Blogpoll Preliminary Ballot: Week 11
Sorry this is so late. I often confuse these "AM" and "PM" things you hear so much about.
Games Watched: NIU-Ball State, 1st half of TCU-Utah (plus the highlights), Virginia Tech-Maryland, Michigan-Minnesota, Ohio State-Northwestern, Portions of Texas-Baylor, Portions of Michigan State-Purdue, The end of Illinois-Western Michigan, Alabama-LSU, Penn State-Iowa, Portions of Florida Satte-Clemson, Oklahoma State-Texas Tech, Portions of Vanderbilt-Florida, BC-Notre Dame.
Things I'm Iffy About:
 | ||
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech |  2 |
| 2 | Alabama | -- |
| 3 | Texas | 1 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 2 |
| 5 | Florida | 2 |
| 6 | Penn State |  5 |
| 7 | Southern Cal | 1 |
| 8 | Utah | 1 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 4 |
| 10 | Georgia | 2 |
| 11 | Boise State | 1 |
| 12 | Missouri | 1 |
| 13 | Ohio State | 1 |
| 14 | TCU | 3 |
| 15 | Michigan State | -- |
| 16 | Brigham Young | -- |
| 17 | Virginia Tech | 9 |
| 18 | Pittsburgh | 2 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 7 |
| 20 | California | 2 |
| 21 | Maryland | 2 |
| 22 | Florida State | 1 |
| 23 | Ball State | 3 |
| 24 | Georgia Tech | 7 |
| 25 | Tulsa | 3 |
Dropped Out: Minnesota (#21), West Virginia (#24), LSU (#25).
Games Watched: NIU-Ball State, 1st half of TCU-Utah (plus the highlights), Virginia Tech-Maryland, Michigan-Minnesota, Ohio State-Northwestern, Portions of Texas-Baylor, Portions of Michigan State-Purdue, The end of Illinois-Western Michigan, Alabama-LSU, Penn State-Iowa, Portions of Florida Satte-Clemson, Oklahoma State-Texas Tech, Portions of Vanderbilt-Florida, BC-Notre Dame.
Things I'm Iffy About:
- #1 and #2. Texas Tech's schedule has a worse back end, seeing as how they played TWO(!) 1-AA schools, and Alabama played none. However, the top of the resume is much better, as Texas Tech has beaten a pair of top 10 teams, whereas Alabama's best win is... in overtime against a not-very-good LSU unit? Alabama has also struggled much more with the teams on their schedule, whereas Texas Tech has blown out pretty much everyone except Texas. For now, I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the team with the better wins, not the one with fewer bad teams on the schedule.
- Not having Oklahoma State ahead of Utah. However, they do have 2 losses (to the Utes' 0), regardless of against whom those losses came. Aside from the #1 wins on the resume (which give OK State a slight edge) and losses on the resume (which gives Utah a slight edge), I think the resumes aren't as far off as you'd think. Utah is ahead of the Cowboys until someone convinces me otherwise.
- TCU over Michigan State. IT looks like MSU wins that comparison easily, on second review. Those teams will be switched on the final ballot unless someone tries to convince me why they shouldn't be.
- The order after #15 or so. I feel like there are a lot of comparisons that are similar enough I just threw the teams in there.
This entry was posted by Tim, on
Monday, November 10, 2008.
You can leave your response.
11/11/2008 05:07:00 AM
Alabama had Georgia 35-3 at half on the road. I think it is about matchups. Even though LSU is not the best team Alabama will play, most agreed there were a tough matchup since their strengths were similar (physical lines). Both teams made mistakes, but the win on the road over a tough team (LSU) has to be worth more than a win at home over an OkSt team that has done what, beaten a down Mizzou team and hung in with Texas.
I also realize LSU has beaten no one and has 3 losses, but not ranked? I actually feel some physical pain. The 3 losses were good losses- to very good teams. Maryland has 3 losses, 1 to a bad team. GA Tech has 3 losses, each to moderate teams. Tulsa was beaten by SEC doormat Arkansas. Cal has 3 losses in the Pac10 which is next to last in line to get their 1-loss team into title game. How about a pity #25?
11/11/2008 02:21:00 PM
What has LSU done to deserve being ranked? They have played 3 good teams. Two of said teams absolutely crushed the Tigers. The other managed to beat them in overtime.
LSU struggled against Auburn (who nobody will claim is a great team). The only plausible justification for ranking them so far this season is the circular argument of "The SEC is good, because it has teams like LSU. LSU is good because it is in the SEC." The same arguments were made for Tennessee and Auburn at the beginning of the year, and both faltered, primarily because they didn't play as easy a schedule as LSU. The Big 12 is light years ahead of the SEC this season.
..and I guess that responds to the first half of your argument as well. LSU cannot be considered a "tough team" until they beat somebody respectable, or at least until they stop making sure to throw their requisite 4 interceptions each game.
11/11/2008 02:49:00 PM
You make good points. But to have an outlier view (LSU not ranked not standard among pollsters), you should be able to be proven wrong. LSU probably go to Outback Bowl and play Big Ten 4 (assuming OSU goes BCS, which they should, because who else??) which is Minn, NW, IA, then you will not be impressed by such a win. I cannot prove they are any good, but as a top 4 team in a conference whose champion will play in 3 straight BCS games at least deserves a ranking.
11/11/2008 02:59:00 PM
Eh... a Big Ten team has been in the Championship game the past year. Should we default to putting the #4 team in the Big 10 in the top25? NU and Minnesota probably wouldn't mind that.
You're using circular logic. SEC is good therefore a midlevel team in the SEC is good. Well, why is the SEC good?
They have a couple great teams (Alabama and UF), but the Big Ten's top 2 could probably win 3 of 10 against them, especially playing up north in the winter with crazy wind like Clark had to deal with.
USC, UT, Ole Miss, MSU, Auburn, Vandym Kentucky and Ark are all below average teams. I'd probably take the bottom of the Big10 over the bottom of the SEC. Georgia is pretty good, but nothing too special. LSU hasn't really shown anything besides an ability to beat the teams they should and lose to teams with a pulse (see Dame, Notre).
This is a down year for the SEC and the best year in a really long time for the Big12.