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

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

I considered it and damn near did it. I cut USC some slack because it was a road loss in the conference and Utah beat Oregon State on its home field, needing a miracle finish to win a game the Beavers probably should have won.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

Utah's going to get fucked and that's wrong..

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

And I will say this to voters who are waiting for the bowl pairings to come out before they vote: Vote your conscious, you chicken shits...

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

1. USC
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. Alabama
6. Penn State
7. Texas Tech
8. Utah
9. Boise St.
10. Ohio State

So yes, in answer to the inevitable question: I'm "The guy who voted USC NO. 1!"

Florida probably made a better case, and I actually wouldn't argue with Florida as No. 1. But USC gets extra points from me for doing what many contenders do not (Cough, Oklahoma, cough). And that's letting off the throttle when the opponent is clearly overmatched. The Trojans had a tendency to throw their backups out there in the fourth quarter. Contrast that with teams which, leading by multiple scores in the fourth against clearly overmatched opponents, call fake punts (ahem, Ohio State at Northwestern) or fake field goals (Take a bow, Missouri against SEMO).

And as for Oklahoma over Texas: this was a close vote too. Two comments: 1. If they played today, I wonder what the result would be; and 2. If a single head-to-head midseason matchup is your main criteria for determining who is better, I submit that it is wiser to examine the entire season, including recent results.

I respect Utah's undefeated season. But I don't believe the Utes would beat any of the teams I ranked above them. If so many are eager to penalize USC and Penn State for playing in weaker conferences, how can we act like the Utes have taken on a conference gauntlet? It's not as simple as "They've won all their GAMES!!!!!!!!" Not in the Mountain West.

Or the WAC, for that matter. A BCS Bowl berth has been earned, no question. But I'm skeptical of the Utes and Broncos' chances againt the teams ranked 1-7.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

Here's my top 10:

1. USC
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. Alabama
6. Penn State
7. Texas Tech
8. Utah
9. Ohio State
10. TCU

I think USC is the best team in the country. I think Oklahoma is better than Texas.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

I just don't understand how USC can be put ahead of teams (Oklahoma, Texas and Florida) with Top 10 victories. But, whatever, I hope they enjoy their Rose Bowl matchup.

My quandary would be with OK, TX and FL. I've been advocating all along that Texas deserved to be higher than OK. But now that OK played in the championship game, I would likely vote OK ahead of Texas. They do have three wins over ranked teams, which is more than the other two, so it's not without merit. And I would jump Florida over Texas because I'm not interested in seeing a Big 12 rematch. That game was played, Texas was screwed, and I'm not helping matters by jumping TWO teams over them, but what's done is done, I think.

1. OK
2. Florida
3. Texas

Feel free to argue with me on that final point because I'm not so sure it's the right decision.

Edit to add:

Never mind. I've already changed my mind:

1. Texas
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

What. Are. You. Talking. About? [/tryingtoinstigate]

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

Here's my ballot, or at least the part that's important this week:
Team Pvs
1. Florida 2
2. Oklahoma 3
3. Texas 4
4. USC 5
5. Alabama 1
6. Utah 6
7. Penn State 7
8. Boise State 8
9. Texas Tech 10
10. Ohio State 9

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

Slappy, will send mine in around 9 your time tonight. I won't be on a computer til then.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

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

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

So you're punishing Oklahoma for trying to become the first team to reach 60 in five straight games, but not Florida, which routinely leaves Tebow in the game while up by 30? And you're rewarding USC for barely beating weak conference teams? But not Utah, which hasn't played any easier of a schedule than USC? And you're voting USC No. 1 because you believe they'll destroy anybody, just like they did Stanford, Cal and Oregon State in recent years?

Makes sense to me.

 

Re: 2008 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- Week 14 (12/1) Page 106

Ball State and Boston College bow out in favor of the fresh meat at the bottom two spots.