Big rush right now, so here is the poll for this week. If you didn’t read last week’s poll, ATH won the award for the poll that most closely resembled the blogpoll at large- which I am not sure is a great award, but I will take the recognition. In case you haven’t noticed, it is just Falco and I filling out the polls from here on out. Send us your thoughts, any big changes needed?
1) Florida- Took care of Vandy as expected, and without any more serious tests on the schedule, they should get ready for Alabama in the SEC title game.
2) Alabama- Barring a very unlikely slip-up to arch-rival Auburn, the Crimson Tide will steel themselves for a matchup with Florida. The SEC West is all but won.
3) Texas- This sure as hell is a second-half team if I ever saw one. They will need to play 4 quarters if they want to win a National Championship.
4) Cincinnati- Now it starts to get exciting. If Cincy can run the table against their slate of West Virginia, Illinois, and Pittsburgh, that resume will look pretty good. Will Tony Pike be rusty when he comes back?
5) Boise State- That was much closer than it had to be against Louisiana Tech, and they need to end the season with a series of blowouts to persuade voters to give them a shot at the big game.
6) TCU- With their fourth straight whooping behind them, a convincing win over Utah could vault them into legitimate 2008 Utah-esque national title talk. That is, they are deserving but won’t be seriously considered.
7) Georgia Tech- Paul Johnson’s team is entering the stratosphere for this program, but if they can finish the ACC slate and title game with just one loss they could jump the mid-major undefeateds.
8) Iowa- Playing it close week after week finally caught up with the Hawkeyes. This is a team that probably should be lower- it is really disappointing that they couldn’t run the table.
9) Pittsburgh- Tough finishing slate, but that Notre Dame game doesn’t seem quite so threatening anymore. I have liked Dave Wannstedt since his days at Miami, and he should get a lot of credit for turning around the Panthers, though it has taken a few years.
10) Oregon- Wow, way to come down to Earth. I guess this will end speculation of them jumping Boise State in the rankings. Still disappointing, PAC 10 teams have been dropping the easy ones all season.
11) USC- This is way too high for this team… or is it just right? I have no idea, but I do know that there is no way they should be ahead of the Ducks like they are in the AP poll. Reputation goes a long way, and it is too far.
12) LSU- The offense fails them yet again. The defense is solid, and with a bit of maturity at the quarterback spot they could be back on top of the SEC.
13) Houston- That UTEP loss is so ugly, and they only barely beat Tulsa and Southern Miss. Any other year, this is your classic 8-4, 9-3 Houston team. I am just not convinced.
14) Ohio State- With that win over Penn State, the Buckeyes can win the Big Ten if they take out Iowa at home. I guess they could be the best team in the Big Ten, but what does that say about the Big Ten? The Big East might be a better conference.
15) Oklahoma State- They still can’t beat the great teams, but they can beat a few more good teams before the season is out to legitimize their placement here. It’s disappointing that the Cowboys still can’t break through to the upper echelon of the Big 12.
16) Miami (FL)- They are a very good team but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them lose any one game from here on out. However, this team has already come a long way since last season and it looks like Randy Shannon has this team on the rebound.
17) Penn State- Overmatched at home and thoroughly outplayed; what quality win does this team have at this point? I thought it might be Michigan, but… not so much.
18) Utah- The six straight losses are great, but TCU looms large this coming week. They could ruin the Horned Frogs’ hopes at breaking the BCS wide open.
19) Virginia Tech- Very manageable end of the schedule (though I said the same thing before they lost to UNC), but they will kick themselves for this season if they don’t somehow win the ACC.
20) Arizona- Mike Stoops is outcoaching his brother this year, but the last four weeks will be a tremendous test for this team as they wrap up the season. Cal, Oregon, Arizona State, and USC. Enjoy.
21) Wisconsin- This is turning into a vintage Wisconsin team- a punishing running game, a serviceable quarterback, and a powerful defensive front. They aren’t exactly modern-era, btu they’re exciting.
22) BYU- Is BYU here on reputation at this point? They are always a good team and just seem to belong here. That win over Oklahoma is looking mediocre, and their two losses were absolute blowouts, one coming to a terrible Florida State squad.
23) Navy- Who called it? That would be yours truly, and while my analysis was off I will take the correct prediction. Navy is rarely a bad team, and this could be a good year for the Mids.
24) South Florida- They just keep creeping in and out of the top 25, and while I am not sure if they belong here, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. The Big East isn’t looking so bad anymore, huh?
25) Temple- Okay, so why are they here over West Virginia (Falco also threw them a vote)? Because I think it is pretty awesome to have Temple in the top 25. So sue me, it’s the 25th spot. Besides, that Navy win is looking even better.
Others receiving votes: West Virginia
Showing posts with label blogpoll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogpoll. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
College Football Blogpoll Week 9
Once again, Falco and I complete this poll, with very interesting results. We actually mostly agree until #14 USC, with a few exceptions with how we sorted the Iowa-Cincinnati-Boise State crew and our positioning of Pittsburgh as right behind or right in front of Houston. In that way it seems that we are starting to come to a bit of a consensus on the top 25. We can only hope the rest of the country does too.
1) Florida (2)- A beatdown of a bad Georgia team won’t make them the unquestioned best team, but it is good enough to take the #1 spot for now. Nice to see the offense get going, even against a bad defense like Georgia.
2) Alabama- Only coaching lapses allow two blocks to the same player, no matter how good he is. This team should have lost, but they can redeem themselves with a win over LSU.
3) Texas- Alabama should have lost last weekend, and Texas thumped a very talented Oklahoma State team in Stillwater… but Alabama still has a better resume to this point. I badly want to have Texas jump them, and next week will determine that.
4) Cincinnati- Tony who? Cincy is doing just fine with backup QB Zach Collaros so far. They may want their veteran back against UConn and Pitt, talented squads that make up the Bearcats next two contests.
5) Iowa- They have escaped from so many games and had so many last-minute comebacks that if you showed me snapshots from their various games without the final score I would probably put them at the bottom part of the top 25. But a win is a win. And 8 wins count for a lot.
6) Boise State- I am just waiting for the major conference bias to hit and for Oregon to jump Boise State. Without another competitive game on the schedule (Idaho is the only one with a decent record… maybe Nevada too?), the voters will drop them eventually.
7) TCU- Another big win to an overmatched team, but they are still undefeated and on their way to making the BCS’ life very difficult. They better hope Utah keeps winning, as that is the last resume piece left on the slate.
8) Oregon- So much for the Pete Carroll mystique. This team looks great right now, and any other year they are in the top 5. An astounding 7 undefeateds keeps them out.
9) LSU- Quietly, very quietly, sneaking up the polls with just one loss this season. Should they beat Alabama, they could make an Oregon-esque argument as the best one-loss team. Both just have one loss to an undefeated team.
10) Georgia Tech- Forgotten earlier in the season after a loss to Miami, Tech has slowly moved back up the rankings. As I have said in the past, this is the most fun team to watch offensively, though the defense is a concern.
11) Penn State- They started off with a weak schedule, but the Nittany Lions are proving themselves as a very talented team. How good would they be with half decent opponents no one can say, but they can make a huge statement against Ohio State this weekend.
12) Pittsburgh- Has the much maligned Wannstedt finally started to turn around Pitt? They could be the best team in Pennsylvania. I hope they spent some of their bye week getting ready for Notre Dame in a couple weeks.
13) Houston- They can’t stop any decent offense, but they sure can score. Tulsa next week may be their last major test- too bad they already lost to UTEP or they could be right up with TCU and Boise State, though a with a few more flaws.
14) USC- Why is everyone so bullish on this team? I don’t even know that they should even be this high, but this is where they wound up. If you put them in another team’s uniforms, they would be bringing up the rear of the top 25.
15) Miami (FL)- A come-from-behind win against Wake Forest tells me that this team may be shakier than we thought even after the Clemson game. They should be great next season though.
16) Ohio State- Shredding New Mexico State is one thing; we’ll see if Pryor can get going against Penn State’s defense this weekend.
17) Utah- *Yawn* another win over an overmatched team. Then again, Wyoming did win the first half against Texas earlier in the season. I have no idea how good this team is- good enough to only lose by 7 to Oregon or the one that can barely put away cupcakes?
18) Oklahoma State- Way to come back down to Earth. Until the Cowboys can beat a highly ranked team, they will always be looking up at the Texas & Oklahoma programs in the Big 12.
19) Arizona- The loss at Iowa isn’t looking so bad anymore, and Mike Stoops might finally have a season where he outperforms his brother. However, his Wildcats still have Cal, Oregon, and USC to go.
20) California- This is starting to feel about right for them. It’s upsetting that they could only score 6 points in two games against Oregon and USC, or they might be a team on the rise.
21) Virginia Tech- The toast of the ACC has become toast in the ACC. Can it all rest on Tyrod Taylor? I’ll give some of the credit at least to UNC, but this team has suddenly become a real disappointment.
22) Wisconsin- Sneaking into the top 25 is a Big Ten team whose losses to Ohio State and Iowa are nothing to be embarrassed about, and look on their way to 9 or even 10 wins. If they can reach that level, Bret Bielema might not have to hear the omnipresent Barry Alvarez comparisons.
23) Notre Dame- “What the hell is Notre Dame doing here?” “For lack of better options. Nothing more.” If Navy had won this weekend, they would probably be here.
24) BYU- Same as California, though without the major conference schedule but with a marquee win. Take the balance and Oklahoma’s subsequent two losses and you wind u p slightly behind them.
25) Auburn- I went out on a limb and went for Auburn despite them having lost their previous 3 games before beating Ole Miss. However, does this mean we can finally stop seeing Mississippi slide its way into the poll later this year?
Others receiving votes: South Florida
1) Florida (2)- A beatdown of a bad Georgia team won’t make them the unquestioned best team, but it is good enough to take the #1 spot for now. Nice to see the offense get going, even against a bad defense like Georgia.
2) Alabama- Only coaching lapses allow two blocks to the same player, no matter how good he is. This team should have lost, but they can redeem themselves with a win over LSU.
3) Texas- Alabama should have lost last weekend, and Texas thumped a very talented Oklahoma State team in Stillwater… but Alabama still has a better resume to this point. I badly want to have Texas jump them, and next week will determine that.
4) Cincinnati- Tony who? Cincy is doing just fine with backup QB Zach Collaros so far. They may want their veteran back against UConn and Pitt, talented squads that make up the Bearcats next two contests.
5) Iowa- They have escaped from so many games and had so many last-minute comebacks that if you showed me snapshots from their various games without the final score I would probably put them at the bottom part of the top 25. But a win is a win. And 8 wins count for a lot.
6) Boise State- I am just waiting for the major conference bias to hit and for Oregon to jump Boise State. Without another competitive game on the schedule (Idaho is the only one with a decent record… maybe Nevada too?), the voters will drop them eventually.
7) TCU- Another big win to an overmatched team, but they are still undefeated and on their way to making the BCS’ life very difficult. They better hope Utah keeps winning, as that is the last resume piece left on the slate.
8) Oregon- So much for the Pete Carroll mystique. This team looks great right now, and any other year they are in the top 5. An astounding 7 undefeateds keeps them out.
9) LSU- Quietly, very quietly, sneaking up the polls with just one loss this season. Should they beat Alabama, they could make an Oregon-esque argument as the best one-loss team. Both just have one loss to an undefeated team.
10) Georgia Tech- Forgotten earlier in the season after a loss to Miami, Tech has slowly moved back up the rankings. As I have said in the past, this is the most fun team to watch offensively, though the defense is a concern.
11) Penn State- They started off with a weak schedule, but the Nittany Lions are proving themselves as a very talented team. How good would they be with half decent opponents no one can say, but they can make a huge statement against Ohio State this weekend.
12) Pittsburgh- Has the much maligned Wannstedt finally started to turn around Pitt? They could be the best team in Pennsylvania. I hope they spent some of their bye week getting ready for Notre Dame in a couple weeks.
13) Houston- They can’t stop any decent offense, but they sure can score. Tulsa next week may be their last major test- too bad they already lost to UTEP or they could be right up with TCU and Boise State, though a with a few more flaws.
14) USC- Why is everyone so bullish on this team? I don’t even know that they should even be this high, but this is where they wound up. If you put them in another team’s uniforms, they would be bringing up the rear of the top 25.
15) Miami (FL)- A come-from-behind win against Wake Forest tells me that this team may be shakier than we thought even after the Clemson game. They should be great next season though.
16) Ohio State- Shredding New Mexico State is one thing; we’ll see if Pryor can get going against Penn State’s defense this weekend.
17) Utah- *Yawn* another win over an overmatched team. Then again, Wyoming did win the first half against Texas earlier in the season. I have no idea how good this team is- good enough to only lose by 7 to Oregon or the one that can barely put away cupcakes?
18) Oklahoma State- Way to come back down to Earth. Until the Cowboys can beat a highly ranked team, they will always be looking up at the Texas & Oklahoma programs in the Big 12.
19) Arizona- The loss at Iowa isn’t looking so bad anymore, and Mike Stoops might finally have a season where he outperforms his brother. However, his Wildcats still have Cal, Oregon, and USC to go.
20) California- This is starting to feel about right for them. It’s upsetting that they could only score 6 points in two games against Oregon and USC, or they might be a team on the rise.
21) Virginia Tech- The toast of the ACC has become toast in the ACC. Can it all rest on Tyrod Taylor? I’ll give some of the credit at least to UNC, but this team has suddenly become a real disappointment.
22) Wisconsin- Sneaking into the top 25 is a Big Ten team whose losses to Ohio State and Iowa are nothing to be embarrassed about, and look on their way to 9 or even 10 wins. If they can reach that level, Bret Bielema might not have to hear the omnipresent Barry Alvarez comparisons.
23) Notre Dame- “What the hell is Notre Dame doing here?” “For lack of better options. Nothing more.” If Navy had won this weekend, they would probably be here.
24) BYU- Same as California, though without the major conference schedule but with a marquee win. Take the balance and Oklahoma’s subsequent two losses and you wind u p slightly behind them.
25) Auburn- I went out on a limb and went for Auburn despite them having lost their previous 3 games before beating Ole Miss. However, does this mean we can finally stop seeing Mississippi slide its way into the poll later this year?
Others receiving votes: South Florida
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
College Football Blogpoll Week 8
No Windsor this week- where has he gone? Falco and I made the poll for this week. Major areas of disagreement? Houston, Mississippi, Central Michigan, and Oregon had some decent margins, but we mostly agree at the top. Your thoughts? Remember, you can see all of the results of each week's compiled College Football Blogpoll at the CBS Sports blogpoll.
1) Florida (2)- They may have gotten a couple more “controversial” (that is, wrong) calls go their way, but they win and they looked a lot better than Alabama. At this point, it’s just week-to-week to determine who is #1.
2) Alabama- Tennessee should have won that game. Twice. I know that blocking those kicks shows that Alabama is the better team- and they are, but there is no reason they should have even been in that position. LSU could give them fits.
3) Texas- Thought about moving them to #2, but they haven’t looked great just yet. If they can thump Oklahoma State, then we can talk about perhaps them jumping one of the SEC competitors.
4) Boise State- Tied with Cincinnati, and for no good reason I kept Boise State on top. I can’t determine which one of these teams are better. If Oregon beats USC, Boise State stays here.
5) Cincinnati- They will have enough good-but-not-great opponents in the Big East to validate why they belong in the national championship discussion. This team sure doesn’t seem to miss Tony Pike all that much.
6) Iowa- They keep winning, though they only barely escaped East Lansing with a victory. Beat the Buckeyes later in the season and there won’t be many reasons to keep this team out of the National Title picture.
7) TCU- They got their first big win, and they did it in style. Thumping BYU in Provo was a huge statement, and one that the voters should remember if the Horned Frogs beat Utah the same way.
8) LSU- Tied with USC, but I gave LSU the nod. Why? Their lone loss is to the #1 team in the country, and they beat Washington. USC didn’t. How are the other polls not seeing this?
9) USC- The defense didn’t look great, and for the second straight week they escape with a win. How are they #4 in the AP poll and coaches polls? I don’t get it.
10) Oregon- The Ducks rank here because of what I see as underrating by Falco. This weekend should solve the question of whether USC should be ahead of Oregon, but Oregon’s only loss came on the road to an undefeated Boise State team. No reason that as of today, Oregon should be behind SC.
11) Georgia Tech- Tied with Penn State, but I will give it to the Yellow Jackets based on their strength of schedule. Even in a down ACC, they have played and beaten most of the solid teams in the conference.
12) Penn State- Absolutely throttled a Michigan team that is looking more and more like last year’s squad. Still, it was a huge win in a tough environment.
13) Oklahoma State- Tied with Va. Tech, and this was a tough one. One squad has a bad defense, one has a bad offense, one has a great defense, one has a great offense. Fair or not, Tech has 2 losses so State gets the nod.
14) Virginia Tech- They will have a very manageable schedule going forward, but that offense is still shaky. With the Big 12 schedule hitting its toughest point for Oklahoma State, Tech will have plenty of opportunities to jump them.
15) Miami (FL)- Clemson can, at times, be the best team in the ACC. They can also be the worst. This was one of the latter kind of games. This is a young team with a great future in front of them, especially next year.
16) Pittsburgh- Does Wannstadt have this team back in contention? They have a brutal last three games of the season with West Virginia, Cincy, and Notre Dame. An early seven point loss to NC State keeps this team from being undefeated- they are very quietly creeping up the rankings.
17) West Virginia- Tied with Ohio State, but I think this team is more balanced than Ohio State. They took control of UConn late and have a good shot in the Big East. Late season show1downs with Cincy and Pittsburgh will tell us how good this team is.
8) Ohio State- I still don’t trust this team. Pryor could throw a pick any time he drops back, though the coaching staff is slowly adapting the offense to him (that is, adding the spread-&-shred). The defense is fantastic.
19) Houston- I guess the win over Oklahoma State needs to count for something, but Falco and I had a major disagreement on this one. I put them down at the tail end of the top 25, but they are hardly among the more impressive mid-majors.
20) South Carolina- Tied with Utah, but Utah just hasn’t been that impressive even in their wins this season. South Carolina may have two losses, but they are doing it in the SEC. This one was real close.
21) Utah- They aren’t the worldbeaters of last year so far, but they do only have one loss so far. Their seven point loss to Oregon is looking pretty good right now.
22) Central Michigan- Another one-loss mid-major, but I like them a lot. Falco and I had a bit of a disagreement, which led to Central dropping this week. Maybe it’s the Midwest bias of mine, but they lost in Week 1 and are the best team in Michigan, for whatever that counts.
23) BYU- Tied with Mississippi, but despite their blowout losses at home, the Cougars have at least beaten someone of note (Oklahoma). As for Ole Miss, they have beaten no one of any consequence. Falco ranks them, but I left them off.
24) Mississippi- Why are they here? I guess it would have something to do with winning all of 2 games against major conference opponents and losing to Alabama and South Carolina, two respectable teams. Not a fan of this pick so much…
25) California- They beat up on the little guys, but get blown out by the big players. If I didn’t look at margin of victory, I might have put these guys in my poll as well. Their only losses are to Oregon and USC, and there is no shame in that… but they were absolutely crushed in both games…
Others receiving votes: Navy, Arizona
Update: Spiffy presentation I realized that I should probably be using!
1) Florida (2)- They may have gotten a couple more “controversial” (that is, wrong) calls go their way, but they win and they looked a lot better than Alabama. At this point, it’s just week-to-week to determine who is #1.
2) Alabama- Tennessee should have won that game. Twice. I know that blocking those kicks shows that Alabama is the better team- and they are, but there is no reason they should have even been in that position. LSU could give them fits.
3) Texas- Thought about moving them to #2, but they haven’t looked great just yet. If they can thump Oklahoma State, then we can talk about perhaps them jumping one of the SEC competitors.
4) Boise State- Tied with Cincinnati, and for no good reason I kept Boise State on top. I can’t determine which one of these teams are better. If Oregon beats USC, Boise State stays here.
5) Cincinnati- They will have enough good-but-not-great opponents in the Big East to validate why they belong in the national championship discussion. This team sure doesn’t seem to miss Tony Pike all that much.
6) Iowa- They keep winning, though they only barely escaped East Lansing with a victory. Beat the Buckeyes later in the season and there won’t be many reasons to keep this team out of the National Title picture.
7) TCU- They got their first big win, and they did it in style. Thumping BYU in Provo was a huge statement, and one that the voters should remember if the Horned Frogs beat Utah the same way.
8) LSU- Tied with USC, but I gave LSU the nod. Why? Their lone loss is to the #1 team in the country, and they beat Washington. USC didn’t. How are the other polls not seeing this?
9) USC- The defense didn’t look great, and for the second straight week they escape with a win. How are they #4 in the AP poll and coaches polls? I don’t get it.
10) Oregon- The Ducks rank here because of what I see as underrating by Falco. This weekend should solve the question of whether USC should be ahead of Oregon, but Oregon’s only loss came on the road to an undefeated Boise State team. No reason that as of today, Oregon should be behind SC.
11) Georgia Tech- Tied with Penn State, but I will give it to the Yellow Jackets based on their strength of schedule. Even in a down ACC, they have played and beaten most of the solid teams in the conference.
12) Penn State- Absolutely throttled a Michigan team that is looking more and more like last year’s squad. Still, it was a huge win in a tough environment.
13) Oklahoma State- Tied with Va. Tech, and this was a tough one. One squad has a bad defense, one has a bad offense, one has a great defense, one has a great offense. Fair or not, Tech has 2 losses so State gets the nod.
14) Virginia Tech- They will have a very manageable schedule going forward, but that offense is still shaky. With the Big 12 schedule hitting its toughest point for Oklahoma State, Tech will have plenty of opportunities to jump them.
15) Miami (FL)- Clemson can, at times, be the best team in the ACC. They can also be the worst. This was one of the latter kind of games. This is a young team with a great future in front of them, especially next year.
16) Pittsburgh- Does Wannstadt have this team back in contention? They have a brutal last three games of the season with West Virginia, Cincy, and Notre Dame. An early seven point loss to NC State keeps this team from being undefeated- they are very quietly creeping up the rankings.
17) West Virginia- Tied with Ohio State, but I think this team is more balanced than Ohio State. They took control of UConn late and have a good shot in the Big East. Late season show1downs with Cincy and Pittsburgh will tell us how good this team is.
8) Ohio State- I still don’t trust this team. Pryor could throw a pick any time he drops back, though the coaching staff is slowly adapting the offense to him (that is, adding the spread-&-shred). The defense is fantastic.
19) Houston- I guess the win over Oklahoma State needs to count for something, but Falco and I had a major disagreement on this one. I put them down at the tail end of the top 25, but they are hardly among the more impressive mid-majors.
20) South Carolina- Tied with Utah, but Utah just hasn’t been that impressive even in their wins this season. South Carolina may have two losses, but they are doing it in the SEC. This one was real close.
21) Utah- They aren’t the worldbeaters of last year so far, but they do only have one loss so far. Their seven point loss to Oregon is looking pretty good right now.
22) Central Michigan- Another one-loss mid-major, but I like them a lot. Falco and I had a bit of a disagreement, which led to Central dropping this week. Maybe it’s the Midwest bias of mine, but they lost in Week 1 and are the best team in Michigan, for whatever that counts.
23) BYU- Tied with Mississippi, but despite their blowout losses at home, the Cougars have at least beaten someone of note (Oklahoma). As for Ole Miss, they have beaten no one of any consequence. Falco ranks them, but I left them off.
24) Mississippi- Why are they here? I guess it would have something to do with winning all of 2 games against major conference opponents and losing to Alabama and South Carolina, two respectable teams. Not a fan of this pick so much…
25) California- They beat up on the little guys, but get blown out by the big players. If I didn’t look at margin of victory, I might have put these guys in my poll as well. Their only losses are to Oregon and USC, and there is no shame in that… but they were absolutely crushed in both games…
Others receiving votes: Navy, Arizona
Update: Spiffy presentation I realized that I should probably be using!
 | ||
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida |  1 |
| 2 | Alabama |  1 |
| 3 | Texas | |
| 4 | Boise State | |
| 5 | Cincinnati | |
| 6 | Iowa | |
| 7 | TCU | 4 |
| 8 | LSU | |
| 9 | Southern Cal | 1 |
| 10 | Oregon | 1 |
| 11 | Georgia Tech | 1 |
| 12 | Penn State | 2 |
| 13 | Oklahoma State | 3 |
| 14 | Virginia Tech | 1 |
| 15 | Miami (Florida) | 8 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh | 2 |
| 17 | West Virginia | 3 |
| 18 | Ohio State | 3 |
| 19 | Houston | 3 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 3 |
| 21 | Utah | |
| 22 | Central Michigan | 3 |
| 23 | Brigham Young | 6 |
| 24 | Mississippi | |
| 25 | California | |
| Last week's ballot | ||
Dropped Out: Texas Tech (#24), South Florida (#25).
Monday, October 19, 2009
College Football Blogpoll Week 8
No polls from Falco and Windsor this week, so prepare to see the magnitude of my poll when left on its own. Early in the season this had some odd and often contentious results between the three of us, but lately it is fallen closer to the norm as the resumes of these teams have gotten a bit broader. The biggest change? I had to put Alabama ahead of Florida after Florida turned in another lackluster win while Alabama thumped a superior team. Teams 20-25 are, as always, tough to rank, so please let me know if I omitted anyone. There’s plenty of time for edits before the final ballots are submitted to the blogpoll on Wednesday morning
1) Alabama- They were dominating yet again, and I couldn’t hold back anymore, letting the Tide jump to #1 on my ballot.
2) Florida- Still undefeated, still defending champs, but looked sloppy against Arkansas. They should put teams like that away easy.
3) Texas- The defenses came to play this weekend, and I will attribute the close score to the strength of the rivalry… but Colt McCoy wasn’t playing anything like a Heisman QB. They will have to be more impressive to stay at #3.
4) Boise State- As long as they keep winning I will try to avoid dropping them just because of their conference. It looked dicey against Tulsa, but that was a long trip for Boise in a hostile crowd, and Tulsa is no pushover at home.
5) Cincinnati- Took out South Florida with their backup quarterback. Even if Tony Pike can’t go for a couple weeks, they shouldn’t have any problems against Louisville and Syracuse.
6) Iowa- The Hawkeyes are the best in the Big Ten, but I worry that this team could just as easily give one (or two) away before the season is out.
7) Miami (FL)- Miami is back on track, and their win over Georgia Tech gives them the edge in the Coastal Division. There aren’t many more challenges left on the schedule, but they had their fair share of competition in the first 4 weeks.
8) LSU- No shame in losing to Florida, but they need to get this offense on track to have a chance of winning the SEC.
9) Oregon- They would be smart not to overlook Washington this week as they prepare for USC.
10) USC- This Trojans team is not as good as in years past, but they were better against Notre Dame than the score indicated. If they overcome Oregon State and Oregon in the next two weeks, their National Title hopes could be reignited.
11) TCU- The Horned Frogs haven’t played any talented teams yet this season, and even struggled against Clemson. If they beat BYU this weekend, it could put them in the top 10 for me.
12) Georgia Tech- This team can score a lot of points, and I thought the disciplined Hokies defense would stifle them. I was proved wrong,
13) Virginia Tech- Tyrod Taylor just fell back to Earth, and it wasn’t just because of the Yellow Jackets defense. If the Hokies don’t win the ACC, they can look at their quarterback; it’s the only glaring weakness on this team.
14) Penn State- Does Minnesota count as a good opponent? They get some respect back if they can beat Michigan this weekend in Ann Arbor.
15) Ohio State- If Tyrod Taylor fell back to Earth, Terrelle Pryor fell down a well. So how’s that pro-style offense working out for you, Terrelle?
16) Oklahoma State- Creeping back up the rankings, but they have the meat of the Big 12 schedule still left in front of them. If Dez Bryant isn’t reinstated, the Cowboys can forget their already slim chances of winning the South.
17) BYU- TCU awaits, where BYU could burst the BCS bubble that was popped for them by Florida State earlier this season.
18) Pittsburgh- Quietly working their way through the Big East, but the schedule gets a lot tougher after this.
19) Central Michigan- Putting together great performances in an admittedly weak conference, and Dan LeFevour is playing like a top tier quarterback.
20) West Virginia- Suddenly showing up at #20 is West Virginia, a team that I wanted to leave for dead a long time ago. But with a lone loss at Auburn, the Mountaineers could make noise in the Big East.
21) Utah- The 7 point loss to Oregon looks pretty good now; and they are 5-1. They could give BYU and TCU fits later on this season.
22) Houston- I want this mid-major to drop out, and I kept them off my ballot last week. This feels high for them, and it probably is, but they have resumed their winning ways.
23) South Carolina- Yea, they got snuffed out by Alabama, but no one expected anything else. I won’t hold it against them
24) Texas Tech- They have a few blemishes on the record, but overall this is a classic Mike Leach Texas Tech squad, which belongs in the 20-25 range.
25) South Florida- I guess? Kansas, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Cal, and any number of other teams could have gone here.
No others receiving votes, as it’s just my poll this time around.
1) Alabama- They were dominating yet again, and I couldn’t hold back anymore, letting the Tide jump to #1 on my ballot.
2) Florida- Still undefeated, still defending champs, but looked sloppy against Arkansas. They should put teams like that away easy.
3) Texas- The defenses came to play this weekend, and I will attribute the close score to the strength of the rivalry… but Colt McCoy wasn’t playing anything like a Heisman QB. They will have to be more impressive to stay at #3.
4) Boise State- As long as they keep winning I will try to avoid dropping them just because of their conference. It looked dicey against Tulsa, but that was a long trip for Boise in a hostile crowd, and Tulsa is no pushover at home.
5) Cincinnati- Took out South Florida with their backup quarterback. Even if Tony Pike can’t go for a couple weeks, they shouldn’t have any problems against Louisville and Syracuse.
6) Iowa- The Hawkeyes are the best in the Big Ten, but I worry that this team could just as easily give one (or two) away before the season is out.
7) Miami (FL)- Miami is back on track, and their win over Georgia Tech gives them the edge in the Coastal Division. There aren’t many more challenges left on the schedule, but they had their fair share of competition in the first 4 weeks.
8) LSU- No shame in losing to Florida, but they need to get this offense on track to have a chance of winning the SEC.
9) Oregon- They would be smart not to overlook Washington this week as they prepare for USC.
10) USC- This Trojans team is not as good as in years past, but they were better against Notre Dame than the score indicated. If they overcome Oregon State and Oregon in the next two weeks, their National Title hopes could be reignited.
11) TCU- The Horned Frogs haven’t played any talented teams yet this season, and even struggled against Clemson. If they beat BYU this weekend, it could put them in the top 10 for me.
12) Georgia Tech- This team can score a lot of points, and I thought the disciplined Hokies defense would stifle them. I was proved wrong,
13) Virginia Tech- Tyrod Taylor just fell back to Earth, and it wasn’t just because of the Yellow Jackets defense. If the Hokies don’t win the ACC, they can look at their quarterback; it’s the only glaring weakness on this team.
14) Penn State- Does Minnesota count as a good opponent? They get some respect back if they can beat Michigan this weekend in Ann Arbor.
15) Ohio State- If Tyrod Taylor fell back to Earth, Terrelle Pryor fell down a well. So how’s that pro-style offense working out for you, Terrelle?
16) Oklahoma State- Creeping back up the rankings, but they have the meat of the Big 12 schedule still left in front of them. If Dez Bryant isn’t reinstated, the Cowboys can forget their already slim chances of winning the South.
17) BYU- TCU awaits, where BYU could burst the BCS bubble that was popped for them by Florida State earlier this season.
18) Pittsburgh- Quietly working their way through the Big East, but the schedule gets a lot tougher after this.
19) Central Michigan- Putting together great performances in an admittedly weak conference, and Dan LeFevour is playing like a top tier quarterback.
20) West Virginia- Suddenly showing up at #20 is West Virginia, a team that I wanted to leave for dead a long time ago. But with a lone loss at Auburn, the Mountaineers could make noise in the Big East.
21) Utah- The 7 point loss to Oregon looks pretty good now; and they are 5-1. They could give BYU and TCU fits later on this season.
22) Houston- I want this mid-major to drop out, and I kept them off my ballot last week. This feels high for them, and it probably is, but they have resumed their winning ways.
23) South Carolina- Yea, they got snuffed out by Alabama, but no one expected anything else. I won’t hold it against them
24) Texas Tech- They have a few blemishes on the record, but overall this is a classic Mike Leach Texas Tech squad, which belongs in the 20-25 range.
25) South Florida- I guess? Kansas, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Cal, and any number of other teams could have gone here.
No others receiving votes, as it’s just my poll this time around.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
College Football Blogpoll Week 7
No poll from Windsor this week, so Falco and I just tallied our totals, and oddly enough we had the same top 5. We had some disagreement towards the bottom, but honestly it could have been anyone from 20-25. There seem to be about 6 or 7 teams that I think could go undefeated, and probably 3 or 4 will. How great would that be in throwing a wrench in the BCS? Just keep peppering it and eventually it will have to give in. Right? We can dream. Anyways, here is the poll for this week.
1) Florida (2)- They are undefeated, have finally beaten a marquee opponent, and have the best player in college football. Alabama fans will have to hold on a minute before they take the top spot.
2) Alabama- Also undefeated, but Ole Miss was not a good team to begin with. Jevan Snead has about as much poise and confidence as a 14 year old kid asking out the homecoming queen. They beat themselves as much as Alabama beat them.
3) Texas- Fell behind early but wound up crushing Colorado. They are now stuck behind Alabama and Florida, but could jump them with a convincing win over Oklahoma.
4) Boise State- They keep winning, but are Tulsa and Idaho really the toughest games left on the schedule? That, if nothing else, will keep them out of the title game.
5) Virginia Tech- The Alabama loss looks like ages ago for this team. If Tyrod Taylor learns how to run this offense smoothly they could be back at the National Championship doorstep.
6) USC- Even with Barkley back and healthy under center, the Trojans will still have their share of challenges in a suddenly strong PAC 10.
7) Cincinnati- They could prove that they are a contender with a win at South Florida. The Big East isn’t great, but the Bearcats will get their opportunities to prove themselves.
8) Iowa- Tied with LSU for points, but gave it to Iowa by virtue of being undefeated. This team doesn’t win pretty, but they keep winning.
9) LSU- Still a great team, and can win the SEC if they get their offense back on track.
10) TCU- This feels high for an untested mid-major, but they will get to battle Utah and BYU before the season is out.
11) Ohio State- Winning on offense, winning on defense, winning on special teams. Since losing to USC the Buckeyes have been scary. Terrelle Pryor still looks like he just doesn’t belong in that offense.
12) Miami (FL)- They’ve rebounded nicely from their whooping at the hands of the Hokies, and I don’t see another loss on the schedule if they keep playing like they have.
13) Penn State- 5 wins, but against Akron, Temple, Eastern Illinois, Syracuse, and Illinois. That is pathetic for a major program like the Nittany Lions. There are a lot of teams in Div 1-A that could be 5-1 with that slate of opponents.
14) Oregon- And we all left them for dead after Boise State. That loss isn’t looking so bad anymore, and this team could keep USC’s hands full on Halloween night.
15) Kansas- Tied with Oklahoma State, but gave it to Kansas due to the tie and because the Cowboys didn’t look that impressive in their win over A&M.
16) Oklahoma State- But then again, neither did Kansas over Iowa State.
17) BYU- I am skeptical of this team, but they do just have one loss. Still, if Florida State was a fluky loss then it was one gigantic fluke.
18) Nebraska- Is Nebraska back? Not yet, not until they beat a great team. But they are starting by beating the okay teams, which is all you can do.
19) South Florida- Tied with South Carolina, blah blah undefeated. I want to see how this team handles Cincinnati on Thursday night.
20) South Carolina- The loss to Georgia isn’t quite as excusable anymore, but they are still 2-1 in the SEC and have won 4 straight. Sadly, that will almost certainly end this weekend against Alabama.
21) Oklahoma- Does their resume say they belong here? No. But this is unfortunately where pedigree comes in. Look on the field with Sam Bradford, and you know this team is better than its record. They have a good shot against Texas.
22) Georgia Tech- This team could easily be out of the rankings altogether. But if they beat Va. Tech this weekend, they could be back in the teens.
23) Utah- How did they wind up back here? It’s #23, and that is down at one-loss mid-major territory. This may also be a memory of last year that won’t quite go away.
24) Central Michigan- Tied with Houston, but Central’s loss came against a major conference team 2 time zones away in the first week of the season...
25) Houston- ...and Houston’s came to 2-4 UTEP a couple weeks ago. Y’all come to your own conclusions.
Others receiving votes: West Virginia, Auburn
1) Florida (2)- They are undefeated, have finally beaten a marquee opponent, and have the best player in college football. Alabama fans will have to hold on a minute before they take the top spot.
2) Alabama- Also undefeated, but Ole Miss was not a good team to begin with. Jevan Snead has about as much poise and confidence as a 14 year old kid asking out the homecoming queen. They beat themselves as much as Alabama beat them.
3) Texas- Fell behind early but wound up crushing Colorado. They are now stuck behind Alabama and Florida, but could jump them with a convincing win over Oklahoma.
4) Boise State- They keep winning, but are Tulsa and Idaho really the toughest games left on the schedule? That, if nothing else, will keep them out of the title game.
5) Virginia Tech- The Alabama loss looks like ages ago for this team. If Tyrod Taylor learns how to run this offense smoothly they could be back at the National Championship doorstep.
6) USC- Even with Barkley back and healthy under center, the Trojans will still have their share of challenges in a suddenly strong PAC 10.
7) Cincinnati- They could prove that they are a contender with a win at South Florida. The Big East isn’t great, but the Bearcats will get their opportunities to prove themselves.
8) Iowa- Tied with LSU for points, but gave it to Iowa by virtue of being undefeated. This team doesn’t win pretty, but they keep winning.
9) LSU- Still a great team, and can win the SEC if they get their offense back on track.
10) TCU- This feels high for an untested mid-major, but they will get to battle Utah and BYU before the season is out.
11) Ohio State- Winning on offense, winning on defense, winning on special teams. Since losing to USC the Buckeyes have been scary. Terrelle Pryor still looks like he just doesn’t belong in that offense.
12) Miami (FL)- They’ve rebounded nicely from their whooping at the hands of the Hokies, and I don’t see another loss on the schedule if they keep playing like they have.
13) Penn State- 5 wins, but against Akron, Temple, Eastern Illinois, Syracuse, and Illinois. That is pathetic for a major program like the Nittany Lions. There are a lot of teams in Div 1-A that could be 5-1 with that slate of opponents.
14) Oregon- And we all left them for dead after Boise State. That loss isn’t looking so bad anymore, and this team could keep USC’s hands full on Halloween night.
15) Kansas- Tied with Oklahoma State, but gave it to Kansas due to the tie and because the Cowboys didn’t look that impressive in their win over A&M.
16) Oklahoma State- But then again, neither did Kansas over Iowa State.
17) BYU- I am skeptical of this team, but they do just have one loss. Still, if Florida State was a fluky loss then it was one gigantic fluke.
18) Nebraska- Is Nebraska back? Not yet, not until they beat a great team. But they are starting by beating the okay teams, which is all you can do.
19) South Florida- Tied with South Carolina, blah blah undefeated. I want to see how this team handles Cincinnati on Thursday night.
20) South Carolina- The loss to Georgia isn’t quite as excusable anymore, but they are still 2-1 in the SEC and have won 4 straight. Sadly, that will almost certainly end this weekend against Alabama.
21) Oklahoma- Does their resume say they belong here? No. But this is unfortunately where pedigree comes in. Look on the field with Sam Bradford, and you know this team is better than its record. They have a good shot against Texas.
22) Georgia Tech- This team could easily be out of the rankings altogether. But if they beat Va. Tech this weekend, they could be back in the teens.
23) Utah- How did they wind up back here? It’s #23, and that is down at one-loss mid-major territory. This may also be a memory of last year that won’t quite go away.
24) Central Michigan- Tied with Houston, but Central’s loss came against a major conference team 2 time zones away in the first week of the season...
25) Houston- ...and Houston’s came to 2-4 UTEP a couple weeks ago. Y’all come to your own conclusions.
Others receiving votes: West Virginia, Auburn
Monday, September 28, 2009
College Football Blogpoll Week 5
This is week 5 of our participation in the CBS Sports blogpoll, and this was by far the hardest for us to rank. Feel free to go ahead and critique these selections so we can make any edits before Wednesday’s final submission. It was one hell of a week for college football, and the rankings were all tossed up in the air. Quick question though: Why can’t Penn State beat Iowa?
1) Florida (2)- Even with the flu, the Gators demolished Kentucky and answered any questions about whether this team has any chinks in the armor. If Tebow’s concussion keeps him out of next week’s game against LSU, Florida could be in real trouble.
2) Alabama (1)- I want this team to be bad, but they keep winning. Trial by fire coming up in the SEC schedule.
3) Texas- The Longhorns get bumped down to #3 after Alabama looked great against Arkansas while Texas buried an outmatched UTEP squad. They will have plenty of chances to take that spot back.
4) Boise State- The lone top 10 mid major team just keeps marching on. That win over Oregon is looking pretty good right now, but the lack of competition on the rest of their schedule is going to come back to haunt the Broncos.
5) Cincinnati- How is a Big East team creeping up this high in the rankings? Because there’s no real reason to keep them out so far. But their games are getting closer, and this ranking just feels too high for them to keep up.
6) USC- Tied with Ohio State in votes but I gave it to USC by virtue of head-to-head win. With Matt Barkley back, the Trojans seem refocused on winning the PAC 10. It will face a big test this week at Cal.
7) Ohio State- Since their loss to USC, this team has thumped their last two opponents by a score of 68-0. I would say they are ready for Big Ten play, and their defense could be one of the best in the country.
8) LSU- Yea it was close against Mississippi State, but an SEC win is an SEC win. Next two games? Georgia and Florida. Call me in two weeks.
9) Virginia Tech- I am still concerned about the offense, but you can’t argue with results. They have taken down two quality teams in as many weeks.
10) Oklahoma- Sam who? The Sooners are coming on strong, and the Big 12 should take notice.
11) Houston- They are starting to validate that high ranking with their win over a quality Texas Tech team. Unfortunately, they don’t play any more contenders to prove they belong in the top 10. Their ranking will depend on how Oklahoma State does the rest of the season.
12) TCU- Still waiting for the Hornfrogs to play someone with a resume; they could prep for a fall when they hit BYU on October 24th.
13) Miami (FL)- This team hit the ground hard, but they are still a quality team. They may not rebound immediately against Oklahoma, but they are still at or near the top of the ACC.
14) Penn State- Another Big Ten offense struggles against a solid defense. The Nittany Lions might have just had their National Championship hopes submarined once again by Iowa.
15) California- Who the hell is Cal? Could they have been looking ahead to USC? We will find out who they really are this weekend against the Trojans.
16) Iowa- They haven’t looked great in their wins, but they are 4-0 and just upset #5 Penn State at their place in front of 105,000 fans.
17) Oklahoma State- This team won’t get tested again until October 17th against Missouri. Maybe they can find a defense before then.
18) BYU- Tied with Mississippi in votes but I gave it to BYU as Ole Miss lost last week.
19) Mississippi- Jevan Snead looked no part of a Heisman candidate against South Carolina. He will have to start looking like it for this team to rebound in the SEC West.
20) Georgia- Tied with Kansas but I gave it to Georgia as they have played a much tougher schedule. That defense is still giving up a lot of yardage.
21) Kansas- Still haven’t played anyone, but they just keep winning. They could be in for a big fall once the Big 12 season starts.
22) South Carolina- This team won’t score many points, but their defense will win them some games in the SEC.
23) Michigan- This team looked ugly in their late-game win over Indiana, showing that this team has a long way to go to return to greatness.
24) Missouri- I am the only one putting the Tigers in my poll, but they get enough votes to make it in.
25) Nebraska- Tied with Oregon but all three of us included the Cornhuskers and only Windsor included Oregon, so I gave the edge to Nebraska.
Others receiving votes: Oregon, Georgia Tech, North Carolina
This week the poll was so tough to put together for all three of our ATH voters, so I had to make some poll observations this week:
Likewise we weren’t sure where to put Iowa, ranging from 13th (Falco) to 22nd (Windsor) which is odd, since Windsor has held Iowa in his rankings even as they were playing poorly, I figured he would jump them up with this win over Penn State. On California we varied as well, from 11th (myself) to 20th (Falco); and on LSU, which was a shocker as Falco put them as high as 4th (and I at 6th) and Windsor kept them low at 14th.
Big differences in ranking Michigan this time around, ranging from 19th (Falco) to 25th (myself) after their less-than-impressive win over Indiana at home.
While Windsor puts South Carolina on his poll at 17th (and I at 22nd), Falco leaves the Gamecocks off entirely. Windsor, for his part, isn’t sold on Kansas (19th in my poll and 18th in Falco’s) and leaves them off his poll.
Georgia Tech might have made the poll if I had put them in, but I am not convinced that they are a top 25 team yet- there were some tough calls this week, and I wish it was a top 27 or 28 to make the list.
After all those differences, we all still ranked Georgia 21st, our only universal agreement in the rankings. Odd, huh?
1) Florida (2)- Even with the flu, the Gators demolished Kentucky and answered any questions about whether this team has any chinks in the armor. If Tebow’s concussion keeps him out of next week’s game against LSU, Florida could be in real trouble.
2) Alabama (1)- I want this team to be bad, but they keep winning. Trial by fire coming up in the SEC schedule.
3) Texas- The Longhorns get bumped down to #3 after Alabama looked great against Arkansas while Texas buried an outmatched UTEP squad. They will have plenty of chances to take that spot back.
4) Boise State- The lone top 10 mid major team just keeps marching on. That win over Oregon is looking pretty good right now, but the lack of competition on the rest of their schedule is going to come back to haunt the Broncos.
5) Cincinnati- How is a Big East team creeping up this high in the rankings? Because there’s no real reason to keep them out so far. But their games are getting closer, and this ranking just feels too high for them to keep up.
6) USC- Tied with Ohio State in votes but I gave it to USC by virtue of head-to-head win. With Matt Barkley back, the Trojans seem refocused on winning the PAC 10. It will face a big test this week at Cal.
7) Ohio State- Since their loss to USC, this team has thumped their last two opponents by a score of 68-0. I would say they are ready for Big Ten play, and their defense could be one of the best in the country.
8) LSU- Yea it was close against Mississippi State, but an SEC win is an SEC win. Next two games? Georgia and Florida. Call me in two weeks.
9) Virginia Tech- I am still concerned about the offense, but you can’t argue with results. They have taken down two quality teams in as many weeks.
10) Oklahoma- Sam who? The Sooners are coming on strong, and the Big 12 should take notice.
11) Houston- They are starting to validate that high ranking with their win over a quality Texas Tech team. Unfortunately, they don’t play any more contenders to prove they belong in the top 10. Their ranking will depend on how Oklahoma State does the rest of the season.
12) TCU- Still waiting for the Hornfrogs to play someone with a resume; they could prep for a fall when they hit BYU on October 24th.
13) Miami (FL)- This team hit the ground hard, but they are still a quality team. They may not rebound immediately against Oklahoma, but they are still at or near the top of the ACC.
14) Penn State- Another Big Ten offense struggles against a solid defense. The Nittany Lions might have just had their National Championship hopes submarined once again by Iowa.
15) California- Who the hell is Cal? Could they have been looking ahead to USC? We will find out who they really are this weekend against the Trojans.
16) Iowa- They haven’t looked great in their wins, but they are 4-0 and just upset #5 Penn State at their place in front of 105,000 fans.
17) Oklahoma State- This team won’t get tested again until October 17th against Missouri. Maybe they can find a defense before then.
18) BYU- Tied with Mississippi in votes but I gave it to BYU as Ole Miss lost last week.
19) Mississippi- Jevan Snead looked no part of a Heisman candidate against South Carolina. He will have to start looking like it for this team to rebound in the SEC West.
20) Georgia- Tied with Kansas but I gave it to Georgia as they have played a much tougher schedule. That defense is still giving up a lot of yardage.
21) Kansas- Still haven’t played anyone, but they just keep winning. They could be in for a big fall once the Big 12 season starts.
22) South Carolina- This team won’t score many points, but their defense will win them some games in the SEC.
23) Michigan- This team looked ugly in their late-game win over Indiana, showing that this team has a long way to go to return to greatness.
24) Missouri- I am the only one putting the Tigers in my poll, but they get enough votes to make it in.
25) Nebraska- Tied with Oregon but all three of us included the Cornhuskers and only Windsor included Oregon, so I gave the edge to Nebraska.
Others receiving votes: Oregon, Georgia Tech, North Carolina
This week the poll was so tough to put together for all three of our ATH voters, so I had to make some poll observations this week:
Likewise we weren’t sure where to put Iowa, ranging from 13th (Falco) to 22nd (Windsor) which is odd, since Windsor has held Iowa in his rankings even as they were playing poorly, I figured he would jump them up with this win over Penn State. On California we varied as well, from 11th (myself) to 20th (Falco); and on LSU, which was a shocker as Falco put them as high as 4th (and I at 6th) and Windsor kept them low at 14th.
Big differences in ranking Michigan this time around, ranging from 19th (Falco) to 25th (myself) after their less-than-impressive win over Indiana at home.
While Windsor puts South Carolina on his poll at 17th (and I at 22nd), Falco leaves the Gamecocks off entirely. Windsor, for his part, isn’t sold on Kansas (19th in my poll and 18th in Falco’s) and leaves them off his poll.
Georgia Tech might have made the poll if I had put them in, but I am not convinced that they are a top 25 team yet- there were some tough calls this week, and I wish it was a top 27 or 28 to make the list.
After all those differences, we all still ranked Georgia 21st, our only universal agreement in the rankings. Odd, huh?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
College Football Blogpoll: Week 3
Okay, so this week we have a bit of an anomaly. Windsor, Falco and I all ranked Michigan following their (incredible) win over Notre Dame. However, we had them ranked 25th, 25th, and 24th. As a result, when all the points were added up, Windsor’s #20 ranking of Iowa pushed them into the top 25 and bumped the Wolverines. Kansas was in all of our ballots as well, though ranked slightly higher. All in all it was a less wild and varied poll this weekend, though I am eating some crow after proclaiming the glory of Oklahoma State and ranking them 3rd in my poll last week. Yea, I know.
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. USC
5. Penn State
6. California
7. Mississippi
8. LSU
9. Boise State
10. Ohio State
11. BYU
12. Georgia Tech
13. Oklahoma
14. TCU
15. Virginia Tech
16. Utah
17. Oklahoma State
18. Nebraska
19. Georgia
20. North Carolina
21. Miami (FL)
22. Cincinnati
23. Oregon State
24. Iowa
25. Kansas
Others receiving votes: Michigan, South Carolina
Some Week 2 Observations:
Michigan may not win the Big Ten this year or play on New Year’s Day, but this team is on its way back to glory. The defense may need more time to catch up, however.
Maryland is that bad, apparently. Win or not, that question was answered.
Ohio State is still a great team (especially on defense), but Terrelle Pryor may not fit into that Tressel offense just yet. Matt Barkley was incredibly cool under pressure on that last drive to beat TOSU, but I’m not putting him in the “next great USC quarterback” conversation just yet.
So much for Stanford’s big run this year- Wake Forest could be a very sneaky team in a down ACC this year.
Was Clemson’s D able to respond to Tech’s offense and force the close game? This year may determine whether the triple option is viable on the big stage after the conference has had a year to adjust to it.
Al Groh has never been able to capitalize on the resources and potential at Virginia. After starting the season 0-2, he has no excuses left. The only question now is whether he will be allowed to play out the rest of the season.
Not ready to drink the Kool-Aid on Nebraska, but one more big win will have me believing. Nice test next week against Virginia Tech.
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. USC
5. Penn State
6. California
7. Mississippi
8. LSU
9. Boise State
10. Ohio State
11. BYU
12. Georgia Tech
13. Oklahoma
14. TCU
15. Virginia Tech
16. Utah
17. Oklahoma State
18. Nebraska
19. Georgia
20. North Carolina
21. Miami (FL)
22. Cincinnati
23. Oregon State
24. Iowa
25. Kansas
Others receiving votes: Michigan, South Carolina
Some Week 2 Observations:
Michigan may not win the Big Ten this year or play on New Year’s Day, but this team is on its way back to glory. The defense may need more time to catch up, however.
Maryland is that bad, apparently. Win or not, that question was answered.
Ohio State is still a great team (especially on defense), but Terrelle Pryor may not fit into that Tressel offense just yet. Matt Barkley was incredibly cool under pressure on that last drive to beat TOSU, but I’m not putting him in the “next great USC quarterback” conversation just yet.
So much for Stanford’s big run this year- Wake Forest could be a very sneaky team in a down ACC this year.
Was Clemson’s D able to respond to Tech’s offense and force the close game? This year may determine whether the triple option is viable on the big stage after the conference has had a year to adjust to it.
Al Groh has never been able to capitalize on the resources and potential at Virginia. After starting the season 0-2, he has no excuses left. The only question now is whether he will be allowed to play out the rest of the season.
Not ready to drink the Kool-Aid on Nebraska, but one more big win will have me believing. Nice test next week against Virginia Tech.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Blogpoll: Week 1
This year, we have joined up with MGoBlog's football blog poll, which we will be voting in each week. We are one of a few Maryland-representative blogs that will be submitting a top-25 each week. So, without further ado, here is the Around the Harbor Preseason Top-25 of college football:
| ||
| Rank | Team | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | |
| 2 | Texas | |
| 3 | Oklahoma | |
| 4 | Alabama | |
| 5 | Southern Cal | |
| 6 | Ohio State | |
| 7 | Mississippi | |
| 8 | Virginia Tech | |
| 9 | Penn State | |
| 10 | LSU | |
| 11 | California | |
| 12 | Oklahoma State | |
| 13 | Oregon | |
| 14 | Georgia Tech | |
| 15 | Georgia | |
| 16 | Utah | |
| 17 | TCU | |
| 18 | Boise State | |
| 19 | North Carolina | |
| 20 | Florida State | |
| 21 | Iowa | |
| 22 | Brigham Young | |
| 23 | Nebraska | |
| 24 | Oregon State | |
| 25 | Miami (Florida) | |
Sunday, February 8, 2009
College Basketball BlogPoll- This Week
On the second go at the blogpoll, Windsor and I have created an interesting top-25.
The top-4 were very easy, but then things get interesting. Most teams in the 5-12 range had losses this week; either a beatdown by a high ranked team or a loss to a low/unranked squad. Same went to teams around the 18-20 spot. It was a very difficult poll to round out in the end.
Some notes:
--ACC and Big East continue to fight to see which is the better conference. Both conferences have five teams in our top-25, with the Big East having three in the top-5 and both having four in the top-10. Originally is was the ACC with four and the Big East with six, but Florida State's entrance and Syracuse's exit evens things out.
--The SEC finally breaks into the poll, getting LSU in at #24. Florida is one of the last teams out, and South Carolina also has a chance to get in the ranking eventually.
--Dayton would have been in the poll if not for their loss to Charlotte.
The top-4 were very easy, but then things get interesting. Most teams in the 5-12 range had losses this week; either a beatdown by a high ranked team or a loss to a low/unranked squad. Same went to teams around the 18-20 spot. It was a very difficult poll to round out in the end.
Some notes:
--ACC and Big East continue to fight to see which is the better conference. Both conferences have five teams in our top-25, with the Big East having three in the top-5 and both having four in the top-10. Originally is was the ACC with four and the Big East with six, but Florida State's entrance and Syracuse's exit evens things out.
--The SEC finally breaks into the poll, getting LSU in at #24. Florida is one of the last teams out, and South Carolina also has a chance to get in the ranking eventually.
--Dayton would have been in the poll if not for their loss to Charlotte.
| ||
| Rank | Team | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | |
| 2 | Oklahoma | |
| 3 | North Carolina | |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | |
| 5 | Louisville | |
| 6 | Duke | |
| 7 | Clemson | |
| 8 | Wake Forest | |
| 9 | Marquette | |
| 10 | Michigan St. | |
| 11 | Butler | |
| 12 | Memphis | |
| 13 | Purdue | |
| 14 | UCLA | |
| 15 | Xavier | |
| 16 | Villanova | |
| 17 | Kansas | |
| 18 | Arizona St. | |
| 19 | Gonzaga | |
| 20 | Illinois | |
| 21 | Utah St. | |
| 22 | Florida St. | |
| 23 | Washington | |
| 24 | Louisiana St. | |
| 25 | Missouri | |
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
ATH is Newest Voter on College Basketball Blogpoll!
Hey everyone, I know you must have been pining to get me back, but no worries, I am back on staff. No, it wasn't the Ravens loss that had me off of blogging for a week, but the length of those previews were getting to me and I just needed some time off! However, I wasn't entirely through working on the blog during my brief vacation.
I got in touch with some great people at March to Madness about joining their blogpoll for college basketball, and I am happy to report that ATH is their newest voter! I encourage you to check out their blog on Wednesday evenings to find out the general poll results and how different blogs around the country voted. We will do our best here to make sure we post our top 25 so we can get your reaction. This week the top 25 was put together by Falco and Windsor, so here goes:
1) Duke
2) Connecticut
3) Oklahoma
4) Pittsburgh
5) Wake Forest
6) North Carolina
7) Louisville
8) Marquette
9) Michigan State
10) Clemson
11) Xavier
12) Butler
13) Texas
14) Arizona State
15) Syracuse
16) Illinois
17) Purdue
18) Memphis
19) St. Mary's
20) Villanova
21) Gonzaga
22) UCLA
23) Kentucky
24) Minnesota
25) Notre Dame
Thoughts? More content coming later today, stay tuned!
I got in touch with some great people at March to Madness about joining their blogpoll for college basketball, and I am happy to report that ATH is their newest voter! I encourage you to check out their blog on Wednesday evenings to find out the general poll results and how different blogs around the country voted. We will do our best here to make sure we post our top 25 so we can get your reaction. This week the top 25 was put together by Falco and Windsor, so here goes:
1) Duke
2) Connecticut
3) Oklahoma
4) Pittsburgh
5) Wake Forest
6) North Carolina
7) Louisville
8) Marquette
9) Michigan State
10) Clemson
11) Xavier
12) Butler
13) Texas
14) Arizona State
15) Syracuse
16) Illinois
17) Purdue
18) Memphis
19) St. Mary's
20) Villanova
21) Gonzaga
22) UCLA
23) Kentucky
24) Minnesota
25) Notre Dame
Thoughts? More content coming later today, stay tuned!
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