(Apologies, JCB readers for the slow posting to start the week. I have been too paralyzed watching the Tigers fight the Yankees in the MLB playoffs the last two nights to concentrate on posts. So, we’re behind a little. We should be caught up by the middle of the week. Let’s get it started with my Blog Poll Ballot for the week)
Alabama added a major scalp to their resume, making the parsing between themselves and the LSU Tigers for poll voters all the more difficult. LSU has a great trio of wins over Oregon, Mississippi State and West Virginia. All of those games were away from home, but maybe that MSU win isnt the great shakes it once looked like. The Crimson Tide finally have a notable trio of scalps as well, throttling Penn State, Arkansas and Florida. The Gator win in the Swamp was eye opening, but is a win over Penn State, albeit on the road, really something that props up the resume? Both defenses are lights out and debating which unit is better is lik debating New York City centerfielders in the 1950s. There isnt a wrong answer. And, frankly, there isnt a wrong answer right now trying to pick between these two teams for the top spot on your ballot. Me? I am sticking with LSU. Quibble if you want, but I still like those three wins better than the Tide’s, but the eye test margin is razor thin. The main reason there isnt a wrong answer here is the fact the answer will provide itself eventually. We’re only 32 days away from the Tigers/Tide titantic clash in Tuscaloosa the first Saturday of November. I expect both teams to stay 1-2 on my ballot through that weekend. At this point, its safe to call that game a de facto National Championship Semifinal game. The early line? Alabama, at home, is 5-point chalk. Place your bets.
After the SEC heavyweights my ballot reads Oklahoma, Boise, Wisconsin, Clemson, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon and Texas. Thats the top-10. Can I stop there? I wish I could because filling out the final 15 spots proved a difficult task this week. I’ve changed this ballot at least ten times since Sunday afternoon before finally giving up, turning this one in and dealing with whatever mocking and blowback ensues as people break down my ballot. It seemed like not only did half my ballot from a week ago lose this weekend, but so many of them lost badly, were exposed as frauds and left me cringing every time I filled out a ballot spot with their name.
Texas, Arkansas, West Virginia, Michigan, Illinois and Georgia Tech took advantage of all the losing and made major jumps up the charts without really adding anything impressive to their resume. Of those six teams, maybe Illinois’ win over Northwestern and Texas’ drubbing of Iowa State rated a second look and thats not really saying a ton. All these teams have bigtime games coming up the rest of this month. They will prove their worthiness or not in the upcoming weeks.
Despite being totally shellacked over the weekend, I didnt really drop Florida or Nebraska a ton. Both are clinging to the top-15. My sense is after the first 6-8 teams, there is a wide gulf. Clearly Florida and Nebraska are on the other side of that gulf. But, the teams just ahead and behind them on my ballot probably would have suffered similar fates at the hands of the Badgers and Crimson Tide. Of the second tier teams nationally, I still think the Gators and Huskers are among the best of that group. So they were embarassed on national TV, but stayed in my top-15. I’m sure that eases the pain.
Kansas State jumped five spots after beating Baylor. Most KSU teams have zero resume in early October, but a pair of nice wins over the Bears and Miami has the Wildcats breaking the top-20. Baylor falls out as their win over TCU doesnt look that shiny anymore and they showcased zero defense last Saturday in Manhatten. Read more »
