First Top 10 of the 2011 College Football Season

Here is my top 10. As a reminder, my top 10 is based on performance not “predictions” of the future. This is why I don’t start the pole until October. I also add weight for the portion of schedule the school can control (out of conference). Scheduling cupcakes is not looked on favorably in my pole.

  1. LSU (6-0). Normally I ping the SEC teams for their out of conference schedules. Well, LSU stepped it up and played Oregon (neutral field, but more home than away) and West Virginia, so kudos for them. They get the #1 vote for the first week of my standings this year.
  2. Boise State (5-0). Once again Boise State opens on the road against a “big time team” and shows it can play with anyone. Boise State haters, why don’t you schedule a game up in Idaho against them in November and prove they can’t beat you?
  3. Oklahoma (5-0). They had a few out of conference cupcakes but going on the road to play what many thought was a top 5 Florida State team shows me something. The impressive Texas win counter-acts the Missouri game where I don’t think they looked as good.
  4. Clemson (6-0). Nice road win at Auburn out of conference followed by good in-conference wins against Florida State and Virginia Tech puts Clemson in my top 5.
  5. Kansas State (5-0). I now the Florida schools haven’t been impressive these year, but K-State gets credit for an out of conference win at Miami (FL) and good conference wins at home against Baylor and Missouri.
  6. Alabama (6-0). Beating Penn State at Penn State is a good win even if Penn State isn’t that good. The other out of conference games were against cream puffs though. Good in conference wins against Florida and Arkansas help them a bit in my rankings.
  7. Illinois (6-0). Didn’t really know where to put the Illini. The victory against Arizona State who is 3-0 in the PAC-10 was impressive but the rest of the schedule is lacking. Once they play a few of the better Big-10 teams they will probably fall out of my top 10, but my picks are based on what they did so far, not based on my predictions of the future.
  8. Oklahoma State (5-0). Despite putting up 70 against conference foe Kansas, I am not sold on the Cowboys. Toughest out of conference game was Arizona who is 1-5. A few props to the victory over Tulsa though as at least it is an in-state match-up.
  9. Michigan (6-0). Nice out of conference win against Notre Dame. Notre Dame might not be the most impressive team but they only have one other loss (to South Florida). Rest of out of conference schedule could use some work.
  10. Georgia Tech (6-0). Only out of conference game even worth speaking about was at Kansas. Beating Kansas in a basketball game is impressive, in football not so much. Still, at least they went on the road once against another BCS school out of conference. Should be interesting if they remain undefeated going onto the Oct 29 matchup with Clemson.