2007 was a crazy year for college football across the nation and in the state of Ohio, and the weekly Ohio college football rankings proved difficult throughout the season. As we head into the MAC Championship the Miami RedHawks are the lone Ohio team to play in a Championship Game as the Big Ten and Big East do not have the necessary 12 members to warrant a Championship match-up.

Up to 4 Ohio college football teams will likely participate in postseason bowl games as Ohio State, Cincinnati and Bowling Green seem to be bowl locks. Miami’s future depends on the result of Saturday’s MAC Championship game.

1 - Ohio State - 11-1 - At 7-1 in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes won yet another Big Ten title finishing 11-1 in 2007. Now the Buckeyes, #3 in the BCS, hope for losses by #1 Missouri or #2 West Virginia on Saturday to vault OSU into the BCS Championship game.

2 - Cincinnati - 9-3 - The Bearcats have had a fantastic season and have finished their season at 9-3 including 3 wins over ranked opponents. At 4-3 in the Big East, the UC Bearcats finish the regular season tied with South Florida for 3rd in the Big East.

3 - Bowling Green - 8-4 - BG’s 4 straight wins to end the regular season put them in great position for a bowl bid, likely in the International Bowl in Toronto against a Big East opponent.

4 - Miami - 6-6 - Despite winning the MAC East, the RedHawks proved to be rather mediocre in losing 3 of their final 5 games. At 6-6 heading into the MAC Championship, the RedHawks will receive a bowl bid should they win the MAC Championship. However, a loss would end Miami’s season at 6-7 and the RedHawks would not be bowl eligible.

5 - Ohio - 6-6 - Despite defeating the #4 RedHawks in their season finale, the Bobcats come in at #5 thanks to Miami’s MAC East title. While 6-6 is a huge disappointment for Bobcat fans, recovering from a 2-4 start is something for Frank Solich and his staff to build upon in 2008.

6 - Toledo - 5-7 - After a 2-5 start, Toledo showed signs of life with 3 straight wins in the middle of the season. But 2 losses to end the season, including a 37-10 blowout loss to rival Bowling Green, have the Toledo faithful concerned about the Rockets’ future.

7 - Akron - 4-8 - Akron had 5 losses in their final 6 games as the Zips completed a disappointing season. After an amazing 39-38 road victory @ Western Michigan, Akron’s inability to build off of their then 3-3 record proved to be the Zips downfall.

8 - Kent State - 3-9 - Picked as the MAC East favorite in 2007, the Golden Flashes impressed immediately with a opening win over Iowa State. Kent showed signs of life by defeating Ohio in late September, but followed the win with 7 straight losses to close a ugly 3-9 season.

9 - Dayton - 10-1 - The 10-1 Flyers face 8-3 Albany in Saturday’s 2007 Gridiron Classic at Welcome Stadium.

10 - Youngstown State - 7-4 - The Penguins finished the season 7-4 after a strong 4-1 start. After several fans criticized Ohio Sports Time for not including YSU in our rankings. Then, after adding the Penguins we have received nothing but harsh words including the most recent comment from John which was posted on our site and read “You are a tool. You are an idioit and know nothing about sports. YSU last is a joke. The MAC sucks your site sucks and you are just a moron. You know nothing no one reads your web sites, just stop you know nothing.” Thanks John, your classy comments show a lot about you. Also, look into the spelling of the word “idiot.”

2007 has been a crazy year for college football in the state of Ohio, as our weekly Ohio college football rankings will show. The mediocrity (or parity, call it what you like) of Ohio’s MAC teams has been disappointing as Ohio State and Cincinnati are far ahead of the rest of the pack. Meanwhile, it’s tempting to place Dayton and possibly YSU ahead of Kent State after the Golden Flashes lost to NIU, one of the Football Bowl Subdivision’s worst teams in 2007.

Look for this week to separate the teams a bit, but with so many records at 4-6 to 6-4, all it takes is a win or two to move any of the MAC schools up 3-4 spots.

1 - Ohio State - 10-1 - The Buckeyes were shocked at home by Illinois 28-21 on Saturday, dropping Ohio State from #1 to #7 in the BCS rankings and likely eliminating the Buckeyes’ shot at a National Championship. Next up for Ohio State is the annual rivalry match-up with Michigan in Ann Arbor at 12 noon on Saturday.

2 - Cincinnati - 8-2 - After 6 wins to start the season, the Bearcats followed with 2 losses to fall from the Top 25. Since that point UC has picked up consecutive Big East wins defeating ranked USF and UConn teams resulting in the Bearcats climbing to #22 in the BCS rankings. Next up for UC is a Saturday night home match-up with #6 West Virginia.

3 - Miami - 5-5 - Despite a 1-4 record out of conference (all against BCS conference competition) Miami has learned from their tough competition going 4-1 against MAC opponents and 3-1 against the MAC East. If the RedHawks win out they will represent the MAC East in the MAC Championship on December 1st, but first they have to get past Akron on Wednesday night and win @ Ohio on November 24th.

4 - Toledo - 5-5 - After an 0-3 start the Rockets have won 5 of 7 to draw even at 5-5, thus edging their rivals from Bowling Green. Toledo can make a push for a bowl berth with wins over Ball State Tuesday night and @ BG on November 23rd.

5 - Bowling Green - 6-4 - The Falcons come in at #5 thanks to 3 wins in their past 4 games, but BG needs to keep winning to ensure themselves a bowl bid from one of the 3 MAC bowl tie-ins. BG travels to Buffalo on Saturday for a 1 pm game that is essential to UB’s MAC East title hopes.

6 - Akron - 4-6 - The Zips take the #6 spot based on head-to-head competition by beating Ohio 48-37 last week, but it was tough to differentiate between these two teams. Akron looks for a 6-6 season with a Wednesday night game @ Miami and a November 23rd game against MAC West Champion Central Michigan.

7 - Ohio - 5-6 - Ohio’s 2007 season has been a roller coaster winning 3, losing 4, then winning 3 of 4. A 5-6 record at this point was not what Bobcat fans had expected after winning the 2006 MAC East title, but compared to where the Bobcats were before Solich, how can Ohio fans not be pleased with the direction of this program? A win over rival Miami on November 24th could ruin the RedHawks’ MAC East title hopes and give the Bobcats a 6-6 season.

8 - Kent State - 3-7 - Injuries or not, the Golden Flashes were supposed to be a MAC title contender in 2007. How does this team lose to Northern Illinois at home? It’s painful to even write about Kent State in 2007 so that is all I have to say.

9 - Dayton - 10-1 - The Flyers won their 6th straight by winning @ Drake by a score of 34-27 on Saturday and tied for a share of the Pioneer League Championship. As a result, Dayton will represent the Pioneer League against the Northeast Conference Champion in the Gridiron Classic bowl hosted by Dayton on December 1st.

10 - Youngstown State - 7-4 - YSU ended the regular season by picking up their 7th win of the year in defeating Western Illinois 31-24.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #9
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #8
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #7
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #6
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #5
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #4
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

Another week has passed, and the jumbled mess that is the Ohio MAC teams is a bit more clear. Wins by Toledo and Ohio have both teams playing stronger ball than any other Ohio MAC schools and thus the Rockets and Bobcats both jump 3 spots. Losses by BG, Akron and Kent State drop all 3 schools as inconsistency across the MAC has made these weekly ranking as difficult as ever. Big games this week include Miami vs. Buffalo as the winner will likely represent the MAC East in the MAC Football Championship Game, and Akron @ Bowling Green on Friday night. Both the Zips and Falcons are struggling, but one team has to win this game, right?

1 - Ohio State - 9-0 - The Buckeyes continue to roll as they had no problem taking care of #25 Penn State @ Happy Valley. This team appears poised for yet another BCS Championship appearance as they continue to be #1 in the AP, USA Today and BCS rankings. Next up for the Buckeyes is #21 Wisconsin who travels to Columbus for a Saturday match-up.

2 - Cincinnati - 6-2 - A week off after 2 straight losses may be just what the doctor ordered for the Bearcats as they look to get back on track. However, next up for UC will travel to play @ #18 South Florida, a team who has also dropped 2 straight.

3 - Miami - 4-5 - Miami traveled to Vanderbilt and lost 24-13 on Saturday, but gave the Commodores a solid game. Now it’s back to MAC play for the RedHawks in a very important game against Buffalo. The Bulls are rolling, and Miami has lost 2 straight, but expect a good game in Oxford this Saturday.

4 - Toledo - 4-5 - Toledo jumps 3 spots from #7 to #4 thanks to losses by BG, Akron and Kent State and the Rockets’ 70-21 win over Northern Illinois. Next up for Toledo is a Saturday match-up with the up-and-coming Eagles of Eastern Michigan.

5 - Ohio - 4-5 - Despite a midseason drop-off by the Bobcats, Frank Solich has his team playing much better on offense as the Bobcats won @ Bowling Green 38-27 on Saturday. As a result, the Bobcats leapfrog Kent State, Akron and BG into the #5 spot. Ohio hosts surprising Temple on Friday night as they look to get back to .500 on the season.

6 - Bowling Green - 4-4 - The Falcons drop 2 spots after losing at home to Ohio as they watch their MAC East Championship hopes fade away. After a promising start to the season, BG has now dropped 3 of 4 games and looks to get back on the winning side of the ball as they host Akron on Friday night.

7 - Akron - 3-5 - The Zips fall 2 spots thanks to a loss @ Buffalo and wins by both Toledo and ohio. A win in a tough road contest @ Bowling Green on Friday night could vault the Zips up a spot of two.

8 - Kent State - 3-6 - The Golden Flashes lost their 4th straight game and fall 2 more spots with a 41-32 home loss to Central Michigan on Saturday. Kent will have time to think about their recent cold streak as they next play November 10th @ MAC West cellar-dweller Northern Illinois.

9 - Dayton - 8-1 - Dayton continues to get W’s each week as the Flyers picked up their 4th straight and 8th of the season with a 35-16 win over San Diego this past weekend. With the win the Flyers sit atop the Pioneer League in a 1st place tie with a 4-1 conference record. Next up for Dayton is a Saturday contest with Butler.

10 - Youngstown State - 5-3 - Once thought to be at the same level as Ohio’s MAC schools by their fans, Youngstown State has been a real disappointment of late. now 5-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play, YSU will look to pickup their 6th win of the season @ Indiana State on Saturday.

Remember that if you are looking for Ohio State hats, Ohio Bobcats merchandise & gear, and other college apparel, be sure to look to DFN Sports sites.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #8
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #7
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #6
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #5
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #4
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

The #1 and #2 spots in our weekly Ohio college football rankings remain consistent, but  the #3-8 spots remain up for grabs as none of the MAC teams in Ohio seem to be stepping it up. With the Miami RedHawks loss to Temple on Saturday, the RedHawks have opened the door for the #3 spot to be seized by another team, but the real question is does anyone else want it? Here’s the Ohio College Football Rankings after Week #8:

1 - Ohio State - 8-0- The Buckeyes faced their toughest test to date in a 7-point victory over Michigan State on Saturday. Despite completely dominating the stat sheet, MSU’s 3rd Quarter INT and fumble returns, both for TDs, made the game interesting. The Buckeyes will face their best opponent to date as they play @ #25 Penn State on Saturday night.

2 - Cincinnati - 6-2- After 6 straight wins to begin the season, the Bearcats have come back to reality with consecutive losses in to Louisville and Pitt in Big East play. It does not get any easier for UC as they face ranked opponents in the next 3 games beginning with a game @ #10 South Florida on November 3rd.

3 - Miami - 4-4- What happened to the RedHawks on Saturday @ Temple? A week after a 47-14 thrashing of Bowling Green, Miami dropped the ball against Temple to pick up their first loss in the MAC East. The RedHawks still control their destiny in the MAC East if they can beat Buffalo, Ohio and Akron, but first they visit Vanderbilt on Saturday with a chance to regain their momentum.

4 - Bowling Green - 4-3 - The Falcons returned to their winning ways with a 31-20 win @ Kent on Saturday in a game that was incredibly close on the stat sheet. Kent actually edged BG 382-381 in total yards and 30:44 to 29:16 in time of possession. With the win, BG improves to 2-1 against MAC East teams and next hosts Ohio on Saturday night at 6 pm with a chance to knock the Bobcats completely out of the MAC Championship picture.

5 - Akron - 3-4 - The Zips got a week off and didn’t move in the rankings as they occupy the #5 spot again this week. With Buffalo, the lone team that is undefeated against MAC East play, up next, Akron can make their statement as a solid MAC East title contender on Saturday.

6 - Kent State - 3-5- The Golden Flashes had their sites set on a MAC Championship coming into 2007 and seemed to be well on their way with a win over a BCS team in Week #1. But inconsistency early has evolved into consistent struggles of late as Kent has now lost 4 of 5 games and has fallen to 1-3 against MAC East teams. Up next for the Golden Flashes they host Central Michigan on Saturday.

7 - Toledo - 3-5 - The Rockets offense has not been the question this season despite the team’s struggles, and Saturday night the offense bailed Toledo out yet again. Despite allowing 560 total yards and 40 points to an average Ohio offense, the Rockets held on for a last-second FG and 43-40 win at the Glass Bowl. As a result, the Rockets jump the Bobcats for the #7 spot in our weekly Ohio college football rankings. Toledo looks to build momentum as they host Northern Illinois on Saturday @ 7 pm.

8 - Ohio - 3-5 - Coming off a win against Eastern Michigan a week before, the Bobcats looked to be in good shape with a 14-6 halftime lead @ Toledo on Saturday night. But Ohio’s defense let them down yet again in allowing 37 second half points to the Toledo offense, and the offense did nothing to help with 7 turnovers. The defending MAC East Champs are not out of the 2007 MAC East race yet, but they need to win out to have any chance at making the MAC Championship. A win @ Bowling Green on Saturday is a must for Ohio.

9 - Youngstown State - 5-3 - A few weeks ago we added Youngstown State due to a few Penguin fans claiming they were better than many of the teams on this list. At the time YSU was 3-1 and looked pretty solid. With 2 losses in their last 3 games and a close call against a bad team in the other, YSU has shown us nothing that deems them worthy of anything higher that #9 in the state of Ohio this season.

10 - Dayton - 7-1- Despite the better record, we’re not convinced that the Flyers are a better team than the Penguins.

Remember that if you are looking for Ohio State merchandise, Kent State hats, other sports hats and sports merchandise, be sure to look to DFN Sports sites.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #7
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #6
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #5
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #4
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

The #1 and #2 spots in our weekly Ohio college football rankings are solid and unwaivering, but we finally have more calrity to the #3 spot as the Miami RedHawks are picking up steam and rolling through their MAC opponents. Spots #4-6 are very much up for grabs as Akron, Kent State and Ohio all remain inconsistent. Here’s the Ohio College Football Rankings after Week #7:

1 - Ohio State - 7-0 - The Buckeyes rolled over in-state foe Kent State 48-3 behind a 28-point 2nd Quarter that featured both a INT return for a TD and a punt return TD. Ohio State returns to Big Ten action with a home match-up with Michigan State on Saturday.

2 - Cincinnati - 6-1- Despite their first loss of the season, it will take a lot for UC to fall from the #2 spot thanks to the Bearcats’ 47-10 dismantling of Miami in September. UC is @ Pitt on Saturday as they look to bounce back from a 28-24 loss to Louisville this past weekend.

3 - Miami - 4-3- We admit it. We screwed up on ranking Miami the past few weeks. The RedHawks are clearly the 3rd best team in Ohio thus far as they clobbered Bowling Green 47-14 this past weekend and defeated Kent State the weekend before. Up next for the RedHawks is a game @ Temple, a team that has won consecutive games over MAC opponents.

4 - Bowling Green - 3-3- Apparently there’s a big gap between #3 and #4 as BG was never even in the game @ Miami. The Falcons defense has now allowed 102 points in two weeks facing Boston College and Miami. BG’s schedule remains difficult as they travel to Kent to face the Golden Flashes this weekend.

5 - Akron - 3-4 - The #5-7 spots are up for grabs as none of these 3 teams seems to want it thanks to inconsistent play. The Zips fell at home to Temple 24-20 this past weekend in what was quite a disappointment as Akron came in a 10-point favorite. Akron travels to Buffalo to face the Bulls on October 27th as UB looks for their 3rd straight win over a MAC opponent.

6 - Kent State - 3-4 - After Akron’s bad loss to Temple, Kent State got a lot of consideration to move past the Zips. But Akron’s September 22nd win over Kent keeps them ahead of their rivals, and Kent’s September 29 win @ Ohio keeps them ahead of the Bobcats. Kent State hosts Bowling Green on Saturday in a game neither team can afford to lose.

7 - Ohio - 3-4 - Ohio got back into the “W” column with a 48-42 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Ohio’s defense continues to struggle as they allowed 177 rushing yards and 5 TD passes to EMU. The Bobcats look to keep their momentum as they face Toledo in the Glass Bowl on Saturday.

8 - Toledo - 2-4- The Rockets dug themselves a hole as they allowed 28 1st Quarter points @ Buffalo en route to a 43-33 loss to the Bulls. The Rockets do not seem to be able to stop the run, and their Saturday opponent, Ohio, will be happy to run the ball with Kalvin McRae 25-30+ times against the Toledo defense.

9 - Youngstown State - 5-2 - A week after falling to Southern Illinois, YSU barely slipped by a 0-7 Southern Utah team with a 4th Quarter TD to win 23-22. Talk all you like YSU fans, but your computer rankings mean nothing to our staff. Your team’s play in the past two weeks, however, speaks volumes.

With another week behind us you can rest assured that if you are looking for OSU hats, Cincinnati Bearcats apparel, Ohio Bobcat merchandise and Akron Zips apparel & hats from DFN Sports sites.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #6
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #5
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #4
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

While the #1 and #2 spots in our weekly Ohio college football rankings are rather clear, the #3-7 spots could not be more up for grabs. As Ohio continues to falter and Miami continues to beat MAC opponents, the only other sure-things are the #8 and #9 spots in our rankings. Here’s the Ohio College Football Rankings after Week #6:

1 - Ohio State - 6-0 - Ohio State had no problems in handling #23 Purdue on the road as the Buckeyes cruised to a 23-7 win and moved up to #3 in both the AP and USA Today Polls. As stated in the Big Ten Fans weekend recap, this game could have been a lot uglier for Purdue. The Buckeyes host the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday at noon.

2 - Cincinnati - 6-0- For the first time all season the Bearcats produced less than 30 points in beating the #21 Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Bearcat fans have got to be thrilled as UC’s 6-0 start and win over Rutgers has them ranked #15 in the AP and #17 in the USA Today poll. The Bearcats face Louisville (3-3) who is coming off a 44-35 loss at home to Utah and has now lost 3 of their last 4 games.

3 - Bowling Green - 3-2 - Nick didn’t pick so well this week with BG, but such is football in the MAC. The popular MAC football site, VanDelay Sports, picked BG in an upset win over #7 Boston College. Unfortunately for the Falcons, BC put up 55 points on the BG defense en route to a 55-24 win. The Falcons have two tough road MAC East games coming up starting @ Miami on Saturday.

4 - Akron - 3-3 - Last week we did not give Akron the respect they deserved. Sure, they got blown out by UConn, a BCS team, but just a week before Akron had defeated rival Kent State and we still ranked the Golden Flashes ahead of the Zips. This week we’re going to give credit where it is due, and with a 39-38 road victory @ Western Michigan which included 15 4th Quarer points, the Zips jump up to the #4 spot. Akron hosts Temple on Saturday as they look to go to 2-0 against MAC East teams.

5 - Kent State - 3-3 - The Golden Flashes were picked by many to win the MAC East, but a lack of consistency is hurting Kent as they are now 1-2 against MAC East opponents with a 20-13 loss to Miami on Saturday. Kent’s next challenge is a big one; @ Ohio State at noon on Saturday.

6 - Ohio - 2-4 - Ohio should probably drop another spot thanks to Miami’s recent surge, but for now we have the Bobcats ranked #6. With a 31-10 loss @ Buffalo, Ohio is 0-2 against MAC East teams and in big trouble, but after winning the MAC East in just his 2nd year @ Ohio, Frank Solich will keep his team fighting. Bobcat fans should be concerned about a lack of discipline and defense in the past few games. Ohio has Eastern Michigan up next as they look to get back on the winning side.

7 - Miami - 3-3 - The RedHawks, written off by our staff just a few weeks ago, are on the verge of a major jump in our rankings if they can knock off BG on Saturday. After beating Kent State 20-13 this past weekend Miami is 1-0 against MAC East opponents and 2-0 against MAC teams overall.

8 - Toledo - 2-4 - The Rockets survived quite a scare this weekend in hosting Liberty, a I-AA (FCS) opponent who was just 3-2 on the season coming into the game at the Glass Bowl. Liberty led 34-23 heading into the 4th Quarter before 13 Toledo points were enough to finish the comeback. The Rockets are at much-improved Buffalo on Saturday in what should prove to be a good MAC match-up.

9 - Youngstown State - 4-2 - With Toledo and Miami winning and YSU losing to Southern Illinois, the Penguins remain #9 in our weekly Ohio college football rankings. YSU should get an easy win this week as they face Southern Utah who is 0-5 on the season.

With another week behind us you can rest assured that if you are looking for Ohio State apparel, YSU hats, UC Bearcats apparel, and Akron Zips hats & merchandise from DFN Sports sites.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #5
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #4
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

Another week in the 2007 college football season has passed, and the waters have been muddied even more in the 4-9 rankings of our weekly Ohio college football rankings. With wins over BCS schools in the past two weeks for both Toledo and Miami, it’s not possible for us to place YSU ahead of either school, but rest assured that we will hear about it. Without further ado, the Ohio College Football Rankings after Week #5:

1 - Ohio State - 5-0 - The Buckeyes continue to roll with a 30-7 win on the road @ Minnesota. With upsets across the nation including losses by Florida, West Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma, the Buckeyes have vaulted to #4 in both polls. Ohio State faces their toughest test of the season this weekend, a match-up @ #23 Purdue on Saturday night.

2 - Cincinnati - 5-0 - The Bearcats put up another 52 points in a 52-23 win at San Diego State just a few days after being ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1976. UC’s non-conference schedule is now over and the remaining 7 games are all against the much-improved Big East, with Rutgers up first on Saturday.

3 - Bowling Green - 3-1 - BG defeated next year’s Sun Belt member and will-be new Football Bowl Subdivision member Western Kentucky 41-21 on Saturday to keep the #3 spot. BGSU has a tough road test at #7 Boston College on Saturday as they look to pull another MAC upset over a BCS opponent.

4 - Kent State - 3-2 - Putting Kent ahead of Akron will not go over well with many, but after Akron was thoroughly embarrased by UConn and Kent won @ Ohio, the edge goes to the Flashes despite their loss @ Akron a week ago. Kent hosts Miami on Saturday as the Golden Flashes look to defeat another MAC East opponent.

5 - Ohio - 2-2 - The Bobcats defense was porous and their offense flat until the 4th Quarter in their 33-25 loss to Kent State on Saturday. A win against an improving Buffalo Bulls on Saturday is a must for Ohio if they want to have a chance to represent the MAC East in the MAC Championship game again in 2007.

6 - Akron - 2-2 - The Zips fall thanks to a “what have you done for me lately” after UConn thumped Akron 44-10. As a result, the Zips come in at #6 in the state of Ohio. Akron’s next test is a tough one as they travel to Kalamazoo to face Western Michigan.

7 - Miami - 2-3 - “The RedHawks host Syracuse next weekend in what will likely be another ugly game as Syracuse comes off an upset of Louisville.” That is what I said last week, and it appears that Syracuse didn’t come prepared for the RedHawks as Miami won at home 17-14. Miami looks to keep the momentum with a tough road game @ Kent State on Saturday.

8 - Toledo - 1-4 - Miami’s win over a BCS school pivots them back ahead of Toledo who beat a BCS school just a week ago. The Rockets are already 0-2 against the MAC West which likely means their hopes for a MAC Championship are gone, but there’s no doubt this team has the talent to win several more games and finish with a respectable record. Saturday will be an easy “W” for the Rockets as they host Liberty.

9 - Youngstown State - 4-1 - A win over Missouri State cannot compare to Kent and Toledo beating Iowa State, Miami beating Syracuse or BG beating Minnesota. Complain all you want YSU fans, but unless you can match up against Football Championship Subdivision teams each week, we’re not going to know if you truly are as good as the other teams on this list, Sagarin rankings or not.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #4
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

Week #4 has come and gone, and thanks to the Kent State/Akron rivalry game we now know a little more about the middle of our weekly Ohio college football rankings. We have added a new team to the list thanks to two years of complaining about not including Youngstown State in our weekly rankings.

1 - Ohio State - 4-0 - The Buckeyes played an obvoiusly-inferior Northwestern team to start the 2007 Big Ten season and rolled to a 58-7 blowout victory, scoring 45 points in the 1st half. While some say the nation is overlooking the Buckeyes, it appears to me that they have yet to be seriously tested by a high-quality opponent. OSU travels to Minnesota for their second Big Ten game next weekend and will likely not be tested yet again.

2 - Cincinnati - 4-0 - The Bearcats defeated Marshall 40-14 on Saturday as UC has now scored at least 34 points in every game this season. UC travels to face San Diego State next weekend before the brutal stretch of their schedule with three ranked teams in four weeks begins.

3 - Bowling Green - 2-1 - The Falcons jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the 1st half against Temple before the Owls tied the game at the half. While BG’s offense proved to be superior in their 48-35 victory, Falcon fans have to be worried about allowing Temple to score 35 points. BGSU faces Western Kentucky next week and does not play another MAC team until October 13th.

4 - Ohio - 2-2 - The Bobcats handed their game with Wyoming away as a timeout call just before a 4th down incomplete pass resulted in Wyoming getting new life and a game-winning TD pass. After leading 20-6 at the half, the Bobcats offense could not keep the defense off the field in the second half. While Ohio has played well in the non-conference schedule, Bowling Green’s non-conference resume is more impressive, resulting in BG jumping above Ohio in our rankings for this week. A win over Kent State this weekend could go a long way toward the Bobcats getting the #3 spot back.

5 - Akron - 2-2 - The Zips scored 17 points in the 4th quarter to defeat arch-rival Kent State this past weekend, thus leapfrogging Kent State for the #5 spot. Akron travels to face UConn next week with an opportunity to pick up a solid non-conference win for Akron and the MAC.

6 - Kent State - 2-2 - After falling @ Akron on Saturday, Kent State’s schedule does not get any easier as the travel to Athens to face the Ohio Bobcats. Kent State could see their MAC East title hopes dashed this weekend as a second loss within the MAC East would be difficult to overcome thanks to the MAC’s unbalanced schedules in 2007.

7 - Toledo - 1-3 - Just when I thought that the Rockets were dead an buried for 2007, they beat a BCS program. While Iowa State has been dismal in 2007, they did upset Iowa last week, and you have to respect the talent levels of the Big 12 and Big Ten. The Rockets host Western Michigan with a chance to make some noise in the MAC West next weekend.

8 - Youngstown State - 3-1 - Due to popular demand, well at least one guy who has calling us out for two years in our blog comments, we have added YSU to this list. My fear is that by adding Football Championship Subdivision teams to this list means now I have to research Dayton as well, but for now we’ll include YSU and see what the fans think. While YSU’s lone loss was to Ohio State, Toledo’s win over Iowa State keeps them ahead of the Penguins.

9 - Miami - 1-3 - The MAC program that was a staple of consistency and winning has fallen and they do not appear to be getting up. After a solid win in week #1, the RedHawks defense has allowed 41, 47 and 42 points as Miami has been outscored 89-10 in the past two weeks. The RedHawks host Syracuse next weekend in what will likely be another ugly game as Syracuse comes off an upset of Louisville.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #3
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

Week #3 flew by like the 2 weeks before it, so let’s take a look at our latest Ohio college football rankings heading into Week #4 as many of these teams prepare for conference games this weekend…

1. Ohio State - 3-0 - The Buckeyes answered the critics by defeating a fairly strong Washington team on the road by a score of 33-14. The Buckeyes will crush, I mean play Northwestern on Saturday as they kickoff the Big Ten schedule.
2. Cincinnati - 3-0 - The Bearcats have now outscored their opponents 140-16 in three games after beating up rival Miami by a score of 47-10. UC hosts Marshall on Saturday as the Thundering Herd are coming off a loss to I-AA (Football Championship Subdivision) New Hampshire. Expect more Bearcat domination.
3. Ohio - 2-1 - The Bobcats appear to be the top team in the MAC to date going 2-1 and giving #18 Virginia Tech a good test into the 4th quarter of a 28-7 loss. The Bobcats will close out the non-conference schedule on Saturday as they face Wyoming (2-1) from the Mountain West Conference.
4. BGSU - 1-1 - The Falcons had the week off and remain in 4th place thanks to their strong showings against Big Ten opponents in their first two games. The Falcons look to avenge their embarrassing loss to Temple last season as they host the Owls this Saturday.
5. Kent State - 2-1 - When Kent State beat Iowa State on the road, it appeared to be an impressive win. When ISU lost to Northern Iowa last week, it took away much of the value in my opinion. Now that Iowa State has defeated their in-state rival Iowa Hawkeyes, Kent’s win looks good, again. Either way, the Golden Flashes are 2-1 heading into their rivalry game @ Akron on Saturday. The winner likely moves up a spot or two while the loser will start the MAC East schedule with a damaging loss in the standings.
6. Akron - 1-2 - The Zips hung with Indiana into the 4th Quarter but fell in the end 41-24. With a home game against Kent on Saturday, the Zips will look to make an early statement in the MAC East standings.
7. Miami - 1-2 - The RedHawks made this ranking easy as they allowed 47 points to rival UC at home. Miami travels to Boulder to face the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday in a game that could see the RedHawks sneak away with a win if they play well.
8. Toledo - 0-3 - The Rockets defense has allowed 149 points in three games for an average of almost 50 points per game. I’m not sure what happened to Tom Amstutz’ program, but this is embarrassing.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #2
• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings

Week #2 has come and gone, so let’s take a look at our latest Ohio college football rankings heading into Week #3…

1. Ohio State - Buckeye fans are concerned because “they only beat Akron 20-2″ and the “offense struggled.” Could it be that Akron has a good defense? Give the Zips some credit Buckeye fans…
2. Cincinnati - After a blowout win over a I-AA opponent we didn’t give UC much love. That changes after their blowout win over a solid Pac-10 program in Oregon State.
3. Ohio - As the MAC’s lone 2-0 team, the Bobcats will have a huge test @ Virginia Tech on Saturday.
4. BGSU - Two games against Big Ten teams and the Falcons come out 1-1 with two solid performances. There has to be a lot of excitement and new expectations in Bowling Green as we get closer to MAC play.
5. Kent State - While the Iowa State win looked like a big one at the time, after I-AA Northern Iowa defeated the Cyclones in Ames it is a bit less impressive. Couple that with a 2nd-half defensive meltdown @ Kentucky and the Golden Flashes dip in our rankings.
6. Akron - A 20-2 loss to Ohio State is actually something to build on as the Zips offense, while completely overmatched vs. OSU, will not face defenses of that caliber in the MAC. If Akron’s defense can continue to play well they should contend for the MAC East crown and give Indiana a good game this weekend.
7. Miami - Much like their game with Purdue in 2006, the RedHawks had a Big Ten team beat on the road on Saturday and gave the game away. Saturday’s game with Cincinnati will show us where both programs are this season and help define some of these rankings for the rest of the season.
8. Toledo - Ouch. The Rockets are off to quite a rough start in 2007 and travel to Kansas this weekend looking to avoid a 0-3 start to the season.

Past Ohio college football rankings:

• Ohio college football rankings after Week #1
• Preseason Ohio college football rankings