Posted: 11/23/2009 by Denny O'Brien
This was an easy week for voters. Probably the easiest week I’ve had in the three years of voting on the Harris Interactive panel.
Much of that can be attributed to the fact that my top four played a lineup of patsies this weekend, Cincinnati and Georgia Tech were idle, and Boise State scored another victory over a WAC opponent that would finish in the lower division of the Southern Conference.
With LSU being the only Top 10 team to lose this weekend, it meant very little jockeying in my poll. Here’s how it shakes out, along with some fodder for thought:
1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Texas Christian
5. Cincinnati
6. Georgia Tech
7. Boise State
8. Pittsburgh
9. Ohio State
10. Oregon
11. Oklahoma State
12. Iowa
13. Penn State
14. Virginia Tech
15. Ole Miss
16. Oregon State
17. Louisiana State
18. Stanford
19. Clemson
20. Southern Cal
21. California
22. Brigham Young
23. Utah
24. North Carolina
25. Nebraska
- I seriously don’t know if Texas is the best team in the country. I just know that the Longhorns are blowing out everyone in their path. We’ll know for sure after they demolish Texas A&M, beat Nebraska, and face either Alabama or Florida in the BCS title game. That is assuming that neither the Tide nor Gators trip in upcoming rivalry games.
- While I’m not an advocate of a playoff – nor will I ever be – I admit my curiosity about how Texas Christian would stack up against the top three. The Frogs don’t appear to have a weakness, other than those hideous uniforms they sported against Utah a week ago.
- How are voters justifying placing Penn State ahead of Iowa on their ballots? Didn’t the Hawkeyes beat the Nittany Lions by two scores in Happy Valley?
- Likewise, how is LSU ranked ahead of Ole Miss on most ballots? The two have identical overall and SEC records, and the Rebels beat the Bayou Bengals this weekend. Shouldn’t that factor into the equation?
- Not only did I keep Stanford on my ballot, I have the Cardinal very high at No. 18. It is the only four-loss team in my rankings. When you beat Oregon, embarrass USC, and sit alone in third place in the PAC-10 standings, I think it justifies the spot I gave them.
- If I was ranking only by defenses, I’d have to place North Carolina in the Top 5. But unfortunately for the Tar Heels, offense is part of the equation and is why they have three losses instead of one or two. Give the Heels a couple of linemen and an upgrade at QB and they’d be scary good.
- Many teams were considered for that final spot on my ballot, which I ultimately rewarded to Nebraska over Northwestern and… drum roll… Temple. The Owls have won nine straight but lost to the only good team they’ve played – Penn State. They also lost to FCS member Villanova in the battle of Philly, which makes it tough to push them ahead of Big XII North champ Nebraska.
Denny O'Brien is a columnist for Bonesville.net and Pirates' Chest Magazine. You can read more of his work at http://www.bonesville.net. If you have a question or comment, you can e-mail him at denny.obrien@bonesville.net. You can also follow him on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/thedob.