The College Football Review, Week Nine: Is Hawaii the Next Boise State?

Quick: how many Aggies does it take to hold Nebraska to 25 points? Trick question. The Aggies only gave up 14 points to the Cornhuskers last week. It’s the Horns who gave up 25 points to Nebraska this time out.

Then again, the Horns did manage to hold on to win the game while the people of College Station are still waiting for the Aggies to show up for Saturday’s game to Kansas.

There were some good college football games this past weekend. But if it’s upsets you were seeking, this was not your weekend. The biggest upsets were Georgia beating Florida (and Florida’s been iffy all season), Connecticut beating South Florida (which has lost two straight after getting up to the number two spot in the rankings), and Mississippi State beating Kentucky.

Down Houston way, the Cougars beat UTEP to move their record to 5-3 on the season while cementing their lead in C-USA West. Rice lost. Again. SMU suffered two losses. The team lost the game, and the coach lost his job. The Aggies allowed Kansas to remain undefeated, Tech lost again, and the Horns had to come from behind to beat up a Nebraska team that was lost and in disarray when playing the Aggies the previous week.

There’s not much of way in changes in the ratings. The BCS Championship game is still set for Ohio State versus Boston College. But undefeated Arizona State, with games left at Oregon and USC, is primed to jump past one or both of those schools and play for the championship. Then again, Arizona State hasn’t really played that many tough games this season, so it’s still possible they will wilt when they meet the good teams.

What is pretty sure is that no Texas school will be winning the college football championship. It also seems that the Cougars are, like last year, finally getting it all put together and seem to be priming themselves for another run at the C-USA Championship. And while that’s not up there with the Big 12 Title, it does set the Cougars up for another mid-major bowl game.

There’s also one other interesting thing to be watching. Hawaii is still undefeated, and have moved to 14th in the BCS rankings. If Hawaii can move up just two more notches, they will be guaranteed a BCS Bowl Game. Anyone out there looking for this year’s Boise State? It just might be Hawaii. — John Royal