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blogpoll – Draft – Week 2

Posted by Scipio Tex on September 13th, 2009 under Football

Here’s my first draft for discussion. Comments?

1. Florida – Listing anyone else is just trying to be cute.
2. Texas – Don’t worry about the slow start in Laramie; worry about the Big 12 conference’s eroding strength of schedule.
3. Alabama – A real QB, stud RBs, quality defense. I like the cut of their jib.
4. USC – The Trojans aren’t bulletproof, but you have to admire their poise. Cue media suck-off.
5. Cal – Fast, physical, and balanced. I’ve liked them since August. They get USC on 10/3 after their roadie to Autzen.
6. Ole Miss – I’ll chalk up last week’s poor effort to the flu bug. Throw the next few teams in a bag and a pick one.
7. Penn State – Clark has played well, but the stench of Big 10 paper tiger permeates their acid-washed jeans.
8. BYU – Took care of business against feeble Tulane.
9. TCU – They’re lurking in the weeds for the Cougars.
10. LSU – A loose compilation of great athletes more than a football team. SEC reality checks loom…
11. Georgia Tech – Bad defense will catch up to them soon enough.
12. Ohio St – Jim Tressel could screw up a ham sandwich. He has no idea how to use Pryor and he’s perfectly content to be a big fish in a small pond.
13. Cincinnatti – Did Brian Kelly just turn the Bearkat job into a yearly reload? The Rust Belt’s Bill Snyder.
14. Virginia Tech – Alabama thoroughly dominated them. The Nebraska game should slot them appropriately.
15. Oklahoma – Nothing like a 64-0 win for a confidence boost. Defense is all they’ll need to win most of their games.
16. Nebraska – We’ll learn what we need to know in Blacksburg.
17. Boise St – Explain to me exactly what it is they’ve done? A peer pressure pick.
18. Kansas – We know about the offense, but the defense is getting it done against the weaklings.
19. Michigan – Is Michigan back? Not yet. But they may have started the journey.
20. North Carolina – Their OL should appear in front of a UN War Crime Tribunal. The D is real though.
21. Houston – Exciting offense, just enough defense, a coach that will get a lot of offseason job interviews.
22. Notre Dame – They lost a last second shootout on the road Not ready to completely forsake them just yet.
23. Oklahoma State – This is what you get for having a coach who dresses like a Scottsdale golf pro.
24. Miami – Florida State’s struggles with Perriloux St force a frank reassessment of the Canes.
25. Missouri – Found a way to win at home with a young QB after the shellacking of the Illini.

Rank Team Delta
1 Florida
2 Texas
3 Alabama 1
4 Southern Cal 2
5 California 2
6 Mississippi 4
7 Penn State 1
8 Brigham Young 1
9 TCU
10 LSU 3
11 Georgia Tech 5
12 Ohio State 7
13 Cincinnati 2
14 Virginia Tech
15 Oklahoma 4
16 Nebraska 5
17 Boise State 1
18 Kansas 6
19 Michigan
20 North Carolina 3
21 Houston 4
22 Notre Dame 10
23 Oklahoma State 20
24 Miami (Florida) 9
25 Missouri 5
Last week’s ballot

Dropped Out: Georgia (#14), Arkansas (#22), Florida State (#23).

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26 Responses

  1. PrimeTime said:

    September 13th, 2009 at 10:17 pm

    You gotta put ‘SC at number three. Say what you want about USC, but what that program is doing deserves the media “suckoff” they are the best program in the country without a doubt. The scary part about this team is if somebody doesn’t dethrone them in the Pac 10 this year they might not get another chance for about another 4 years. Sure Ohio State is really not that good and will probably go 10-2 beating up the dregs of the Big 11, but its still an impressive win and no team will have a better non-conference win at the end of the year than USC.

  2. doback said:

    September 13th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    “23. Oklahoma State – This is what you get for having a coach who dresses like a Scottsdale golf pro.”

    I hope T. Boone didn’t even spit on the glans last night..

  3. srr50 said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 7:26 am

    12. Ohio St – Jim Tressel could screw up a ham sandwich. He has no idea how to use Pryor and he’s perfectly content to be a big fish in a small pond.

    That’s because Pryor isn’t a quality QB. He lacks the maturity and decision making process to be one. They had a close up of Pryor on the sidelines right before kickoff, and a teammate (who was pumped and smiling) slaps him on the shoulder pads and Pryor turns around and takes his head off. He was tighter than Trips at a Gamblers Anonymous meeting.

    He played that way the whole game — looking for a way out. Maybe Tressell will find a way to “let Terrell be Terrell,” but I doubt it.

  4. coloradoag said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 8:12 am

    I think it is obvious that Tressell has Pryor thinking way too much. He is hesitant running the ball and hesitant in his decision making. You see flashes of his talent, but he just seems uncomfortable out there. Incorporate some simple zone read (ala Texas with VY) and turn the kid loose.

  5. Scipio Tex said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 8:19 am

    Obviously ranking anyone with two weeks data is folly. We shouldn’t rank anyone until October. But it’s fun to discuss.

    Prime:

    I appreciate the comment. I’m not ranking programs though. I’m ranking a single season football team with two weeks data. I think Alabama is a little more complete right now.

    srr50 -

    He isn’t a quality QB? Or is it that Tressel wants to force a square peg into a round hole? What does Pryor do well? How many called runs did he have? How much zone read did he have? How many QB draws did he run out of empty? I think the 18 yard run in the second half through the National Park of USC’s Cover 2 was instructive. You know man, we’ve got some experience in this area. Think about what a lot of people were saying about VY.

  6. Woody Bombay said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 8:26 am

    Ole Miss belongs in that bag, too.

    “… worry about the Big 12 conference’s eroding strength of schedule.”

    Amen to that. I’m surprised that I’m surprised it’s a worry.

  7. srr50 said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 8:32 am

    Scip: Vince needed to be turned loose, but above all else, he loved playing the game. I didn’t see that in Pryor.

    As I said in the first post, Tressell needs to adjust to Pryor’s talents, but I don’t see that happening, and I don’t see Pryor getting out of his funk against quality opponents.

  8. Scipio Tex said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 8:36 am

    srr50:

    I think you need another look at VY’s body language during the 2004 Tech and Missouri games.

    I’m not saying Pryor is VY in terms of talent, leadership, or clutchitude, but his best attributes are not being featured in the offense.

  9. horncasting said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 9:02 am

    Pryor also avoids contact and doesn’t fight for extra yards, traits we never saw from VY in big games.

  10. NateHeupel said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:16 am

    Assuming everything continues on it’s current pace, UT will be playing in what was supposed to be the biggest Red River Shootout game ever against a 3-2 team with nailbiter wins against Tulsa and Baylor to its credit. UT will promptly sodomize OU to the tune of a 20-30 point win, and OU will go on to a 8-4 record. Yeah, I think strength of schedule is a legit worry.

    Sorry about that. This top 25 looks good to me, Scip. Nicely done.

  11. texasengr said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am

    “You gotta put ‘SC at number three. Say what you want about USC, but what that program is doing deserves the media “suckoff” they are the best program in the country without a doubt. The scary part about this team is if somebody doesn’t dethrone them in the Pac 10 this year they might not get another chance for about another 4 years. Sure Ohio State is really not that good and will probably go 10-2 beating up the dregs of the Big 11, but its still an impressive win and no team will have a better non-conference win at the end of the year than USC.”

    Texas has more wins than USC over the past 11 seasons. Texas has 8 straight seasons of 10+ wins and 1 MNC during that time.

    USC has 7 seasons of 10+ wins, 2 MNC’s (with Texas’ MNC being more recent)…

    With Florida dominating the way they are, it’s hard to argue against them.

    Point is, there’s DEFINITELY a “doubt” in my mind that USC has “the best program” …

    Besides, since when does “having the best program” mean that you get the nod over another team in the rankings? Ranking should have nothing to do with program prestige. If you’re bringing up prestige to rank a team, you’re doing it wrong. Period.

  12. Gene Claude said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:29 am

    I know I should root for Nebraska at VaTech, but I can’t do it. I’m going to be nervous enough heading into the MU/NU game without having to witness Nebraska winning in Blacksburg.

  13. Trips Right said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:37 am

    I wonder how much of Georgia Tech’s defensive woes are a function of what they line up against everyday in practice. When they play navy they’ f’stomp them, but what happens when they play a solid passing attack.

    As for the poll, I can’t say I’d disagree. But I’m from Missouri on USC until I see Barkley complete a pass over 10 yards when he just has to.

  14. phi gam90 said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:38 am

    Ohio State wins that game if Pryor has any poise at all.

    One five yard dump to McNight and Barkley is now the best Freshman QB ever?

    I think LSU is too high at 10. They have not impressed me at all in the first two weeks. I know Washington is a different team with Locker at QB, but I don’t know how LSU lets them run up and down the field all night. Vanderbilt was also in the game with LSU all night.

  15. bigdukesix said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am

    Texas has more wins than USC over the past 11 seasons. Texas has 8 straight seasons of 10+ wins and 1 MNC during that time.

    USC has 7 seasons of 10+ wins, 2 MNC’s (with Texas’ MNC being more recent)…

    Why pick 11 seasons? Seems like a rather arbitrary number, doesn’t it? If you compare the two programs since Carroll took over at USC, their record is clearly the more impressive one. They’ve finished ahead of us every year in the final AP poll and Sagarin rankings since 2003, apart from our MNC year. So they’ve arguably been better than us 6 of the last 7 years. Their 7 year 10+ win streak is actually an 11+ win streak.

    For the record, I would say that Florida has probably been the best program this decade, and whether or not USC is the best program right now has no bearing on whether they deserve to be ranked third in this blog poll.

    I have no qualms with any of Scipio’s picks, except maybe to question whether BYU deserves its #8 ranking.

  16. Scipio Tex said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am

    Trips:

    I think that’s a factor. They also graduated a bunch of badass DL.

    phi gam:

    Agree on Barkley. He’s shown nothing yet. I want to see him in a hostile environment with a defense that actually challenges him and forces quick decisions down the field. Cal has that potential.

    I agree LSU is too high as you can tell from what I wrote. The problem is justifying who you put in front of them.

  17. Phenomenal Smith said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 11:13 am

    I also agree on Barkley. I took a shot at him, sort of, when I lauded Gabbert for bringing the Tigers back against the Falcons. I mean, if Barkley is a god because he can make simple passes and hand the ball off well, then Gabbert is too for stumbling around for 2.5 quarters and then engineering the comeback. And Gabbert actually made some throws that travelled greater than 5 yards. After watching Barkley play, and I don’t mean to say he’s bad or anying, but I had to wonder what the hell happened to Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp. Barkley just wasn’t asked to do anything. He’s a liability on that team, right? May be great in the future – may be great next week – but so far we don’t know what the hell he is.

  18. Blake Borron said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 11:22 am

    “Pryor also avoids contact and doesn’t fight for extra yards, traits we never saw from VY in big games.”

    Sorry, this is just utterly wrong. Pryor fights for every yard he can get. Guy is a bulldozer. Check out that first down run he had late in the fourth quarter, it was heart.

  19. dick said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 11:41 am

    “After watching Barkley play, and I don’t mean to say he’s bad or anying, but I had to wonder what the hell happened to Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp. Barkley just wasn’t asked to do anything. He’s a liability on that team, right?”

    That’s a great point PS. Everyone pretty much predicted that Barkley would struggle as a true frosh in his first road game but the question is why the hell is he even starting in the first place? USC doesn’t have anyone that can do better than that?

    I don’t know why I am surprised but this has to be the most lauded 15 for 31, 0TDs and 1INT performance in history for someone that gives you absolutely nothing from a rushing standpoint.

  20. txindc said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 11:48 am

    ““… worry about the Big 12 conference’s eroding strength of schedule.”
    Amen to that. I’m surprised that I’m surprised it’s a worry.”
    “Yeah, I think strength of schedule is a legit worry.”

    Since when has this been a worry? We’ve known since before this season started that Texas was going to have to win out to even be considered for the NC game. From the get-go we’ve known that USC was probably going to be UT’s biggest competitor for the position of Judah to Florida’s Tebow.

    Could a one-loss USC still get the nod over a perfect UT? I could see it, but I think that given that:
    a) we’re only 16% through this season, and
    b) they’re up against some tough competition (I count at least three potential losses – Oregawn State, Cal, and even UCLA, not to mention the chances of Notre Dame getting their shit together), as well as
    c) who knows where the Big 12 ends up (AT&T could be on the upswing, for as much as Colorado sucks we’ll get a boost from beating Wyoming who will likely beat Colorado next week, Kansas hopefully stays ranked)
    I think we still have good chances to keep them at bay, and that we’ll come out with a no-questions-asked better record than them.

    That’s my totally unnecessary take on a season that hasn’t gotten to conference play yet and has plenty of time to go topsy-turvy on everything that we assumed prior to its start.

  21. txindc said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 11:51 am

    Gah, I meant Judas, not Judah. I’m a heretic.

  22. Soonervino said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 2:06 pm

    txindc,
    I cannot imagine a 1 loss USC gets the nod over an undefeated UT.

    Even with the recent losses of the two Oklahoma teams, the overall conference should have up to 5 top 25 teams, UT included. Will the Pac 10? I also doubt their infallability, especially going into Corvalis and a potentially resurgent Notre Dame.

    Also, with the way the Sooners got the nod last year, if it is a judgement call, and if Colt wins the Heisman, I don’t see how a 1 loss USC gets in over an undefeated UT.

  23. Scipio Tex said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Link:

    Deconstructing: The grisly demise of ‘Tressel Ball’

    Worth reading if you want to understand my perspective on Tressel and Pryor. Hinton nails some of the very basic things that were there formationally for Ohio State to take if they’d wanted.

  24. panchoclaus said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 6:31 pm

    Pryor is all heart? He sacked himself on 3rd and 7 or so taking his team out of FG range. VY would have stayed upright risking getting his head lopped off in order to hit Thomas on a drag route over the middle.

  25. edsp said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 9:19 pm

    If you’re having to rate Michigan, Missouri, N. Carolina, Houston, and the like — there aren’t a lot of real strong teams out there. My pick for most overrated (national polls): Mississippi and BYU.

  26. texasengr said:

    September 14th, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    Scipio –

    Thanks for the link. That hit the nail on the head and there were some great links buried within it.

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