FINALLY! SJ.com College Football Poll -- FINAL POST-BOWL POLL -- PAGE 48

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

1, usc
2, lsu
3, cal
4, wisky
5, ohio state
6, bc
7, south florida
8, florida
9, kentucky
10, kansas
11, mizzou
12, clemson
13, cincinnati
14, hawaii
15, arizona state
16, oregon
17, west virginia
18, oklahoma
19, texas
20, rutgers
21, georgia
22, south carolina
23, virginia tech
24, miami
25, auburn

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

A quick insight on my ballot — 1. LSU, 2. Southern Cal, 3. Cal, 4. Ohio State, 5. South Florida

Top five all changed this week, Only one to stay put was Georgia at 18.

Biggest risers — Too many to mention but South Florida went from 16 to 5; Biggest Falls — Oklahoma from 3 to 20, (Besides Texas from 7 to out)
Added to the top 25 — Arizona State at 12, Purdue at 22, Kansas State at 23, Uconn at 24
Dropped from the top 25 — Texas, Clemson, Alabama and Penn State

Other notes: My top 13 spots are all undefeated teams -- South Carolina is my top 1-loss at 14. I decided that from this point, all undefeateds are ranked, since there are so few of them now and several will lose in the next three weeks since they are playing each other.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

It's interesting that you have UConn in your Top 25 because yesterday I was asked about the Huskies, if they're a legit unbeaten. I'm not sure how good they are since their early season schedule is pretty soft. I think we'll learn more about UConn after they play WVA, L'Ville, Rutgers and South Florida.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

I'm going to give UConn credit for getting this far unbeaten, which all but 14 other teams couldn't do. If it weren't for all the upsets, any team with an undefeated record after this coming week I was going to rank because they made it to the halfway point without a loss.

And outside of their game against Temple, their average margin of victory is 33.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

I will say it again -- the coaches poll is a god damn joke.

Georgia is 11 and South Carolina is 18. And that's just a start.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

LSU didn't even really impress me against the Gamecocks. The moment someone forces them to pass the ball -- like Tulane did for one half -- LSU will be in trouble.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

For its worst performance of the season, and its worst first half in Les Miles' three seasons in Baton Rouge, LSU was rewarded with the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll today. I laughed when I saw that.

Oz, your skepticism is not without merit. I'd suggest, though, that you probably didn't get a good feel from the CBS telecast of the South Carolina game just how much rain hit Tiger Stadium before the game and how poor the field conditions were. Throw in Flynn's bum ankle (worse than they're letting on) and LSU's offense had some limitations. Preseason All-American guard Will Arnold hasn't played in weeks. Ditto senior receiver Early Doucet. Starting DT Charles Alexander is out for the year. And yet, at times this is the best, deepest team I've ever covered. The defense has future NFL players coming off the bench.

That being said, they've got a lot of work to do. The OL can't decide if it's solid or horrible. Net punting and punt returns are woeful for a top-10 team. The defense has a few vulnerabilities Spurrier noticed and others will try to exploit.

But I'm not sure I agree with your contention that, when forced to pass, LSU will be in trouble (unless you mean that the OL can't protect). Crowton's been playing it close to the vest much of the season with play calls. If it works according to plan, Flynn and Perrilloux will both have impressive games, and you'll start hearing about receivers Brandon LaFell, Terrance Toliver, Demetrius Byrd and Doucet (again) if he's healthy. If Flynn is healthy, this will be a dangerous two-QB system. The passing game is destined to impress you, I predict. If they finally entrust freshman Chad Jones with punt returns, look out.

This could be the No. 1 team in the country. Or not.

One thing nobody will be able to say at season's end is that it's untested.

Beat Virginia Tech (No. 9 at the time, No. 15 now).
Beat South Carolina (No. 12 at the time, No. 11 now).
Plays reigning national champ Florida on Saturday (No. 9 today, No. 4 before).
Plays unbeaten Kentucky (No. 8 ) a week later.
Plays Auburn, the only team to beat Florida in 2006 and 2007.
Plays Alabama, whose coach knows much of LSU's personnel very well.
Plays Arkansas (and McFadden), always toughest at season's end.
Plays (most likely) in the SEC title game against one of the above in a rematch.

I'm curious to see how it plays out.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

I probably am a little to skeptical of LSU from that game and from watching Tulane. USC will be tested, though. You don't have to play in the SEC to play a tough schedule.

At this point, USC and LSU are 1A and 1B. Either way, you're not wrong.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

You can make the case that LSU is more deserving than USC. But for the life of me, I can't imagine why so many people chose this of all weeks to make it.

My poll highlights: LSU up to 2, Ohio State to 4, Boston College to 5, only dropped Florida to 8, South Florida up eight spots to 9 (6[!] in the AP), Hawaii 10, West Virginia falls nine to 11, Oregon holds steady at 14, FSU (24) and Auburn (25) replace Clemson and Penn State.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

Where do you have Cal?

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

LSU is my number one and will stay that way until they lose

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com College Football Poll -- NEW -- WEEK 4 -- 9/24/07 PAGE 16

From that list, I'd guess he's got the Bears at No.3.