For Terrelle Pryor, this is new. He's the quarterback of the No. 1 team in the country.
Ohio State's cheerleaders received more news to get excited about on Sunday, as the Buckeyes assumed the No. 1 ranking in the major national polls.THIS WEEK’S BEST NATIONAL GAMES
1. Texas at No. 5 Nebraska, Saturday, 3:30, ESPN: Maybe the toughest regular-season test remaining for the Cornhuskers, who were sharp against Kansas State. The Longhorns, off two straight losses, had a bye week to prepare.
2. No. 12 Arkansas at No. 7 Auburn, Saturday, 3:30, CBS: Auburn is the team that beat the team that beat No. 1, knocking off South Carolina two weeks ago. In this game and against LSU next week, the Tigers have a chance to show if they are in the national title mix.
3. Mississippi at No. 8 Alabama, Saturday, 9, ESPN2: Alabama isn’t out of the national title picture. If the Crimson Tide wins out by pounding opponents, they’ll have their supporters.
THIS WEEK’S BEST BIG TEN GAMES
1. No. 1 Ohio State at No. 18 Wisconsin, Saturday, 7, ESPN: College Gameday is headed to Madison for the first time since 2004, with the Badgers hosting the No. 1 team for the first time since Michigan visited in 1997.
2. No. 15 Iowa at Michigan, Saturday, 3:30, ABC: The Hawkeyes were off this week, and their talented defensive line had plenty of time to watch Michigan State’s formula for slowing Denard Robinson.
3. Illinois at No. 13 Michigan State, Saturday, noon, Big Ten Network: Might the Illini be better than people thought? Off big wins over Wisconsin and Michigan, this could be a dangerous spot for the Spartans.
HEISMAN WATCH
1. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, Soph., Odds: 4-1, vs. Iowa: Still second in the nation in total offense, but threw three picks in a loss to Michigan State and looked mortal. The race really tightened up.
2. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State, Jr., Odds: 7-2, at Wisconsin: Had his first 300-yard passing game and showed voters another side. Certainly doesn’t hurt to play for the new No. 1 team in the country.
3. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon, Soph., Odds: 5-1, Bye week: Had 223 total yards and three touchdowns against Washington State, he’s the best running back amid a sea of quarterbacks.
4. Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn, Jr., Odds: 8-1, vs. Arkansas: Ran for 198 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 210 yards in a tight win over Kentucky. Another showcase against Arkansas coming up.
5. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State, Jr., Odds: 10-1, at San Jose State: Leads the nation in passing efficiency, has 14 TDs and just one interception.
6. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska, Soph., Odds: 12-1, vs. Texas: He’s the Denard Robinson of the Plains, but not quite the thrower. Still, he’s the nation’s fourth-leading rusher, and ripped Kansas State for 241 yards.
7. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama, Jr., Odds: 50-1, vs. Mississippi: Took a major hit with just 41 rushing yards in a loss to South Carolina, might be on his way out of the race again.
Dropped out: Stanford QB Andrew Luck
DOUG’S TOP 25
1. Oregon; 2. Ohio State; 3. Boise State; 4. TCU; 5. Oklahoma; 6. Auburn; 7. Nebraska; 8. Michigan State; 9. South Carolina; 10. Alabama; 11. LSU; 12. Stanford; 13. Utah; 14. Arizona; 15. Iowa; 16. Florida State; 17. Arkansas; 18. Nevada; 19. Air Force; 20. Wisconsin; 21. Missouri; 22. Michigan; 23. Oklahoma State; 24. Oregon State; 25. Florida
Explaining my ballot
• Ohio State received 34 first-place votes in the AP poll, but I was one of the 15 voters to rank Oregon No. 1. With Miami dropping out of the top 25, their second loss dropping the Hurricanes to No. 26 in the coaches poll and No. 27 in the AP, the Buckeyes don’t have a win over a ranked team. It’s close between Ohio State and Oregon, but I found the Ducks’ best wins — over Stanford and Arizona State — more impressive than Ohio State’s best wins — over Miami and Illinois.
I think any of my top eight teams could make some semblance of a case for No. 1, and between the AP and coaches, six got first-place votes. Oregon joins Boise State, Ohio State and Alabama as teams I’ve ranked No. 1 this season.
• South Carolina has to be ranked ahead of Alabama, with both teams having one loss and South Carolina beating the Crimson Tide convincingly on the field Saturday. I have South Carolina No. 9 and Alabama No. 10, but the overall poll has Alabama No. 8 and South Carolina No. 10.
I was actually surprised and happy to see that 41 of the 60 AP voters ranked South Carolina ahead of Alabama, but the 19 who ranked Alabama higher really skewed the poll. Why? Because 34 of the 41 have South Carolina just one spot ahead of the Crimson Tide. But 14 of the 19 have Alabama at least four spots ahead of South Carolina, including one voter that has Alabama No. 3 and South Carolina No. 13. Arrogant or ignorant voters ignoring head-to-head results drastically changed where those teams should be ranked.
• Michigan State at No. 8 to me was as low as the 6-0 Spartans could go after consecutive wins over Wisconsin and Michigan. The undefeated Spartans are No. 13 in the AP poll and I have no idea why anyone would think they should be ranked behind Utah or Arkansas.
-- Doug Lesmerises
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- For Terrelle Pryor, this is new. He's the quarterback of the No. 1 team in the country.
"I love it for the Ohio State students and fans, but it's a big responsibility and opportunity for us," Pryor said, as Ohio State released statements from coach Jim Tressel and several players on Sunday. "How we react to being No. 1, and how we stay determined in our focus and in our work habits, will tell us how long we will stay there."
After Alabama lost to South Carolina on Saturday, the Buckeyes emerged as the overwhelming No. 1 team, earning 70 percent of the first-place votes in the three major polls -- the coaches and Harris polls, which each make up one-third of the BCS rankings, and the AP poll.
In the coaches poll, Ohio State earned 49 of 59 first-place votes and stayed 67 points ahead of No. 2 Oregon. In the Harris Poll, Ohio State received 79 of 114 first-place votes and was 71 points ahead of Oregon.
In the AP poll, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 on 34 of 60 ballots and held a 26-point edge on Oregon.
"The Buckeyes know what's it's like to have a target on our back, especially since we are now well into Big Ten play," Tressel said. "We expect that every team will give us its best shot. How we respond will determine our ultimate ranking."
Tressel and his fourth- and fifth-year seniors know the target. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 for the entire regular season in 2006 before losing to Florida in the BCS National Championship and again in the latter part of 2007, before losing to LSU in the title game.
But for Pryor and his highly-rated 2008 recruiting class, this is foreign territory and what they came to Ohio State to accomplish.
Now they'll be immediately tested in the top spot, traveling to play at No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday.
"They're always talented and it's always a hard game and a fighting game, especially at Camp Randall," Pryor said after the Buckeyes' 38-10 win over Indiana on Saturday.
The Buckeyes need to go undefeated to assure themselves a spot in the BCS title game, and it's hard to imagine a scenario in which Ohio State is 12-0 and not playing in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10. So style points aren't a major concern.
But with the first official BCS rankings coming out next weekend, a win at Wisconsin would help their resume. Though they are No. 1 in both polls, ESPN's mock BCS ratings on Sunday night had the Buckeyes at No. 5 because they are rated so low in the six computers that combine to make up one-third of the BCS ratings. Four of the six were available to the public on Sunday, and Ohio State was rated fourth, sixth, eighth and 23rd.
With Miami falling out of the top 25 after losing to Florida State on Saturday, the Buckeyes haven't beaten a team that is currently ranked, and their strength of schedule pales compared to many other top teams, including non-BCS conference schools Boise State and TCU. But with games against the Badgers, Iowa, Penn State and Michigan, that schedule strength will improve. And the goal is clear, regardless.
Win, and they're in.
"It's good to be No. 1, but if we don't play like it every week," OSU linebacker Brian Rolle said, "then all the hype will be for naught."