This season, we're pleased to be participating in the BlogPoll, a creation of Brian Cook of mgoblog. We think he's on to something with his idea and appreciate the fact that in only a few seasons, the BlogPoll is starting to get used in the same sentence as the AP Poll.
It's completely transparent and the voters all really know their teams and the sport. You can make a case for homerism, but because of the transparency, every ballot is on display for the world to see. Another neat feature is that the BlogPoll is people powered in the sense that a given blog's community helps shape the ballot. The goal is to have our ballot posted on this site early Mondays throughout the season. Then after a round of comments, the ballot is updated if needed, and then sent off to the big show.
So without anymore delay, here's our 1st preseason ballot. Be sure to chime in as you see fit, but a quick note that we're not the biggest fans of preseason rankings:
| 1 |  |
The machine is so well-oiled, that we half expect to see Pete guest-starring on Entourage while his team reels off 7 straight. |
| 2 |  |
Stacked with veteran skill players, but who will blow it first - Lloyd or the defense? |
| 3 |  |
Stout defense will help break in a new quarterback and a favorable schedule could give Miles his put-up or shut-up moment with USC. |
| 4 |  |
Wooderson's boys have a young Colt on offense, but concerns about the secondary may come back to bite them. |
| 5 |  |
Herban's team speed continues to light up the scoreboard and police blotter. #5 out of respect and repeating is tough, but don't count out Meyer. |
| 6 |  |
Loaded backfield and a great young coach, but the team hasn't proven capable of winning every single weekend of the season. |
| 7 |  |
Under the radar, as usual. Fact is, if they run the table in the Big Ten, they'll be a NC candidate. |
| 8 |  |
Another team loaded with talent, but Big Game Bobby is on a skid of sorts. Texas is also over the hump mentally. |
| 9 |  |
Never been a huge Beamer fan, but there's no way you can't root for these guys this season. Still, you gotta wonder how a team gathering in Michael Vick Hall will do. |
| 10 |  |
We're cautious, but there's too much talent on this squad to keep it out of the top ten. |
| 11 |  |
Brohm's a stud, but you never know how things will go when a veteran QB gets a brand new coach. |
| 12 |  |
Cal - that team you root for to beat USC each season, so your squad can rise in the rankings. |
| 13 |  |
Little known fact: Phil Fulmer's blood type is Gravy+. Despite that, Ainge could have a monster year. The Coker situation hurts, though. |
| 14 |  |
Only 11 returning starters, but friendly schedule could help the cause. Is this the season that it all comes together for Stafford? |
| 15 |  |
Click-Clack. Tubberville knows how to win in the tough SEC. |
| 16 |  |
Schiano is building something special out east and will own NJ shortly (ouch, Joe Pa). Rice will get about 1800 and the Scarlet Knights could easily be staring at a BCS bid when the dust settles. |
| 17 |  |
Joe Poo's boys get OSU and Wisconsin at home, but until they can prove that they're capable of beating the Wolverines, we gotta keep them down. |
| 18 |  |
The talent is most definitely there. How many other schools could Felix Jones start for right now? The real question is to the (mental) state of the program. |
| 19 |  |
The Ian Johnson feel-good fest is alive and well for year 2. A tough season-ending ame at Hawaii may prevent them from repeating last season's heroics. |
| 20 |  |
We still have grave doubts about Callahan's abilities as a coach, but the program is back on the up and the addition of Keller helps. |
| 21 |  |
Jones is an underrated coach and Brennan should pass for .. oh.. about 75,000 yards and 200 TDs this season. A very favorable schedule could have them becoming the Boise State of 2007. |
| 22 |  |
Big win over USC last season is wonderful for the program's confidence, but your WR coach getting busted for robbery - not so much. |
| 23 |  |
New coaches, new ideas, and the venerable Bobby Bowden. The program is a little down, but don't be surprised to see a slight resurgance heading into the Alabama game on 9/29. |
| 24 |  |
It just wouldn't feel right leaving the Ol' Ball Coach out of the rankings, would it? |
| 25 |  |
Steele likes Bama as a darkhorse national title contender, but Saban's karma may check those plans. |
Comments
Since I don't fit the lofty criteria for the BlogPoll yet, here's some observations in no particular order.
1. Does Alabama's ranking include the fact that their starting CB is probably going to miss some serious time?
2. Why are we so high on Texas? They haven't played a game, and they're slowly rising on everyone's ballot (including media). They lose a lot of their defense, which frankly was a disappointment last year.
3. Florida lost more than OSU, including the most important part - their defense. Everything that kept them from losing 5 extra games last year.
4. I actually believe WVU should be higher, their offense is too hard to stop one game at a time.
Thanks,
http://suckatsports.blogspot.com
http://ohiomisery.blogspot.com
I actually agree with the points from SUCKATSPORTS above. Texas and Flordia lost a lot from last season. Flordia plays in too tough of a conference and Texas continues to lose receivers to injury, quicker than they lose starters to drug busts. WVU is going to be tough to stop and should be ranked ahead of Texas. They have Slaton and White back, but they get help from the #6 recruit from last year, Noel Devine. Devine is drawing early comparisions to the White Reggie Bush.
Also look out for UCLA to be a sleeper. They have 20 returning starters and their schedule is favorable, with Cal and USC(kind of) at home.
Of course I would not be a true homer, if I didn't think the Buckeyes should be ranked higher. I think this season smells a bit like 2002. A good defense, smart offense and an outstanding kicking game. This season reeks of Tresselball.
This is what it's all about. Here was the thinking with those teams:
Texas - Because their roster is filled with the best kids in Texas and Colt will have a pretty sweet year with Sweed to throw to. Sweed is going to be a senior thinking at least Michael Jenkins skills with a better QB.
Florida - Meyer. The new master. Tebow and Harvin have a chance to lead the team to 1 loss season or better. Maybe the hangover will get to them, but Meyer has the hot hand.. until Tress gets his revenge.
Alabama - 25 is almost a throw away. At least we're not voting for Duke. If you have a better candidate, let's hear it.
Saying that, WVU should have a monster year. And maybe Devine didn't get enough love. Do we want to bump the Mountaineers above Texas and UF?
Good point about UCLA and 20 returning starters where do we put them?
WVU and Louisville should be ranked equally since the winner of their game will win the Big East and probably be in the championship game. Unless, of course, there are 3 undefeated team. How beautiful would that be?
If the Buckeyes aren't playing for all the marbles, I root for 3 undefeated teams every season.
I think UCLA should be 17, with all others moving down one spot. I still think Penn St. is overrated. After thinking about it, WVU should not move up until after the South Flordia game in late September. SF's defensive line took WVU to school last year, in Morgantown. Plus 4 of WVU's first 6 games are away.
Yeah, I just saw that thing about Castille is all. Alabama isn't going to be as good as everyone thinks under Saban.
I think I'm still stunned from January, but I still think Meyer has a lot to prove. He has not won with his own people (not that he isn't a dirty recruiter himself), and he's never been at the same place for more than two years. I think the offense he runs is much like WVU's is, in a sense that it's very different from what they're used to down in SEC country. Give those defensive coordinators a year to figure it out. In fact, they were already figuring it out by the end of last year, it was noticeable how their offense struggled in the SEC.
I think he'll have continued success, but the guy can't recruit a RB from Florida. Don't you just yell out your window down there to hoard them in? I'm still an Urban Liar skeptic. I think I'm still bitter.
By the way, now that Vince (transcendent player) is gone, look for Mac to lose games for his team that they should have won (already happening).
-wsas
http://suckatsports.blogspot.com
http://ohiomisery.blogspot.com
Agree about Vince and the Mack situation. In fact, I think I made a UT fan pretty mad in Vegas last year by telling him the same thing -- Vince's gone, no more glory. But Colt and that talent..
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