.  Going to be a tough rebuilding process.

124. Colorado (1-11).  The Buffaloes actually kept it close against Utah to finish the season.  But there was too little of that in 2012.

So there it is.  If you do not like it… sorry.  But feel free to share your reasons why…