Week 6 Preliminary CBS SPORTS Blogpoll Ballot

by Bud Elliott on Oct 5, 2008 2:41 AM EDT in FSU Football Comment 9 comments

Rank	Team	Delta

1	Alabama	--
2	Missouri	1
3	Oklahoma	1
4	Texas	--
5	Southern Cal	2
6	LSU	1
7	Texas Tech	1
8	Florida	4
9	Penn State	1
10	Ohio State	3
11	Brigham Young	2
12	Utah	4
13	Oklahoma State	1
14	Georgia	3
15	South Carolina	11
16	Vanderbilt	7
17	Virginia Tech	2
18	California	8
19	Florida State	7
20	Georgia Tech	1
21	North Carolina	1
22	Wake Forest	4
23	South Florida	13
24	Boise State	7
25	Ball State	1

Dropped Out: Auburn (#15), Kansas (#22), Maryland (#24), Oregon (#25).

As always, you are the members of Tomahawk Nation. I come to you for advice.

General Themes this week include:

Alabama has the combination of talent and resume deserving of the #1 spot
The Big 12 has 4 teams worth of consideration for the top 5 spots
USC and UF both bounced back after their losses, both had major injury situations to deal with, and both smoked their opponents.
The ACC has a lot of "good", but not great teams. They are the 3rd best conference right now.
In my final, I will move Utah and BYU down. These guys aren't super talented and they don't have quality wins at this juncture.
South Carolina will move to 20ish. That defense is very good and if Spurrier has them cranking... They arguably outplayed their opponent in both losses.
I'm dropping Virginia Tech behind FSU. Is this homerism? Maybe. Their quality wins are Nebraska, Gtech, and a stolen game at the #21 team....
UNC. This could be your ACC champion, if they get their QB back.
The Big East is dangerously close to not having a ranked team.
Boise played much worse than the score indicated. Their only "quality" win is over an Oregon team on their 3rd string QB.
Ball State is the ONLY mid major in the ballot with an NFL QB
Waiting: Tulsa, Michigan State. Argue for them and they're probably in.
Remember our Poll's premise: who would win in a head to head matchup on a neutral field? I rank them based on that, and adjust if any absurdities occur (I won't have a 3 loss team over an undefeated team except in the rarest of circumstances).
It is now up to you! Where am I right? Where am I wrong? This is now going on Sportsline, so make sure Tomahawk Nation doesn't get embarassed!

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Comments

South Carolina

2 losses? Seriously?

"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." - General George S. Patton

by NoleCC on Oct 5, 2008 10:27 AM EDT reply actions

I'm dropping them down pretty far, 15 was an accident, but...

I’ve watched them outplay their opponent twice and lose both games. Those games are against Two top 15 teams (Vandy ugh, and Georgia)

I just think their on field performance is more meritorious than some of these teams with questionable talent and an unblemished record against nobodies.

They’ll be around 20-23 in the final.

Tomahawk Nation

by Bud Elliott on Oct 5, 2008 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions

You really think FSU deserves top 20? After nearly blowing the game? Yes we “dominated” them on paper, but paper doesn’t matter when the score is 41-39…we can’t play that bad on punts or kickoffs anymore and win. We need to get some touchbacks on kickoffs and the snapper needs to step up, or we need Sanborn back for a 6th year…lol Our FG’s actually looked decent the past couple of weeks…(knock on wood). Also FU over PSU? really? FU beat Arkansas and needed 4 quarters to do so, unlike Texas or Bama. Also OU has to be number 1, Bama did not impress much this week with its one dimensional ground attack. Just some opinions..

by KMAY on Oct 5, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

Fair enough about PSU

They need to start drilling these garbage big 10 teams though.

Bama is one dimensional to date but nobody has stopped that dimension.

Tomahawk Nation

by Bud Elliott on Oct 5, 2008 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

The snapper is fine

There is nothing to indicate to me the the long snapping will be a problem in the future. The kickoffs are a problem but have more to do with decision making than anything else.

I might wait before putting FSU ahead of Wake. I find it a bit hard to really figure wake out. While I do think that FSU is better than wake when playing against other teams, Wake’s disciplined style of play brings out the worst in them. The FSU right now might beat Wake, and I think with continued improvement, the FSU at the end of the season would handle them relatively easily.

Missouri still hasn’t played a good defense(and being in the Big 12 they probably won’t all year), and they don’t have much on defense themselves. They’ll get exposed eventually. UT and OU are both better teams. Texas Tech isn’t good.

by Mongo314 on Oct 5, 2008 2:50 PM EDT reply actions

I think you're really underrating Missou and TTech.

The Big12 is the best conference from what iIve seen. USC is probably the best team, but they have a loss.

Tomahawk Nation

by Bud Elliott on Oct 5, 2008 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Mizzou and TTech

Mizzou can put up points on anybody… Daniel is extremely accurate and (if you are completing over 75% of your passes that’s impressive no matter who you’re playing) and Maclin is dangerous every time he touches the ball… As for their defense not having much, they are better than most think. They have arguably the best safety in the country in William Moore and a solid LB in Weatherspoon. Also, if their is a close game their kicker is will help them since he is good enough to be kicking on Sundays. They face their first tough test this week when they host OK St. and we’ll really know how good they are after the next week when they play at Texas. But based on their current body of work you have to consider them one of the top teams in the nation with a few others.

As for Texas Tech, see the above about having an accurate QB and explosive play making WR. Their D isn’t as good but they are really fun to watch.

Its starting to look like the national championship will be the Big 12 champ vs. the SEC champ

by nolesblogger on Oct 5, 2008 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions