November 6, 2008 in Sports

Average teams give WSU, UW respite

By Steve Harvey Special to the Los Angeles Times
 

It was another big weekend for Bottom Ten co-leaders Washington and Washington State, which lost their games by a combined score of 114-0, ratcheting up interest for their annual Apple Core Cup.

But the Bottom Ten selectors, exhausted by all the fumbles, dropped passes and missed tackles they’ve had to watch, are taking the week off. Instead, they’ve handed off the ball to their colleagues at the Middle Ten, a little-known group that honors teams that are neither good nor bad, just mediocre.

Leader of this easy-going gang is Auburn (4-5), once a top-10 team, believe it or not, whose ordinary season is symbolized by its thrilling 3-2 win over Mississippi State. Yes, 3-2. It was the most boring game since Oregon and Oregon State tied 0-0 in 1983 in what is fondly remembered as the Egg Bowl.

Then there’s Marshall, which was rated No. 4 partly because it ranks 97th in the nation in penalties. Yes, Marshall’s players are among the most polite in the nation.

WreckRecordLast LossNext Loss
1. Auburn4-57-17, MissTenn. Martin
2. Clemson4-421-27, B.C.-xFlorida St.
3. Houston4-423-37, MarshallTulane
4. Marshall4-4Def. Houston, 37-23East Carolina
5. Nevada4-4IdleFresno St.
6. Duke4-430-33, Wake ForestNC State
7. La. Tech4-4Def. Fresno St., 38-35San Jose St.
8. Ark. St.4-40-35, AlabamaFlorida Inter.
9. Fordham4-4def. Marist, 45-21Holy Cross
10. Bucknell4-417-34, Holy CrossLafayette

x-No affiliation with comic strip of same name.

11. Drake (4-4); 12. Wisconsin (4-5); 13. Kansas State (4-5); 14. Colorado (4-5); 15. Virginia (5-4); 16. Nebraska (5-4); 17. Illinois (5-4) 18. Colorado State (4-5); 19. Declined to State; 20. BYU (8-1, masquerading as Top 25 team with a one-point win over Washington, seven-point win over UNLV and three-point win over Colorado State).

Average game of the week: Marshall (4-4) vs. East Carolina (4-3).

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