the past three seasons and won 11 Big Ten Conference games the last two years under coach Marlene Stollings. But those teams featured conference players of the year in Amanda

The top five teams in the polls at the midway point of the season: Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Michigan, Washington.The top five in the AP poll released Sunday: Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Washington, Michigan.Glad we got that straightened out.If you are looking for the college football world to be topsy-turvy, you have to look below the top five. The top 12 at the midway point of the season included No. 6 Texas A&M, 2-4 in the second half of the season; No. 9 Tennessee, 3-3 in the second half; No. 10 Nebraska, 4-3 in the second half; No. 11 Baylor, 1-5 in the second half; and No. 12 Ole Miss, 2-5 in the second half and in last place in the SEC West.They are the reverse images of Penn State, Colorado, Oklahoma State and No. 12 USC, none of whom were ranked at the midway point. Its better to finish fast than start fast. And in the case of the top five, its best to do both.1. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee sure could use an upset in Orlando or Santa Clara. It would be a lot easier to leave out Virginia Tech or Colorado than it would be to leave out one of the three Big Ten teams remaining in the playoff picture. I include Ohio State among the what-ifs, because until we see the committee actually take a one-loss team that didnt win its conference championship, we dont know how much weight such a team carries. The Buckeyes have earned a berth in the playoff. But it would help their case if Oklahoma wins Bedlam on Saturday to win the Big 12 title.2. Texas brings in a young coach with ties to the university: Tom Herman, the 41-year-old former Longhorn GA? Or the 39-year-old Fred Akers, the longtime offensive coordinator under Darrell Royal who returned after two seasons as head coach at Wyoming to replace Royal in 1977? The hiring of Akers roiled the fan base, which wanted Royals defensive coordinator, Mike Campbell. The Orangebloods never gave Akers the benefit of the doubt, even when he led the Longhorns to the brink of national titles in 1977 and 1983. Akers was fired in 1986 after his only losing record (5-6) in 10 seasons. Herman, the object of Longhorn ardor all season, wont have Akers issues with the fans.3. It remains one of the mysteries of the college football universe that Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, an offensive innovator in the modern game, would have such a bare cupboard at quarterback. He harnessed the wondrous talents of Cam Newton. He took Nick Marshall, whom Mark Richt decided should play cornerback at Georgia, and turned him into the quarterback who nearly led Auburn to the 2013 BCS championship. Since Marshall left two years ago, the Tigers are 15-10 overall, 7-9 in the SEC. Sean White has been competent when healthy, which didnt include November. How did Auburn get into this fix?4. Stanford junior Christian McCaffrey went from left behind at midseason to once again leading the FBS in all-purpose yards, with 2,327. McCaffrey missed one game because of injury this season and he wont play in the Pac-12 championship game, so the NCAA record of 3,864 yards he set in 14 games last season is safe. While he cant control when he gets hurt or when he plays which team, McCaffreys stats this season are loaded with empty calories. He gained nearly half (1,047 yards) of his 2016 output in November, when Stanford played Oregon, Cal and Rice, three of the worst defenses in the FBS.5. While McCaffreys numbers are very good, and Baker Mayfields and?Deshaun Watsons numbers are better than they were a year ago, its hard to see how any of them are gaining enough traction in the Heisman race to chase down Lamar Jackson. The Louisville sophomore had a raggedy finish, with three of his four worst QBR games to close the season. But Jacksons numbers in the first nine games of the season were so good that its hard to imagine what anyone could do Saturday to catch him. The fact that hes not playing leaves a window open. But its an awfully small window.6. Heres a piece of bar bet trivia for you. Minnesota has won more AP national championships (four) than Florida State (three), Texas (three) and Michigan (two). The Gophers won in 1936, 1940, 1941 and 1960, and it has been a rough 56 seasons since. But to give you another idea of how dominant Minnesota once was, look at its rivalry with Wisconsin for the Paul Bunyan Axe. The Badgers won the Axe on Saturday for the 13th consecutive season. That victory drew the Badgers even with the Gophers in the rivalry 59-59-8. The rivalry was last tied in 1901, at six victories apiece. Wisconsin has never led.7. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt defended head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who is 24-26 in four seasons at his alma mater. Mark Helfrich is 37-16 at Oregon over the same four seasons and hanging onto his job by the web in his feet. Texas Tech might not want to buy out Kingsbury, but it says here that patience remains a virtue. Kingsbury simply must put more effort into shoring up a defense that been epically poor during his tenure. The Red Raiders have allowed more than 500 yards and 41 points per game in each of the past three seasons.Bobby Hebert Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Sam Mills Youth Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. http://www.shoptheofficialsaints.com/Elite-Alvin-Kamara-Saints-Jersey/ . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Womens Jersey . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. Sheldon Rankins Saints Jersey . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Kaela Davis had 20 points off six 3-pointers and Allisha Gray 18 points as No. 6 South Carolina bounced back from its only loss with a 98-58 blowout of Minnesota on Sunday.The Gamecocks (7-1) finished with 16 3-pointers, the most in coach Dawn Staleys nine seasons and second most in program history behind the 17 against Western Carolina in 1994.Davis, a Georgia Tech transfer who came off the bench for the first time this season, was a big reason for South Carolinas outside success. She hit five of her first six shots from behind the arc as the Gamecocks built a 57-27 halftime lead.Kenisha Bell led Minnesota (7-4) with 16 points. Carlie Wagner, the Gophers leading scorer at 20.7 points a game, missed her first nine shots and finished with six points.Alaina Coates had 16 points and 11 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the season and 47th of her career. She also had four of South Carolinas nine blocks.Gray made four 3s and added a team-high seven assists.Staley stressed defensive improvement after the Duke defeat -- a 74-63 loss last Sunday -- and the Gamecocks shut down Minnesota.The Gamecocks used a 15-0 start and an 18-0 run in the seconnd quarter to put it away.ddddddddddddBIG PICTUREMinnesota: The Golden Gophers won 20 or more games the past three seasons and won 11 Big Ten Conference games the last two years under coach Marlene Stollings. But those teams featured conference players of the year in Amanda Zahui B. (2015) and Rachel Banham. Minnesota hasnt yet developed the inside game to go along with Wagners scoring and will have to do it with quick -- it starts league play at Ohio State on Dec. 28.South Carolina: Staley delivered a strong message about defense -- or lack of it -- in the loss to Duke last week, starting Doniyah Cliney and Tyasha Harris over Kaela Davis and Bianca Cuevas-Moore. Davis responded with a 6-of-9 first half, including five 3-pointers. Cuevas-Moore played turnover-free as the Gamecocks built a big lead while holding Minnesota to 25 percent (7 of 28) shooting the first two quarters.UP NEXTMinnesota: Home for two games and plays Belmont on Wednesday night.South Carolina: Faces rival Clemson, a surprise undefeated team, on Thursday night. ' ' '