2008 sj.com college football poll -- (1/9) Final Poll, Page 118

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

I'm secure with my picks. I thought long and hard about putting Texas Tech No. 1. They beat a Texas team that had a string of 3 really impressive wins in a row yet the rest of the Red Raiders' body of work isn't terribly impressive. That's what I had to juggle, and I settled on the fact it was a great win and decided to just move 'em up a few notches.

I couldn't jump 'em ahead of my No. 2 for two weeks, Penn State, even if Penn State had a bye week, or my No. 3 Alabama, which beat the equivalent of Washington and Washington State this week. I watched a minute or two of The Sports Reporters, and I can't remember which schlub (might have been Lupica) who downplayed Penn State's win at Ohio State. Despite Ohio State's abortion of an effort at USC, the Buckeyes are goddamn good still. Penn State went into Ohio State and held the Bucks to 6 points. Mighty impressive win fueled by defense. People act as if something is wrong if you don't score 48 or 59 every single week. Anyway, that was Penn State's signature win. The 45-14 home win over Oregon State was impressive, too. That's why people have this boner to rip USC, because the Trojans lost to the Beavers. But I've said it many times before: Conference games are never a guarantee (Hi, Florida at home against Ole Miss.). The rest of Penn State's schedule isn't so great, even though they beat Illinois by 2 touchdowns and thwacked Michigan and Wisky (those wins don't count for much this year, though).

I thought about putting Alabama at No. 1. They beat my preason No. 1 Clemson (which should be undefeated this season with all that talent at QB, RB and WR) handily and whomped Georgia, which is really nothing more than a glorified Michigan State this season (read: hammer the hacks, then act like a hack against the hammers). The Tide beat Kentucky by 3. Yep, same Kentucky that lost by 57 at Florida. Also scheduled, cough cough, Western Kentucky, which gave up 51 points this week to North Texas. To Alabama's credit, it keeps playing that stout defense even without 3 Tons of Fun Cody.

At this point, Alabama and Penn State are pretty much equal in terms of quality of wins compared with their overall schedules.

That's why I just slid them up, Penn State to No. 1 and Bama to No. 2, even though Texas Tech's win over one of the best Texas teams I've ever seen was good enough to propel the Raiders to the top spot.

I think the reason I put Texas Tech No. 3 is because I want the Red Raiders to show me more than one week's dyanmic work.

For all of that, I think USC is the best team in America.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

About 20 people left to vote (HI BUBBLER, HI BEEJ) and I can say less than 10 points separate the top 3 teams.


Oh. And Georgia is overrated. But you knew that just by watching Clipboard Stafford play...

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

I would too!

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

Yeah, that's a copout, PD. Give us your poll for one week, 1-25... you could do just one even if you can't do the whole season, right? And I don't watch a lot of college football outside of my region either.

edit: Here's my poll this week.

1. Penn State
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas Tech
5. Texas
6. Alabama
7. USC
8. Utah
9. Ohio State
10. Oklahoma State
11. Boise State
12. LSU
13. Michigan State
14. Missouri
15. TCU
16. Ball State
17. Georgia
18. BYU
19. California
20. Northwestern
21. Georgia Tech
22. Cincinnati
23. Maryland
24. Central Michigan
25. Oregon State

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

I agree with a lot of what Elliotte said about the one-loss teams at Nos. 4-8; can't put Texas Tech at No. 1 because I think they've only had one really impressive win; Alabama's got two really impressive wins against then-T10 teams (and both on the road), and Penn State's wins are better than TT, too.

So here's mine (with movement from last week):

1. Alabama +1
2. Penn State +1
3. Texas Tech +3
4. Texas -3
5. Oklahoma -1
6. USC -1
7. Florida -
8. Oklahoma State +1
9. Utah +1
10. Missouri +2
11. Ohio State +2
12. TCU +2
13. Boise State +2
14. Georgia -6
15. LSU -4
16. Michigan State -
17. BYU -
18. Ball State +1
19. North Carolina +1
20. Maryland +5
21. California +1
22. Northwestern NR
23. West Virginia NR
24. Georgia Tech NR
25. Tulsa -7

Dropped out: Oregon (21), Minnesota (23), Florida State (24).

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

My ballot for Nov. 3.

1. Penn State
2. Alabama
3. Texas Tech
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. Florida
7. USC
8. Boise State
9. Oklahoma State
10. TCU
11. Utah
12. Georgia
13. Missouri
14. Ohio State
15. LSU
16. Ball State
17. Michigan State
18. BYU
19. California
20. Maryland
21. Kansas
22. West Virginia
23. Georgia Tech
24. Air Force
25. Northwestern

I just realized I dropped Tulsa completely out. Oh well. Fuck 'em. I'll make it up next week if necessary.

Georgia Tech, by the way, is the interchangeable ACC Team of the Week. Next week ... Miami will likely make an appearance! Or Florida State ... again!

Good God. Every team ranked roughly 17th or lower so totally does not deserve to be ranked.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

I was on a plane all day, jeez.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

I'll give a Top 10. Like I said, pretty similar to the majority.

1. Alabama
2. Penn State
3. Texas Tech
The top 3 are pretty interchangeable to me at this point. It doesn't really matter with so much football to play. Alabama and Texas Tech both have serious challenges ahead. Penn State not so much, but I will not hesitate to drop them if someone comes in with more quality wins.
4. Texas - They were flat-footed early on, but they manufactured a comeback. That game could have gone either way.
5. Florida - They've discovered all sorts of new weapons since that Ole Miss loss, in which they were listless and predictable. Not anymore.
6. Oklahoma - Their defense is a huge weakness.
7. USC - I agree their loss isn't quite as bad as Florida's, but Florida benefits from overall strength of schedule. If your schedule isn't that tough, make sure you win them all.
8. Oklahoma State - Be interesting to see if they beat Texas Tech this week. What a clusterfuck that'll be.
Personally, I stop caring after this point. But what the hell ...
9. Boise State
10. Utah

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

Just wait until Georgia Tech meets West Virginia in the Orange Bowl, ratings will be through the roof for that one!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowlprojection?season=2008&week=10

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

Wow. Just wow. What, no room for Tenn.?

What's the explanation for the top 7?

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK 9 10/27, Pg. 68

Penn State has been high in my poll the whole year, they were at 2 last week, number 1 lost.
Florida absolutely destroyed a top 10 team in their own right in Georgia. Oklahoma has been strong and they gave it to Nebraska on Saturday pretty good. They have also been higher in my poll than most.
Texas Tech moves up to 4 for the obvious, beating a number 1. Texas stays at 5, you can't move them down all that much.
Alabama won, a shutout win, but to Arkansas St., so I moved them down because Florida's win was better, Tech's obviously was better and Oklahoma's was very complete (I watched about 3/4 of it on Saturday night)
USC's only loss is to a conference rival, on the road.

There's the top seven. Anything else?