The College Football Blog: 2011 Season Résumé Rankings (After Week 14)

Season Résumé Rankings after Week 14

1. LSU 13-0 (1^st)

2. Oklahoma State 11-1 (2^nd)

3. Alabama 11-1 (3^rd)

4. Stanford 11-1 (4^th)

5. Arkansas 10-2 (7^th)

6. Kansas State 10-2 (9^th)

7. Oregon 11-2 (10^th)

8. Boise State 11-1 (8^th)

9. USC 10-2 (NR)

10. Wisconsin 11-2 (NR)

Out: Virginia Tech (5^th); Houston (6^th).

Explanation: There was more change in these rankings following Championship Saturday than there was in my power rankings. Obviously this is because a loss—regardless of how “good” it is—costs much more in the résumé rankings.

2 teams fell out of the rankings this week. Virginia Tech dropped out from #5 after they were spanked in the ACC Championship Game by Clemson, losing big to the Tigers for the 2^nd time this season.

Houston fell out of the rankings from #6, as they suffered another puzzling loss in the C-USA Championship Game, this time losing handedly to Southern Miss. In 2009, the #18 Cougars (10-2) were 2.5 point favorites over East Carolina (8-4) on the road in the championship game. They ended up losing a turnover filled game, 38-32, sullying an otherwise excellent season.

While that loss was also very disappointing, it really didn’t even compare to the loss on Saturday. It’s not that Southern Miss was an unworthy opponent. They came into the game 10-2 on the year and ranked #24. But they had just lost to UAB on November 17^th; an absolutely terrible loss. They’d also lost to Marshall and beaten UCF by just 1 point.

Houston was 12-0 and ranked #6 in the country. They had won all 8 of their conference games by at least 7 points, winning 6 of 7 by at least 30, including a 48-16 win at Tulsa the week before. In addition, the Cougars were playing at home this time. They came into the game 6-0 at home this season and 32-5 at home since the start of the 2006 season.

Above all, Houston needed only to win this game to secure a BCS bowl bid, meaning tremendous prestige for the program and untold millions for themselves and the rest of the conference. Houston was favored by 12 points. Amazingly, Houston not only failed to get it done against Southern Miss, they got blown out, 49-28. They lost their perfect record, their conference championship, and their BCS bowl bid in 1 fell swoop. Worst of all, they also fell out of the season résumé rankings, seemingly for good.

USC was off last week but the Trojans jumped into the rankings at #9. Wisconsin came out on top in the Big Ten Championship Game, edging Michigan State with a late score. The Badgers moved into the rankings this week at #10.

3 teams moved up in the top 10 this week. Arkansas was idle but the Razorbacks climbed 2 spots from #7 to #5. Kansas State got by Iowa State to finish the year 10-2 and the Wildcats moved up 3 spots in these rankings from #9 to #6. Oregon also moved up 3 spots this week, going from #10 to #7 following their predictably casual win over UCLA in the Pac-12 Championship Game.