This week's Blog Poll comes to you courtesy of My Opinion on Sports. Paragon's employers are making him work harder than mine are me, so I'll be providing this week's response.
The Battle for #1 - USC and LSU are separated by one vote in the AP poll. We made the switch in last week's blogpoll by putting the Tigers in our top spot. State your case for who should be the top team in the country.
I'll be a homer and pick USC. Before they had a brain-fart against Tulane, I could easily have picked LSU, as I think they are perhaps a more complete team than USC, especially in the secondary. However, since this is an aesthetic judgement* between 2 teams who haven't lost yet, I'm going to pick my alma mater's.
Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, Texas and Rutgers were all upset this weekend. Of those teams, who has the best shot of getting back into the national title hunt?
Oklahoma I think narrowly over Florida, depending on results this weekend. The Big 12 is all over the map in terms of results, so if Oklahoma can win the Red River Shoot-out to set up a charge through the remaining conference schedule, they might well get back in. Florida must beat LSU in Baton Rouge to get even a sniff of the MNC. If both teams lose, then I haven't the slightest idea. I just can't see Rutgers and West Virginia coming back from their losses this weekend for rankings purposes.
Looking at the current AP Top 10, who is grossly overrated and who should be in there that isn't?
I'm just not buying what Wisconsin is selling. Squeaking along in the Big Televen and beating Washington State doesn't seem to be much of an argument for being number 5 - I suppose you could make the same argument against South Florida at 6, but they at least put on the appearance of being a dynamic, well coached team while working their way through the Big Least. And I am mystified by the swooning schoolgirl crush that so many college football fans have on Brett Bielema.
What is the worst coaching mistake you've seen this season?
Aside from SC, I haven't been watching that many games, to be honest, but Charlie Weis' body of work for the season may qualify in its entirety. I don't follow Notre Dame closely enough to have an opinion of the balance of responsibility between the coaching and the players, but damn. If Weis knew, or even suspected, that the drop off from 2006 would be that steep but didn't work in younger players last season to try and win as much as possible this year, then he's paying for it now. If he didn't know, well that's another issue.
Thoughts? Objections? Vigorous agreement?
*In my not at all humble opinion, the whole thread of "who has more "quality wins" is subjectivity cake covered with a thin icing of game results. It's tasty but not very nutritious.