Yeah, yeah. We all know it by now. The USA Today/Coaches Poll is out and Georgia got the number one spot. I’ve got no problem admitting that it’s taken me a few days to stomach the results but I’ve finally come to terms with it. Doesn’t take long to see that the SEC/USC love fest is all set to continue for yet another year. The media darlings have gotten so out of hand that I’m shocked to see that Notre Dame didn’t get into the top five.
Let’s take a minute to look at a few select picks from this year’s opening rankings:
1. Georgia:
Am I missing something here. Last year they lost to South Carolina, barely got past Alabama, got smacked around by Tennessee, beat Vanderbilt by a field goal and were angry that they didn’t get into the BCS Championship game. Go figure.
So they kicked the shit out of Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Does that really tell us anything? (But nobody respects us)
I’ll accept the notion that Georgia has talent but one of the biggest challenges may be getting the players to the starting line. So far five starting players have been suspended for charges ranging from public intoxication and urinating in public to breaking through a parking barrier at an area hospital – not with a car but bare hands.
Luckily for Georgia, this is still Georgia and most of the players are facing only a two game suspension. Funny, at Ohio State, players get kicked off the team for similar violations.
The biggest thing going for Georgia’s BCS run is their schedule. If they can knock off LSU and Florida (granted they are doing well) then yea, they deserve a shot.
2. USC
Wow, there’s a shocker. ESPN/Mark May love child USC once again finds itself at the top of the ranks. I’ve got no complaints though as this one will work itself out about week three. Since the world seems to think USC is so good, there had better not be any questions about Ohio State if/when we beat them. If the Buckeyes run the table from there, I don’t care how bad the last two looked, they deserve another shot at the BCS Championship.
3. Ohio State
With something like 20 starters returning, Beanie looking healthy and ready for a Heisman chase and more depth than about any team I can remember, I’ve got to ask, how did Georgia get in there again?
Buckeyes have one choice this year and that’s to run the table. Unlike USC or about any SEC team, the Buckeyes won’t get any second chances. They either do it or they don’t get a shot – just the way it should be.
4. Oklahoma
I’ll be honest, I don’t know enough about this team. They looked great last year but fell on their face at the end. Opponents Texas and Kansas should make good games but other than that, I’m sticking to a wait and see policy on Oklahoma
5. Florida
Ohhhh….Tim Tebow. Am I the only one not impressed? Personally, I’d love to see a BCS Championship rematch against Florida. Even if the game is in their own backyard this year. Of the top ten though, I think Florida will be one of the teams to watch. I thought we’d see a rematch last year but they couldn’t put it together. With plenty of talent coming back for another shot, not to mention a spread offense, I hope to see them in Miami. Besides, the SEC gets an automatic bid to the BCS Championship these days don’t they? Why not Florida?
6. LSU
Even if we were to see an Ohio State/LSU BCS rematch, it won’t be much of a rematch. Most of the top brass has moved on and they lost their go to quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. While earlier problems including bar fights and an investigation into counterfeiting resulted in suspensions, failed drug test appears to have been the final straw. Funny, I didn’t hear anyone yelling that LSU should give their BCS Trophy back.
Oh, did I mention they open against Appalachian State?
It’s getting late but a couple of other spots to note:
12 Wisconsin – This time last year I thought the Badgers were the team to beat. I’ll need a little more proof this year.
17 Bringham Young – ?????
19 Illinois:
I think Illinois is going to be better. Juice Williams will be back with a chip on his shoulder.
22 – Penn State – This could be JoPa’s last year (again). That right there should be enough to motivate them into the top 25. You would think.
24 – Michigan — Oh…that’s a good one…please…stop…I can’t take any more. What, wasn’t Notre Dame available?
Oh, and before I forget, the Buckeyes opened practice yesterday.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
It appears I’m the first to comment here, which is good, because I prefer being a rabble rouser.
1) Two teams have consistently had the most raw talent, top to bottom, over the last six years than any other team, despite their records: USC and LSU. USC is getting credit for what has been a very carefully cultivated and competitive depth chart that prepares backups like virtually no other team I’ve seen. I certainly think their fan base is as delusional as they come, and seem to bandwagon otherwise great tradition like and Ohio State or Michigan or Texas or Oklahoma or Florida fan would never do. In short, they like there good years, gone all the rest. Being a college football fan in Los Angeles, that sort of thing is tough to stomach. Still and all, I’d guess their roster right now has more future NFL players than any other. That’s not something pollsters forget. Not to mention, a relatively decent Pac-10 in years past will be suffering a slow year this year, comparatively and competitively speaking. Their only test is Ohio State, and voters likely flipped a coin for that outcome, winner takes #2.
2) That brings us to who’s #1. I despise the University of Georgia, but to be fair, the only starter who was suspended was their long snapper. The rest were backups. Also, Knowshon Moreno was the most explosive running back at the end of last season, finishing with only 270 yards less than the excellent, excellent Beanie Wells, while catching 20 passes for 250, all while only starting nine games. The team returns 17 starters–their entire O-line–from the most explosive squad after Oct. 1 of last year, and even Steve Spurrier would tell you if that if South Carolina met them again, they would’ve lost.
3) The notion that Tim Tebow is somehow overrated is simply unfounded. He broke the rushing TD record in a conference that’s seen the likes of Hershel Walker, Bo Jackson, Jamal Lewis, Shaun Alexander, Emmitt Smith, Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Terrell Davis, Deuce McAlister, Garrison Hearst, Darren McFadden, and I’m running out of breath. And he’s an effing quarterback! You could say they were all 1-yard punches, but 15 of them were TD runs of more than 5 yards. He also threw for 900 more yards than Todd Boeckman with a higher completion percentage, 2 more YPA than Todd Boeckman, 32 touchdowns to Boeckman’s 25 and 6 picks to T.B.’s 14. And his passer rating–an objective measure–was 172 to Boeckman’s 148. Just FYI.
4) As a WAC fan (where’s my Fresno St. #25 shout out … what), it’s pretty easy for me to be objective on conference difficulty. The SEC has five national championship coaches right now, set an NCAA record with 7 bowl victories in 2007, is 11-4 is BCS games since the flawed system’s inception in 1998 (Second is the Pac-10 at 8-4), they’ve won three of the last five national championships, not counting the fact that a 13-0 Auburn team didn’t play in the title game in ’04. The SEC is 2-0 against OSU in the last two natty title games and 9-0 against OSU all time (sadly true). And opening day rosters for the NFL 2007 season had more starters from the SEC (by 16) than any other conference. (I think that WAC had 2. Sigh.) I feel you on team-by-team media bias, and there’s consistently an argument for USC, Florida, ND (why are all of their games auto-televised, because they lose to Navy?), but conference wide, I think the statistics are tough to dispute.
5) I won’t get into defending Okie too much because you cut them some slack, but they’ll have an offensive powerhouse with arguably the best offensive line in the nation. And on defense, Auston English might be the best defensive end in the country, along with George Selvie (USF) and Greg Middleton (Indiana).
6) I also think the LSU pick is too high, but I think the Perriloux ouster will end up being better for their team, and the record will show it. A talented kid, but too poisonous to be a leader. Again, LSU from a raw talent perspective is as good as any team, but Les-is-more Miles is running out of Saban’s recruits–and ideas. Look for these guys to bang with anyone, but finish about 11.
7) If Michigan wasn’t in shambles before, they are getting there now. The R.R. fiasco has been an utter mess, and simply did too much distraction damage for a program as big as theirs. I’d say they’re good enough to finish in the top 25, but it ain’t gonna be pretty.
9) After my ridiculous rant here from the anonymous stranger, I’m going to throw you guys some love. You have 18 (technically) returning starters–20 if you’re flexible with the term “start”–on a team that’s been to two straight national championships. It’s a bit of a slow year for the Big Ten, which makes it at least a little bit easier getting past rivals, even though those games are never easy. Jim Tressel is one of the greatest coaches walking the sidelines, and theres simply no arguing it. You have almost two sure All-American locks on defense, and at least one on offense (though, it may not be Beanie Wells … Alex Boone, anyone?). Even though I defended USC a little bit, if these were my rankings, not that I count, you would be ranked #2. I’m sorry, that’s the best that I can do. Still, given UGA’s schedule this year, it’s unlikely they’ll make it through that gauntlet unscathed. On the other hand, if Ohio State wins here in Los Angeles, a trip to the title game is your to lose. As a football fan, I’ll be in attendance, hoping you kick the shit out USC because I love hearing the people here piss and moan. Still, I’m not really convinced you can do it in the Coliseum. Here’s to hoping.
p.s. I bet you’ll delete this comment.
Ahh, the aptly named scrivner has spoken.
I wouldn’t dare delete a comment like that. Besides, for the most part, I think we’re in agreement (and you’ve got the stats I was too lazy to put up last night when I wrote this).
Your quality commentary (as opposed to my above smack talk) is welcome any time on this forum.