Overrated?

Both of Sic Willie’s favorite football teams got some “respects” from the experts this week, with the South Carolina Gamecocks appearing in the USA Today Coaches’ poll (No. 23), the AP Top 25 (No. 24) and the BCS standings (No. 25), while the Indianapolis Colts jumped five spots to No. 3 in Dr. Z’s NFL Power Rankings.

Of course, we gotta ask – does either team really belong in such rarefied air?

Obviously, the Shamecocks are on a bit of a roll with wins in six of their last seven games … but Florida awaits, and Steve Spurrier’s squad opened up as a 21-point underdog to the third-ranked Gators.

And then we have the Colts, who benefited from two costly Ben Roth-whatever interceptions to squeak out a very providential win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Indy’s record? 5-4 … or four games behind division-leading Tennessee.

“Too high a spot for them, I know,” Dr. Z says of tabbing the Colts as the third-best team in the NFL despite such a crapdacular record.

We agree.

Sadly, we won’t be able to watch the Colts’ game this week against the Houston Texas (we’ll be up in Charlotte watching the 7-2 Panthers take on the 0-9 Detroit Lions), but we’ll be with them in spirit.

As for the Shamecocks, their nationally-televised game with Florida may interrupt our travel plans for the weekend, assuming it’s still a competitive game after the first half.

Last year, Florida was up on Carolina 27-14 at the half, en route to a 51-31 victory in Columbia.

Photo courtesy of Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina.