January 11, 2011
The 2010 college football season is officially over and the 2011 season has unofficially started. Before we move on, I bring to you my final rankings after all the bowl games. One thing I do want to say, I gained a lot of respect for Oregon.
College football needs Oregon to be good. (Oregon's Back). Autzen Stadium is the best atmosphere in all of college sports, the Duck mascot is the best mascot in the country, Oregon's cheerleaders are the best are the country, the national exposure that Oregon gets and will continue to get as long they're national contenders is great for the sport and its fans.
I recall that Auburn was my top sleeper team in the preseason but NEVER did I imagine that they'd win the national championship back in August. I said they could make a BCS game, nobody thought they'd win it all.
Before I go on with my rankings, let me say some things about the official AP Poll and Coaches' Poll. Both polls have Maryland ranked after they beat East Carolina 51-20 in the Military Bowl and Ralph Friedgen gave that emotional "Let's hope we get ranked" speech in the locker room. I think with respect to Friedgen is how Maryland got ranked. They're a very borderline top 25 team to me and I'm sorry, I don't think beating up that East Carolina defense is very impressive and the only team Maryland beat all year was NC State.
One major issue I want to point out is how the heck did UConn pick up seven votes in the Coaches' Poll? UConn was 8-4 and not very good to begin with and then they lose the Fiesta Bowl 48-20 and there's still people out there ranking UConn. It's a mystery to me, but not only a mystery, also a corrupt system.
The AP Poll has Nevada at No. 11 and the Coaches have Nevada at No. 13. I for whatever reason moved Nevada up one spot from 18 to 17 despite being 13-1. You don't hear people arguing for Nevada to be the best one-loss team in the country though do you? There's a reason for that. Maybe I'm not giving them any respect and I apologize for that. I'm giving my respect instead to Central Florida, Northern Illinois and San Diego State. We have a small shift near the bottom of the rankings where I've given credit to the smaller non-AQ schools. We all know about Boise and TCU and even Nevada, but UCF, Northern Illinois and San Diego State have not been given the recognition they deserve nor has Miami of Ohio. The AP Poll however did rank Tulsa at No. 24 but excludes Northern Illinois and San Diego State. San Diego State is like Mississippi State, they're four losses came to very good football teams and Northern Illinois is at a school record 11 wins. But Tulsa? At 10-3, sure I guess they're a top 25 team but NOT ahead of the Huskies and Aztecs. I don't care that Tulsa put up 62 points against the HAWAII defense. And that defense gave up 35 points to Hawaii. Has anyone seen Tulsa's defense play? It's bad, and Hawaii's is worse. Northern Illinois on the other hand plays outstanding defense and has an offense just as explosive as Tulsa's.
I'm also not giving any love to the Big East (after what West Virginia did) or to Utah. My main dilemma was where to rank Michigan State after Alabama ripped their pants apart in the Capital One Bowl. In Michigan State's two losses they were outscored 86-13. Put that in perspective. I ended up putting the Spartans at No. 14, and they should be lower but one component of my rankings are "Who can beat who" and I think Michigan State would beat the other teams behind them head-to-head and that's why I have Michigan State high at No. 14, to have them ahead of those aforementioned teams.
The three components of my rankings are:
1. The Eye Test
2. "Who can beat who head-to-head" hypothetically
3. Body of work
My Last Rankings of the 2010 College Football Season
(x) = previous ranking
1. Auburn 14-0 (1)
My preseason ranking: 20
2. TCU 13-0 (5)
My preseason ranking: 6
3. Oregon 12-1 (2)
My preseason ranking: 11
4. Stanford 12-1 (6)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
5. Alabama 10-3 (13)
My preseason ranking: 1
6. Ohio State 12-1 (7)
My preseason ranking: 2
7. Boise State 12-1 (4)
My preseason ranking: 3
8. LSU 11-2 (13)
My preseason ranking: 15
9. Oklahoma 12-2 (9)
My preseason ranking: 5
10. Wisconsin 11-2 (3)
My preseason ranking: 14
11. Arkansas 10-3 (8)
My preseason ranking: 18
12. Oklahoma State 11-2 (16)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
13. Mississippi State 9-4 (22)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
14. Michigan State 11-2 (10)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
15. Missouri 10-3 (15)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
16. Virginia Tech 11-3 (12)
My preseason ranking: 10
17. Nevada 13-1 (18)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
18. Central Florida 11-3 (23)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
19. Florida State 10-3 (24)
My preseason ranking: 21
20. South Carolina 9-5 (20)
My preseason ranking: 22
21. Texas A&M 9-4 (19)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
22. Nebraska 10-4 (14)
My preseason ranking: 9
23. San Diego State 9-4 (25)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
24. North Carolina State 9-4 (NR)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
25. Northern Illinois 11-3 (NR)
My preseason ranking: not ranked
Dropped: West Virginia (17), Utah (21)
Bubble: Maryland, West Virginia, Miami (OH), Tulsa, Notre Dame
Teams that I ranked preseason that did not finish ranked:
4. Texas 5-7
7. Iowa 8-5
8. Florida 8-5
12. Miami 7-6
13. Pittsburgh 8-5
16. USC 7-5
17. North Carolina 8-5
19. Georgia Tech 6-7
23. Penn State 7-6
24. West Virginia 8-5
25. Oregon State 5-7
MY OFF-THE-TOP-OF-MY-HEAD PRESEASON RANKINGS FOR 2011
Keep in mind that these will change over time as players leave for the NFL Draft, players get hurt, spring games are played, more recruits sign
1. Oklahoma
2. Oregon
3. Alabama
4. LSU
5. Boise State
6. Arkansas
7. Stanford
8. Florida State
9. South Carolina
10. Ohio State
11. Texas A&M
12. Nebraska
13. Wisconsin
14. Oklahoma State
15. TCU
16. Texas
17. Mississippi State
18. Michigan State
19. Florida
20. Auburn
21. Missouri
22. West Virginia
23. Arizona State
24. Central Florida
25. Notre Dame
Bubble: Penn State, Northern Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Virginia Tech
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