Annual Worst Version of Worst College Football Poll

[bartshan-83]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings/_/poll/2/week/1

 

I guess now is always a good time to rehash the argument that (a) preseason polls are nothing but destructive to fair ranking as they are completely arbitrary and only serve to either ensure that a top team will remain there or that an outsider will have an uphill battle all the way.

 

Also that college coaches are the most unqualified people to be ranking OTHER teams. They work 70 hours a week on THEIR team and spend 1 week each on the team they are playing next. They don't have the time, inclination or means to watch other teams' games. If anything, they hand off their weekly homework to an assistant or team tech. Rant over.

 

Interesting notes:

 

- Bama at #1...fair enough. I don't see any other argument.

- Flordia at #3...interesting. I would have thought losing God himself from your team would merit a drop of at least a couple of spots. And I say that mostly-seriously. Tebow ran that show. I'm curious as to how Meyer does without him. Big shoes for Brantley.

- OU at #8...quite the leap back up. Who's their QB? Landry Jones?

- Spots 18-23 taken by previously unranked teams.

- ND at 33...can't argue that at all. I have no idea what is in store. Interesting point is that we are six spots BEHIND Cincinnati. Hmmmmm....

 

 

Thoughts?

[el Tigre]

Agree with all your points. Preseason polls are pretty much worthless imo. Polls shouldn't be released until after a few weeks of the season has passed. Then they would mean a little more. Hard to say what to expect fram ND this year. It's possible they struggle under a new coach and transition. It's also possible they get an immediate boost from the new regime,much like Weis's first year. Just have to wait and see. Can't wait till week 2 when my Wolverines go to your place,it's always a good game!

GO BLUE!!!!!

[Acantha]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings/_/poll/2/week/1

 

I guess now is always a good time to rehash the argument that (a) preseason polls are nothing but destructive to fair ranking as they are completely arbitrary and only serve to either ensure that a top team will remain there or that an outsider will have an uphill battle all the way.

 

Also that college coaches are the most unqualified people to be ranking OTHER teams. They work 70 hours a week on THEIR team and spend 1 week each on the team they are playing next. They don't have the time, inclination or means to watch other teams' games. If anything, they hand off their weekly homework to an assistant or team tech. Rant over.

 

Interesting notes:

 

- Bama at #1...fair enough. I don't see any other argument.

- Flordia at #3...interesting. I would have thought losing God himself from your team would merit a drop of at least a couple of spots. And I say that mostly-seriously. Tebow ran that show. I'm curious as to how Meyer does without him. Big shoes for Brantley.

- OU at #8...quite the leap back up. Who's their QB? Landry Jones?

- Spots 18-23 taken by previously unranked teams.

- ND at 33...can't argue that at all. I have no idea what is in store. Interesting point is that we are six spots BEHIND Cincinnati. Hmmmmm....

 

 

Thoughts?

As a Florida fan, I was expecting to see them ranked somewhere between 8 and 12 in the various polls, but that doesn't have as much to do with Tebow leaving as the changes everywhere else on the field. After all, Meyers won a championship with Leak, who didn't have the arm Brantley does and fit less in the spread. Granted, it's a big change, but there are bigger worries IMO. WR's/TE's are all either unproven or coming off injuries. OC Addazio has to prove himself without Tebow for the first time (I'm very skeptical of him). DC Charlie Strong is gone (this is huge). The defense lost one of the best MLB's in college, two very good DE's, the best CB in college, and a couple other good secondary players.

 

I guess to sum all that up.....3 is too high, I think. Next year they should be looking to be at the top of the polls again.

 

Ohio? Here we go again.

 

I'm actually surprised Michigan didn't make the cut, even if it was at 25. I think as RR gets more time with that team they will be fun to watch and tough to beat. They may not be ready to win the NC, but I could certainly see them being in the Rose Bowl race.

 

No matter how stupid these things are, there are two reasons I like them. 1, college football is CLOSE! I'm like a friggin teenage girl at a boy band concert this time of year. 2, USC nowhere to be found!

[Cynical]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings/_/poll/2/week/1

 

I guess now is always a good time to rehash the argument that (a) preseason polls are nothing but destructive to fair ranking as they are completely arbitrary and only serve to either ensure that a top team will remain there or that an outsider will have an uphill battle all the way.

 

Also that college coaches are the most unqualified people to be ranking OTHER teams. They work 70 hours a week on THEIR team and spend 1 week each on the team they are playing next. They don't have the time, inclination or means to watch other teams' games. If anything, they hand off their weekly homework to an assistant or team tech. Rant over.

 

Interesting notes:

 

- Bama at #1...fair enough. I don't see any other argument.

- Flordia at #3...interesting. I would have thought losing God himself from your team would merit a drop of at least a couple of spots. And I say that mostly-seriously. Tebow ran that show. I'm curious as to how Meyer does without him. Big shoes for Brantley.

- OU at #8...quite the leap back up. Who's their QB? Landry Jones?

- Spots 18-23 taken by previously unranked teams.

- ND at 33...can't argue that at all. I have no idea what is in store. Interesting point is that we are six spots BEHIND Cincinnati. Hmmmmm....

 

 

Thoughts?

 

Good thing they actually play the games. Bama has a tough row to hoe this year, losing 9 starters on D, and having to play 6 of their 8 conference games when the opponent has a week off prior to the Bama match up. Throw in the possibility of losing Marcell Dareus for a couple of games (or more), and Bama could be in trouble before the season is even half over.

 

This is Boise State's year. If they want to be taken seriously, this is the year to do it.

Looking at the top 10 of that list:

Bama and Florida have their issues (already discussed), Texas is switching their offense to a more pro style (to match Gilbert's abilities), OU has to replace Bradford, and Nebraska is still rebuilding (their offense was putrid last year).

Ohio State, Iowa, and even Wisconsin @ 12 all have to play each other, and whoever is the top team out of the Big Tenleven+1 will have at least one ding on their record (IMO).

 

That leaves TCU and Virginia Tech.

They can't do anything about TCU (and who also could end up in the running for the BCS CG).

But the Broncos do play VT right out of the gate, and that does give them an opportunity to make a statement early in the season.

[bartshan-83]

Can't wait till week 2 when my Wolverines go to your place,it's always a good game!

GO BLUE!!!!!

I'll be there. Couldn't agree more. And after last year's mess, a good Wolverine beat-down is what I need in my life.

 

As a Florida fan, I was expecting to see them ranked somewhere between 8 and 12 in the various polls, but that doesn't have as much to do with Tebow leaving as the changes everywhere else on the field. After all, Meyers won a championship with Leak, who didn't have the arm Brantley does and fit less in the spread. Granted, it's a big change, but there are bigger worries IMO. WR's/TE's are all either unproven or coming off injuries. OC Addazio has to prove himself without Tebow for the first time (I'm very skeptical of him). DC Charlie Strong is gone (this is huge). The defense lost one of the best MLB's in college, two very good DE's, the best CB in college, and a couple other good secondary players.

 

I guess to sum all that up.....3 is too high, I think. Next year they should be looking to be at the top of the polls again.

 

No matter how stupid these things are, there are two reasons I like them. 1, college football is CLOSE! I'm like a friggin teenage girl at a boy band concert this time of year. 2, USC nowhere to be found!

To your first paragraph, you obviously know the team better than I do. I just have always held the opinion that Tebow was a lights-out grand slam for Meyer. Obviously you are right about them winning with a square peg QB in Leak, but that team was loaded as well (from both Zook and Meyer's first full class). I'm excited to see if Meyer can reload in 1-2 years or if the Tebow Era will forever be his pinnacle.

 

And for you last point, I completely agree. I mock these polls in principle, but they get me excited when I realize how close we are to kickoff. And I did a double-take looking for Southern Cal. With all the mess they are in, I had forgotten about the Coaches Poll ban. Love it.

 

Good thing they actually play the games. Bama has a tough row to hoe this year, losing 9 starters on D, and having to play 6 of their 8 conference games when the opponent has a week off prior to the Bama match up. Throw in the possibility of losing Marcell Dareus for a couple of games (or more), and Bama could be in trouble before the season is even half over.

 

This is Boise State's year. If they want to be taken seriously, this is the year to do it.

Looking at the top 10 of that list:

Bama and Florida have their issues (already discussed), Texas is switching their offense to a more pro style (to match Gilbert's abilities), OU has to replace Bradford, and Nebraska is still rebuilding (their offense was putrid last year).

Ohio State, Iowa, and even Wisconsin @ 12 all have to play each other, and whoever is the top team out of the Big Tenleven+1 will have at least one ding on their record (IMO).

 

That leaves TCU and Virginia Tech.

They can't do anything about TCU (and who also could end up in the running for the BCS CG).

But the Broncos do play VT right out of the gate, and that does give them an opportunity to make a statement early in the season.

Interesting take on Bama...pretty cautious. You think they are the favorites? Leaving their ranking alone, would you give a different team better odds to win the NC? Boise?

[Cynical]

Interesting take on Bama...pretty cautious. You think they are the favorites? Leaving their ranking alone, would you give a different team better odds to win the NC? Boise?

 

Yea, I am cautiously optimistic.

Do I think they will win the SEC West division? Without question.

Do I think they will win the SEC? Very possible.

Do I think they win the NC? Oof, ... ah, ... well ... um...

 

Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? Not so much.

 

Replacing 9 starters on defense is hard (no matter who you are), especially when there is no Cody replacement in the wings. If Bama was an offensive powerhouse last year, than losing those 9 guys would not bother me so much. That's 9 guys from a key component. Ouch.

 

Possibility of missing M. Dareus during a crucial game or games

(For those who don't know who Dareus is, he was the guy who knocked McCoy out of the BCS CG, and snagged the INT for a TD return before the half)

 

Again, 6 out of 8 conference opponents will have an extra week to rest and prepare to play against Bama (S. Carolina, Tenn, Ole Miss, Miss ST, LSU, and of course, the Barn). And that is not a coincidence.

 

Bama has to travel to Knoxville and Baton Rouge this year (as noted before, both teams will have the week before off)

 

Did I forget to mention Bama plays Florida this year? So it's real possible one of the SEC CG participants will have at least one ding on their record, possibly 2, entering that game.

 

If Bama can put together a third consecutive undefeated regular season (Go wrap your head around that. What are those chances?), then I'll say Bama chances to repeat are looking pretty damn good.

 

So to reiterate, I am cautious because the odds are not in Bama's favor.

 

However, I never expected Bama to produce consecutive undefeated regular seasons, and win the NC by Saban's third year either.

 

I have no particular favorites for the BCS CG this early (I never do). But, if Boise goes undefeated, it will be hard for the BCS NOT to consider them for the CG, especially if the rest of the traditional powers have at least one loss on their records. I can see Ohio, Texas, and Boise battling it out for top spots this year (assuming Boise goes undefeated).

[H2o]

ND homer I am, but I don't see the Irish winning more than 8 games this season. I think we get L's versus Pitt, Stanford, Utah, and USC. We still have the usual hard fought battles against Michigan and MSU that could not end up to the ND fans' liking, not to mention the rivalry game versus good ole BC. Could be a long season in South Bend once again, but atleast we now have a proven college coach with a history of turning teams around and being successful.

 

As far as Bama goes, the more I look at what they are trying to replace, I think their defense will not be able to live up to the hype again. Too many key pieces that have gone to think they can just plug in another who will accomplish the same things. I think they lose 3 or 4 games in the regular season, all against SEC opponents, despite the weapons they still have on offense.

 

I am one who thinks that Florida is in trouble. Brantley is a REAL QB, not the gimmick QB that Meyer is used to. There will not really be the threat of the run as you had with Tebow. Can Urban succeed with a more conventional offense? They lost great talent on defense as well with Spikes, Hayden, and Dunlap. I think they lose @ Alabama, @ Florida St., @ home versus LSU, and possibly even @ Tennessee.

 

In the end, I believe this will be Ohio St.'s year.

[Acantha]

ND homer I am, but I don't see the Irish winning more than 8 games this season. I think we get L's versus Pitt, Stanford, Utah, and USC. We still have the usual hard fought battles against Michigan and MSU that could not end up to the ND fans' liking, not to mention the rivalry game versus good ole BC. Could be a long season in South Bend once again, but atleast we now have a proven college coach with a history of turning teams around and being successful.

I wouldn't count ND out quite so much. I really became a big fan of Kelley the last couple years and watched a lot of Cinci games because of it. Even with the rough years ND has gone through, they have had some great recruiting classes. Kelley will have a FAR more talented team to work with this year than he ever had at ND. Any coaching change will have it's transitional problems, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Kelley get ND their first big bowl win this season. (and I wouldn't count a BCS bowl either).

I am one who thinks that Florida is in trouble. Brantley is a REAL QB, not the gimmick QB that Meyer is used to. There will not really be the threat of the run as you had with Tebow. Can Urban succeed with a more conventional offense? They lost great talent on defense as well with Spikes, Hayden, and Dunlap. I think they lose @ Alabama, @ Florida St., @ home versus LSU, and possibly even @ Tennessee.

As I said above, Meyere has already proven he can succeed with a QB not suited perfectly to the spread. Brantley is also a better passer AND runner than Leak was. There's no way to replace Tebow, but QB isn't Florida's biggest problem. My guess is they lose 2-3 games this year, most likely because of poor defense. Not having Charlie Strong is going to hurt. I can't see them losing to Tennessee though. A loss is possible in any game, but Tennessee's is still in turmoil after losing two coaches in two seasons...Florida would really have to **** the bed to lose to them this year. I think LSU and Alabama will be tough games that could go either way.

In the end, I believe this will be Ohio St.'s year.

Until they prove me wrong, I'll never give Ohio St the benefit of the doubt again.

Edited August 31, 2010 by Faustus