The Sports Thinker

                                                                              (Dix Stadium, home of Kent State University Football) We have a new un-champion!!! Kent State tops this year's poll, a fitting choice as they are the only FBS team to finish 2023 with only a single win. And they are from a fitting conference, as well, as the MAC had 5 teams out of twelve that finished in the poll or in the DHM, with two of the top 4 ranked teams, as  Akron finished at #4. And all of the DHM teams had a 4-8 record equal to the last 4 teams within the actual poll.  Stayed tuned next week as we take a look at the Capitol None Fictional B25 Bowl Week and update which 25ers have fired coaches and are seeking a way out of the poll with a new coach hire for next year. 1)  Kent State  (1-...

                                           (MacKay Stadium, home of Univeristy Of Nevada Football) The penultimate poll of 2023 brings a new face to #1 as Connecticut managed to smash an FCS opponent by 4 touchdowns, leaving Kent State as the sole FBS team possessing only a single victory as the season is one week from closing. About a million teams are stacked up at 4-7 and in the DHM, including early-season darlings Colorado . All of this leads into Rivalry Week, where the crazy sometimes happens. That said, I wouldn't expect any upsets from this group, although the Old Oaken Bucket game will be played between two 25ers, Purdue and Indiana . As always, enjoy the games. And the turkey! 1)  Kent State  (1-10) The Golden Bashed are the new number 1 and sole FBS team with only a single win after losing their (almost) Bummer Bowl at DHMers  Ball State , 34-3. Frid...

                            (Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, home of the East Carolina Pirates) There were eight teams in the 25 who won last week, which is a nice haul but left me with a dilemma. Two of the 8 notched their second wins and dropped down 6 spots each, respectively. Two 3-7 teams with a BYE dropped out and six teams won to go to 3-7, but only five dropped out into the DHM...and herein lies the dilemma. Cincinnati WON to go to 3-7, but unfortunately, earlier this year, they lost to Baylor at home, 32-29. So even though Baylor LOST last week to drop back into the poll, since both teams land at the same 3-7 record, rightly Cincinatti must remain in the poll and be ranked at least one spot higher than Baylor . And there they are, #24 and 25 in the latest poll. As always, enjoy the games starting Tuesday night with a MAC hootenanny featuring B25 #8 Akron at Eastern Michigan ! 1)  Connecticut  (1-9) The ...

                                     (Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, University of Connecticut Football) Soooo many 3-6 teams. What to do, what to do?  Basically, that record after 9 games is the cutoff point between being in or out of the poll. Therefore, some teams who won last week to get to 3-6, especially impressively (see Army ) dropped completely out of the poll AND the DHM. Others just ended out of the poll but in the DHM. And those who had a loss leaving them at 3-6 are back in, some for the first time this year. As always, enjoy the games!! 1) Connecticut  (1-8) The Fusskies predictably got trashed, 59-3 at  Tennessee. The reward is being newly ranked at B25 #1 leading into another game at a nationally ranked opponent, this time James Madison. 2)  Kent State  (1-8) The Golden Flashless ended on the short end of the MAC’s worst team Bum...