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EQ Top Ten (Week 13)

Ranking the Earned Qualifying (EQ) Teams | Ain't you LEARNED? Nothing automatic, everything EARNED.

By NorthCoast
The NIU Huskies are at the apex of the EQ ranks.
The NIU Huskies are at the apex of the EQ ranks.
Danny Wild-US PRESSWIRE

New this week: Central Florida Knights
Dropped Out: Tulsa Golden Hurricane

EQ Top Ten (Week 13)

  1. NIU (11-1): The Huskies have won has won 20 of their last 21 games and finished the season a perfect 8-0 in conference play to extend their FBS best 16-game conference winning streak. NIU has won at least 11 games in three consecutive seasons and are set to play another 11-1 (8-0) team in the MAC Championship Game that has BCS implications.
  2. Kent State (11-1): Kent State ran the table against its conference slate to finish 11-1 (8-0) for the season and earn a first-ever berth to the MAC Championship Game. The winner of that MAC Championship Game will finish 12-1 (9-0) and should get an invitation to a BCS Bowl. Whichever bowl Kent State goes to, will be the first since 1972.
  3. Utah State (10-2): Utah State finished its breakthrough season with its tenth win of the year to give the Aggies their first ever double-digit win season.
  4. San Jose State (10-2): The win over Louisiana Tech doubled the Spartans' win total from the previous year and gave San Jose State their most wins since 1987.
  5. Ball State (9-3): Ball State finished with a strong 9-3 record having only lost to the two 1-loss MAC division winners and a 2-loss Clemson.
  6. Toledo (9-3): The Rockets' solid season was complicated by playing in a very strong MAC West division. Had all the realignment dominoes fallen a little differently, Toledo may have won the Big East this year.
  7. Boise State (9-2): Boise State was on a BYE week.
  8. Louisiana Tech (9-3): The Bulldogs' nine wins is the most since 1992 and the highest as a member of the WAC. Interesting note: Louisiana Tech only beat one bowl eligible team all year (6-6 Rice).
  9. Fresno State (9-3): The Bulldogs' ninth win of the season was the most ever by a first-year coach at Fresno State.
  10. Central Florida (9-3): The Knights controlled conference opponents much more impressively than did Tulsa, so despite losing a close head-to-head against the Golden Hurricane, the Knights got the nod this week. The two clubs go at it for a second time next week, with the Conference Title on the line, to settle which team is the best in the conference.

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