September 7, 2010
Why is Labor Day so great? Three day weekends and the start of college football. Week one is in the books, and if you weren't entertained by this past weekend's games, then tune in this week for a Super Saturday.
Boise State made a statement, and Virginia Tech let the ACC down. But will Boise play for a national title? I still don't think so. Do I think they deserve a shot? Yes. But I'd also like to see a 4-team playoff, and if that playoff was this year, it would probably be something like this: the SEC Champion vs. TCU, the Big 12 Champion vs. Boise State and the winners play for the title. But hey, Tony Kornheiser made the best point: under the current system, just put Boise State in a BCS conference. Throw them in the Pac-10. At least next year in the Mountain West they can play a more respectable schedule. So Who's playing for national title in Glendale on January 10? It's going to be the great debate going into the first weekend of December.
Boise State gained seven first-place votes in today's AP Poll to give them eight total. That's more than Ohio State, but Boise remained ranked at No. 3. In other words, the other pollsters aren't jumping on the bandwagon just yet. Ohio State had four first-place votes, and Texas kept it's one. But in the Coaches' Poll, Boise State did not receive a single first place vote, but did move up to No. 3, but despite the climb, Boise State's only shot for a national championship is through the AP Poll, they're still not a player in the BCS Title, unfortunately, but if there ever was a Boise State roster that could take on anyone and win, it's this 2010 roster. Next year, there's a lot of turnover in that Boise roster.
Anyway, Here's my New Top 25.
And don't discount, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Oregon State just because they lost their first game. They can climb back in, but right now they're out because that's just the way it goes early in the season.
Last week's rankings
My Top 25
1. Alabama (1)
Beat San Jose State 48-3
Next: vs. Penn State
AP/USA: 1/1
2. Ohio State (2)
Beat Marshall 45-7
Next: vs. Miami
AP/USA: 2/2
3. Boise State (3)
Beat Virginia Tech 33-30
Next: at Wyoming (Sept. 18)
AP/USA: 3/3
4. TEXAS (4)
Beat Rice 34-17
Next: vs. Wyoming
AP/USA: 5/4
5. Iowa (7)
Beat Eastern Illinois 37-7
Next: vs. Iowa State
AP/USA: 9/9
6. TCU (6)
Beat Oregon State 30-21
Next: vs. Tennessee Tech
AP/USA: 4/5
7. Oklahoma (5)
Beat Utah State 31-24
Next: vs. Florida State
AP/USA: 10/10
8. Nebraska (9)
Beat Western Kentucky 49-10
Next: vs. Idaho
AP/USA: 6/7
9. Florida (8)
Beat Miami (OH) 34-12
Next: vs. South Florida
AP/USA: 8/6
10. Oregon (11)
Beat New Mexico 72-0
Next: at Tennessee
AP/USA: 7/8
11. Miami (12)
Beat Florida A&M 45-0
Next: at Ohio State
AP/USA: 12/12
12. Wisconsin (14)
Beat UNLV 41-21
Next: vs. San Jose State
AP/USA: 11/11
13. Virginia Tech (10)
Lost to Boise State 33-30
Next: vs. James Madison
AP/USA: 13/13
14. USC (16)
Beat Hawaii 49-36
Next: vs. Virginia
AP/USA: 16/X
15. LSU (16)
Beat North Carolina 30-24
Next: at Vanderbilt
AP/USA: 19/16
16. Arkansas (18)
Beat Tennessee Tech 44-3
Next: vs. Louisiana-Monroe
AP/USA: 14/15
17. Penn State (23)
Beat Youngstown State 44-14
Next: at Alabama
AP/USA: 18/14
18. Auburn (20)
Beat Arkansas State 52-26
Next: at Mississippi State
AP/USA: 21/20
19. Florida State (21)
Beat Samford 59-6
Next: at Oklahoma
AP/USA: 17/18
20. Georgia Tech (19)
Beat South Carolina State 41-10
Next: at Kansas
AP/USA: 15/17
21. South Carolina (22)
Beat Southern Miss 41-13
Next: vs. Georgia
AP/USA: 24/25
22. Arizona (NR)
Beat Toledo 41-2
Next: vs. The Citadel
AP/USA: NR/23
23. West Virginia (24)
Beat Coastal Carolina 31-0
Next: at Marshall
AP/USA: 23/22
24. Georgia (NR)
Beat Louisiana-Lafayette 55-7
Next: at South Carolina
AP/USA: 22/19
25. Utah (NR)
Beat Pittsburgh 27-24 in Overtime
Next: vs. UNLV
AP/USA: 20/21
On the Bubble: Pittsburgh, Brigham Young, Rutgers, Stanford, North Carolina, Houston, Oregon State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas Tech, Michigan
Bubbles Bursted: Connecticut, Purdue, Washington, Navy, SMU, Cincinnati
Early Look at Week 2
Thursday:
Central Michigan at Temple (7:00 ESPNU)
The old MAC Champion vs. the new MAC favorite. Central Michigan is replacing every playmaker on offense while Temple returns the core of its bowl team from a year ago, but break in a new quarterback. The key to the game is Bernard Pierce. Pierce struggled to get things going against a Villanova team that won the FCS Championship a year ago, and almost upset the Owls. Temple rallied at the end with a field goal to win it. It's a changing of the guard in the MAC and this is the game to prove it.
Auburn at Mississippi State (7:30 ESPN)
If you read anything else I've posted, I'm pretty high on Auburn this season. They played in the most exciting bowl game in defeating Northwestern last year and bring back a lot on offense and defense, and have a favorable schedule. This is the first of a few potential roadblocks for the Tigers. Starkville is no rodeo, but Auburn should be able to pull out a close win on the road.
Super Saturday:
Georgia at South Carolina (Noon on ESPN)
Georgia is higher in the rankings that matter, but I did not include Georgia in my preseason rankings, but I did have South Carolina included, and still have the Gamecocks ranked ahead of the Bulldogs. I'm hoping now that South Carolina will help me out and solidify my reasoning for having them ranked higher. Georgia is supposed to be the most improved teams, but their big weapon AJ Greene is still out, and the defense that was so bad last year will get tested by South Carolina's much improved offense with the growth of quarterback Stephen Garcia, the rise of Alshon Jeffery and the arrival of freshman stud tailback Marcus Lattimore.
Florida State at Oklahoma (3:30 ABC)
Oklahoma struggled last week against WAC opponent Utah State, winning 31-24 while Florida State pummeled Samford 59-6 in Christian Ponder's return. Christian Ponder is on my Heisman watch, and Florida State is on my ACC Championship watch. Honestly, we know Oklahoma is the better team in this matchup, probably the more dominant team to say the least, but with a little help from the Sooners, Florida State can pull off this upset. Florida State went into Provo last year and routed BYU on its turf while they were flying high. This year the Sooners are thinking national title and FSU can ruin it right here.
Michigan at Notre Dame (3:30 NBC)
Hot seat? What hot seat? Rich Rodriguez wouldn't announce his starting quarterback, but he didn't have to. Denard Robinson announced it himself to the world has he burst onto the scene in his first start replacing Tate Forcier. I questioned the move, but now we know why Shoelaces is in there. He's always been an explosive runner but he's accurate passing too. He's the perfect "Pat White" for Rich Rod's system which will bring Michigan back to contention. If Robinson continutes to play well and the offense clicks, Rich Rod's job is safe in Ann Arbor.As for the Irish, after knocking down Purdue, expectations are starting to flutter around in South Bend. Both teams are playing for a spot in the Top 25.
Penn State at Alabama (7:00 ESPN)
Alright everyone, big announcement: Alabama is beatable. Maybe just not by Penn State...
Fans up here are rough though, while doing the ComRadio pregame show live in front of Beaver Stadium Saturday morning, I got yelled at by fans for saying Iowa was going to win the Big Ten, not PSU. Being fan is one thing, but being unrealistic is another. If I know Texas isn't going to be a contender, then I won't say they are. That's how all fans should be.
But anyway, Alabama's beatable, Texas had them in last year's title game before Colt went down. And this year's Alabama is NOT last year's Alabama, not even close. The defense reloaded, but is not a dominant force like last season. Dont'a Hightower and Marcell Dareus are the only returning starters, and the entire secondary (which was overrated last year) is new. The front seven is Alabama's strength so don't expect Penn State to try to play smashmouth Big Ten football with Evan Royster. Robert Bolden will become a passer real fast and needs to use his mobility to his advantage, and the size of his receivers.
Alabama will win, but Penn State will hang around. We'll see if the true freshman can handle the spotlight. Alabama will be without Mark Ingram again (which is doing the team a favor because Trent Richardson should be getting more carries anyway), but with the game in Tuscaloosa, it's too much for a Penn State team looking for its identity.
Oregon at Tennessee (7:00 on ESPN2)
Tennessee has already been written off in the SEC East with the rise of Georgia and South Carolina, but the Vols still have a great defense and an underrated offense. Oregon's never been a team to play defense, so it'll be interesting if this becomes a back-and-forth game. Oregon won't put up 72 points against Tennessee, and won't have a 100 yard rusher in the first half. Lane Stadium is not the easiest place, especially for a cross country trip. Could Oregon stumble? I think they get off to a slow start, but win a close one.
Stanford at UCLA (10:30 ESPN)
What's happened to the Pac-10? Is there anyone who thinks USC will still win the conference? There were so many different expert picks on Pac-10: Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, Washington, Stanford, USC. Well Stanford kicks off the Pac-10 schedule first and goes against an experienced UCLA team. Stanford's offense isn't missing a beat without Toby Gerhart and the defense is much approved.
Don't be shocked if...
Florida loses to South Florida,
Florida State beats Oklahoma,
Miami beats Ohio State,
Air Force beats BYU,
Oregon loses to Tennessee,
or UCLA beats Stanford.
Heisman Watch:
On the Rise:
Jacory Harris, Terrelle Pryor, Kellen Moore, Andrew Luck, Christian Ponder, Ryan Mallett, Matt Barkley
Getting into the Discussion: Denard Robinson, DeMarco Murray, Patrick Peterson, Kendall Hunter
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