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The Bottom Ten/NCAA Week 12
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
  
B-10 pollsters, already giddy over the success of Notre Dame, are positively beaming at this week's historic poll, which sees the Irish take advantage of Florida International's bye week to return to the top spot.
First Notre Dame, fresh off consecutive losses to Navy and Air Force, is awarded the Sgt. Bilko Trophy, symbolic of service academy lousiness, the first time a non-service academy has won the trophy since Kent State in 1970.
Second, B-10 fans, already content after the early season Notre Dame/Michigan game, have another #1 vs. #2 game to look forward to this week, the first time there have been two #1/#2 games in the Bottom Ten since, well, we're not entirely sure, but we're almost positive it's been a while.
This week's mess:
1. Notre Dame (1-9; lost to Air Force 41-24)
Mitigating Factors: Irish support our troops by losing to service academy for second straight week, the first time since 1944 they've lost to two service academies in the same season...Irish rank dead last in Total Offense (218 ypg) and next-to-dead-last in Rushing Offense (56.6 ypg) and Scoring Offense (14.8 ppg).
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling: Notre Dame picks up key B-10 Strength of Schedule points as luster quickly coming off UCLA win, as Bruins have lost three straight.
Next Loss: Duke
2. Duke (1-9; lost to Georgia Tech 41-24)
Mitigating Factors: Blue Devils muster just nine first downs, 24 rushing yards and punt the ball 12 times...56 penalty yards good for 2.333:1 Penalty Yards To Rushing Yards Ratio.
Help Wanted: Though Blue Devils on track to win two jewels of B-10 Triple crown with 24-game conference and 16-game home losing streaks, overall seven-game losing streak still trails Minnesota in race for Tostitos Plaque, symbolic of longest losing streak in season that actually features a win.
Next Loss: at Notre Dame
3. BCS
Mitigating Factors: Playoff fans wringing hands over prospect of fiasco that could make sending conference non-champions to title game, not sending consensus #1 team seem like small potatoes...Of top eight teams in latest survey, seven have one loss...Of two undefeated teams, Kansas is so good they weren't ranked in AP poll until week seven and Hawaii needed overtime to beat Louisiana Tech and San Jose State.
Granddaddy Of Them All: With Oregon possibly going to BCS title game, and with Ohio State and Michigan losing this past weekend, Rose Bowl looking into possible Mare Island-Camp Lewis rematch.
4. Utah State (0-10; lost to Boise St. 52-0)
Mitigating Factors: 16-game losing streak commands B-10 pollsters attention, as Aggies finally get own B-10 entry, after previously sharing cabinet level Department of the Interior entry with Colorado State, Idaho...Thanks to two missed field goals, the end of the first half and three interceptions, Aggies only have to punt six times vs. Broncos.
Staying Power: Aggies have not won since beating Fresno St on 10/7/06, and have lost 35 of their last 40 and are 23-66 in double Aughts.
Next Loss: at New Mexico State
5. Minnesota (1-10; lost to Iowa 21-16)
Mitigating Factors: Golden Gophers actually hold Iowa scoreless in second half, their first scoreless half of the season, and just their fifth and sixth scoreless quarters of 2007...Despite scoreless half, Gophers still rank dead last in Total Defense (525.55 ypg), and 110th or worse in Passing Defense (304.9 ypg), Rushing Defense (220 ypg) and Scoring Defense (36.27 ppg)
Still A Ways To Go: Despite nine straight losses and loss to I-AA team, Gophers still need help for B-10 medal stand appearance thanks to lackluster Iowa loss.
Next Loss: Wisconsin
6. Southern Methodist (1-9; lost to Rice 43-42)
Mitigating Factors: Low-profile Mustangs get first ranking of season following fifth loss to Texas school this season...SMU gets weekly Jekyll and Hyde award, scoring 28 straight points in second and third quarters to take 42-27 lead, only to give up sixteen straight, including last second, game losing field goal.
Triple Crown: Mustangs get rare triple-triple, getting over century mark in rushing yards, passing yards and penalty yards.
Next Loss: Central Florida
7. North Texas (1-8; lost to Navy 74-62)
Mitigating Factors: Defense key, overcoming heroic offense performance, allowing 74 points and 572 yards rushing...Special teams ices loss though, allowing 73-yard touchdown return on free kick following safety late in game...Defense blows 21-3 first quarter, and 49-45 halftimes leads.
We Are Not Making This Up: NT's three leading rushers are named Jamario, Micah and Giovanni...While this is good for the conference lead in syllables, none are averaging more than 50 yards a game.
Next Loss: at Arkansas State
8. UNLV (2-8; lost to SDSU 38-30)
Mitigating Factors: Rebels in contention for seasonal Jekyll and Hyde award, with victories coming against Utah State, who've lost 16 in a row, and Utah, who is 7-3 and has won six straight.
Missing Link: Six straight losses, generally boring, uninspired play impressive, but with four of those by ten points or less, Rebels lack stat-padding blowout losses required for upper-division B-10 finish.
Next Loss: at TCU
9. Last Week's NFL Bottom Ten
Mitigating Factors: Faced with both 0-8 teams having bye weeks, NFL B-10 pollsters take their own bye week, their second of the season...Dan Henning Trophy line growing old with some focus groups, Dan Henning.
Check Your Local Listings: NFL Bottom Ten expected to return this week, provided pollsters don't get distracted by Daily Dose commitments, recurring dandruff problem.
10. NCAA D-III Playoffs
Mitigating Factors: Real, NCAA-sponsored football playoffs actually looked upon with favor by B-10 pollsters, ranked this week to provide shameful contrast to BCS entry...Defending champion Mount Union is one of seven teams 10-0 teams in the tournament....There's 13 of those infamous "one-loss" teams in the D-III playoffs, too.
FunFact: The 32 team tournament concludes with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Virginia on Dec. 15.
This Week's Clash of the Titans: #2 Duke at #1 Notre Dame
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