Bucks deserve the #1..... they have beaten thetypes of teams that everyone else has lost to. dont punish them for winning like you punished them Michigan losing.

6. Auburn now has the best defense in the SEC. Holding the nations best player to 43 yards, and the SEC's second best running back to 42 yards, and keeping Arkansas some 270+ rushing yards under its season average, the crown has been passed from LSU to Auburn.....now let's see what happens this week in Red Stick

But wouldn't Vandy beating a)USC; b) UF; c) UT; or d) two out of three make perfect logical sense this year?

Why bother with predictions, hasn't just about every one been proven wrong? Just think the season's only half over. The best thing is to kick back and ejoy the ride as there are probably a couple of suprises left!

I am not sure that labeling DeSean Jackson as overrated makes a lot of sense. A WR/KR cannot control how often he touches the ball as much as a QB/RB can.

It just shows that a WR can be a game breaker every now and then, but given the choice between a RB or QB and a WR, give me one of the first two.

Vandy is going to have a tough time become bowl eligible in the SEC East and it has gotten even harder with South Carolina and Kentucky becoming much better.

Mark me on this:
USF will only be undefeated for 4 more days. Rutgers upsets them on Thursday night.. just watch!
and also,, everyone keeps saying "oh no we might not have traditional powerhouses in the national championship! this is horrible!" just because some teams we usually don't think of as powerful doesn't mean we need to change things. this is about the guys playing for a national championship, not the fans anyway. Winning a national championship isn't about having good seasons in the past, it's about the season you're playing for.

The buckeyes are #1 by default, they haven't beaten anyone. Or shown anything, they might as well have been idle the first 6 weeks and just kept moving up cause everyone else lost.

Glad to see someone finally call out DeSean Jackson. This isn't the first game he failed to show up for. Right now, he's not even the best wideout on his team (and might even be third behind Hawkins and Jordan). Cal has a lot of football left to play this season. I hope he stops trying to make Sportscenter and just gets open and catches some passes.

As much as the Buckeyes haven't beaten "anybody" they haven't lost to the "nobodies" they've played this year, which seems to be the biggest factor with just about "everybody"

I'm a Buckeye fan, and I'm the first to admit that we haven't beaten anybody of value, but we also haven't caught the upset bug----not yet. Now we'll have a target on our backs the rest of the year. I'm just happy that we can control our own destiny, and, so long as we finished undefeated, we get our shot at redemption. I feared the Auburn outcome---finishing undefeated and ending up on the outside looking in for the title game. Now its on the Bucks to prove that they deserve the trip to the Superdome.

accfan123 - what a bold prediction. i am thinking you are a BC fan? Seems like more of a wish then a prediction b/c you know if South Florida wins out and BC wins out you will not jump over us in the BCS. Do not make wishful predictions when you know nothing about the teams (which i bet you don not since you are an ACC fan b/c I do not know ACC since it is not a conference a lot og people watch like the SEC and BIG TEN.


Go Bulls! #2/3 in the nation

We learned after the BCS came out that the SEC is stronger than the Pac-10. The SEC had 3 teams ahead of the top Pac_10 team and 6 teams in the top 20 to only 4 for the Pac-10.

Aidan, settle down there buddy. Auburn didn't score a single touchdown against Arkansas...not exactly the most powerful defense in the country. Imagine how much trouble they will have scoring against LSU's defense. Plus, LSU's one loss came against a ranked Kentucky team, not Mississippi State. You might want to hold off on that passing of the crown for the time being.

who cares is early in the season. Everything will work itself out by the end of the year. OSU has some very tough games coming up. It might not look like it on paper but at michigan and penn state will not be easy. USF goes to rutgers for a night game on thursday. South Carolina has to go to tenn and also has florida left. LSU has auburn this coming week. The one team that has a favorable schedule is oklahoma. Kentucky has a couple tough ones left and im still not sold on them. The only win that was impressive was their LSU victory. They were tied or losing to akron and louisville at half and needed a miracle to beat a team that lost to syracuse and utah. BC goes to V-tech and then has to play florida state a team that beat the so called good alabama team. (good according to SEC fans). I think if LSU can beat auburn a great defense but awful offense they will end up playing oklahoma for the title. OSU is going to have a tough time winning all of their games and if they lose will drop considerably in the polls bc of the weak big 10 and for right or wrong the way they played in the title game last year.

bill - OSU has beaten the types of teams everyone else has lost to? Who has lost to Youngstown State, Akron, Washington, Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue and Kent State? OSU may be deserving of #1 but you are going to have to take all the criticism until the team actually beats someone worthwhile. OSU fans need to just say that all we have to do is win out and leave it at that. Do not try to explain away the weak schedule you have had so far. You guys are in the drivers seat.

Go Bulls! Class of 95.

I cringe at the thought of the buckeyes in another national title game. And another 84 yards of total offense. Maybe if we endure one more year of this they will put them back were they belong with the Hawaii's , Boise states, and marshalls of college football. Good record, no substance....

Stewart's great, but I'm not sure that Les Miles' 'class' in defeat is the #1 thing we learned this weekend.

Actually, sofl95, the Big 10 is probably the worst of the major conferences. Ohio State is good yes, but who else? Michigan is coming around.. everyone else is extremely inconsistent. So the Big 10 is a thing of the past yet again. And actually I'm indifferent to BC. If they win at VT, beat FSU, win at Maryland, at CLemson, and then Miami, I wish them good luck in the national championship. Because they'll be there regardless of what USF does. A win at VT is tougher than anything on USF's resume. (yes, that includes at Auburn) And I've watched USF twice.. yes, they're good. But they won't go into Rutgers and win. Rutgers lost at home twice already, and they won't do it again. so "SOFL95", it's obvious that you're a USF fan.. and that's why you're so convinced they won't lose, because you're a fan. That's just human, I'm indifferent to both of them, and I can nearly guarantee they aren't undefeated Friday at this time. So enjoy it while you can!

And I say "a win at VT is better than anything on USF's resume" just off of you saying no matter what BC does they won't pass up USF. that's a big "if" statement, but if BC does win out, they're in no matter what anyone else does.

I'm sick of all the complaining . . . everyone knows you have to win out in a major conference to get to the nc (if you don't then you need help). So lets all just shut up and see who ends up undefeated.

That is the system we have now and everyone knows the rules before we start.

Right now, the National Championship berth is OSU's to lose (sigh). Wisconsin and Penn State should be easily handeled by that powerful defense and Todd Boeckman's efficeincy. But their biggest threat is once again Michigan, a game which they could easily lose. Don't forget, this is a Wolverine team that has more returning starters than OSU from a squad that lost only by 3 in Columbus last year. Now, if OSU was a little faster and ran the spread, then UM would be no problem, but it might be hard this year for the bucks to win in the Big House. Now, I'd say it's going to be a fight between Oklahoma, USF, LSU, S. Carolina, KEntucky and BC for the other berth, all of which at this point look like they could handle OSU. However, LSU, USF, and BC are probubly the most deserving. LSU still deserves to be in the top 5 too because no matter what happened at Kentucky, they are still a deep, talented squad and probubly have the ability to easily beat any team in the nation. Kentucky had to fight REAL hard to get that win, and lets not forget....LSU was only one missed FG away from beating them.

Wow....I wouldn't want to fill out an AP ballot right now....

In a year when ten ranked teams have lost to ten unranked teams why is Ohio State's undefeated record against unranked opponents discredited?

I guess if the Buckeyes want any respect, the'd have to lose to unranked opponents like Stanford or Oregon State or Colorado or Kansas State or Maryland.

There are 120 Division I teams and only 25 are ranked at any given time, but 40 have been ranked this year, 64 will qualify for a bowl game, and right now 73 have winning records, all of which means there are a lot more than 25 teams capable of winning while unranked.

I posted this on Stewart's third set of Saturday Observations, and I'm posting it here again to see what anyone might think:

I don't understand why there is no one (in a season where it has been proven week in and week out that no one is invulnerable) willing to simply put the teams that haven't lost at the top of the rankings. With people endlessly debating the merits of one-loss teams based on strength of schedule, last year's bowl games, who beat which team that beat someone else by more earlier this year on the road in the rain, etc., without any obvious conclusion as to who really ought to be on top, this whole system has finally become so subjective that it clouds the idea of actually rewarding the teams that do not lose until they actually do lose. I know this is really all about big conferences and TV networks making money. But somehow setting that aside for a moment...I don't know about you (and I'm a 'Bama fan and SEC loyalist), but I wouldn't have a problem with Hawaii being ranked above everyone with one loss and seeing how far they can go. Same with Kansas and Arizona State. If they get blown out in the national championship game or some BCS (shudder) game, so be it! They won up to that point. Maybe if that happened, there would be some standards instituted for strength of schedule. Maybe there would be a playoff. All I know is that the system right now is simply spinning its wheels in the mud, and there doesn't seem to be any hope of that changing. The endless speculation about who could beat who where will never end unless we actually give the teams the chance to beat each other, even if it's on the biggest stage of them all. That being said, and since we're stuck with this ranking system, here are my 1-25:

The Undefeateds:
1) USF
2) Ohio State
3) Arizona State
4) BC
5) Kansas
6) Hawaii

The One-Loss Teams:
7) Kentucky
8) LSU
9) Oregon
10) South Carolina
11) West Virginia
12) Oklahoma
13) VT
14) Missouri
15) Cal
16) Texas Tech
17) Cincinnati
18) Southern Cal
19) Boise State
20) Virginia
21) UConn

The Two-Loss Teams:
22) Florida
23) Auburn
24) Texas
25) Michigan

I know, I'd probably get fired for turning in a poll like that. Still, I think it makes more sense than a lot of the hogwash spouted this season. For all the Florida fans pissed that someone put your boys under Virginia and UConn: No matter how you slice it, your boys have lost twice - they've only lost once. Don't sweat it - I'm sure it won't stay that way all season. But up to this point, the facts are the facts, and too many coaches, writers, and computers seem to forget that. Thoughts?

Unfortunately accfan1123 you are not indifferent. Why would you post on here stating empahtically South Florida will lose if you have no interest? I am not posting on here BC or OSU will definitley lose next week. Give me a break!

I am a fan of South Florida and I actually went to the school(I wonder how maby bloggers on here actually went to the schools they talk smack about?). I would like to point out that I did not state South Florida would win on Thursday. I hope they win and will enjoy watching the game. I think you got me mixed up with the obnoxious OSU fans predicting they are God's team! I am just enjoying the ride until it ends whether that is sooner or later.

Now lets look at VT. They have only played two good teams. Lost to LSU and won against Clemson. The other teams they played were not good and they actually came close to losing a few. They barely beat UNC when South Florida dominated them.

I am no Auburn fan but I think that Auburn is definitely no worse/better than VT. I am sure BC would not think playing Auburn at home is an easier than VT at home.

Whatever team you are a fan of why don't you just stick with talking about them instead of spouting off at the mouth about a team you say you do not care about. Makes no sense.

Stop the hate people. South Florida did not pop up out of nowhere. If you follow college football you would know they are building a quality program. Of course this year is a little accelerated but South Florida is not a fluke. They will wind up a ranked team and going to a BCS bowl game. What bowl game that is I am not going to guess. Like I said before I am just trying to enjoy the season even with all these haters like accfan123, Nick Saban, Jimmy Johnson and Lou Holtz.

Go Bulls!

Oh yeah I forgot to say VT vs. Clemson. We know Clemson probably lost the game more than VT won it.

VT/Clemson - 9 first downs, 210 total yards.

VT/LSU - 11 first downs, 149 total yards.

Two good teams two pathetic performances by the offense. Beamer ball won the Clemson game.

Go Bulls!

Relax people - a lot of football left .. at Penn St. - at Michigan - sit back, drink a cold one, and watch it unfold! Go Bucks!

SoFl:

In all fairness I haven't seen too many OSU fans thinking that OSU is "God's team"...in fact I've seen way more of that type of comment from USF fans on these blogs. Like you, I think there's still a lot of football to be played, and if the first half of the season is ANY indication of what's to come, it's pretty much useless to try and predict anything now. I like OSU and think they're solid, but yeah we'll know more about a month from now. I even try to like teams from outside the Big 10 (gasp!). I personally like USF (one of my best friends is on the faculty there) and think they've done a great job with their program. And while some of you might not believe it, it wasn't very long ago at all that we in the Big 10 were complaining about how we were beating each other up and teams from YOUR conferences had an easier time to the title...so I completely understand your frustration. In any case, this is a great, wild, wacky year in CFB and it's likely to continue so I'm just gonna enjoy the ride. Good luck to the Bulls, the Tigers, even (oh my stars and garters) the Gators (and others) and we'll see you in the bowls.

P.S. For you Gators out there, the more I hear about Tebow the more impressed I am. NOT as an athlete, but as a person...from what I hear he seems to be a really good person, and he definitely doesn't deserve all the cell phone crap he had to put up with.

For Neitzen - Yes OSU has beaten all of its unranked opponents. But to cite that as significant is also to claim that taking a physical beating by Florida didn't help Kentucky overcome LSU. It's bad enough that we have to see so many soft non-conference schedules without rewarding teams like OSU and Hawaii for scheduling them.

uhh.. i posted this as a fan of college football. and i think rutgers will upset usf.. period. no matter who i'm a fan of.. jeez.

DeSean Jackson is "over-rated"?

Go back to sleep, Stewie.

and do you now know VT? they always win their biggest games with defense, and special teams.. who cares how good their offense did? they won. in death valley.. which is tough.

oh, and sofl95, you shouldn't get so defensive that i think rutgers will upset usf. i threw that out there because it's my big upset of the week.. it has nothing to do with liking or disliking any of the teams.. i just like rutgers in the matchup.. esp. at home.

To JayDrew (from Observations III blog):

I completely agree and appreciate your comment about having some fun with all this without having to be personally abusive or ridiculously immature. Look, boys, it's a wild year and we ought to enjoy it without metaphorically throwing batteries at each other, you know? I'm going to continue watching the games, hope my Buckeyes (and Boilermakers) play well the rest of the year, and enjoy the other games as well. Good luck to all of you!

As an aside, I know some of you are currently stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. I know this is off topic, but a) in case you didn't know it we really appreciate your service, and b) if you don't mind, tell us where you are if you can. And come back home safe.

Being an OSU fan I agree that Ohio State has not played the strongest schedule in the nation. What I don't understand though is prior to the Washington game all the reports were about the Washington QB who would run and throw all over OSU. The buckeyes went in there and shut them down. Then they did the same to a Purdue team who had one of the highest scoring offenses in college football. Now all of the sudden OSU is undeserving because these teams were beaten? Why is it that people have such a hard time admitting this is a good team? Everyone is still stuck on the National Championship debacle of LAST YEAR. That was last year, this is a new season.

All of us up here in Columbus are hoping Les Miles leaves LSU for Michigan...From what I see no matter the class he is just a new Carr.

I've been saying for a month that LaVelle Hawkins is Cal's best wideout. I've been hoping that DeSean proves me wrong. But he hasn't, and it's cost Cal dearly.

If DeSean Jackson is overrated because he did not make an impact in yesterday's game, the same argument can also be extended to Glenn Dorsey of LSU who has been ineffective the past two weeks.

Schedules are set years in advance, and few schools will fill their non-conference schedules with quality opponents, but Ohio State tries.

For example, in 2008-09 Ohio State plays USC, in 2010-11 it plays Miami, in 2012-13 it plays California, and in 2014-15 it plays Virginia Tech. Hopefully when they do those opponents will be highly ranked, but its impossible to know when a game is scheduled what kind of challenge it'll be.

OK, so this year Washington wasn't the challenge it was hoped when it was scheduled. Not much can be done about it now.

As for Kent State, Ohio State schedules home games against at least one in-state school each year. It does that so they can share in the revenue the game generates, which funds that school's scholarships and programs. So when you see future games against Akron or Toledo or Cincinnati that's why.

Some games are set years in advance, but schedules are not. The Big Ten needs to stop measuring itself against Notre Dame. Can anyone look at the Hawaii schedule and say that x number of years ago anyone on that schedule was a top quality opponent? Utah has had some highs and lows but they have shown that BCS teams will play good mid-majors.

play calling and tedford's coaching style have way more to do with how his players will do in a game. jackson would never have had enough touches in a season to be a heisman candidate. the plays he caught passes in yesterday were all short. hawkins is a better receiver, but jackson is a better athlete.

its early in the season people relax.

Mandel,

You're right that Hawaii should be happy and fortunate to play a team like Boise State at home. I also agree with you to the extent you're saying that Hawaii's true ability is a moving target. But as for Hawaii being better at home than on the road? Well, uh, aren't most teams generally better at home?

Assuming it's not too early in the season to do some meaningful trend analysis...when doing some quick calculations with two other undefeated teams I picked off the top of my head (Ohio State and Boston College), I got these margin of victory numbers. Ohio State has scored 41 ppg this season at home with a 36.5 point margin of victory, and 28.6 ppg on the road with a 19.3 point margin of victory. Boston College has scored 38.2 ppg at home so far with a 18.2 point margin of victory, and 25.5 ppg for its two road games with a 13.5 point margin of victory. When you consider that Hawaii scored a little over 60 ppg at home and 46 ppg on the road, its numbers don't seem so out of line, do they?

Yes, if you take the position that Hawaii has no excuse for the squeakers at La Tech and SJSU, the home/road margin of victory delta is somewhat higher than Ohio State's and a lot higher than BC's. But Hawaii also scores a lot more points per game than either team...and also, BC doesn't tend to win its games by large margins this year.

IMHO, the true issue is Hawaii's inability to put together complete games for much of this season. If Colt didn't throw 4 picks this week, and if Hawaii's offense could've capitalized on, say, 3 out of the 5 or so defensive stops in the first half, the game wouldn't have been nearly as close, and the road margin of victory would've been several points higher.

Hawaii is a team that has me greatly confused about their potential, but looking at things like margins of victory, weather, and unfriendly crowds just don't provide us a lot of insight about Hawaii. Road games are just plain tougher in general, as Ohio State and Boston College show us.

Buckeyes definitely do not deserve to be number one. The Big Ten is a joke, and is getting worse. UF, Cal, LSU, are all better with one loss. I do hope the Wolverines take out the Bucks so we can see a quality National Title game. A big win over Kent State does not mean you should be vaulted to number one. I'm a Michigan fan, however know the reality of the big ten conference. SEC, PAC-10, then who cares.....

OSU is playing the schedule they have; there isn't much they can do to change it now. The first part of their schedule was always seen as soft with the last five games determining how they would finish. You can't punish them for everyone else losing. And don't think OSU isn't motivated by the loss in the NC game last season. They've played on the biggest stage before and that experience will only serve to help them over the next five games.

How amazing is it that, if Michigan can win out, they have a great chance of facing Oregon in a rematch in the Rose Bowl. Irony at its best!

Once again the Big Ten is being exposed as actually being the Big Two plus the Little Nine. At the top are Ohio State and a sudenly resurgent Michigan. As forthe other nine teams, you could throw them in a bag and draw the team names out of a hat to rank teams 3-10. (Sorry, but Minnesota appears to have #11 clinched).

As for the SEC, this may be the most balanced the conference has ever been. Nine teams will probably be bowl-eligible at the end of the year, and Mississippi State stands an outside shot of making it ten teams that could be enjoy post-season action.

As much as everyone is enjoying the Cinderella-like seasons of South Carolina and Kentucky, the SEC East team that is flying under the radar right now might be Tennessee. Since their shellackings by Cal and Florida, the Vols have quietly strung together a couple of impressive wins against Georgia and Mississippi State. With Carolina coming to Knoxville this year, the Vols toughest remaining assignments will be going to Tuscaloosa to face a very inconsistent Alabama team, then going to Lexington to face UK. As crazy as the SEC has been this year, the idea of UT being at the Georgia Dome on 12/1 isn't as far-fetched as it would have seemed a few weeks ago.

If the joke that is the new BCS poll doesn't prove that a playoff is required to give any credibility to NCAA football, I don't know what does. The rankings are laughable. I remember reading during the summer that WVa would be in the NC game b/c they didn't have to play anybody. Oops...but that can certainly hold true for several of the "top" BCS teams. So that sends out the message, "don't schedule anybody; play in a nothing conference and you just might make it to the big show." I'm no fan of the SEC, but they are the best conference out there. I'm also no fan of Oklahoma, but they are 21 pts better than the teams in front of them. No playoff? No credibility!!! No real champion!!!!

Every week I read the comments to the blogs posterd here on SI, and am continually bombarded by SEC fans claiming their confrence dominance. They continue to mock the "slow" Big Ten (11). When their teams lose (Kent. v. LSU) it's due to the depth of the confrence opposition. When similar event occour in other confrences it's due to the teams being "over-rated" (Wisc. v. PSU).
Just a few facts for you to compare the SEC and Big Ten in the only way that makes sense, head to head.

SEC Record vs. Big Ten
2006: 1-2
2005: 1-2
2004: 2-2
.... I don't see the "speed" and dominance.

Mandel,

Why are you such a HAWAII Hater?

1) Did you know that Mich St, Michigan, and Texas have PULLED OUT of games with Hawaii in the last couple of years?

2) Did you also know that LA Tech drenched the field PRIOR to their game with Hawaii?

3) What NFL team plays under those field conditions on last Fri night? Even Green Bay's field in the worse conditions holds up better than that mess. Colt Brennen did a great job considering, and did not complain about it. Go ask Tomey about how bad the field was.

Stop bashing and low voting Hawaii. A 7-0 team no matter who they played up to this point should be in the Top 25, but NOT ON YOUR ballot. It's quite obvious that THIS is why a ballot system will never work. TOO MUCH BIAS. Even the coaches admit to "regional voting". From your recent article complaining about USF and non-power dynasties. You are displaying a lot of bias.

You are a good writer, but you should exhibit less bias in your balloting.

Oh shocking. OSU started the season ranked higher than USF, so, regardless of whether USF has wins over better-quality teams, OSU will remain ranked higher.

Preseason rankings trump this season's play.

Also, let's not forget the money factor for bowls, so if USF qualifies for a BCS bowl without getting into the national championship, doubtlessly the bowl in question will be looking for the Secret Notre Dame Clause that will allow them to choose, say, a 2-10 Notre Dame over a 12-0 USF.

dont forget that hawkins went to lsu before coming to cal...and usf does deserve the #1 spot because they have played the toughest schedule of the top teams

Paul,

Great post! I totally agree, we should reward teams that win and that's that. If Michigan can lose to Appalachian State and USC can lose to Stanford, then any opponent could potentially pull an upset, and all wins are quality wins.

Sure, Hawaii hasn't had the toughest schedule this year, but if they win out, they definitely deserve a shot at a BCS bowl. Could they get blown-out? Perhaps, but so far history favors the underdog mid-majors (N.B. Utah and Boise St.). Besides, it's not like we haven't ever seen any BCS-conference teams blown away on New Year's day.

I'm a buckeye fan, but there's nothing I would like to see more than USF vs. Hawaii in the the championship. Why? Because its the only thing that will lead to a playoff. The "i'm-better-than-you-nose-up-in-the-air powers that be" in the Big 10, SEC, BiG 12, and Pac 10 will be fuming if one of them don't get into the championship. Playoff, Playoff, Playoff...it solves the problem. Playoff, Playoff, Playoff...indoctrinate yourselves.

Remember this guys auburns defense is great lsu only put up 3 on em last year. and the last time they played didn't boston college shut out virginia tech. rutgers vs usf is going to be good guys just watch. and all you guys stop hatin on osu because they are doing what good teams do win. and this is coming from a die hard trojan fan. one more thing desean jackson is overrated. he disappears in big games more often than he shows up. just remember last year vs usc when he got popped. haha

I agree that if Hawaii were to win out that they should be given a shot at a BCS game. They have a prolific passer and win the games they should. I support sending lower conferense teams (Utah, Boise State, Hawaii) to BCS bowls until one of them is totally blown out, seeing as some of them have earned it. However, sending Hawaii to the NC game would simply be a little to far, seeing their scheduel and weakness on the road. USF has earned their ranking on the other hand, and hopefully the BCS can't find a way to keep them out of a BCS bowl, cause they're as good as advertised.

matthewdenny said...

"Every week I read the comments to the blogs posterd here on SI, and am continually bombarded by SEC fans claiming their confrence dominance. They continue to mock the "slow" Big Ten (11). When their teams lose (Kent. v. LSU) it's due to the depth of the confrence opposition. When similar event occour in other confrences it's due to the teams being "over-rated" (Wisc. v. PSU).
Just a few facts for you to compare the SEC and Big Ten in the only way that makes sense, head to head.

SEC Record vs. Big Ten
2006: 1-2
2005: 1-2
2004: 2-2
.... I don't see the "speed" and dominance."


SEC Rules Sez: What a load of hogwash! I have seen similar Big Ten propaganda being touted around several sports blogs so I decided to do a little checking for myself.

First off lets really look at SEC and Big Ten performance in 2006 bowl games and then we will discuss depth versus being overated.

Our #1 FL vs your #1 OSU - well we all know what happened there don't we? 41-14, some game OSU played.

Our 2 next best teams LSU and Auburn, (overall records) smoked Notre Dame and Nebraska in major bowls by large point margins.

Your #2 Wisconsin beat our #4 overall record team Arkansas by 3 points and your 4th best Penn State beat our 5th best Tenn by 10 whole points. So your win margin in two games was 13 points and our NC game win margin was 27 points.

Lets look at the 2006 bowl games where we didn't play each other, but did play teams much better than Akron, Youngstown St, and Kent St.

Lets recap all SEC and Tiny Ten 2006 bowl games.

SEC FL destroyed Tiny Ten OSU 41-14 in NC game
SEC LSU destroyed ND 41-14 in Sugar
PAC 10 USC thumped Tiny Ten Mich by 14 points in Rose
Tiny Ten Wisconsin eeked out 3 point win over SEC Arkansas
SEC Auburn took down Big Twelve North champ Nebraska in Cotton
Tiny Ten Penn State beat SEC Tenn in Outback
SEC Georgia beat ACC VA Tech in Chick Fil A
Big 12 Texas beat Tiny Ten Iowa in Alamo
ACC Maryland wallops Tiny Ten Purdue in Champ Sports
Texas Tech beats Tiny Ten Minnesota in Insight
SEC S Carolina beats Houston in Liberty
SEC Kentucky beats ACC Clemson in Music City
Big 12 OK St beats SEC Alabama in Independence

Final 2006 bowl game tally:
SEC 6-3
Tiny Ten 2-4

The above is reflects a conference with depth versus a conference being over rated.

OSU should get a life and play SOMEBODY then we can see if they deserve a #1 ranking this year.

I love this season! NCAA Football is great because every game is vital & there is room to argue about who is the best team! With over 100 Division IA teams and budgetary inequity there can never be the definitive champion like in pro sports. And why should there be?

I love this season! NCAA Football is great because every game is vital & there is room to argue about who is the best team! With over 100 Division IA teams and budgetary inequity there can never be the definitive champion like in pro sports. And why should there be?

It amuses me to see how irritated some fans get when their teams lose. The Buckeyes move up because they win, they win because their defense plays well and they are solid in all other areas. Who in the SEC is so unbeatable? Not Vandy, Georgia, or Tennessee in the east. Arkansas, Miss and Miss St wouldn't win more than 3 games in the Big 10. Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and South Carolina are good solid teams but have liabilities on one side of the ball or other. So Florida, LSU are left. Well they have been beaten too. OSU and any Big Ten, Big XII, Pac-10 or ACC team can be beaten too. It's all up to the teams to play and us to watch. So have fun.

SEC fans irritated? Well let's be honest about it all. I think if the shoes were reversed Big Ten fans would be irritated too.

The reason the Buckeyes move up is because they win. The win because they schedule games with teams like Akron, N'Western, Kent St, and Youngstown St, Minnesota (1-6), and (2-4) Washington. That right there makes them 6-0 if they are a team at all. Then of course their really tough game so far was Purdue who really got revealed against Michigan didn't they?

Yeah when pollsters believe that teams that OSU beats like the above are as good as the 1 and 2 loss teams in the SEC it kind of irritates us. Play a real schedule and then tout OSU as a number 1 team.

To all:

3 things we need to fix College Football.

1. No more preseason rankings. They reward teams for work not yet done. If you start low and win your games, you still need other guys to lose in order to move up. THATS STUPID

2. Install a plus one. Generally the season schedule will sort things out. However if you look at the past 20 years of College Football how many times has a team ranked #5 or lower really had a legitimate claim at being the best team when the season is over? The best team is usually ranked in the top 4. Just add one more game. Simple. It still keeps the regular season relevant, keeps the bowls and only affects 2 schools as far as classes are concerned.

3. Require the schools to have standardized testing/academic requirements to stay eligible. Schools that are basically offering "JC courses" have a tremendous competitive advantage to REAL "student athletes". The NCAA has the means to institute, develop and monitor academic testing.

Until we see some things along these lines we will always have the same old arguments about conferences and polls.

How about some solutions?

trust me...i'm no OSU homer...they are pretty bad as far as #1's go...but at the end of the day, they've done what pretty much every other BCS-conference team has not been able to do...they've won out...oklahoma, cal, usc, and others have all lost games that they should have won. Even LSU - yes I know Kentucky is good, but if you wanna be #1...go on the road and win in your conference

the season is long, and this one has been as crazy as any in recent memory...BC will likely lose at some point, and there's a pretty good shot OSU and/or USF do as well...there will be a chance for a 1-loss team somewhere

good lord, sec rules, how obnoxious and moronic does it get? YOU LOST 2 OF 3 TO THE BIG 10!! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE FINAL SCORE IS!! and yet you act like you won all three! quit giving your conference (which is almost certainly better than the big 10 this year, not that there's much out of conference proof to it) a bad name. the SEC is a great conference, LSU is probably the best team in the country, but wow are some the fans down there completely out of their dang minds.
--an iowa fan (yeah, we're lousy)

also, Mr Mandel, ""If I thought there were tired or showed lack of effort.." who is editing this? "there were tired"? not that it's unique to this site, but the grammatical errors are so common it's ridiculous. this should really be fixed, it's amazing for a seemingly professional website to have errors like that practically everyday.

I am a huge Ohio State fan and have been my whole life but I am not ready to annoint my Buckeyes the best team in the Big 10 let alone in the country. The have a tough schedule ahead and need to demonstrate the determination to beat a tough team when they are not playing their best ball. Every preseason Top 10 team has had a letdown and lost games they should have won so the Bucks must be wary.

Based upon what I have seen up to this point in the season, LSU and Oklahoma are the best teams right now. Their schedules combined with what I have seen on TV makes these 2 teams the best SO FAR. LSU lost to a very good Kentucky team on the road after a very emotional win against Florida and Oklahoma lost their edge after being up big against Colorado. Having said that, I have a few things to comment on:

1. Any of the undefeated teams left (except Hawaii) should be able to play for the title if they finish undefeated. I don't care how weak the schedule may seem, if you play the opponents that USF, BC, ASU, Kansas and OSU will have played and go unscathed, you deserve to play for the National Championship. At this point I am not sure any team will go undefeated but if it does, put them in New Orleans.

2. Ohio State lost LAST YEAR. It was one game and it does not define how good the Buckeyes were throughout last year and it especially doesn't define the 2007 Buckeyes. Every team has games where it far underachieves its potential (this year's entire preseason Top 10). And for all the Gator Fans who still gloat over their victory in Championship game, it was only a decade ago (1996) that Nebraska annilhated your team (62-24) for the NC. That one win does not make that team pathetic nor the conference a joke.

3. Any Buckeye fan who is arrogant or cocky at this point in the season is having delusions of grandeur and has short term memory issues. Do you realize that the Buckeyes have not been challenged by anyone formidable this year? And do you remember what a cocky attitude brought us last January. Be proud of this team for overcoming the doubters and playing great ball so far but remember the road is long and fraught with peril.

4. College Football is so much better than the NFL. I love this game!

I like your point #3, Craig.

If academics played any role in the BCS the PAC-10 would dominate every year. Schools like Cal, UCLA, USC, Stanford, etc. are ranked at the top of US universities every year.

It's hard to compete with football factory conferences filled with third rate universities like the SEC, but the PAC-10 does a pretty damn good job of it. They've got a hand tied behind their back but are still competitive.

I'm tired of the UH haters. UH tries to schedule "quality" opponents, but they simply don't want to fly to Hawaii and take a chance. Yes, other teams fly around the country, but name one that does the milage Hawaii does. Michigan pulled out of the agreed Hawaii game and took Appalachian State instead. Why remove a really good team from your schedule and replace them with someone like App. State? Because they were looking for an easy victory, and they deserved what they got when the whupping was handed to them.

Talk about UH's schedule all you want, but what it comes right down to is that other teams don't accept when invited, even when the offered money is larger. For the past 2 years, there's been a reason for that. Now that Colt will be gone next season, teams are finally signing on for the schedule.

First let me thank Larry for his concerns and appreciation for us over here in the Middle East, I am currently in Afghanistan and Im lucky if I get to see my team (LSU)play.

Now to the meat of it...

I have two statements i'd like to make..one is Ohio States rankings..we can do nothing about it so accept it people, although I agree with most of you about their schedule being weak, they are undefeated and they started the season ranked high..thats the way it is. If Hawaii started in the top 10 preseason, they would be in the top 5 probably regarless of schedule..thats the unfortunate ugly monster we face from pre-season rankings...plain and simple.

Now to the question of whos conference is tougher...come on guys..its as easy to figure out as looking at the top 20 teams, SEC has 7 ranked in the top 20 not to mention Georgia at 21, three of the teams (LSU, USC, Kentucky) in the top 10. Someone please show me a conference with more teams in the top 20. With that being said, its almost impossible for a SEC team to be undefeated, not to mention the SEC Championship game which usually features two top 20 if not top 10 teams. This is why the top SEC schools usually beat the crap outta whomever they play in a bowl (OSU and ND know). Last year all we heard was how OSU was untouchable, unbeatable..the top team...then they played a team who play a tough schedule year in and year out..and found out.

Since I am an LSU fan let me enlighten you a little on our schedule...LSU is now 5-1, Kentucky played one hell of a game, good for them..although Im saddened by the lost I am happy for Kentucky, they outplayed us. Out of the six games LSU has played, 4 were and still are ranked in the top 20 with two in the top 10..LSU went 3-1 and we have another top 20 team in Auburn coming up..after that we get Alabama at their place..you think Nick Saban isnt gonna have his team ready against his old team?...then if we win out we get to play either South Carolina (top 10), Kentucky (top 10) or Florida (#12) AGAIN.

I tell all of you this not to boast on LSU or their tough schedule but to enlighten all those fans not in the SEC just how difficult our conference is. Does OSU deserve to be #1..not my decision to make and frankly I dont care...the end of the season will determine who #1 is and if OSU runs the table with their schedule of weak teams, they will get it handed to them AGAIN in whatever bowl game they play. The same with any other team that gets a BCS bowl and plays a patsi schedule.

Playoffs...Im for but if that never happens Im ok with it..thats college football take it or leave it.

people please listen to me,,,I have no idea why people think its just SEC and PAC 10. please give me a freaking break..USC gets beat by stanford and bearly gets by AZ and Washington, and If im not mistaken Ohio State spanked washington, and Cal. just got beat by OSU. And OSU got smacked my Cincinnati. So please dont give this crap about which conference is better..I believe every conference has one or two really good team thats it and everyone else is avg. And dont forget ND beat ucla and put some decent points aganist BC. and every team that ND has been spanked by every team it has played from the Big Ten...And dont even get me started on BIG 12..And if im not mistaken wasnt the Big Ten 3 and 1 aganist SEC in the bowl games last year...Oh yeah go Cincinnati Bearcats..

ok- i'm so tired of amateur college football fans.

10- no 15! things to remember when watching college football:

1. the big-east and the big-12 typically have the easiest paths to the n.c. game- the big east is just so weak they can't beat themselves- except for a usf team from florida- because they're from florida. i have lived both in florida and in texas and you don't know football until you have admired the different cultures from which both exist. i admit they (usf) have a much better talent pool then the rest of the big east and will continue to dominate- the big three has become the big four.
2. osu is a terrible football team- i hope laurenitis enjoyed getting run over by freshman tim tebow, because dan hester and co. will do the same.
3. whoever posted that a win at virginia tech for boston college is bigger and better then a win at auburn for usf should be dragged into the street and shot. i'll change my mind when vt doesn't lose by over 40 points to lsu next time, and how are they still ranked- send them home.
4. please stop blowing up the osu-michigan game- if your not from ohio and michigan you really don't care about the two best teams from one of the worsed conferences battling it out for another embarassing chance to get stomped in the national championship. oh yeah and michigan didn't win the 1998 rose bowl/n.c. game- there was still time on the clock and the refs gave it away.
5. media loves the big-10 and pac-10. you won't hear more hype about any other teams then: osu, michigan, wisconsin, cal, usc, oregon, STANFORD (which espn thinks is sending their entire roster to the moon), michigan st and especially ucla (who is terrible).
6. i'd pick usf over any big-10 or pac-10 team. remember- ESPN (everyone swings from the pac-10's nuts)- it's written in their acronym!
7. if you thought usc would actually make it through its schedule without losing to an un-ranked team- your wrong.
8. if you thought that any sec team would make it through its schedule without losing to another sec team- your wrong.
9. if you ask me who has the best chance to stroll into the n.c. game for the next 10 years- ohio state (i'd say usc, but usc f's it up every time).
10. if you think usc should have played ohio state the week before their laughable loss to ucla, OR that "michigan deserved a rematch"- you belong with the acc/"vt is a more credible win" then an "auburn win" with a dunce hat.
11. ohio state and usc will solely be responsible for a playoff system (thank god).
12. oklahoma is an ohio state runner up- i don't know who deserves the trophy for worse n.c. representation- oklahoma or ohio state.
13. university of texas fans are insane and believe that ut is going to win the n.c. even if they lose every game and it's the final weekend of college football. oh yeah and they like quarterbacks who look like little boys, and vince young is solely responsible for the n.c. two years ago, and i'm sure he had an great time running over the high school kids who snuck into usc's defensive huddle before the game while pete carrol was busy.
14. mark may is a closet you know what (and i have nothing wrong with that- just letting you in on a secret).
15. ohio state is the media's code "red". the media believes that usc 's recruits are hand picked by zeus and can shoot lightning bolts out of their asses. as a matter of fact, i uncovered a conspiracy in which herbstreit and corso were planning to push having usc automatically placed at number one for the next 50 years in the preseason poll. anyway, when usc finally loses or embarasses themselves in front of teams such as lets say oregon, ucla (lost to last season- oh did i tell you this pac-10 powerhouse couldn't figure out how to get to utah and notre dame so they had their cheerleaders play- yeah those powerhouse teams utah (L 6-44) and notre dame (L 6- 20), stanford (not saying a thing), washington (2-4- but the greatest team ever showed how great they are by HANGING ON) or another loss which will be cal- the media's number 3 and oregon- another pac-10 over-rate. oh where was i- osu is the back-up plan for when usc finally goes down- followed by michigan or cal, but michigan has been feeding off weak big-10 teams for so long they forgot that app. st. wasn't in the big-10. HAHAHA oh my!
ok i lied...
16. notre dame sucks. i'm so sick and tired of hearing about notre dame that every time they're mentioned i reach for my k-bar. please dear god don't force me to listen to the toughness of any team's schedule that plays notre dame. why does everyone worship notre dame- i don't even remember them being any good and if they DID join the big-10 i'd just think of the big 10 as that much worse. notre dame is terrible, will always be terrible- sorry i love football and in case you haven't noticed athletes dedicate their lives to athleticism and football. it's hard to have athletes and scholars. so any school that claims that they get scholars and athletes then mad props to you, but when you get your ass beat in the n.c. game 41 to 14 then whose the dumb ass? your recruiting for football. please, spare me the accusation, because i'll take my 6'5 260 corn-fed beef cake whose majoring in butt floss over your 5'10 pansy whose specializing in physiology with a minor in yoga any day of the week. whose the idiot? really, whose the idiot? osu fans say, "jim tressel". whose the idiot? who? it's you... jim.. it's you... lose the vest moron.

srflazu40,

Well said!!

Stewart Mandel -- I could not agree with you more about DeSean Jackson. However, how come no one in the media talks about a player from Michigan State, WR Devin Thomas? I know Michigan State is 5-2, and 1-2 in Big Ten play, but they have lost 2 VERY tightly contested games. Devin Thomas is putting up huge numbers compared to Jackson and anyone who watches this guy play can see he's a gamebreaker in the recieving game and on kick-returns. Give him some love!

y'all are all funny. Its Oct polls mean nothing. There is still a month plus of football left. All I can say is Hawai'i will be ranked in the top 12 going to the Sugar Bowl. If people like Mandel quit hating. Close games or not they win.

It's not Miami of Ohio. It's Miami University, or Miami (OH) if you must. Come on Stewart, you're a Cincinnati boy!

Paul: only thing I can add is maybe the fact that you haven't taken into account toughness of the schedules...? I'm not an expert on this nor do I have the time always to look at all the stats of all the games. I do know that at any given time, any SEC team can beat anyone, so it's not really an "upset" but more of a surprise. Now, I look at teams like Ohio State, who somehow made it to the game last year, and you can see how that game turned out. Pretty embarrassing for them. Maybe they are better this year. They've beaten the same teams as last year (or close perhaps, like I said, I don't waste too much time on stats), but I'd probably put at least $2.00 that they'll end up like last year, even against BC or USF. Maybe not Hawaii though.

I'll have to reserve a meeting requset time to read srflaxu40's comment! Looks interesting. I don't claim to be an expert nor do I have the time to watch all the games, each week, because sometimes, the scores do not justify how well or how poor a team played.

Buck deserve the #1...hmmm the only reason they are there is because they are undefeated. Furthermore, have they beaten anyone like Auburn, West Virginia to really EARN that spot? Only 2 of their first 7 opponents still have a winning record, with 4 teams with a defense ranked 71 or worse in the nation.
GO MICHIGAN STATE, before you limp into Happy Valley.

You all get too worked up about this - if OSU is as bad as everyone says, then they'll definitely lose before the season is out (at Penn State, at UM) and be out of the picture...so why are you so concerned? And attacking OSU's strength of schedule is getting old. This year's schedule to this point has been soft and is fair game, but don't spout off about them never playing anyone. They played in three #1 v. #2 games last year alone. Look at their out of conference slate in coming years: Southern Cal, Miami, Virginia Tech. Not a whole lot of schools schedule big-name out-of-conferences with the regularity that OSU does. And yes, those games are set years in advance. Sometimes they pan out, other times they fizzle. Did anyone really think Tennessee would be the also-ran and Cal the national power at the time that match-up was made? Everybody plays some patsies out of conference - SEC teams this year loaded up on Troy, Richmond, Gardner-Webb, Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga, Florida Atlantic, and Kent State.
And finally, anyone who thinks Ohio State fans this year are arrogant is way off-base - I think most legitimate Buckeye fans would agree with me in saying they have some serious concerns as to whether this year's team is built for a championship run. We know they're young, we know they haven't been tested yet, and we know there are some very good teams in other conferences. But what should they do, apologize for their opponents' weaknesses or the fact that the Big Ten has been down the last couple of years? They step on the field every week and win; you can't ask any more from any team.
It's too early to get this worked up about rankings. If OSU is so bad, they'll lose again and you won't have to concern yourself with them. If they don't, then all you angry SEC fans should be happy because there's no way they'll be able to hang with one of your teams in New Orleans, right?

As a Buckeye's fan I'm more than willing to take any criticsm heaped on the Bucks....as long as they keep winning my team is going to back to back title games and your team isn't.

Unless Big Ten Commisoner Jim Delany can use his considerable clout to get another Big Ten team ranked. OSU could reach the National Championsip Game without ever having to play a Top Twenty team!! [There is currently no Big Ten team ranked in the Top Twenty]

OSU's schedule: Ranks as the 72nd hardest (out of 119 1-A schools) according to the Sagarin Computer (non-biased BCS). LSU has the 13th, Florida's 11th most difficult.

2007 Buckeye schedule:

1) 1-AA Youngstown State
2) Akron (3-4)
3) Wasington (2-4)
4) Northwestern (lost to Duke to end the nations longest losing streak)!
5) Minnesota (1-6)
6) Purdue (78th actually has an easier schedule than OSU's, if that is possible)
7)Kent State (3-4)

Combined record of OSU's Division 1-A opponents is a paltry, 18 - 23!

Ladies & Gentlemen I give you, the #1 Ranked Buckeye's?????

Why is it that all the sec fans are quoting the osu-fla score as the reason the sec>big 10? Oh yeah, the big ten went 2-0 against them in the other bowl games from last year, that doesn't help their point, better to ignore it.


1. Easiest way to get to the nc game? Win. So far its working for bc, sf, osu. This way would be better with no preseason ranking, but thats a whole different story.
2. Dumbest way to get to the nc game? Lose then complain that your conference is too good to win in(sec)/it was just one slip (usc seemingly every year), so you deserve an exception.

Also, why is it Alabama and Arkansas with convincing top 25 wins, scratch that, wins against the low tier sec teams and scrubs count as quality games? Because they were good last year? Last year means nothing.

Also, before you start checking off Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Auburn off as great wins, who have they beaten? Louisville, so has everyone else, and by more. The rest? Only sec teams and gimmes as bad as Kent State. But at least OSU is smart enough to schedule in state teams to keep the money in Ohio.

The only win the sec can brag about in non conference play is lsu over va tech. In the rest of their non-conference games against bcs conferences, the sec is a staggering 4-3. Powerhouse conference?

No matter where you stand - isn't college football the best! The NFL can't even come close to touching the passion that we have.

Honestly, I've always thought that a playoff system was a good idea, but you know what...this season has been so much fun and so bizarre that I almost think we'd be better off without it. The notion of a mythical national championsip isn't all that bad. What would we all do with our time if we didn't have all these controversies and blogs to post to?

And to our guys overseas - you're the ones really fighting for something that truly, at the end of the day, matters. You're our #1 team everyday!

Semper Fi and Go Oregon!

OSU='God's Team'?? Those SEC fans are nut-cakes? Go back and read these posts, objectively. Most OSU posts are of the "we've played a weak schedule but got the job done" variety. When OSU scheduled the Wash game, they had just come off a Rose Bowl apperance. As is OSU's custom, they schedule one powerhouse and 3 cream puffs for the non-conference schedule. Texas the last 2 years, with USC and Miami on the horizon.

The SEC fan base is just angry. Yes your leage is solid, but all conferences go through cycles. It is your turn at the top. I do respect your passion for your league, but c'mon. College Football has always and will continue to be about taking care of business. You either do or you don't. Don't start blaming everyone else when you don't. It's just the way it is. Accept it and move on.

As far as last year's debacle, OSU got it handed to them. They got 'fat' (both literally and figureatively) on their own Kool-Aid last year. We admit, we got outplayed. This is a new year. Last year doesn't matter this year(only to preseason pollsters).

If [insert 1-loss SEC team here] is as good as everyone says they are, then they will get a shot, because I feel that there may not be an undefeated team this year. OSU @ PSU and @ Mich are big tests. We'll find out how good the Bucks are in the next few weeks.

In closing, these are 19-22 year old kids playing a game, there are letdowns. Predicting their actions is impossible week in and week out. Enjoy the game for what it is, a game. Chill out, SEC. You are good enough without all the negative criticisms spewing from your mouths. Just take care of business and leave no doubt. LSU still controls their own destiny IMO. Win out, play with that chip on your shoulder and you will be back.

GO BUCKS!

This is great! The war continues between SEC and Big Ten fans. While I agree the Buckeyes have not played a tough schedule so far, their opponents combined record is 25-10 for the rest of the year. The big ones are At Penn State, at 8pm in front of 110K fans, where they have had a hard time winning and, of course, Michigan. As far as scheduling, you can't knock Ohio State, because they try. Next year begins a home and home with USC, then Miami, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, etc. Only a fool would think that if Florida and OSU had played a couple weeks after the last season ended, it could possibly have been different. Letting one game dictate your thinking is foolish. This year's Ohio State team is faster than last year, which is why they continue to dominate the Big Ten. Does anyone remember how everyone was saying how overrated the Buckeyes were against Miami in the 2003 Championship? The Buckeyes barely won every game in the Big Ten that year. Miami, meanwhile, had a 34 game winning streak, one of the best teams ever assembled, Buckeyes win! So go ahead, keep saying how overrated the Buckeyes are, they are already playing with a chip in their shoulder from that game in Jan. Just give them more fire.

srflaux.. well said. but the vt loss to lsu by 40 is very comparable to how osu dominated last year but then got killed in the nc game. osu was still a good team; vt is still a good team. osu lost that big one at the very end.. vt lost a big one at the beginning. vt has obviously improved since then, winning at clemson by 18.. maybe vt is over-rated, but yes i think winning in lane stadium is tougher than winning in auburn.. obviously you don't realize how tough it is to pull a win out of lane stadium.. auburn loses at home more than they do on the road lately.. so yes a win at vt is tougher than a win at auburn.. both are very quality wins or course

Worst representative in a national championship game--FLORIDA, 1996. They lost to Nebraska 62-24 and it wasn't that close.

Ohio State's BIG ROAD TEST comes @ State College in front 110 K fans @ night.

Come-on Penn State's schedule rank is 76th hardest out of 119 D-1 schools. Their wins have come against Florida International (0-6), Nore Dame (enough said), Buffalo, Iowa (lost to 1-6 Iowa State), & Wisconsin. The combined record of these power-house teams is 12 - 21!

you know the season is a fluke when an Ohio St. team like the one this year is #1. Yes they are undefeated....so is Kansas....and no this is not basketball season

Hey Sheridanclan....you idiot...Florida won the national championship in 1996. Please keep your ignorant and just simply wrong comments to yourself.

I wish conferences would even out. I mean seriously, Stew had it right in his book. The NCAA needs to take control of the entire division and make a playoff and even out the conferences. A playoff would generate way more revenue then the BCS games.

GEAUX TIGERS!!

What about ASU? Where's the love.

Why can't NCAAF last 12 months a year? This has been the most exciting season of college football in many years. You lose 1, 2 or even 3 games this year and depending who you lose to and when, you still might have a shot. Ky beats LSU? no way. Stanford beats USC? no way. App St beats Mich? no way! Who's next????

He was referring to the 1996 Orange Bowl at the end of the 1995 season. In that game UF was absolutely destroyed!

This post goes out to my good friend bd40pe, a complete and utter idiot who needs to be smacked in the mouth. THE Ohio State University is perenially one of the top five teams in the nation, and every year it churns out at least two first round draft picks. It is a cool, efficient football machine and for you to compare it to Hawaii, the most overrated team EVER, is sacrelige. Maybe you should pull your head out of that monstrous breach on your backside known as an ass, and try watching college football.

Does anyone really understand that the OSU V.S Penn State game is going to be a big game. remember two years ago when OSU came to the White House, i mean Beaver Stadium. The lions gave them all they can handle. I hope this year it will be a good one. GO BIG TEN!!!

I agree with you Keith, the fans at Penn State helped them win that game in 2005. 110,000 fans in a "white-out", much more distracting than anywhere else. Even LSU or Florida would have a hard time there. It is considered by most in the country to be loudest place to play. Unlike the "Big House" in Michigan, which also holds 110,000 fans, but it has no upperdeck, so it can't hold the noise in. But this year's OSU team has a better defense than last year and more blossoming playmakers on offense. It will be a great game.

up4uf,

Before you resort to name calling, simply do some research. During the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, the Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated the Florida Gators 62-24. I actually was pulling for the Gators that night and hated to see Danny Wuerffel get pummeled like he did (7 sacks and numerous knockdowns). He never had more than 3 seconds to throw the ball but played valiently.

Actually, up4uf, you make a great point with lack of etiquette--No person on here should be too arrogant or confident in their team or their own knowledge.

I think calling DeSean Jackson "over-rated" is far too strong. His numbers are not impressive, obviously, but for the reasons you mentioned. Why force the ball to Jackson when Cal has other weapons? How about recognizing that LaVelle Hawkins and Justin Forsett are "under-rated"? Until a few blunders vs. OSU, Cal was among the nation's best in turnover margin largely because they take what's given offensively. Perhaps Jackson's best games are against good opponents because those teams have the confidence to lay off the double-teams occasionally? You casually state that great WR find a way through the double-teams and play selection. Who are the comparable examples? If I'm choosing a WR for my team, I take Jackson before anyone else in the country. Despite his numbers, I think the vast majority of coaches would. Not my defintion of "over-rated."

matthewdenny said...

"Every week I read the comments to the blogs posterd here on SI, and am continually bombarded by SEC fans claiming their confrence dominance. They continue to mock the "slow" Big Ten (11). When their teams lose (Kent. v. LSU) it's due to the depth of the confrence opposition. When similar event occour in other confrences it's due to the teams being "over-rated" (Wisc. v. PSU).
Just a few facts for you to compare the SEC and Big Ten in the only way that makes sense, head to head.

SEC Record vs. Big Ten
2006: 1-2
2005: 1-2
2004: 2-2
.... I don't see the "speed" and dominance."


SEC Rules Sez: What a load of hogwash! I have seen similar Big Ten propaganda being touted around several sports blogs so I decided to do a little checking for myself.

First off lets really look at SEC and Big Ten performance in 2006 bowl games and then we will discuss depth versus being overated.

Our #1 FL vs your #1 OSU - well we all know what happened there don't we? 41-14, some game OSU played.

Our 2 next best teams LSU and Auburn, (overall records) smoked Notre Dame and Big 12 North Champ Nebraska in major bowls by large point margins.

Your #2 Wisconsin beat our #4 overall record team Arkansas by 3 points and your 4th best Penn State beat our 5th best Tenn by 10 whole points. So your win margin in two games was 13 points and our NC game win margin was 27 points.

Lets look at the 2006 bowl games where we didn't play each other, but did play teams much better than Akron, Youngstown St, and Kent St.

Then lets recap all SEC and Tiny Ten 2006 bowl games.

SEC FL destroyed Tiny Ten OSU 41-14 in NC game
SEC LSU destroyed ND 41-14 in Sugar
PAC 10 USC thumped Tiny Ten Mich by 14 points in Rose
Tiny Ten Wisconsin eeked out 3 point win over SEC Arkansas
SEC Auburn took down Big Twelve North champ Nebraska in Cotton
Tiny Ten Penn State beat SEC Tenn in Outback
SEC Georgia beat ACC VA Tech in Chick Fil A
Big 12 Texas beat Tiny Ten Iowa in Alamo
ACC Maryland wallops Tiny Ten Purdue in Champ Sports
Texas Tech beats Tiny Ten Minnesota in Insight
SEC S Carolina beats Houston in Liberty
SEC Kentucky beats ACC Clemson in Music City
Big 12 OK St beats SEC Alabama in Independence

Final 2006 bowl game tally:
SEC 6-3
Tiny Ten 2-4

The above reflects a conference with depth versus a conference being over rated.

OSU should get a life and play SOMEBODY then we can see if they deserve a #1 ranking this year.

Lots of comments on OSU's schedule, what about the Big East- weakest div out there. Though I think South Florida is the real deal, but would be more respected if they played worthy opponents. Ridiculous that WV is in the top 10. As for the nc, I do agree that if there are any undefeated teams left, then they should play for the nc. Unfortunately, the big corporations wouldn't want a South Florida/BC championship. There should be no doubt when one wins the nc game - which is why we need to go to a playoff system.

Thanks for calling out Hawaii. They struggled mightily against a very poor looking San Jose State team.

I followed the Colt Brennan stories over the summer and wanted to be a believer. After seeing him play Friday night, I can't understand why he's on anyone's Heisman radar. His long throws were off target. Most of his yards came on short crossing patterns underneath coverage. One of his TDs should have been an INT, and would have been against any legit Top 25 team.

I beleive that the best player in the country is Andre Woodson. Beat No. 1 LSU, go 'Kats.

Anybody remember when Florida lost 62-24 to Nebraska in the title game, then went on to win it the next year? Holding OSU's title game loss against them from last year, especially Florida fans, need to remember that past results, even from last year, don't mean squat in the present.

Everybody has 6 or 7 games left. Judging by the way the seasons first half went, this weeks top ten will mean nothing in December. CHILL OUT!

To the SEC fan who was talking about how Auburn won "by a large margin over Nebraska"..... Maybe you should go check that score again. lol. I think your research looks a little weak.

i hate all these comments about how the big ten is terrible its not that bad yes the sec and pac-10 have the best teams in the country at the moment but thats only because of the style of play all of the big ten powerhouses can easily play straight up football with the best of them but they are not used to facing the spread offenses and so they cant compete as well against those teams they need to start running a more competent defense against the spread

ACCfan,
Please remind us all of the last time BC played a significant game?
Warmest regards,
Fans of major college fb

PS. USF will put the wood to Rutgers. Schiano will be doing the old duck and cover as USF does some clear cutting of the "chopping wood" crew.

(snipped -- long post about how ranking should be just in terms of win-loss)

"I know, I'd probably get fired for turning in a poll like that. Still, I think it makes more sense than a lot of the hogwash spouted this season. For all the Florida fans pissed that someone put your boys under Virginia and UConn: No matter how you slice it, your boys have lost twice - they've only lost once. Don't sweat it - I'm sure it won't stay that way all season. But up to this point, the facts are the facts, and too many coaches, writers, and computers seem to forget that. Thoughts?"

The obvious problem with going just by win-loss is that it overly penalizes teams that have a really tough schedule, especially if two otherwise undefeated teams end up playing each other. Taking one loss to a really good team doesn't necessarily mean you are worse than a team that is undefeated against obviously inferior opposition. Then again, you have supposedly 'really good' teams this year that have lost to supposedly terrible opponents (see: Michican, USC), so maybe the 'strength of schedule' factor is less important than most people think these days.

Ranking on something like, say, win-loss to teams that are in the consensus top 50 in AP polling (or some other ranking) at the time the game is played might be a more objective measurement. Of course, then people will argue over whether the teams that are 3-0 in "AP Games" and beat a team in the top 10 are better or worse than the teams that are 4-0 in "AP Games" and didn't play anyone in the top 25, etc., etc...

No ranking system is ever going to be perfect when you have numerous teams that not only don't play each other, but frequently don't even play any common opponents (or perhaps 1 or 2 at most). And there may also be situations where, due to specific skill or player matchups, team A might be favored over team B, and B over C, but C over A. In those cases, there is no 1-2-3 ranking that is correct (at least in terms of just those three teams).

I'm going to invoke the top selling group of 1995 (the last year Mandel's Northwestern won the Big Ten and went to the Rose Bowl):

"I wanted to look for you, you walked in I didn't know just what I should do, so I sat back down, had a beer and felt sorry for myself."

This is what sports analysts are doing right now, and they deserve it. They've been pretty good over the years predicting winners, but now it's OBVIOUS that it's nothing more than a gambling addiction. When they're wrong, oh boy, do they pout like middle-school children who just remembered they forgot to get their field trip permission slip signed.

Take some of Hootie's advice Stewart. Lay off the predictions, sit down on your couch, crack open a budweiser and just watch some football. We don't care if you're ever right, and we definitely don't care when you're wrong. So why are you taking it so damn personally? Your tone, and the tone of many others, resemble someone who just lost on the river card after going all in. You're supposed to be an objective observer. Instead, you're irritated that South Florida is ranked so highly, and you're really mad that LSU and Oklahoma might not play for the marbles. News flash: It has nothing to do with you. You don't make things happen. It takes away from the kids on the field when you try to rationalize why someone lost. We don't need it explained. What we need is some recap analysis, NOT personal commentary. What worked, what didn't work, etc. That's all.

The fact that you mention that DeSean Jackson appears to avoid contact is echoed again & again by the NFL about other Pac 10 receivers...especially the USC receivers.

Can you point out to me where are the USC receivers in the NFL that are performing up to the level that they did in the Pac 10? Most NFL talent evaluators consider them "soft" and that they shy away from contact and will not go over the middle.

At USC, they recruit these tall kids that run 4.4 - 4.5 and they throw them the ball and they run for 20 yards and the D-backs try to bring them down. The Carolina Panthers have two of these receivers Keary Colbert & Dwayne Jarrett. Jarrett has been labeled "Tinkerbell" by has own coaches for his reluctance to initiate contact! Colbert has been a perenniel back-up and Jarrett has been relegated to the side-lines, only dressing-out for one game. From Mike Williams through Dwayne Jarrett they have been a complete bust. USC & Cal currently have more of the same this year with Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton, as well as DeSean Jackson! Mandel is right in his assessment of their lack of desire for contact!

In the SEC, there are 5 star recruits on both sides of the ball and you are going to have to fight your way through very agressive "press" coverage. Line up across from Nick Saban's corners and see if you can trot out and catch the ball! If you survive your apprenticeship in the SEC you are ready for the NFL! The SEC places as much emphasis on defense (or more) as they do offense, and way more than they do in the Pac 10 (except for USC).

When USC plays Cal, you will see the corners (USC's) be very physical with DeSean Jackson...it will be interesting to see how he reacts!