Pollsters administer swift and austere justice

The AP and USA have come under scrutiny this week on the validity of the pre-season poll as there is no true data other than returning starters to go on, does it give some schools an unfair advantage and place a “glass ceiling” on others? Well, in order to help balance the scales the polls have been greatly rewarding the risk takers and subsequently handing down stiff penalties for those that disappoint. The most notable movers this week were:

Ole Miss – Sentenced to the equivalent of the “Death Penalty”, as they get hammered 17 places in the AP to 21 after a tough SEC road loss to the Ol’ Ball Coach. Why their drop is so significant in relation to others is because of the tough road they’ll face with their SEC schedule. No doubt they’ll taste defeat again and the hopes of a 2-loss team climbing that many places to get back to BCS status is remote.

California – No East Coast bias here, Cal gets the same sentence and drops 18 spots from 6 to 24 after getting smoked in Eugene. This sentence is even worse than that handed down to Ole’ Miss because the Pac-10 doesn’t provide the quality wins that a SEC schedule would so Cal can’t climb all the way back even if they run the table.

Penn St. – Actually, a light sentence for being found guilty of a home loss to an unranked opponent, but they’re actually not out of the picture at 15 (11 spot drop) as they should run the table in a weak Big-10 with their shot at Ohio St. and a BCS game on the horizon. What has fallen off the radar is a NCG reservation.

Miami – the pollsters giveth and taketh away, as the benefactors of a nostalgic gravitational pull towards matchups of Orange Bowls past the ‘Canes went from obscurity to top ten with a bullet (and a Fla. St. dropped pass) only to have the slipper get smashed in Blacksburgh. However now Miami is justly ranked and should be able to win the ACC but they’ll have to put up a good showing at home against OU next week to be in contention for a BCS bid.

Florida State – It’s hard to tell where this pendulum will stop with this team as they osculate from a tough home loss to a Miami team that turned out to be better than expected to upsetting a BYU team that many thought was BCS bound, to getting kicked out of the top 25, and justifiably so, after a terrible home loss to USF, and it’s wasn’t the University of San Francisco.

Did the crime justify the punishment for these schools or was it too “Jack McCoy”?

Upset dog rears its head and shakes up the top 10

There is always one Saturday in every college football season where the dogs come out and bark and shake up the entire BCS. This was not quite that severe but it may be a harbinger of things to come this season. Each week it’s looking like this will be a year where the BCS is comprised of teams with multiple losses. The top biscuit this week was USC, that we felt was susceptible to getting knocked off as they were suffering from ‘Bradford disease’ with Barkely sitting out due to a shoulder injury, but in retrospect it was the multiple turnovers that were at the crux of USC’s 16-13 loss to Washington. Another in the long line of SC defeats to non-ranked Pac-10 teams. The loss sent the Trojans on the fast track out of the top 10 and now they have an Everest to climb if they have any hopes of getting to the NCG. Another biscuit for the dogs was BYU, also mentioned in our upset probables, because of the huge difference in team speed. It was apparent from the beginning that it was substantial as the Noles’ got up quick on the Cougars and never let them back in the game. A huge win for Bowden and a serious blow for BYU who just had to hold serve and they were this year’s UTAH ( a mid-major holding down a BCS spot), but they were penalized severely for their insubordination and sentenced to hard labor in Siberia at number 19. Georgia Tech and Utah were the last morsals for the dogs this week as GT lost to a Miami team that now does not look like so much of an upset, but Utah was shipped out of the top 25 as Oregon got up big then held the Utes off in the 4th quarter for a big home win to help them recover from the opening day debacle against Boise State. Did the penalties fit the crimes or were the upset losers penalized too heavily? Moreover, will the teams that lose late suffer the same fate or does a late season loss cost less/more? Can you REALLY see the BCS keeping Florida out of the BCS if they lose the SEC Championship game? Let us know here and in the individual team rooms or chat rooms.

Several schools on upset watch this weekend

Although most of the schools are still in their non-conference “cupcake” mode there are couple of big names that need to avoid looking ahead, dealing with injuries, or walking into a buzzsaw. First and foremost Cal had better watch out for a very enthusiastic crowd waiting for them at the new home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Although ranked number 8 and at two-touchdown favorite, Cal really hasn’t been tested on the road and the GG’s may put a scare into them before if not win it on the field. Also on upset watch and this may sound strange to college football historians, but BYU had better watch out for Florida State. One of the last remaining obstacles that stand in the way of the cougars and a date with the BCS the Noles’ hae a lot of team speed that could create a problem for BYU if they start breaking off big plays or getting huge YACs. Some teams really need to keep their eye on the injury bug like LA schools. USC who managed to get one good drive when they needed it and escaped from the Horseshoe with a huge win, will not have the services of their “grown up freshman” quarterback Barkely, who miss the game because of the shoulder injury suffered against OSU. Washington is a tough place to play to begin with and they’ll be fired up and waited for the hated division rival from So. Cal. UCLA also had a QB that passed his litmus test then was lost to injury. Although at home, a Kansas State team that plays good D should easily scheme for the Bruins who will surely see a lot of 8-man box defense may have problems getting into the end zone. Who do you think is the most susceptible to an upset? Let us know here and in all of the quick links:
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Is the SEC ‘all that’?

Although it would be almost impossible for any conference to live up the self-imposed hype, you would think SEC would get out of shoot with convincing victories during the non-conference ‘cupcake’ period. The top team in the nation, Florida has taken care of business against virtual division II schools by a combined score of 118-9, Alabama possibly has had the most difficult non-conference game in their opener, and looked good in their glorified scrimmage. However, the rest of the SEC has struggled beginning with Georgia, who was considered last year’s snub, who lost to then #5 Big-12 Oklahoma St, but they proved to be not ready for prime time in a home loss to unranked Houston. Tennessee loses at home to UCLA, who is not expected to finish in the top half of the Pac-10. Number 7 LSU is 2-0 but has hardly looked like a top ten school as they have struggled against the likes of 08 non-bowl participants Washington and Vandy. Lastly, South Carolina and the Head Ball Coach look like they’re playing for .500 and a bowl game. Is the SEC the tough conference they were made out to be? Let us know here and in the chat rooms and team rooms.
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Curtain rises on NCAA season, and may come down early for two top-10 schools

The flag bearers for the major conferences make big statements Saturday Florida, Texas, USC, and Bama all looked impressive in week one and can make an argument why they should claim the top spot, meanwhile Oklahoma was the lone upset victim in the top 10 as they lost once again to another Mid-Major in BYU. The Buckeyes avoided being this season’s Michigan as they came within a 2-point conversion of going to overtime with an option-running team. The Gators dominated as expected, 62-3 in a game that was not as competitive as their practices, we won’t see if their worthy of 58/60 1st-place votes until week 3. Texas (please see previous sentence), but Colt McCoy looked the best of all of the Heisman candidates throwing for 12-29-317. If this is what we can expect from him all season the Horns’ are going to be really tough to beat. Out West the Trojans answered the question of the week as their freshman Q looks poised to step into the footsteps of the famed USC starters of the previous five years who held that position and are now playing in the League, by rebounding from a shaky start to go 15-19-233. Now along the same lines as the afore mentioned Fla and Tex, we can’t start calling Barkley the “air-apparent” until he leaves the Horseshoe still standing next week. Speaking of the Buckeyes, it’s amazing how one bad Tressel decision changed the nation’s minds from how Ohio State is a team to be reckoned with to ‘same ol’ Bucks’. If OSU kicks the filed goal in the 4th, they go up 3 scores and Navy empties the bench and starts evaluating talent for the rest of the season. Instead the Buck stops there, Navy goes deep on the next play and the rest was almost history, along with the Bucks season. Lastly, the ONLY school that played someone worthy of smackin’ about was Bama who, on a NEUTRAL field, beat a top-ten team in Va.Tech and looked good doing it. They got an offense that has all kinds of firepower at the skill positions and a D that can ‘man up’ when it has to. Look for the Tide to get some respect in the next poll. Now, I realize Bradford only played half the game, but c’mon Sooners, you still were a D-Stop from sending BYU home and last time I looked Bradford doesn’t play both ways. Even with that last drive you still had the field goal opportunity as well. Despite getting “Brady’ied” who still should have won the game, so off to Sibera with you. Who do you think looked the best over opening weekend? Let us know here and in the poll of the day, or visit other quick links:

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NCAA Season kicks off season with three 'all in' games

#5 Alabama vs. #7 Va. Tech – Are you kidding me? No need to let the momentum of the season build up just get into one of the biggest games of the year on day 1! The ramifications of a win/loss for both of these teams is enormous in a season where if you get out of your conference with 1-loss you’ve had a season worthy of the NCG. Both of these schools risk pinning a brutal “2” in the L column with their championship game still on the horizon, and in the current system basically eliminating their chances of leaving the snow for California in January.

#13 Georgia vs. #9 Oklahoma State – Are you kidding? For teams that play in the SEC and B12 respectively this is one of the biggest games their play prior to their championship games if they were fortunate enough to get there. Ok State starts the season with the highest ranking they’ve ever had and will lose it, and probably drop out of the top 15 with a loss. The Dogs have an opportunity to cash in on their Non-Conference strength of schedule bet, which would give them a ‘tie-breaking argument’ if they end up in the mire with 1-loss teams at the end of the season.

#16 Oregon vs. #14 Boise St. - The season kicks off with the "Respect Bowl" as Oregon tries to prove they're ready to challenge SC for the Pac-10 title and prove the rest of the nation that it's not the Pac-1. Meanwhile Boise's perpetual quest for respect from anyone outside the WAC continues and win puts them in position to run the table and should be enough to get them thier second BCS bid. However the loser is sent out of the top 20, to the bottom of the mountain with a long climb to get back the ground that they lost.

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