Big 12•RISING: Colt McCoy left the field after beating Kansas to the cries of “Colt for Heisman.” We’ll see. The Longhorns are headed to the Big 12 title game, where they’ll meet Nebraska, and if McCoy gets Texas to the BCS championship game, he’ll be remembered as one of the game’s great winners.•FALLING: It’s official. Oklahoma is having its worst season since Bob Stoops’ rookie campaign in 1999. Dropping to 6-5 after the loss to Texas Tech means the Sooners need to beat Oklahoma State on Saturday to clinch a winning season. The injuries have been decimating, but where was the defense against the Red Raiders?Big Ten•RISING: Didn’t care for the uniforms, but Ohio State might believe it can make any outfit work if it beats Michigan, which it did for the sixth straight time. Jim Tressel is 8-1 against the Wolverines, and that’s how you maintain job security in Columbus.•FALLING: So much for Wisconsin’s nice little winning streak. The Badgers couldn’t complete the comeback at Northwestern and have lost four of the last six in the series.SEC•RISING: Maybe things didn’t turn out as Mississippi would have liked. And maybe the Rebels were overrated entering this year. But the program should feel good about itself after the victory over LSU, and a nice bowl game will be the reward. Houston Nutt has LSU’s number. He has won four straight over the Tigers while at Ole Miss and Arkansas.•FALLING: Vanderbilt couldn’t build on its bowl season and returned to the basement. The Commodores have victories over Western Carolina and Rice to show for this season.Pacific-10•RISING: Has there been a bigger Civil War? Victories by Oregon and Oregon State on Saturday — more dramatically by the Ducks, who needed two overtimes to subdue Arizona — mean their Dec. 3 meeting in Eugene is for the Rose Bowl.•FALLING: That was fun while it lasted for Stanford. Cal’s victory in the Big Game ended the Cardinal’s Rose Bowl quest. But it shouldn’t end Toby Gerhart’s Heisman chase. The Stanford back rushed for 136 yards and four touchdowns.ACC•RISING: Clemson knew before kickoff that it had won the division because of Boston College’s loss, but that didn’t temper the resolve. The Tigers kicked Virginia, and C.J. Spiller set the ACC single-season all-purpose yardage mark.•FALLING: Maryland had Florida State beaten before giving up a big punt return that set up a short touchdown. Now the Terps are looking at a double-digit loss season.Big East•RISING: Connecticut scored one against the Gipper, knocking off Notre Dame in two overtimes. Jordan Todman racked up 130 rushing yards and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in one of the most memorable victories in school history. The Huskies dedicated the victory to their slain teammate, Jasper Howard.•FALLING: Rutgers got jumped by Syracuse from the get-go and could never get untracked in an upset loss to the Orange.Others•RISING: Steady-as-she-goes TCU will become big fans of Auburn (against Alabama), Florida State (against Florida) and Texas A&M (against Texas). The Horned Frogs will need help to get into the BCS championship game.•FALLING: In a battle of teams that were winless in Mountain West play, Colorado State fell to New Mexico as the Lobos ended their 14-game losing streak.

Posted on Sun, Nov. 22, 2009 10:15 PM

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Big 12

•RISING: Colt McCoy left the field after beating Kansas to the cries of “Colt for Heisman.” We’ll see. The Longhorns are headed to the Big 12 title game, where they’ll meet Nebraska, and if McCoy gets Texas to the BCS championship game, he’ll be remembered as one of the game’s great winners.

•FALLING: It’s official. Oklahoma is having its worst season since Bob Stoops’ rookie campaign in 1999. Dropping to 6-5 after the loss to Texas Tech means the Sooners need to beat Oklahoma State on Saturday to clinch a winning season. The injuries have been decimating, but where was the defense against the Red Raiders?

Big Ten

•RISING: Didn’t care for the uniforms, but Ohio State might believe it can make any outfit work if it beats Michigan, which it did for the sixth straight time. Jim Tressel is 8-1 against the Wolverines, and that’s how you maintain job security in Columbus.

•FALLING: So much for Wisconsin’s nice little winning streak. The Badgers couldn’t complete the comeback at Northwestern and have lost four of the last six in the series.

SEC

•RISING: Maybe things didn’t turn out as Mississippi would have liked. And maybe the Rebels were overrated entering this year. But the program should feel good about itself after the victory over LSU, and a nice bowl game will be the reward. Houston Nutt has LSU’s number. He has won four straight over the Tigers while at Ole Miss and Arkansas.

•FALLING: Vanderbilt couldn’t build on its bowl season and returned to the basement. The Commodores have victories over Western Carolina and Rice to show for this season.

Pacific-10

•RISING: Has there been a bigger Civil War? Victories by Oregon and Oregon State on Saturday — more dramatically by the Ducks, who needed two overtimes to subdue Arizona — mean their Dec. 3 meeting in Eugene is for the Rose Bowl.

•FALLING: That was fun while it lasted for Stanford. Cal’s victory in the Big Game ended the Cardinal’s Rose Bowl quest. But it shouldn’t end Toby Gerhart’s Heisman chase. The Stanford back rushed for 136 yards and four touchdowns.

ACC

•RISING: Clemson knew before kickoff that it had won the division because of Boston College’s loss, but that didn’t temper the resolve. The Tigers kicked Virginia, and C.J. Spiller set the ACC single-season all-purpose yardage mark.

•FALLING: Maryland had Florida State beaten before giving up a big punt return that set up a short touchdown. Now the Terps are looking at a double-digit loss season.

Big East

•RISING: Connecticut scored one against the Gipper, knocking off Notre Dame in two overtimes. Jordan Todman racked up 130 rushing yards and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in one of the most memorable victories in school history. The Huskies dedicated the victory to their slain teammate, Jasper Howard.

•FALLING: Rutgers got jumped by Syracuse from the get-go and could never get untracked in an upset loss to the Orange.

Others

•RISING: Steady-as-she-goes TCU will become big fans of Auburn (against Alabama), Florida State (against Florida) and Texas A&M (against Texas). The Horned Frogs will need help to get into the BCS championship game.

•FALLING: In a battle of teams that were winless in Mountain West play, Colorado State fell to New Mexico as the Lobos ended their 14-game losing streak.

Posted on Sun, Nov. 22, 2009 10:15 PM

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