Mandel, what is up? Give LSU credit when credit is due. LSU had all of those turnovers and horrible calls going against them, and they still won the game! They deserve respect. GEAUX TIGERS!

You're right everyone is seemingly going, "through the motions".
Everyone, of course, except Louisville. How 'bout you stop trying like hell to act like beating up the #3 team in the country was no big deal.
Can't wait to see who you vote #3 tomorrow.

"I know the saying is “Luck of the Irish,” but if you ask me, Notre Dame may be the unluckiest team in the country this year. How else to explain why these mediocre/bad opponents just happen to do things they haven’t been able to do all season when they play the Irish?"

It's really quite simple, Stewie. For one, teams get excited to play Notre Dame, and I'm willing to bet that practices are crisper that week with the Irish on the docket, which leads to better on field performance. Two, Notre Dame simply isn't that good. They haven't had a "wow" performance all year. If they weren't Notre Dame, any objective pollster would probably have them ranked in the lower teens right below Boston College and Wisconsin, both of whom have looked better this year than the Irish.

I grew up in MI and loved the Wolverines until I went to UCLA. I hear a lot from the lads back home after every game and more than one of them told me today that UM played like Carr didnt want to embarrass a former assistant (at Ball State). I can see the idea, but is this really something that a No 2 in the country coach should try to pull off?

michigan is losing credibility by the minute first, they struggled against penn state ( mediocre team).Then they barely beat iowa(mediocre team) after that they survived a game against yet another bottom feeder northwestern. Today they almost lost to a cupcake team ball who??? at home. Why does everybody keep overhyping the ohio state-michigan game???. I guess those teams aren't the cream of the crop yet, not even invincible, they are only two good teams playing such weak schedules.

Just bad luck for the Irish? How about the fact that so many of these mediocre-to-bad teams invest an entire season's worth of emotion into beating Notre Dame, play out of their minds against the Irish, and then flop and/or continue to fail. Now there's a factor the pollsters can't deal with...or choose not to.

I give you MSU, Purdue, UCLA, and North Carolina. Especially MSU.

i'm going to assume that's sarcasm there stewart about ND. they are clearly not top 10 material so charlie weis needs to just calm down and get back to his diet. i'd say #15 looks about right considering how they've looked

There is no boubt after the mediocre performances of the Big 10 and SEC darlings that the number one team should be Louisville.

You just can't say anything nice about the Irish, can you? I can see it already, LSU AND Tenn. will now be ranked ahead of them.

As long as the media has ANY say in the Heisman winner or the National Champion, both are complete farces. How know nothings like yourself fool people into think your opinions are valid blows my mind.

Les Miles was right. Do not tell a coach walking out at halftime that his team is 0 and 2 on the road. He knows that and he also knows that he was jobbed by the controversial punt play that should have resulted in 7 for LSU. Good for him.

Hey Mandel,
What was the final score of the Nd UNC game? Don't write like that game was ever in question. What axe do you have to grind with ND anyway? Act like a professional.

The best one loss team in Arkansas. Period. The loss against USC the 1st game of the year was not the same offense. (Different QB/RB had been hurt and missed most of preseason practice). They destroyed Auburn. They are a top 4 team.

As for opponents doing things against the Irish that they haven't been able to do all year, maybe it has something to do with the defense that is being played against them.

Lot of parity in college football this season, that's all one can say. Doesn't make the debate of whether a playoff should be instituted go away, it makes it stronger in my mind. Could easily be done using the bowl games, top 4 or top 8 teams, just start the bowl games earlier.

Michigan and Ohio State were definitely looking past this week's opponents. It doesn't make the big game any less appealing, both are still undefeated.

I had a feeling LSU was gonna give Tennessee all they wanted. They're a nice team but play too conservatively, which is how Coach Miles' teams usually play.

What happens if Texas, USC, ND, Cal, Auburn, Florida and Arkansas have 2 losses and Louisville and Rutgers both have a loss? Can we agree then that a Michigan-Ohio State matchup is at least the best matchup available?

JaMarcus Russell, talented but erratic, still has problems with the big ones (yes LSU won today, almost in spite of JaMarcus). One INT was a complete mystery, an unexplainable lame duck. The other two were purely bad decisions. I don't get how he can be so good and so bad all at the same time.

Still, he improved over last year, and I would assume he would improve next year. I don't think he is ready for the pros yet, so for his sake I hope he comes back to LSU next year (and he is a good college QB, Perriloux and Flynn notwithstanding).

signed,
LSU fan since the 60s

Um, you seem to have forgotten about a little school in the SEC called Arkansas. Ya know, the team whose only loss so far as been against USC. The team who has soundly slaughtered the much-touted Auburn. The team who is currently winning its game right now. Arkansas does exist, ya know. But sorry to disprove your theory.

Really, your going to slash Notre Dame? All they managed to do to was put up ridiculous number an never be challenged today, and go on to win there 6th straight. Actually you right they must suck!

Regards,
Facetious

Hmm, let's see here...Florida suspends Marcus Thomas and amazingly, he wins his appeal just before the toughest stretch of the year. Once that slate of games is over, poof, he's gone again .

If UM or FSU had done this, all of "Harvard's Gainesville campus" would be in an uproar.

Notre Dame is probably the only team in the country who could move up in the rankings after an uninspiring win against a terrible UNC team. It must be nice playing one of the easier schedules out there, barely winning those games and still being heralded as one of the best teams in the country. Can the pollsters please start using some common sense and drop the Fighting Eyesores a few spots so that we can be spared from another horiffic loss in a BCS game? Please??

As topsy-turvy as the SEC is year-in and year-out, the NCAA must scrap the BCS soon.

Also, a note to Mack Brown: You're up 36-10 with 2 minutes to go. Pull your starting offense out. They've been the main reason you've ran through the Big12 so far. Leaving them in at this point is just asking for an injury.

Also -- Heal quickly, JoePa!!!

New Heisman vote for Mandel

1. Brady Quinn
2. Troy Smith
3. Colt McCoy
4. Robert Meachem
5. Marshawn Lynch

The amount of one-loss teams is still troubling in that it will be completely confusing as to who is better than the other; I think a lot of teams will win out, and whomever loses between OSU and Michigan could conceivably retain the number two spot. Just wish there was a better way than this polling nonsense. I'm pulling for Louisville to make it to the title game. Go Cards!

Heisman - best player for the year - has Colt McCoy become the best player? Check the stats vs Troy Smith. Check the importance to his team for winning. Check the last five games: Four come from behinds; One wire to wire where passing was the key.

Why too much talking about Louisville chances for a Natl Championship when they still have to face Rutgers? I think the real surprise the season is going to be Rutgers. I saw both teams playing against similar opponents (WVU and Pitt) and I believe Rutgers is a more solid team, defensively and offensively.
ND has been unable to show a solid game in both sides of the ball. They were fortunate to have the offensive side working well to defeat NC without pressure as ND was already 31-13 at half-time.

How does Texas figure into all of this? They sure get a lot of stick from folks for being as high as they are. However, Colt McCoy and the Horns look a lot better than they were in the Ohio State game and I hope they get a chance to play them again, even if it isn't for all the marbles.

Horns FTW!!!

1) Are the same two yahoos who voted for West Virginia as #1 every week in the AP poll going to switch their votes to Louisville?

2) Louisville, if they finish undefeated, will finish ahead of Wisconsin (one loss) in the final pre-bowl rankings. Having watched Wisconsin play, though, the corn-fed Badger defense (or for that matter, Florida's or LSU's) would obliterate the Louisville O-line and expose Brian Brohm to the punishement of real big-league football.

Every big team always has one close game every season where they don't show up to play and barely escape. Today was just that for Ohio St.

PS. The Big East is still a joke. Lets see how Louisville will face off against a monster defense like Ohio St, Michigan, Auburn or Florida. They wouldn't look like the # 3 team in a game against one of these opponents.

Well, in defense of ND. You give me MSU, Purdue, UCLA, North Carolina and I add Stanford. I give you NIU, Cinn, Bowling Green, WSU, Indiana, Minn, Illi (big scare!!), Northwestern (OSU); Vanderbilt, Central Mich, Minn, MSU, Northwestern, Ball St (frightening!!), Indi (Michigan); Marshall, Eastern Wash (!!!), East Carolina, Miss State, Syracuse, Conn, Cinn, South Florida (WVU). All these are "great," "worthy" opponents I presume. No team out of any conference play only ranked opponents; all of them choose their cup-cake games which is understandable. At least ND does not schedule games against Div I-AA teams. In addition, it is true that the mentality of any team who faces ND is different because a great game (UCLA) or a victory (Michigan) against ND looks great on their curricula
If you see WSU “worthy” opponents you can figure out why Louisville victory came as no surprise and one should wait until Louisville faces Rutgers which promises to be the great game of next week. Whoever wins that game should have a good shot at playing in the Natl Championship game

it's amazing seeing ND fans who actually are now so desperate to believe their team is good that they rationalize wins over awful teams as "these bad teams play their best against ND and then fade" please, ND has not won a bowl game in 13 years because they are simply an overrated and overhyped program living on memories of the 4 horsemen, the gipper and whomever else they cherish. ND will get destoyed by USC in late november and then somehow go to a BCS game where they will get destroyed again, not an opinion ND fans just look at your teams bowl record the last 13 years. ND is awful.

LSU should have been up 14-0 after that punt hit the Tennessee man in the hand. The ball changed its rotation in mid-air. I'm pretty sure the only way that is PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE is if it hits something. Another blown call going against LSU.

Seriously. It is time to get off of the Troy Smith Bandwagon. He threw for 107 yards (13 for 23), no TDs, and 1 INT against ILLINOIS! ILLINOIS!! Not only that, but he threw for only 187 yards against Minnesota! Finally, let's not forget his terrible game against Penn State...115 yards (12 for 22), 1 TD, and 2 INTS. I'm not just off the bandwagon...I've jumped off.

I don't know why Stewart Mandel does what he does. If he fails to mention any one of 35 teams every week, the fans of whatever team(s) see it as super insulting. But, if he does mention a team, no matter what he says, it's viewed by someone as criticism. He didn't say anything at all disparaging about Louisville; I think his point was that they have a good shot at getting to the National Championship game.

everyone's favorite 1 loss team, bc, now must be everyone's favorite 2 loss team. unc played wake just as tough as bc did. mandel, there was never a doubt nd was winning that game. they could have scored 55 if weis had gone for it. should bc still be rated ahead of nd??? mandel, nice cheap shots at nd. way to be a professional, stewie. what a joke your are.

I saw both teams playing against similar opponents (WVU and Pitt) and I believe Rutgers is a more solid team, defensively and offensively.

Pitt and WVU are "similar opponents"??? WVU has explosive offensive talent; Pitt is pedestrian at best. Pitt is coached by the overrated, mediocre Dave Wannstedt; WVU is coached by the outstanding Rich Rodriguez.

What Schiano has done is amazing, and they could well beat the Cards. But if you think Rutgers is more solid than Louisville offensively, just wait until Thursday. You're going to see just how "solid" Louisville's offense is.

Colt McCoy looking like Heisman front runner, Texas clearly best one loss team. Why? Colt McCoy's play for one, but really its the defense. Yeah, Tech can throw for 512 yards with their nintendo style, but still only three passing tds. Sounds like things tighten up in red zone.

Oh yeah, they are the reigning national champions, who's only loss was to #1 team.

Don't be surprised to see Texas and Ohio in championship game--who does Texas have left to play? A&M? Please. Nebraska again? I think Mack has their number.

I love it...No one talking about the Hogs. Keep it up folks...the Razorbacks are coming...and they can't be stopped!!!

If Louisville were USC I'm sure there would be no argument about our right to be in the national championship. What makes Tennessee better than The Ville? Last time I checked we're one of only a handful of undefeated teams in the country, so what if we're in the Big East there wasn't any debate last year about a Pac-10 team going to the Rose Bowl why should it be any different for a Big East Team? Go Cards!

Basically Notre Dame wins a game and it's never in question against an inferior opponent. Michigan and Ohio State both struggle against inferior opponents, i'm not saying that you should drop UM or Ohio State, but i think it would be unfair to say that ND deserves to drop. As far as the Heisman goes, i think the top two should be Hart and Quinn, Troy Smith puts in a lack luster performance against a lackluster team.

And no, the #3 team in the nation (WVU) did not get "beat up" Thursday.. They gave UL 14 points in 3 minutes (Fumble TD/Punt Ret.), and STILL only lost by 10 (after fumbling 6 times), so no UL still hasn't proved anything, other than they can beat a team when its playing its absolute worst its played since mid last season. #1 Ohio State #2 Michigan, and the seemingly cursed #3 spot goes to... Texas

"How else to explain why these mediocre/bad opponents just happen to do things they haven’t been able to do all season when they play the Irish?"

One thing those opponents haven't been able to do: win. That is what they play the game for, isn't it?

Please, someone! mention that OSU was taken to the wire against Illinois, one of the worst teams in college football. If ND's going to be critized for beating UNC but not rudely beating up on them, OSU can also be critized. And before you say "it doesn't matter what the records are, when Big Ten teams play, it's always close," you should know that that sounds oddly similar to "Every team gets up to play against ND."