RE: Week 4 power ratings
1. UTSA
Last week: 1
Beat up on an FCS team, which made me wonder: Has UTSA tried to bring in South Dakota for a buy game? Because Roadrunners? And Coyotes? Put a pile of bird seed on the 50 yard line and let come what may?
2. Louisiana Tech
Last week: 5
A win against Western Kentucky last week, paired with a victory against South Carolina this week, would confirm that the Bulldogs are going north in the standings.
3. Marshall
Last week: 4
The O/U for last week's Kent State game was 50, which means that it would have taken until midway through the 12th quarter for the Herd to make the over. Still, it's nice for CUSA to be mentioned alongside "shutout" without it being followed by "of the New Year Day's bowl race."
4. Southern Miss
Last week: 7
Road wins against FBS opponents — even if their athletic budget is so low that they still wait until nights and weekends to make recruiting calls — can never be taken for granted. Or granite, if you're Rick from Rick and Morty. Which you're not. Because you're not a cartoon. Jesus, people.
5. Middle Tennessee
Last week: 2
A blowout loss to Minnesota is not the way they wanted to wrap up the Oh Yeah That's Right I Forgot They Were P5 Teams World Tour, though losing your QB on game day doesn't help no matter who you are.
6. Western Kentucky
Last week: 3
Um ... erm .... uh .... *tugs collar uncomfortably* ... at least the basketball team has that stud cen ... oh ... um .... is that my phone ringing? It's work, I gotta take it.
7. Florida Atlantic
Last week: 9
Progress does equal wins! Or win, at least! That Buffalo game could speak volumes about The Lane Kiffin Experience.
8. Old Dominion
Last week: 6
For crying out loud. The Tar Heels had more trouble with their African Studies midterm. And this week, the Monarchs visit Virginia Tech with what appears to be the first starting quarterback in Division 1 history to not be alive before 2000.
9. UAB
Last week: 12
The win against Coastal Carolina is the biggest in the rebooted Blazers' history, replacing ... their other win. Nevertheless, 2-1 is a thing of beauty and a joy forever compared to 0-and-forever.
10. North Texas
Last week: 10
It was a good game in the first three quarters, at least? No, seriously, it's a good showing against a surprisingly stout Big 10 team at their place. Much better performance than the line (-22 Iowa) indicated.
11. Rice
Last week: 8
The Houston loss was, to quote TLC, damn unpretty. Yes, they had songs other than Waterfalls.
12. FIU
Last week: 13
Call it a 0.5-0 week: The Panthers lost their game with Indiana, which means they didn't lose their game to Indiana. And if there's any hope at all for a bowl, a season-ending game with UMass helps the cause.
13. UTEP
Last week: 14
It says something about where CUSA is this season when the team that loses at home by 47 points and fires their offensive coordinator for being less offensive than an NPR podcast on Cream of Wheat somehow moves out of last place. It probably has something to do with losing at home to a P5 team, as opposed to ...
14. Charlotte
Last week: 11
... North Carolina A&T. But the good news is the Charlotte football is on the ris ... whoops, that was part of my NFC South power rankings writeup.
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