Entries Tagged 'top10' ↓

Here is my final top 10 of the season. Boise State with their bowl victory over TCU is my number one. Alabama, the other undeafeated, is number two. Why, you ask, Boise over Alabama? Simple: Out-of-conference schedule. Boise beat three bowl teams, including PAC-10 champion Oregon, out-of-conference during the regular season and another team that won their conference chapionship (UC-Davis). How many bowl teams out-of-conference did Alabama beat? One. Who else did ‘Bama schedule out of conference you ask? Two of the worst three teams from the Sun Belt and a team that is not even in the BCS-subdivision (Chattanooga). What makes the Chattanooga game even worse is that it was scheduled in November! Let me repeat that: November! And not even the begining of November!

This means one or more of a few things things, ‘Bama (and most of the SEC) is scared of playing a quality out-of-conference opponent (esp. on the road – the Va Tech game was a neutral site, 2) they are trying to stack their record, 3) they are trying to rest up for a team that they are concerned they other-wise would have lost to (and the team they played afterwards, Auburn, they almost did lose to as they also almost lost to Tennessee at home earlier in the season – and without some questionable officiating they would have lost one of those games). Seriously, scheduling Chattanooga in November should count as a loss.

I know SEC apologists will say that the SEC is tougher than the WAC. That may be so, but I don’t see the SEC offering a spot to Boise State. I am not going to credit the conference for locking other teams out. In other words, just because your rich, I’m not going to make you richer. You have to earn it, and by not playing quality out-of-conference opponents (esp. on the road in hostile environments) you are not earning it. Now maybe if the SEC would drop teams that are at the bottom of the league and add teams from other leagues that were good, I’d by the strength of conference schedule argument. However, your cartel is no good here. You can’t say that they didn’t play anyone when you refuse to travel to play a good team north of the Mason-Dixon line or west of the Mississippi. You didn’t play anyone in the part of schedule you control: the out-of-conference schedule. I’m not a huge Southern Cal fan, but at least they go on the road and play teams like Ohio State and Notre Dame.

Still, credit ‘Bama with a great season and great victory last night. They beat the Longhorns pretty easily although without the injury to Colt McCoy the game would have been much different. I’m not sure what would have happened and the outcome may have been the same, but the game would have been different.

Without further ado, here is my final top ten of the season:

1) Boise State (14-0) (prev: 2)
2) Alabama (14-0) (prev: 4)
3) TCU (12-1) (prev: 1)
4) Texas (13-1) (prev: 5)
5) Florida (13-1) (prev: 7)
6) Cincinnati (12-1) (prev: 3)
7) Ohio State (11-2) (prev: 9)
Iowa (11-2) (prev: 10)
9) BYU (11-2) (prev: unranked)
10) Oregon (10-3) (prev: 6)

The BCS bowl match-ups have just been announced tonight and it looks like the real championship game will be the Fiesta Bowl. TCU will be playing Boise State. That is correct, the BCS powers are so scared that their precious cash cow big-money conference teams will be beaten by the teams from non-BCS conferences again that they figured out a way to continue to duck them – have the two non-BCS teams play each other. On the field the small guys have proven they are better. Who did Texas or Alabama beat out of conference that was better than Oregon? That’s right. No one. Did they have the guts to go on the row to ACC runner-up Clemson and beat them in their own house. Of course not.

I’ll have one more top 10 after the bowl games. I can’t imagine that the winner of the Fiesta Bowl won’t be #1, but we will wait and see.

1) TCU 12-0 (prev: 1) Finished the season last week so they got to stay home and watch the gams on TV this week.

2) Boise State 13-0 (prev: 3) Blew out New Mexico State last week. Only undefeated team to beat another team that received a BCS bid, that being the PAC-10 champion Oregon.

3) Cincinnati 12-0 (prev: 2) Tough game against Pitt, but they pulled it out. Still they drop in my top-10 one spot.

4) Alabama 13-0 (prev: 5) Alabama blew out over-rated Florida in the SEC championship game. Because Texas almost lost, I moved them up one spot. Also factoring into the decisions was at least Alabama did schedule Virginia Tech this year. Yes, the Hookies aren’t up to typical standards, but they were expected to be in the top 10.

5) Texas 13-0 (prev: 4 ) If the Big 12 Championship game was 59:59 instead of 60 minutes, they wouldn’t have won the championship. Despite that I was hoping Nebraska would win just so the BCS was forced to consider one of the non-BCS conference schools for the championship, the replay was correct and there was one second left on the clock.

6) Oregon 9-2 (prev 7) Oregon beat Oregon State in the Civil War and jumps over Florida into 6′th in my pole.

7) Florida 12-1 (prev: 6) Florida showed why they duck teams like TCU and Boise State. They just aren’t the team the pollsters wanted us to believe they are this year as evident by their blow-out lost to Alabama.

8 ) Georgia Tech 11-2 (prev: 9) Georgia Tech moves up one spot by beating Clemson in the ACC championship game.

9 ) Ohio State 10-2 (prev: Ohio State didn’t play this week but will be in the Rose Bowl.

10) Iowa 10-2 (prev: 10) Iowa finishes the pre-bowl game season as the last person in my top 10. Penn State fans might not like it, but Penn State lost and Penn State, even more than Florida who at least plays Florida State, is kig of the cupcakes out of conference.

Only one more week left. No changes in the top 6, but the rest of the top 10 saw some shake-ups….

1) TCU 12-0 (prev: 1) Finished the season undefeated with a thumping of New Mexico.

2) Cincinnati 11-0 (prev: 2) Beat a Illinois team that is talented, but can’t seem to put anything together. Big game this weekend against Pitt where the winner will be the Big East champion.

3) Boise State 12-0 (prev: 3) Nice win over Nevada this past weekend. They finish up the season with an in-conference match-up against New Mexico State

4) Texas 12-0 (prev: 4 ) Next game is the Big 12 championship game against Nebraska which may be the toughest oponent all year. The Big 12 was a tough conference last year, but like the SEC is down this year. Really, who has Texas beat that was better than Utah or BYU – both of whom TCU handled easily? Not Oklohoma, not OK state, not A&M who scored 39 points against them. Texas does not deserve a spot in the title game over the likes of TCU or Cinncy based on the fact they didn’t beat any teams that should be in the top 20.

5) Alabama 12-0 (prev: 5) Almost moved Alabama down below Florida after Aurburn pushed them, but I think their out of conference schedule was slightly tougher (i.e. Va Tech > Florida State).

6) Florida 12-0 (prev: 6) Finally an admirable out of conference game on the schedule. Sadly for Florida, Florida State isn’t very good this year and hasn’t been for a while.

7) Oregon 9-2 (prev 10) With losses by Georgia Tech and Pitt, Oregon moves into seventh. The “Civil War” game against PAC-10 this weekend will serve as a de facto PAC-10 championship game.

8 ) Ohio State 10-2 (prev: 9) Ohio State moves up one spot thanks to some losses above them.

9) Georgia Tech 10-2 (prev: 7) Despite a Rambling Wreck loss against out-of-conference, in-state Georgia,Tech stays in the top 10.

10) Iowa 10-2 (prev: unranked) I had a tough time deciding who to pick for the 10th spot, but I’ll give it to Iowa. They had a poor performance in the loss to Northwestern but the other loss was to Ohio State which is a good team. Also, while Arizona isn’t that good, they are better than Charleston Southern.

Not much changed this past wekend in my college football top 10. Here it is:

1) TCU (11-0) (prev: 1) Beat Wyoming on the road 45-10. Fellow undefeated team, Texas, beat Wyoming 41-10 earlier this season. I don’t know how much you can compare scores, but still I know if TCU beat Wyoming by less than Texas the Big Conference Supporters would have a field day with it.

2) Cincinnati 10-0 (prev: 2) Had an off week before playing Illinois this coming weekend.

3) Boise State 8-0 (prev: 3) Oregon’s loss to Stanford makes Boise’s biggest win not look as good, but still who did Texas, Florida, or Alabama beat out of conference that was better?

4) Texas 11-0 (prev: 4 ) Beat a one in-conference win Kansas State.

5) Alabama 11-0 (prev: 5) Beat the Chattanooga Mocs? If Florida didn’t play an equivelent cupcake, I’d move Alabama down a spot

6) Florida 11-0 (prev: 6) The SEC once again proves it can frost cupcakes but most of their top teams don’t have the guts top play tough out of region, out of conference games

7) Georgia Tech 10-1 (prev: 7) The Rambling Wreck had an off week before this weeks out-of-conference, in-state game against Georgia.

8 ) Pittsburgh 9-1 (prev: 8 ) The Panthers rested up this past week in preparation for the Backyard Brawl with West Virgina.

9) Ohio State 9-2 (prev: 10) Although Ohio State’s loss to Southern Cal is not looking so good anymore, I’m still giving them some credit for at least scheduling one tough out of conference game and thus they are my top 2 loss team.

10) Oregon 8-2 (prev 9) Just pulled out the win this past week in Arizona and the Stanford loss doesn’t look so good after Stanford lost to Cal this week. This drops Oregon to #10.

Somehow my November 9 version of the top 10 didn’t make it. I remember preparing it but I guess I never submitted it. Oh well. Sorry about that. Anyway, here is my November 16′th version of the College Football Top 10.

1) TCU (10-0) (prev: 1) Impressive win this weekend against Utah who has only one other loss this season

2) Cincinnati 10-0 (prev: 2) Beat a tough West Virginia team in conference.

3) Boise State 8-0 (prev: 3) Oregon’s loss to Stanford makes Boise’s biggest win not look as good, but still who did Texas, Florida, or Alabama beat out of conference that was better?

4) Texas 10-0 (prev: 4 ) Recent wins over Baylor and UCF aren’t great, but UCF proved they could step up and win a big game this past week against Houston.

5) Alabama 10-0 (prev: 5) Chattanooga Mocs? In November? What is a Moc? Way to show confidence that your team can beat a tough out of confernce team. Come on, step it up in the scheduling department SEC.

6) Florida 10-0 (prev: 6) At least one team in Florida isn’t afraid to schedule tough out of conference games. No, it isn’t Florida. It’s Florida International who earlier this season opened up against Alabama. Since then they won 3 games. Come on Florida. Aren’t you supposed to be good. Why don’t you prove it? Maybe because you’re not?

7) Georgia Tech 10-1 (prev: 9) Only lose by the Rambling Wreck this year was against Miami (FL).

8 ) Pittsburgh 7-1 (prev: 8 ) Only lose this year was against out-of-conference for North Carolina State. Nice out of conference win this past weekend against Notre Dame that is probably sending ND coach, Charlie Weiss packing.

9) Oregon 8-2 (prev 7) Only Loses to #3 Boise and what is turning out to be a really nice Stanford team.

10) Ohio State 9-2 (prev: unranked) Although Ohio State’s loss to Southern Cal is not looking so good now that Southern Cal is 5th in the Pac-10, I’ll still give them some credit for at least scheduling one tough out of conference game.

1) TCU (8-0) (prev: 1) Easily beat an UNLV team that isn’t very good, but still stays on top. In two weeks they play Utah and we will see how good they really are.

2) Cincinnati 8-0 (prev: 2) At least the pollsters put Cincy ahead of Southern Cal this week. I here people stay the pollsters have an East Coast bias, but really they have a big name bias.

3) Boise State 8-0 (prev: 4) There comfortable win over PAC-10 leading Oregon looks even more impresive after Oregon’s blow out of Southern Cal. This moves them up ahead of Alabama.

4) Texas 7-0 (prev: 6 ) A blow out win on the road at Oklahoma State moves the Longhorns up one spot.

5) Alabama 8-0 (prev: 3) Drops down despite an off week because their one good win (Va Tech) isn’t looking so good no more after Va Tech drops to 5-3.

6) Florida 8-0 (prev: 7) Georgia isn’t as good as they benn, but still a nice victory at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail party combined with Iowa’s lack luster first half moves the Gators up one spot in my pole.

7) Iowa 9-0 (prev: 6)They may have been lackluster against Indiana in the first half, but they were on fire in the 4th quarter. If they play like that the rest of the season they may actually make it to the BCS title game. However, I have my doubts.

8 ) Oregon 7-1 (prev: 8 ) (Top ranked one lose team with only loss on the road at #4 Boise State and a quality win over Southern Cal)

9) Georgia Tech 7-1 (prev: 10) Moves up one place after Southern Cal losses to Oregon.

10) LSU 7-1 (prev: unranked) LSU moved into the top 10 following Southern Cal’s loss. LSU’s only loss so far came against Florida. We’ll see how good LSU is this coming weekend when they play on the road at Alabama.

This week TCU and Cincinnati leap-frog an Alabama team that barely beat Tennessee who isn’t very good. Alabama needed a blocked field goal to hold on for the win. SEC fans will say this proves they are a tough conference. I point to Tennessee losing to a UCLA team that is 0-4 in the PAC-10. The SEC is over-rated this year. That is why most of the SEC teams are scared of playing tough out of conference games on the road.

1) TCU (7-0) (prev: 2) Nice win on the road this week against BYU and still the most impressive out of conference wins of the undefeated.

2) Cincinnati 7-0 (prev: 3) How can some of these polls put Cincy behind Southern Cal when they are undefeated and easily beat Oregon State on the road while Southern Cal only beat them by 6 at home? The pollsters should be ashamed of themselves!

3) Alabama 8-0 (prev: 1) (Drops down after barely beating a Tennessee team that isn’t very good).

4) Boise State 7-0 (prev: 4) (Still ranked high based on win against PAC-10 leading Oregon)

5) Texas 7-0 (prev: 6 ) (Blew out Missouri which may have been impressive a few weeks ago, but it looks like Missouri has mailed it in. Still, they jump Iowa which barely bit Michigan State).

6) Iowa 8-0 (prev: 5 ) (Tough game against Michigan State but they got the win to stay undefeated)

7) Florida 7-0 (prev: 7) (Florida got a few “questionable” calls for a second week in a row to help them win. Should the SEC officiating being investigated?)

8 ) Oregon 6-1 (prev: 8 ) (Top ranked one lose team with only loss on the road at #4 Boise State. Big game coming up against Southern Cal)

9) Southern California 6-1 (prev: 9) (Their one loss was a bad showing but give the Trojans some credit for playing and beating Ohio State and Notre Dame on the road out of conference).

10) Georgia Tech 7-1 (prev: 10) (Only loss on the road to Miami (FL) – it was a tough choice for this spot between the two and the Big East’s West Virginia Mountaineers)

This weeks top 10. Currently the BCS agees with me about #1 anyway. Teams that lost and fell out of my top 10 include Virginia Tech, South Florida, and Kansas. New to the top ten are one lose teams Oregon, Southern Cal, and Georgia Tech.

1) Alabama 7-0 (prev: 1) (Nice win in conference against South Carolina)
2) TCU 6-0 (prev: 2) (A dominate wn against Colorado state along with the previous out of conference road wins keep TCU in the #2 position)
3) Cincinnati 6-0 (prev: 3) (A nice win against previously unbeaten South Florida)
4) Boise State 6-0 (prev: 5) (An unimpressive win against Tulsa mid-week but still ranked high based on win against PAC-10 leading Oregon)
5) Iowa 7-0 (prev: 5 ) (Nice in-conference win at Wisconsin)
6) Texas 6-0 (prev: 8 ) (Texas triumphed in the Red River Shootout this past week to jump back above Florida).
7) Florida 5-0 (prev: 7) (Florida got a few “questionable” calls to barely defeat Arkansas)
8 ) Oregon 5-1 (prev: unranked) (Top ranked one lose team with only loss on the road at #4 Boise State)
9) Southern California 5-1 (prev: unranked) (Their one loss was a bad showing but give the Trogans some credit for playing and beating Ohio State and Notre Dame on the road out of conference).
10) Georgia Tech 6-1 (prev: unranked) (Only loss on the road to Miami (FL) – it was a tough choice for this spot between the two and the Big East’s West Virginia Mountaineers)

This week’s top ten shows a little bit of movement since LSU lost at home, finally given Florida a respectable win. Too bad they still haven’t gotten a decent win out of conference, otherwise they would have moved up higher. Moved Iowa and Florida above Texas based on Texas still not playing anyone tough and Colorado keeping it close early. Along with LSU, Auburn drops out of the top 10 after getting run over by the Razorbacks. Undefeated Kansas and one-lose Virginia Tech take their places in the top 10.

1) Alabama 6-0 (prev: 1) (Nice win in conference on the road at Ole Miss)
2) TCU 5-0 (prev: 2) (A close win against Air Force, but still ranked #2 based on out of conference road wins)
3) Cincinnati 5-0 (prev: 4) (An out of conference win against Miami (OH) isn’t too impressive, but at least it was on the road.)
4) Boise State 5-0 (prev: 5) (An unimpressive win against UC Davis but still ranked high based on win against PAC-10 leading Oregon)
5) South Florida 5-0 (prev: 6) (USF isn’t get much respect from national pollsters despite a great road win against Florida State/ More evidence of pollsters big name bias. Will have to see which Big East team falls from the undefeated next week as USF takes on Cincy)
6) Iowa 6-0 (prev: 8 ) (Nice in-conference win against Michigan. Will they stay undefeated until Ohio State plays a visit on 11/14?)
7) Florida 5-0 (prev: 10) (Despite win over previous #2 LSU, I still need to see more, like maybe a win on the road out of conference, out of state to someone decent?)
8 ) Texas 5-0 (prev: 7) (Texas finally gets a tough game next week in the Red River Shootout, which might give them a chance top climb back up a couple spots).
9) Kansas 5-0 (prev: unranked) (Kansas hasn’t played anyone to speak of, but they remain undefeated)
10) Virgina Tech 5-1 (prev: unranked) (Only loss on the road at my #1, Alabama. Also beat a good, out of conference Nebraska team and in-conference Miami (FL) team at home)

Here is my first top ten of the year. For a little background about the most important things I take into account, most important is win-loss record. If you lose, you drop. That simple. Second thing I look at is out of conference schedules. If you schedule cupcakes like Charleston Southern and Troy (no offense to those two schools), don’t expect a lot of love from me. Go on the road and play someone half-way decent in their own house. Don’t give me excuses about a tough in-conference schedule. Unless your conference has a rule where the bottom teams fall out and you invite other schools in every year, I don’t want to hear it. Sure, I’ll take overall strength of schedule into account, but I think out of conference is more important – because that is something you can control. And of course, head to-head match-ups. Also, don’t tell me what you are going to do. Let’s see it on the field. I’m not a computer, so there is no magic formula and gut feeling are involved. Anyway, without further ado here is my top ten:

1. Alabama (5-0) (yea, wins over FIU and North Texas isn’t impressive, but Va Tech is)
2. LSU (5-0) (a cup-cake against Louisiana-Lafayette, but a good win over Washington on the road)
3. TCU (4-0) (Two quality wins on the road at ACC schools)
4. Cincinnati (5-0) (A nice road win against Oregon State – does Florida even know where Oregon is?)
5. Boise State (5-0) (A nice win against Oregon)
6. South Florida (5-0) (A nice win on the road at Florida State without their first string QB)
7. Texas (4-0) (Schedule not impressive but at least they went on the road to play Wyoming)
8. Iowa (5-0) (A nice in-conference road win in Happy Valley)
9. Auburn (5-0) (A nice win against West Virginia, but not much else to speak of)
10. Florida (4-0) (King of the cupcakes!)