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With the big names in college football losing left and right, the Houston Cougars went out and took care of business with the spotlight getting brighter on them as the season's end gets near. With the 37-7 victory over SMU on Saturday, Kevin Sumlin's bunch is now at No. 7 in this week's coaches poll, and with rivalry week and conference championship Saturday coming up, its not unfathomable to think that Houston could end up in the top 5.
If Houston wins out, a spot in the Sugar Bowl could be in their reach. Key word is, win.
Here is the full USA Today Coaches Poll for Week 12:
|
Rank
|
Team (first-place votes) |
Record
|
Points
|
Last week's poll
|
|
|
1.
|
LSU (59)
|
11-0
|
1,475
|
1
|
|
|
2.
|
Alabama
|
10-1
|
1,413
|
3
|
|
|
3.
|
Arkansas |
10-1
|
1,349
|
6
|
|
|
4.
|
Virginia Tech |
10-1
|
1,242
|
7
|
|
|
5.
|
Stanford
|
10-1
|
1,222
|
9
|
|
|
6.
|
Oklahoma State |
10-1
|
1,156
|
2
|
|
|
7.
|
Houston |
11-0
|
1,075
|
10
|
|
|
8.
|
Boise State
|
9-1
|
982
|
11
|
|
|
9.
|
Oregon
|
9-2
|
933
|
4
|
|
|
10.
|
Michigan State |
9-2
|
928
|
12
|
|
|
11.
|
Oklahoma
|
8-2
|
826
|
5
|
|
|
12.
|
Wisconsin
|
9-2
|
808
|
13
|
|
|
13.
|
South Carolina |
9-2
|
806
|
14
|
|
|
14.
|
Georgia |
9-2
|
803
|
15
|
|
|
15.
|
Kansas State |
9-2
|
671
|
17
|
|
|
16.
|
Michigan
|
9-2
|
618
|
18
|
|
|
17.
|
Clemson
|
9-2
|
587
|
8
|
|
|
18.
|
TCU |
9-2
|
494
|
19
|
|
|
19.
|
Penn State |
9-2
|
455
|
21
|
|
|
20.
|
Baylor |
7-3
|
302
|
NR
|
|
|
21.
|
Georgia Tech |
8-3
|
203
|
23 (tie)
|
|
|
22.
|
Nebraska
|
8-3
|
165
|
16
|
|
|
23.
|
West Virginia |
7-3
|
158
|
23 (tie)
|
|
|
24.
|
Notre Dame |
8-3
|
156
|
25
|
|
|
25.
|
Virginia |
8-3
|
154
|
NR
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Dropped out | |||||
| No. 20 Southern Mississippi (9-2, lost to Alabama-Birmingham 34-31), No. 22 Florida State (7-4, lost to then-unranked Virginia 14-13). | |||||
|
|
|||||
| Others receiving votes | |||||
| Rutgers (8-3) 54; Auburn (7-4) 33; Southern Mississippi (9-2) 25; Tulsa (8-3) 23; Brigham Young (8-3) 21; Arkansas State (9-2) 10; Northern Illinois (8-3) 10; Missouri (6-5) 8; Texas A&M (6-5) 4; Utah (7-4) 3; Florida State (7-4) 1; Iowa State (6-4) 1; Texas (6-4) 1. | |||||