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Editor's note: J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.
• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls
• Pollspeak (how everyone else voted)
The top eight didn't change for the first time all season but No. 9 through No. 25 is the same roulette wheel it has been since Week 1.
Oregon (9) took control of the Pac-10 with a wild, comeback win at Arizona. Even with two losses, both on the road, I think Oregon's better than Pittsburgh (10).
In case you missed the print edition, today's column looked at home-field advantage in the ACC.
Home, sweet home? Not quite, Tommy Lee, not in this state anyway.
Editor's note: J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.
• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls
• Pollspeak (how everyone else voted)
There are only eight major Division I teams, out of 120, with either one loss or less. There are 33 teams with either two or three losses.
Thirty-three teams for 17 spots? That helps explain the disparity between my top 25 and the AP top 25, where we have only three teams in common spots (Florida, Alabama and Georgia Tech).
With three straight ACC wins, North Carolina has put itself in a no-lose bowl situation.
With two more wins, and the right breaks, the Tar Heels could end up in the Gator Bowl. Even with a loss, and the wrong breaks, the Heels could still wind up in the Music City Bowl.
DURHAM - No. 7 Georgia Tech defeated Duke 49-10 on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets (10-1, 7-1), bolstered by the ACC's top rushing offense, rolled on the ground and in the air against the Blue Devils (5-5, 3-3), spoiling the afternoon for the home crowd of 25,899.
The loss places Duke in a must-win situation headed into next week's game against Miami if the Devils hold out any hope of becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 1994.
Editor's note: J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.
• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls
• Pollspeak (how everyone else voted)
I'm not punishing Boise State (5) for a relatively close call (45-35) against Louisiana Tech, rather Texas Christian (4) jumped a spot because of Oregon's loss and Clemson's climb in the ACC standings.
Clemson's 40-24 win over Florida State means the Tigers have to beat N.C. State, in Raleigh, and Virginia, at home, to win the Atlantic Division.
That's it and not even Tommy Bowden could screw that up (or only Tommy Bowden could screw that up).
Even if the spirit of Bowden possesses the Tigers, 4-2 in the ACC, and they lose once, they would still hold the tiebreaker over Boston College (3-2), which finishes with Virginia, UNC and Maryland.
Quick and dirty version of the JP Top 25 this week:
Editor's note: J.P. Giglio is one of 60 AP voters.
• JP Top 25 archive
• AP, USA Today polls
• Pollspeak (how everyone else voted)
Philosophical voting question: Should Southern California, with one loss, be ranked ahead of unbeaten teams such as Boise State, Cincinnati, TCU and Iowa?
You can see my answer below.
Deep thoughts to ponder while you try to forget about the two winless teams in the ACC:
Georgia Tech @ Virginia, noon
Circled this game in July as a loss for Georgia Tech. The 3-4's a problem for the option and Virginia inexplicably has a Boise-like home-field advantage, minus the weird turf.
But Virginia running back Mikell Simpson is not healthy and without him, UVa won't score enough points to beat a hot, yet weary, GT team.
Pick: GT