Some surprises at halfway point
Teams and players have stepped up or have disappointed
The same six teams occupied the first six spots in the Top 25 poll all the way up until Georgia lost 20-17 in overtime to South Carolina last week, causing the Bulldogs to tumble from No. 3 to No. 10.
That does not mean there hasn’t been the unexpected during the first half of the college football season.
The lower rungs of the Top 25 include quite a few teams making giant leaps while other teams have slipped into mediocrity — and out of the rankings. A number of players have stepped up their games or have capitalized on increased roles to make unexpected contributions.
Some of the surprising teams and players (and some disappointments, too):
surprising teams Pleasant surprises
■ No. 6 Wisconsin: After posting a disappointing 8-5 record last year, Wisconsin has beaten its first six opponents this year by an average of 37.7 points. Jonathan Taylor is on pace to rank in the top three in rushing for a third straight year.
■ No. 18 Baylor: Baylor was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 this year after going 7-6 last season. The Bears are undefeated and have won close games, edging Iowa State 23-21 and Texas Tech 33-30 in overtime.
■ No. 19 SMU: The undefeated Mustangs are in the Top 25 for the first time since 1986 and haven’t been held below 37 points all year.
■ No. 20 Minnesota: Minnesota is 6-0 for the first time since 2003 and nearly has matched the win total from its 7-6 campaign last year.
Disappointments
■ Syracuse: The Orange opened the season ranked 22nd after going 10-3 and finishing ranked 15th last year. Syracuse (3-3) has lost its three Atlantic Coast Conference games by a combined score of 120-36. A bowl game is no longer a sure thing.
■ Washington State: The Cougars went 11-2 last season with a No. 10 ranking but are .500 at the midway point despite opening the year at No. 23.
surprising players Pleasant surprises
■ LSU QB Joe Burrow: Burrow has improved his completion percentage from .578 last year to an FBSleading .796 this season. He has thrown 25 touchdown passes already after having just 16 all of last year.
■ Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell: The team’s main running back this season was supposed to be Patrick Taylor Jr., who rushed for 1,122 yards last season. When Taylor hurt his lower leg in the season opener, Gainwell took over and has responded by rushing for 726 yards and seven touchdowns
Disappointments
■ Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano: He has struggled with turnovers and lost his starting spot after Tennessee lost three of its first four games.
■ Vanderbilt TE Jared Pinkney: A second-team pick on AP’S preseason AllAmerica team, he’s caught just 13 passes for 143 yards and no touchdowns.