NCAA football re-rank: Our list from 1-124

As of Saturday morning, more days had elapsed since the start of the 2012 regular season (51 days) than were left in the 2012 regular season (49 days). It was a rather sobering thought to consider as the FBS prepared for a key midseason weekend.

Yet the official passing of the midway point brings one positive note: With at least seven games in the books for every team, the 1-124 re-ranking has gone from a muddied, early-season mess to a clear picture of where the FBS stands heading into the final five weeks of the year.

With four teams in the top nine, six in top 17 and seven in the top 24, the SEC rules the roost. With its high-test offense and West Coast speed, Oregon remains the best hope for a non-SEC national champion. Behind Bill Snyder and Collin Klein, Kansas State has its best team since 1999.

This week's list includes two new faces in the top 25, both from the Big Ten. Michigan moved up to No. 21 after beating Michigan State with a late field goal. Wisconsin sits at No. 25 after an easy win over Minnesota. (West Virginia and Arizona State dropped out of the top 25.)

1. Alabama (7-0, 4-0)
2. Oregon (7-0, 4-0)
3. Florida (7-0, 6-0)
4. Kansas State (7-0, 4-0)
5. Notre Dame (7-0, 0-0)
6. LSU (7-1, 3-1)
7. Oregon State (6-0, 4-0)
8. Ohio State (8-0, 4-0)
9. Mississippi State (7-0, 3-0)
10. Oklahoma (5-1, 3-1)
11. Florida State (7-1, 4-1)
12. Clemson (6-1, 3-1)
13. Georgia (6-1, 4-1)
14. Southern California (6-1, 4-1)
15. Texas Tech (6-1, 2-1)
16. Louisville (7-0, 2-0)
17. South Carolina (6-2, 4-2)
18. Rutgers (7-0, 4-0)
19. Stanford (5-2, 2-1)
20. Boise State (6-1, 3-0)
21. Michigan (5-2, 3-0) – UP 6
22. Ohio (7-0, 3-0)
23. Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2)
24. Louisiana Tech (6-1, 1-0)
25. Wisconsin (6-2, 3-1)

26. Penn State (5-2, 3-0) – UP 6
27. West Virginia (5-2, 2-2) – DOWN 9
28. Toledo (7-1, 4-0) – UP 21
29. Texas (5-2, 2-2)
30. Tulsa (7-1, 5-0)
31. Arizona State (5-2, 3-1) – DOWN 10
32. TCU (5-2, 2-2)
33. Nebraska (5-2, 2-1) – UP 8
34. Cincinnati (5-1, 1-0)
35. North Carolina State (5-2, 2-1)
36. Utah State (6-2, 2-0)
37. Northern Illinois (7-1, 4-0)
38. UCLA (5-2, 2-2)
39. Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1)
40. Duke (6-2, 3-1) – UP 11
41. Arizona (4-3, 1-3)
42. Northwestern (6-2, 2-2)
43. Central Florida (5-2, 3-0)
44. Louisiana-Monroe (5-2, 3-0) – UP 15
45. Kent State (6-1, 4-0)
46. Brigham Young (4-4, 0-0)
47. Iowa (4-3, 2-1)
48. Michigan State (4-4, 1-3)
49. Western Kentucky (5-2, 2-1)
50. Fresno State (5-3, 3-1)

51. Iowa State (4-3, 1-3) – DOWN 14
52. North Carolina (5-3, 2-2)
53. Ball State (5-3, 3-2)
54. San Diego State (5-3, 3-1) – UP 23
55. Nevada (6-2, 3-1) – DOWN 19
56. Virginia Tech (4-4, 2-2)
57. Baylor (3-3, 0-3) – DOWN 11
58. Vanderbilt (3-4, 2-2) – UP 10
59. San Jose State (5-2, 1-1)
60. Navy (4-3, 0-0)
61. Arkansas (3-4, 2-2)
62. Maryland (4-3, 2-1)
63. East Carolina (5-3, 4-1)
64. Wake Forest (4-3, 2-3)
65. Washington (3-4, 1-3) – DOWN 15
66. Louisiana-Lafayette (4-2, 2-1)
67. Bowling Green (5-3, 3-1)
68. Purdue (3-4, 0-3)
69. Miami (Fla.) (4-4, 3-2)
70. Missouri (3-4, 0-4)
71. Temple (3-3, 2-1)
72. Arkansas State (4-3, 2-1)
73. Mississippi (4-3, 1-2)
74. California (3-5, 2-3) – DOWN 15
75. Georgia Tech (3-4, 2-3)

76. Tennessee (3-4, 0-4) – DOWN 20
77. Syracuse (3-4, 2-1)
78. Air Force (4-3, 3-1)
79. Troy (4-3, 3-2)
80. Utah (2-5, 0-4) – DOWN 16
81. Pittsburgh (3-4, 0-3)
82. Middle Tennessee (4-3, 2-1)
83. Marshall (3-4, 2-1)
84. Miami (Ohio) (3-4, 2-1)
85. New Mexico (4-4, 1-2)
86. North Texas (3-4, 2-1) – UP 10
87. Western Michigan (3-5, 1-3)
88. Southern Methodist (3-4, 2-1) – UP 15
89. Minnesota (4-3, 0-3)
90. South Florida (2-5, 0-3)
91. Washington State (2-5, 0-4)
92. Virginia (2-6, 0-4)
93. Illinois (2-5, 0-3)
94. Connecticut (3-5, 0-3)
95. Indiana (2-5, 0-3)
96. Texas State (3-3, 1-0)
97. Houston (3-4, 2-1) – DOWN 10
98. Central Michigan (2-5, 0-3)
99. Rice (2-6, 0-4)

100. Auburn (1-6, 0-5) – DOWN 6
101. Kansas (1-6, 0-4)
102. Colorado (1-6, 1-3)
103. UNLV (1-7, 1-2)
104. Kentucky (1-7, 0-5)
105. UTEP (2-6, 1-3)
106. Buffalo (1-6, 0-3)
107. Texas-San Antonio (5-2, 1-1)
108. Wyoming (1-6, 0-3)
109. Eastern Michigan (1-6, 0-3) – UP 11
110. Army (1-6, 0-0)
111. Boston College (1-6, 0-4)
112. Florida International (1-7, 0-4)
113. Alabama-Birmingham (1-6, 0-3)
114. Akron (1-7, 0-4)
115. South Alabama (2-5, 1-2) – UP 6
116. Memphis (1-6, 1-2)
117. Hawaii (1-5, 0-3)
118. Colorado State (1-6, 0-3)
119. Tulane (1-6, 1-2)
120. New Mexico State (1-6, 0-3)
121. Southern Mississippi (0-7, 0-3) – DOWN 11
122. Idaho (1-7, 1-2)
123. Florida Atlantic (1-6, 0-4) – DOWN 6
124. Massachusetts (0-7, 0-4)

Five noteworthy jumps

1. San Diego State, 23 spots (No. 77 to No. 54). After beating Nevada, the Aztecs look like the biggest threat to Boise State in the Mountain West.

2. Toledo, 21 spots (No. 49 to No. 28). A win over previously unbeaten Cincinnati made the Rockets a contender for the top 25.

3. Louisiana-Monroe, 15 spots (No. 59 to No. 44). Landing the tiebreaker against Western Kentucky might decide the Sun Belt in the Warhawks' favor.

4. SMU, 15 spots (No. 103 to No. 88). The Mustangs forced nine turnovers in a win over Houston.

5. Penn State, 6 spots (No. 32 to No. 26). Bill O'Brien is the national coach of the year heading into late October.

Five noteworthy drops

1. Tennessee, 20 spots (No. 56 to No. 76). Nothing paints a finer picture of Tennessee's decline than the Volunteers recent incompetence against Alabama.

2. Utah, 16 spots (No. 64 to No. 80). Once considered a Pac-12 contender, the Utes will struggle merely reaching bowl eligibility.

3. Washington, 15 spots (No. 50 to No. 65). Remember when the Huskies' defense was good enough to beat Stanford?

4. Southern Mississippi, 11 spots (No. 110 to No. 121). It just gets worse and worse for the Golden Eagles.

5. Auburn, 6 spots (No. 94 to No. 102). Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the Tigers have yet to hit rock bottom.