College Football Non-Conference Power Rankings: Week 7

It's weeks like this most recent one that give me joy in college football. 3 of the top 5 teams fell over the weekend, there are only 16 unbeatens left in the FBS realm and there was upheaval. I love weekends like that, if for no other reason than to throw the convoluted BCS formula into utter chaos. I know, I'm a college football sadist. Need to take some joy after having another off week in picking NFL games.

But I'm also a realist and someone who knows to put things in perspective. Before getting into the rankings, I want to take a moment (however belatedly) to pay respects to D-III's Washington and Jefferson running back Tim McNerney, who was killed a week ago. NCC doesn't play these guys (unless they were to meet in the playoffs), but there's nothing that can prepare you for losing a teammate and a friend in such a senseless matter. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Presidents and their fans, especially the family of McNerney.

This week held a fair share of non-conference games at the DI-A level now that we're a short time away from the first BCS rankings coming out. You already know my stance on these rankings, which is why next week I'm going to at least try to come up with some sort of system for a playoff preview in the construct of the Death to the BCS playoffs. But for now, we stick to ranking the conferences in terms of how they've scheduled thus far.

1. WAC (6.43): Louisiana Tech hosts Texas A&M (kudos to the Aggies) and (holy crap) UTSA is playing at Rice in an attempt to counterbalance their double dose of D-II schools this season. Not going to save you, guys. This just barely got them to the mountaintop again.
2. Conference-USA (6.42): One point this week in the aforementioned UTSA-Rice battle. Hard to come out on top with the conference schedule in full swing.
3. Sun Belt (5.8): No out of conference games here this week.
4. MAC (5.62): They get the military involved this weekend with Central Michigan hosting Navy and Kent State heading to West Point. The MAC is catching up...
5. Mountain West (5.3): They stand pat as well with no play outside of its own.
6. Big East (4.5): Took a hit this week with Cincinnati hosting its second cupcake of the season, the only contest out of conference. Fairly or not, this is the first week where a conference finished with a negative aggregate score.
7. Big Ten (4.42): Standing pat with no out of conference games. Getting closer to the Big East though because of Cincy's weak schedule.
8. ACC (3.42): Another conference staying in house and staying where it's at.
9. Pac-12 (3.33): Oregon State (BYU) and Stanford (Notre Dame) hit the road this week to raise their score. That Stanford-ND game should be an interesting one.
10. SEC (2.78): Texas A&M is off to Louisiana Tech in a battle of ranked teams. Nice to actually see an SEC team hit the road against a mid major.
11. Big XII (2.5): Holding as firm as the weakest out-of-conference scheduling conference can by staying in house.

We're sure to see some of the 16 unbeatens fall this week and help clear up the picture. My biggest concern with a playoff preview is the prospect of having multiple unbeatens in a conference that requires a championship game (I'm looking at you, SEC) that muddles the whole picture. It won't last, obviously, but it may make next week's playoff look a complicated one.

Meanwhile in the NFL, hopefully Week 6's picks go smoother. I got a point in our ESPN pool that I shouldn't have because of accidentally clicking Seattle when I committed in writing to Carolina. We'll see if that comes into play come the end of the season. You can find mine an Nathaniel's picks this week over at SSLYAR later today.