2008 BP Poll - Week Seven

[LordJeffBuck]

Here's the Week 7 poll, and as you might have expected, it is interesting:

01. Texas 322 (10); beat Missouri, 56-31
02. Alabama 313 (3); beat Mississippi, 24-20
03. Penn State 301; beat Michigan, 46-17
04. Oklahoma 264; beat Kansas, 45-31
05. Florida 260; bye week
06. Southern Cal 250; beat Washington State, 69-0
07. Oklahoma State 241; beat Baylor, 34-6
08. Brigham Young 220; lost to Texas Christian, 7-32
09. Texas Tech 217; beat Texas A+M, 43-25
10. Georgia 207; beat Vanderbilt, 24-14
11. Ohio State 204; beat Michigan State, 45-7
12. Missouri 196; lost to Texas, 31-56
13. Louisiana State 179; beat South Carolina, 24-17
14. Utah 147; beat Colorado State, 49-16
15. Boise State 137; beat Hawai'i, 27-7
16. Michigan State 113; lost to Ohio State, 7-45
17. Kansas 102; lost to Oklahoma, 31-45
18. Virginia Tech 82; lost to Boston College, 23-28
19. North Carolina 94; lost to Virginia, 13-16 (OT)
20. Wake Forest 55; lost to Maryland, 0-26
21. California 45; lost to Arizona, 27-42
22. South Florida 42; beat Syracuse, 45-13
23. Vanderbilt 40; lost to Georgia, 14-24
24. Ball State 38; bye week
25. Pittsburgh 22; beat Navy, 42-21

Others receiving votes: Tulsa 17; Kansas State 12; Minnesota 11; Texas Christian 10; Florida State 10; Georgia Tech 6; Oregon State 4; Notre Dame 1; Oregon 1

Still not receiving a single vote: Michigan 0; lost to Penn State, 17-46

Most ballots had Texas #1, Alabama #2, and Penn State #3, but after that, things got crazy, as voters couldn't seem to agree on where to place many teams. For example, Brigham Young received votes ranging from #4 to #13; Texas Tech from #5 to #15; Georgia from #5 to #14; Ohio State from #7 to #16; LSU from #8 to #16; Missouri from #8 to #17; and Virginia Tech from #13 to not rated. But the most difficult team for the pollsters to evaluate was clearly Oklahoma State, who received the following votes: five #4, two #7, one #8, two #9, two #11, and one #15, which was good for seventh place overall.

Does anyone else think that things are setting up for a re-match of the 2005 BCS championship game between Texas and Southern Cal?

 

[LitlBuck]

I can live with that poll very easily. Maybe moving a couple, actually quite a few, teams up or down one or two slots. The top 15 teams I can agree with but it gets pretty dicey after #15. It is almost difficult to find a team that I want to put in the poll. I think that at the end of the season neither Vanderbilt or Pittsburgh will be in the top 25 but I know that most people want to talk about the top five which I really don't have a problem with except maybe shifting a few teams right now. I had PSU at #2 and Alabama at #3. I also had Oklahoma right outside of the top five.

I agree with your statement about the fact that we might be heading for a USC/Texas rematch but for some reason or another quite a few of our pollsters do not think USC is that deserving. I guess we shall see in a couple months

 

[BB73]

This was my poll this week. Where'd I go wrong, JXC?

01. Texas
02. Alabama
03. Penn St.
04. Oklahoma St.
05. Texas Tech
06. Oklahoma
07. Georgia
08. Florida
09. USC
10. Ohio St.
11. Missouri
12. LSU
13. BYU
14. Utah
15. Boise St.
16. Virginia Tech
17. Kansas
18. Michigan St.
19. California
20. Vanderbilt
21. North Carolina
22. Ball St.
23. Tulsa
24. Wake Forest
25. Minnesota

 

[FWBuckeye]

Here is how I saw it.

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


I kept Missouri ahead of Oklahoma State because I felt that game was just an aberration. I'm not sold on Oklahoma State yet, but they have plenty of more opportunities to gain my respect. I put Georgia over other one loss teams such as USC, Florida, and LSU because I felt they lost to an excellent Alabama team so their loss was "better" in my opinion. I put Alabama over Texas as #1 because Alabama has played the harder schedule to this point and in my opinion have looked more impressive doing it. Texas Tech has a low ranking because they haven't really impressed me to this point. They have played a weak schedule and their offense at times has not looked as impressive as it has in the past. They have an extremely difficult stretch coming up so they have an opportunity to prove themselves. BYU has a tough game against TCU this week in Fort Worth that could move them up a few spots in my eyes if they can come out with a convincing win. If Penn State beats us I would love to see them run the table and get in the national title game so the Big Ten has an opportunity to win back some national respect.

 

[JXC]

Well first off i'll start by posting my poll...as usual...along with where I had each team last week.

1. Texas (5)
2. Alabama (1)
3. Penn State (4)
4. Oklahoma State (16)
5. Texas Tech (7)
6. USC (8)
7. Florida (11)
8. Oklahoma (2)
9. Ohio State (10)
10. Missouri (3)
11. LSU (6)
12. Utah (12)
13. BYU (13)
14. Georgia (14)
15. Boise State (15)
16. North Carolina (17)
17. Virginia Tech (18)
18. California (19)
19. Michigan State (22)
20. Vanderbelt (9)
21. South Florida (20)
22. Kansas (23)
23. Ball State (NR)
24. Tulsa (NR)
25. Minnesota (NR)


BB...Obviously I agree with your top 5. I do not understand why Oklahoma is your best 1 loss team. They give up 45 points, and haven't beaten anybody good this year. But they lost to Texas, who I really don't think is the best team in the country, but you kind of have to put them there. I have them 8...where they BELONG. I still think USC is the best team in the country, but they haven't played the best, but they definitely have played the best as a 1 loss team. They have the best win as a 1 loss team, and they have other quality wins. They have a tough road loss. I think you have to go with how a team has played, because the future will take care of itself, and in the final poll, then you can't vote by anything other than who played the best, because if a team played bad, but should have been better, you don't just rank them higher. At least I don't. I mean, if i just went with who I thought was the best. My poll would go 1. USC 2. Florida. I think they are the two best teams, but they decided not to show up for games and lost...and you can't do that either.

Both you and FW have BYU low, as do I. WHO THE HELL IS PUTTING THEM 4th? I'd love to play BYU. They don't scare me at all. I don't agree with ranking MSU over Cal. They lost to Cal and both teams have 1 loss. I just flip them. Overall I like your poll. I still think Kansas is overrated and hasn't done anything good this year. I also like Minnesota at 25...good choice.

Good poll...

FW...Okie State goes TO Missouri, wins, and you still have Missouri ahead. That's nuts, even though you tried to explain it. Okie State is obviously good, and has a great defense. I KNOW it was an abberation that Florida and USC lost, but I don't have them in the top 2, becuase they still lost. But I don't know that Okie State beating Missouri was an abberation. That was a good road win for Okie. They belong with the big boys now.

And Wake Forest isn't that good. Have you seen them play? They lost to Navy, and they look bad in a few of their wins. Not a top 25 team...definitely not as good as they should be. Clemson stinks, and they struggled there too.

 

[BB73]

JXC, our polls are pretty close, so there isn't too much I had to defend.

Oklahoma did lose to the current #1 team, and it was a good game - they obviously didn't get waxed like UGA by Bama or tOSU at USC; and it wasn't a 'bad' loss, like USC at Oregon State or Florida at home to Ole Mis, so I think their loss was the least harmful, rankings-wise. And I think they have some quality wins - nobody else has beaten TCU or Cincinnati at this point, even though neither one of those teams is ranked.

I have Georgia much higher than you do - they got stomped in the first half, showed some life against Bama in the second half, but it was still a pounding at home that is rather damaging. I just don't think it's as damaging as losing badly to #2 as it is losing to Ole Miss and Oregon State. But the Cocktail Party will settle the UGA-Fla thing, and if the winner has 1 loss, they'll be ahead of a 1-loss USC and the loser will be below them.

How the 1-loss Big 12 teams and 1-loss SEC teams compare to a 1-loss USC all season will be interesting to track.

 

[Nutriaitch]

1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Penn St.
4. Florida
5. Texas Tech
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. Ohio St.
9. BYU
10. Oklahoma St.
11. Missouri
12. Georgia
13. Boise St.
14. LSU
15. Utah
16. Kansas
17. North Carolina
18. Virginia Tech
19. Wake Forest
20. Pittsburgh
21. Michigan St.
22. Ball St.
23. California
24. South Florida
25. Vanderbilt

Here's my poll for the week. Y'all disect, and I'll answer any questions.

 

[FWBuckeye]

JXC, I don't know if I'd call OK State's defense great. Good probably, but not great. They allowed a terrible Texas A&M team (and I mean terrible) to put up 28 on them @ OK State. Their only 2 solid defensive games have been against Washington State, one of the worst BCS teams in the country, and Missouri State, an FCS team. I would actually look at their offense as being the most impressive part of that team. But look from what I have seen of both teams so far throughout the season(and I live right in the heart of Big 12 country so I have seen a lot) I think Missouri is the better team. Right now, based on what I have seen from both teams throughout the season, if they played each other 10 times I think Missouri would win around 6-7 of them. Was winning on the road impressive? Absolutely, thats why I moved them up somewhere around 7 or more spots. They are absolutely a top 10 team and I'm not saying they can't hang with the big boys. I just think right now that Missouri is the better team. OK State has 3 more excellent opportunities ahead of them and they could very well be playing for a national title at the end of the year. Who knows! But right now I still think that Missouri is a better team.

As for Wake Forest, I have them a spot below the poll average. Honestly I don't think anyone from 21 down in my poll nor is anyone below them what I would consider a top 25 caliber team at this point in the season most years. I think there is a huge quality gap from 20 to 21.

 

[JXC]

I still don't get it. I guess Miami FL should have finished ranked ahead of Ohio State in 2002, because if they played 10 times Miami FL would have won 6 or 7

 

[fourteenandoh]

Nutria, you got tOSU way too high. Georgia, Missou, okie st and maybe BYU are probably better. I know we lost to USC, but its not like we've glided through the rest of our schedule. I want to think we should be that high, but i just don't see it. Beat MSU by 10 or more and then beat PSU and I'll say that we have an argument to be in the top 5 or 6. Until then, I think 11, 12 or 13 seems about right.

so im curious, why did you put them at 8?


"Does anyone else think that things are setting up for a re-match of the 2005 BCS championship game between Texas and Southern Cal?"

I think USC has a free shot from here on out, but I don't think UT can win out.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Nutria, you got tOSU way too high. Georgia, Missou, okie st and maybe BYU are probably better.

These 5 teams can be placed in just about any order and I wouldn't complain much.
Georgia and Mizzou both get punished for losing at home. I'm not sold on Oklahoma State. I have them in the pack with these teams, and ahead of Mizzou for the H2H win, but I haven't been really impressed. But they do have the potential to climb (and fast) if they keep it up.


I'll admit to not knowing a whole lot about BYU and probably have them lower than they should be.

 

[sandgk]

My ballot:

1 Alabama
2 Texas
3 Penn St.
4 Oklahoma St.
5 Texas Tech
6 USC
7 Oklahoma
8 Florida
9 BYU
10 Georgia
11 Missouri
12 Ohio St.
13 Utah
14 LSU
15 Boise St.
16 Kent St
17 Michigan St.
18 Virginia Tech
19 Wake Forest
20 South Florida
21 California
22 Vanderbilt
23 TCU
24 Pittsburgh
25 Ball St.

I'm harsh on Texas - not granting them the #1 spot - too much help from the officials in my view.

I am very impressed with Penn State. They have surprised me. Surprised me to the point of my openly asking, why were they playing that stiff Morelli in place of this years QB?
If the Buckeyes take them when they visit Columbus it will be a huge win.

I don't think Texas vs. USC works this year though (in answer to LJB's question) too much for Texas to get through in the next few weeks.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

These 5 teams can be placed in just about any order and I wouldn't complain much.
Georgia and Mizzou both get punished for losing at home. I'm not sold on Oklahoma State. I have them in the pack with these teams, and ahead of Mizzou for the H2H win, but I haven't been really impressed. But they do have the potential to climb (and fast) if they keep it up.


I'll admit to not knowing a whole lot about BYU and probably have them lower than they should be.

If OSU played Mizzo, think Florida '06. Without pressure, Daniel is going to move the ball methodically down the field all day long and with great efficiency. Okie State has some good looking skill position players. They are probably closer to us but I would give them the edge based on record. OSU should sit pretty solidly at the 10 or 11 spot.

 

[BB73]

My ballot:

1 Alabama
2 Texas
3 Penn St.
4 Oklahoma St.
5 Texas Tech
6 USC
7 Oklahoma
8 Florida
9 BYU
10 Georgia
11 Missouri
12 Ohio St.
13 Utah
14 LSU
15 Boise St.
16 Kent St
17 Michigan St.
18 Virginia Tech
19 Wake Forest
20 South Florida
21 California
22 Vanderbilt
23 TCU
24 Pittsburgh
25 Ball St.

Are you testing us to see if we're paying attention?


I'll assume that's a Kansas alphabetical neighbor grabbed by mistake in the drop-down box.

 

[Zander42]

My ballot below. I believe OkSt deserves the benefit of the doubt right now. They played a very sound game against a good Mizzu team. I don't know what to do with BYU. I don't feel right about dropping a team that keeps winning, but do I think they beat Georga? Not likely. Maybe I'll move them around next week...

Oh and, who the *&#$%^ keeps voting for Notre Dame??!

1 Texas
2 Alabama
3 Penn St.
4 Oklahoma St.
5 Florida
6 Oklahoma
7 USC
8 Missouri
9 BYU
10 Georgia
11 Ohio St.
12 LSU
13 Virginia Tech
14 Texas Tech
15 Utah
16 Kansas
17 Michigan St.
18 North Carolina
19 Boise St.
20 Georgia Tech
21 Vanderbilt
22 Ball St.
23 South Florida
24 Pittsburgh
25 Oregon