SB Nation Bay Area - College Football Rankings 2011: Stanford Moved Up & Down After Bye Weekhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48817/bayrea-fave.png2011-09-26T07:08:39-07:00http://bayarea.sbnation.com/rss/stream/22123212011-09-26T07:08:39-07:002011-09-26T07:08:39-07:00College Football Rankings 2011: Stanford Can Move Up If Florida Can Beat Alabama
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G0-pRIY4kxr6Wb1r1m2g2LnKJCY=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828101/large_bayarea.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Barring the miracle of miracles Saturday night in Palo Alto, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> should steamroll the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a>. The big question is whether any of the teams ahead of them in the rankings are in danger of upset themselves?</p>
<p><b>9:21 AM PT/12:21 PM ET, SEC Network: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a> at #1 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></b>. The new top-ranked team in the country has just made it through a bruising September unscathed, so one should be prepared for the usual Les Miles hijinx now that the team has hit October. Probably not coming against Kentucky, who just got obliterated at home by Florida.</p>
<p><b>11:30 AM PT/2:30 PM ET, Versus: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nevada-wolf-pack">Nevada Wolf Pack</a> at #4 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/boise-st-broncos">Boise St. Broncos</a>. </b>Nothing to see here!</p>
<p><b>4 PM PT/7 PM ET, PPV: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ball-st-cardinals">Ball St. Cardinals</a> at #2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></b>. Yeah, no. Oklahoma will be nice and undefeated for the Red River Shootout in Dallas against Texas.</p>
<p><b>5 PM PT/8 PM ET, CBS: #3 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a> at #15 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></b>. Here's where Stanford can make some progress, but Nick Saban has had Florida's number lately. Still, it's a pretty daunting task to beat the Gators in the Swamp, regardless of how good Alabama might be.</p>
<p>Actually, Stanford is most likely <a target="_blank" href="http://bayarea.sbnation.com/stanford-cardinal/2011/9/25/2448394/college-football-rankings-2011-ap-poll-stanford-bye-week/in/2212321">to move up in the AP Poll</a> the same way they fell down from 5th to 6th--taking advantage of a team's bye week, in this case the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a>. Oklahoma State is coming off a strong win over Texas A&M though, so it might be harder to drop them unless Stanford really, <i>really </i>lays it down on UCLA. <a target="_blank" href="http://bayarea.sbnation.com/stanford-cardinal/2011/9/25/2448364/college-football-rankings-2011-usa-today-coaches-poll-stanford-fourth/in/2212321">They aren't likely to move up the Coaches Poll </a>unless Alabama trips up.</p>
<p><i><b>For more on Stanford football, <a target="_blank" href="http://ruleoftree.com">go to Rule of Tree</a>.</b></i></p>
https://bayarea.sbnation.com/stanford-cardinal/2011/9/26/2450189/college-football-rankings-2011-stanford-cardinal-florida-gators-alabama-crimson-tideAvinash Kunnath2011-09-25T10:38:26-07:002011-09-25T10:38:26-07:00College Football Rankings 2011: AP Poll Moves Stanford Down During Bye Week
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G0-pRIY4kxr6Wb1r1m2g2LnKJCY=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828101/large_bayarea.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>With the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> having their bye week so early in the season, they lost a bit of ground in the<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ralphDrussoAP/status/118007488158248961" target="_blank"> </a>AP college football rankings, though have lots of time to make it up. They dropped from the fifth spot in last weeks poll to sixth this week, along with a few other teams shifting within the top 10. </p>
<p>LSU leapfrogged Oklahoma for the number one spot in the polls this week, though Alabama and Boise State remained in their spots at third and fourth respectively. Oklahoma State slides into Stanford's spot last week, Wisconsin slid down a spot to seventh, Nebraska moved up to eighth in the polls, Oregon cracks the top ten at ninth, while South Carolina makes it to the tenth spot this week. </p>
<p>Next week will have some very intriguing matchups as Boise State will have their first meeting with Nevada since their Thanksgiving meltdown in Reno last season that killed their national title chances, While Nebraska will take on Wisconsin in a battle of top ten teams in the Big 10. Texas A&M will take on 14th ranked Auburn, while Stanford takes on Pac-12 rival UCLA. </p>
https://bayarea.sbnation.com/stanford-cardinal/2011/9/25/2448394/college-football-rankings-2011-ap-poll-stanford-bye-weekErnie Pomin2011-09-25T10:27:06-07:002011-09-25T10:27:06-07:00College Football Rankings 2011: USA Today/Coaches Poll Bumps Stanford To No. 4
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G0-pRIY4kxr6Wb1r1m2g2LnKJCY=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828101/large_bayarea.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Even with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> having a bye week this Saturday, they still managed to move up in the college football rankings as the USA Today Coaches poll moved the Cardinal from fifth to fourth this week, along with a few other teams shifting atop the standings as well. </p>
<p>The top three spots remained the same this week as Oklahoma stayed the top dog in the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/9/25/2448363/college-football-rankings-usa-today-poll-week-5/in/2212413">USA Today/Coaches poll</a>, along with LSU in second and Alabama in third. Boise State and Stanford swapped spots at fourth and fifth, Oklahoma State remained in sixth, Wisconsin stayed at seventh, Nebraska moved up to eighth, while South Carolina moved into the ninth spot. Virginia Tech moved from eleventh to tenth this week. </p>
<p>There will be a plethora of important games next weekend as Boise State will have their first meeting with Nevada since their Thanksgiving meltdown in Reno last season that killed their national title chances, While Nebraska will take on Wisconsin in a battle of top ten teams in the Big 10. Texas A&M will take on 14th ranked Auburn, while Stanford takes on Pac-12 rival UCLA. </p>
https://bayarea.sbnation.com/stanford-cardinal/2011/9/25/2448364/college-football-rankings-2011-usa-today-coaches-poll-stanford-fourthErnie Pomin2011-09-25T05:01:35-07:002011-09-25T05:01:35-07:00College Football Rankings 2011: Status Quo Will Leave Stanford At No. 5
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ED1rM_qqjNmMhdroYF7iXBjyN2A=/0x6:1000x673/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4088440/125511465.jpg" />
<figcaption>Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We break down Saturday's action and attempt to make some predictions about the new college football rankings following week four. We focus in on the Stanford Cardinal who had a bye. For more on Cardinal football, check out <a href="http://www.ruleoftree.com" target="new">Rule of Tree</a>.</p> <p>The fourth week of the 2011 college football season had some excitement, but at the end of the day the status quo held steady. The No. 1 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a> climbed back from an early 14-3 deficit to roll the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/missouri-tigers">Missouri Tigers</a>. The No. 2/3 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a> climbed on top of No. 16 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/west-virginia-mountaineers">West Virginia Mountaineers</a> early and never let up in a road contest. The No. 3/2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a> blew out Arkansas at home to open SEC play. The No. 4 Boise State Broncos cruised to an easy 41-21 victory to likely maintain their position in the polls.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a> had the week off with a bye and might find themselves getting jostled around a little bit in at least one of the two polls through no fault of their own. The Cardinal are currently ranked number five in both polls with Wisconsin behind them in the AP Poll and Oklahoma State behind them in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.</p>
<p>Wisconsin blew out South Dakota, which should not result in much of an increase in total votes. However, Oklahoma State edged out No. 8 Texas A&M thanks to a 21-point third quarter and a strong defensive hold in the fourth quarter. It is really difficult to get into the minds of the voters. OSU could climb over Stanford in the Coaches Poll and it would not surprise me. OSU could also just hold steady and that wouldn't surprise me. Logic does not always mix well with college rankings.</p>
https://bayarea.sbnation.com/stanford-cardinal/2011/9/25/2447564/college-football-rankings-2011-stanford-oklahoma-state-wisconsinDavid Fucillo