College Football Season so far…
Polls
Is it just me or have the polls fluxuated too much this season? I know its early and they change a little more rapidly, but it seems that they are a bit extreme so far this year. I mean, last week, Alabama jumps into the polls last week from unranked to #16 in one and #20 in another. Unranked to #16! South Carolina did the same thing last week, coming in at #17 and then jumping 5 spots to #12 for beating SC State, a team they should have beaten by 70, but they couldn’t even hang 40 points on them. UCLA was ranked #11 and dropped completely out. Georgia Tech, ranked #15, dropped completely out and they lost to a ranked team. These are just a few examples, but I think all the voters have lost their minds. I think they are intentially trying to sabotage the BCS standings with their bad rankings, which they can do because of the amount of weight put on the rankings. It frustrates me because I feel like however ESPN is touting or talking great about this week, it influences all the voters minds to they rank them higher or lower than they should. Aren’t the voters supposed to be people who can think for themselves and evaluate the teams fairly and accurately based on their play? When did the voters become as impressionable as the fans?
New proposal: The guys who make the lines in Vegas, they should have their own poll that has more weight in the BCS than the AP Poll and the USA Today poll. Over the last 3 seasons, those two polls have invalidated their credibility within my mind and those Vegas linesmakers know more about the game, teams, and matchups than anyone else. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to contribute? Why not let the most knowledgeable football minds have a say? Obviously, the AP voters have let us down.
LSU
I get so tired of hearing the comparisons of LSU to NFL Teams, how they are the best team in the state of Louisiana and how they would win the NFC South, etc. People did this with USC a couple years ago when no one in college football could touch them. I know some college teams get to a point that their talent is clearly better than anyone on their schedule and if they are well coached, they do look like they are in a league of their own. However, the NFL is a different ballgame. It is my contention that the worst NFL team, could beat the best college football team every year. Which, as a publicity stunt could be a good matchup, like the Friday before the Super Bowl or something, the last place NFL team has to play the college football champions. Anyway, if one team didn’t just mail it in because they didn’t want to play in the game (the NFL team probably would because they wouldn’t want to risk injury, players would be upset they had to play another game and demand more money, etc), the NFL team would slaughter they college champs. The NFL players are the best of the best of the best college players, under better conditioning (they get to workout and condition year round and don’t have to take classes), under better coaching, with more experience (not just in playing time, but NFL players practice more than college players by far because college players are also expected to be students). It wouldn’t even be close. Sure, a couple defensive players may equal their NFL counterpart in raw talent, but not in experience. Even if you look at said NFL teams quarterback or running back, etc and his numbers are bad, think about it, he was drafted and given an opportunity because his numbers and ability against college defenses looked pretty good. What I’m trying to say is, LSU would be 0-16 if they played in the NFL this season.
Rutgers
I’m tired of Rutgers already. I don’t think they are that good of team, this year or last. They are ranked #11 right now, but they have played Buffalo , Navy, and Norfolk St. Bye this week and then next week, they play a bad Maryland team that they will beat by 21 pts and be ranked in the top 10. But I still think they are about the 4th best team in the Big East behind West Virginia, South Florida, and Louisville (and possibly Cincinnati). I thought that going into the season and still do. Can we make them play some real opponents to start the season so we can go back to them winning 4 games a year please?
Top 3 underrated teams
Missouri
South Florida
Boston College (I was wrong about these guys in my preseason picks)
Top 3 overrated teams
Rutgers
Wisconsin
Ohio State (Yes, I’m down on the Big 10 this year too, ACC and Big 10 have both looked way down in talent and coaching this year).