Draft Blogpoll Week 13

by BirdGT on Nov 20, 2011 6:00 PM EST in Georgia Tech Football

Everyone's probably looking at our poll and saying, "WTF VPI?" Yes, we put VPI in at #2. And I'm probably speaking out of turn for OrientalNC's submission on this but as for Winfield and myself, we had a discussion about this yesterday. We felt the Top 2 should be teams that have not yet met in the regular season. Because there is no way to settle it on the field, then your system should do everything in its power to settle it on the field. LSU already bested Alabama on THEIR OWN field. It's time for another team to get a shot at LSU. VPI may get creamed and Houston would probably too but to us, it's more appropriate than awarding the second-best team in a division a shot in the National Title Game particularly if VPI defeats UVA and avenges Clemson (their first and only loss) in the ACCCG. Wisconsin is ranked abnormally high because we have a soft spot for Russell Wilson and feel like his team shouldn't be penalized for freak plays (ala the Joel Sokol model).

If you really break down the top 8, we have the teams ranked by their worst loss and current momentum. I know this will generate some heat from the FTRS readership so let us know your thoughts! WOOOO!

OrientalNC: It looks like the SEC could play each other out of the championship game. LSU closes with Arkansas, so one of them will sit watching the following weekend. Maybe both. I don't know how the SEC decides 3-way ties. Hell, Bama might not even beat Auburn. The War Eagles can play a little bit, too. Then the winner of the West has to play Georgia for the SEC title.

ESPN is touting an all-SEC BCS game, but I don't think it will happen. Someone has to say, "Wait, isn't Houston undefeated?"

I thought about ranking UAB after they dumped Southern Miss, but then Presbyterian beat Cincinnati in hoops yesterday, so maybe blind squirrels do indeed find nuts. This is the craziest football season in many years.

From the Rumble Seat Ballot - Week 13

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	--
2	Virginia Tech Hokies	7
3	Alabama Crimson Tide	--
4	Wisconsin Badgers	2
5	Arkansas Razorbacks	2
6	Boise St. Broncos	6
7	Stanford Cardinal	4
8	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	-6
9	Michigan St. Spartans	9
10	Oregon St. Beavers	--
11	Clemson Tigers	-3
12	Oklahoma Sooners	-7
13	Houston Cougars	-3
14	South Carolina Gamecocks	-1
15	USC Trojans	1
16	Kansas St. Wildcats	1
17	Michigan Wolverines	7
18	Georgia Bulldogs	-3
19	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	4
20	TCU Horned Frogs	--
21	Baylor Bears	--
22	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	--
23	Penn St. Nittany Lions	-1
24	West Virginia Mountaineers	1
25	Florida Gators	--
Dropouts: Oregon Ducks, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Arizona St. Sun Devils, Southern Miss. Golden Eagles

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings "

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Comments

Tell me again why Houston fell so far?

by Atlanta's original team on Nov 21, 2011 7:36 AM EST reply actions

something might be wrong in calculations

I will double check

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Nov 21, 2011 7:53 AM EST up reply actions

I'm thinking there are several "goofs" on this list

Not to be critical, but where the hell is Oregon? In my mind they are still a top ten team even with two losses. At the very list they ought to be ranked.

by Atlanta's original team on Nov 21, 2011 8:17 AM EST up reply actions

oh shit

put in Oregon State! HAHAHA

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Nov 21, 2011 8:30 AM EST up reply actions

On another note, the TV talking heads were talking about you guys last week

This happened before all the upsets occurred but they were chastising those who vote particular teams into particular positions because they want to see particular bowl match-ups, as opposed to simply voting for who they think the best team is. My response to them is profanity laced. They were all on board having an SEC national championship game. Nothing screams “bring on the playoff system” more than having a national championship game that 4/5 of the country is not interested in.

by Atlanta's original team on Nov 21, 2011 8:27 AM EST reply actions

With that in mind, but also because the SEC is hyped well beyond its actual strength, here is my top 25

1. LSU
2. Virginia Tech
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma State
5. Houston
6. Arkansas
7. Boise State
8. Stanford
9. Wisconsin
10. Oregon
11. Michigan State
12. South Carolina
13. Oklahoma
14. Georgia
15. USC
16. Kansas State
17. Michigan
18. Clemson
19. Notre Dame
20. TCU
21. Baylor
22. Ga Tech
23. Penn State
24. Florida
25. West Virginia

by Atlanta's original team on Nov 21, 2011 8:33 AM EST reply actions

That is a good list

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Nov 21, 2011 8:34 AM EST up reply actions

Florida

Why is Florida ranked? They’re 6-5, best win is over Vandy/Tennessee. Could put in 8-3 UVA.

by gtphs on Nov 21, 2011 9:50 AM EST reply actions

That is an excellent point

Speaking only for myself, it was perhaps peer pressure. All year I kept saying they were overrated but they kept showing up in everyone’s blog poll so I succumbed to the influence. I suppose the more rational argument would be that they are being ranked less on quality wins than they are on “quality losses.” Apologists for Florida like to point out that certain losses came with a key player out of the line-up or some other excuse.

But you are right. With hindsight it would have made more sense to have Virginia in place of Florida. Of course, the FSU / Florida game may give us some sense of the relative strength of several teams, their wins and their losses.

by Atlanta's original team on Nov 21, 2011 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

Here is the top ten on my ballot.

1-LSU
2-Alabama
3-Houston
4-Arkansas
5-VPI
6-Oklahoma State
7-Georgia
8-Oregon
9-Stanford
10-Wisconsin

My reasoning:
LSU and Alabama may be the two best teams. I hate the whole idea of the BCS, but I still want the two best playing for the title. Read my comments in the post, above. I think the chances of these two teams playing for the title are less than 50-50, but This is where I am today.

I know Bird and WInfield don’t agree, but Houston is UNDEFEATED dammit! Arkansas’ only mistake this season was being in the same division as Bama. It was not a close game, either. That said, they can beat LSU.

Oregon and VPI need a lot of weird stuff to happen for them to be in the game, but the Hokies could win out and be hovering right there. They have to beat UVa first, and that will not be a sure thing. I doubt anyone ranked above them wants to play Oregon next week. I still feel they are as good as anyone. Same with Oklahoma State.

But, as long as we are using polls and computer rankings to determine who plays for the championship, I think winning should be rewarded. Make a case for LSU and Alabama NOT being 1-2 in the rankings. You have to use Bird’s rationale, which has some merit, but still does not answer the ultimate question.

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Seneca
"We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal." - Tennessee Williams

by orientalnc on Nov 21, 2011 1:25 PM EST reply actions