Blogpoll Draft Ballot: Week 4
by JazzyUte on Sep 28, 2009 1:48 PM MDT
in Football
29 comments
This was a pretty remarkable week in terms of upsets. Probably the best of the season so far. It also made it easier drafting this poll than last week, yet there still is just so much unknown right now.
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| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | |
| 2 | Texas | |
| 3 | Alabama | |
| 4 | Virginia Tech |  5 |
| 5 | LSU | 2 |
| 6 | Boise State | 2 |
| 7 | Southern Cal | 8 |
| 8 | Ohio State | 2 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 4 |
| 10 | Houston | 6 |
| 11 | TCU | |
| 12 | Cincinnati | 5 |
| 13 | Iowa | 11 |
| 14 | Oregon | |
| 15 | Penn State |  11 |
| 16 | Miami (Florida) | 4 |
| 17 | Georgia | 1 |
| 18 | Kansas | 4 |
| 19 | Nebraska | |
| 20 | Oklahoma State | 1 |
| 21 | Michigan | 2 |
| 22 | Mississippi | 16 |
| 23 | California | 18 |
| 24 | Utah | |
| 25 | Georgia Tech | |
| Last week's ballot | ||
I put Utah back in because I do believe they're deserving. Their lone loss was by 7-points to the Ducks, who just manhandled Cal. To compare, Nebraska, who has a close loss to Virginia Tech, still remains in every poll regardless of the fact their wins include Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. I guess it's good to know the Cornhuskers probably wouldn't have any trouble winning the Sun Belt.
I'm not sure what to make of Georgia Tech. They had to hold off Clemson, got beat badly by Miami and then dominated North Carolina. They seem almost as fickle as Florida State - which I think best sums up the entire ACC.
Speaking of the Seminoles, their loss to South Florida, at home, really hurts BYU. Especially when you consider the fact they only scored 7-points. Now I'm not sure the Bulls are that much more talented than the Cougars, but it sure looked like it Saturday.
Which is why I kept them out of this week's rankings, even though they do own a victory over Oklahoma.
Beyond all that, I wasn't buying the Washington hype after they beat USC (didn't rank them) and was correct in that assessment, since the Huskies got pounded against Stanford. Ole Miss is definitely overrated. Cal, too. TCU has the unfortunate pleasure of being the lone undefeated non-BCS team without a really good victory (Boise State with Oregon and Houston with Oklahoma State). That'll keep them under the radar for a bit, but the Frogs certainly have a more challenging road to a perfect season than either the Broncos or Cougars. So if they get through that unscathed, things should fall into place.
But that might be a big if, especially with how iffy their offense looks. Though their defense should carry them pretty far.
So there you have it. I know there was a disagreement with my last ballot, so I'm going to guess there will be with this one, as well.
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I have the same problem with this poll as I did with your last one.
How can Oklahoma be ranked #9 with a 3-1 record and the BYU team that beat them and has the same record not be ranked? I hate BYU more than most (grew up a USU Aggie and then went to Utah), but I can’t justify ranking OU ahead of BYU until BYU has one more loss than OU. Now that FSU is 2-2, you can rank BYU ahead of them because their records are no longer equal and the FSU game looks like more of a fluke than a trend.
UW lost again (like I said they would) so now it is fine to have them unranked and have USC above them. Last week it was inappropriate. Again, if you’re going to do these polls so early in the season, in my opinion you have to base them on the actual results on the field.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
And I still don't agree with that logic.
I get it. I just don’t agree with it. I could drop OU out, I guess.
But no way does BYU deserve to be in the top-20.
Maybe 20-25…but that’s it.
Why not?
BYU got crushed at home by FSU. I understand. It’s a bad game. But they also beat your #9 team on the road. So if you’re going to say BYU doesn’t deserve a spot in the poll, then OU doesn’t either. If BYU is 20, OU shouldn’t be any higher than 21. Because look at what they’ve done:
BYU: 3-1 with a loss to an unranked FSU team at home. Wins over Tulane, CSU, #9 Oklahoma.
OU: 2-1 with a loss to an unranked team at home. Wins over Tulsa and Idaho State.
Seriously, based on the on-the-field results, what has Oklahoma done to deserve their ranking more than BYU? I am fine with putting BYU at 20 and OU at 21. OU has done absolutely nothing to prove they belong, and if their record is the same as BYU’s, I don’t see how you can rank them above a team that BEAT THEM ON THE FIELD. Results on the field matter more to me than “quality of players”. I know that none of BYU’s players would have been recruited by Oklahoma, but BYU beat them on the field and that speaks louder to me than 1000 recruiting websites and ESPN talking heads.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 4:37 PM MDT up reply actions
That's the problem...
Most these teams haven’t earned their ranking.
WTF has Florida done to deserve their #1 spot? Alabama at least has a win over a ranked team.
Texas is another one who hasn’t proven their ranking. So many teams right now haven’t proven crap because they load their OOC schedule with lightweights and it leads to easy 3-0 or 4-0 starts.
Look at LSU or even Boise State.
I’m just going by who I think are the best teams at the moment. Right now, I believe Oklahoma is better than BYU. Until we get a full idea of what teams have done and what they’re capable of doing, it’s all going to be subjective.
Every team has played only three or four games. It’s difficult to really get a feel on any of them because of that.
Should OU be behind BYU? I guess you can make the argument they shouldn’t. But then you have to work BYU into the top-25 and at what team’s expense? Maybe Georgia Tech? Ok, but that still puts BYU at 25th.
Cal? Potentially. But beyond that, it’s hard to make the case BYU is better than any of those teams. Which means if I go by your logic, I’d have to put BYU up high enough to fit Oklahoma in behind them or just drop OU from the rankings altogether and I won’t do that.
But logically it makes no sense.
How can you say BYU is worse than OU if they have the same record and BYU beat OU head-to-head? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
And you only have to drop one of the top 25 teams. Take GA Tech out, drop Cal, Georgia, Iowa, Penn State and put BYU at 20 and OU at 21. Problem solved and now your blog poll makes sense.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 5:05 PM MDT up reply actions
It makes perfect sense.
Teams improve over the season. We haven’t played enough games to really thin things out.
Oklahoma lost to the Cougars. Sure. It was a bad loss for them. But since that game, who’s played better? I think the Sooners.
I just think that at this time, four weeks in, it’s all a jumbled mess anyway. I’d be more inclined to accept your suggestion if it were later in the season. But right now, with so few games played, I’m ranking based on who I think is better today.
I think OU is better than BYU right now. Maybe that changes again, who knows. And it doesn’t seem like I’m the only one – since OU will most certainly be ranked higher than BYU in this poll.
Okay.
So when are the polls realistically viable? Week 6? Week 8? Week 10? End of season only?
Because if BYU has only 1 loss when that week rolls around, I expect you to put them ahead of Oklahoma. And if Oklahoma loses another game, then I expect you to rank a 2-loss BYU team ahead of a 2-loss OU team. And that will continue to apply as long as the teams have the same number of losses. Until BYU has more losses than OU, you are basing your opinion on who “looks better” and not on the actual results of the games.
Personally, that seems to me to be the sort of thing we Utah fans are always railing against. Utah deserved a NC game slot last year because of the results on the field (all Ws) not because they were the “prettiest” team or the “highest-rated” team, but because when the chips were down, they won the games, even if they sometimes won ugly. So, if you are really ranking teams based on the results on the field, how can you ignore the OU/BYU and OSU/Georgia head-to-head matchups?
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 5:14 PM MDT up reply actions
Well really, end of season...
If you want to get technical. Right now, they’re not. Right now, it’s a beauty contest.
I get what you’re saying. Of course, last year I constantly said had the Utes lost or not been the lone undefeated, their case for a NC would be weaker. The only reason I suggested they deserved it more than teams like Florida, Texas, USC and Oklahoma were because they, unlike those other schools, went undefeated.
If BYU were undefeated, they would surely be ranked ahead of Oklahoma. If BYU keeps winning, they probably will be ranked ahead of Oklahoma, unless the Sooners somehow manage to go undefeated.
But since week one, the Sooners HAVE looked like a better team.
My point is that we’re only in week four here. Some teams have only played three games. It is difficult to get a feel of how good/bad/average these teams are until week five onward.
Even I admitted in my post that we’re starting to get a better idea of who is real and who isn’t.
As the weeks go on, you’re going to get a better idea of who deserves to be ranked where. This is why I’ve always advocated releasing polls AFTER the fourth week.
But I’ll be honest, OU gets some leeway due to the fact I’ve had them ranked fairly well the entire season. They were second in my preseason poll, dropped to 15th in my 2nd, 3rd and 4th polls and now they’re up to 9th.
I can’t legitimately drop them for winning. I had them at 15th and maybe I should have kept them there, but even if I did that (BYU was at 9th prior to their loss to FSU), then I would have had to keep the Cougars at 14th or better. Unless, of course, I dropped the Sooners after they’ve pretty much dominated since that loss.
I rarely drop teams who win. My mistake might have been ranking the Sooners 15th after their loss to the Cougars, but I’m not going to penalize them after outscoring their last two opponents 109-0.
Does that make sense? I get maybe I ranked the Sooners too high to start the season. I dropped them only to 15th after their loss to BYU because I had ranked the Cougars at 10th the same week. Losing by one point, with your QB sitting out an entire half, to the 10th ranked team isn’t a bad loss. And certainly I thought they deserved the benefit of the doubt.
That was my problem and maybe I was wrong there. But I can’t reasonably say the Sooners deserve to DROP after two wins to even things out with BYU. Unless I move the Cougars up to 14th and I think you and I can agree – BYU does not deserve to be 14th or better.
You're right.
BYU does not deserve to be 14th.
But if you admit that OU was overrated in week 2 (at 15th) then you wouldn’t be punishing them for winning. You would be readjusting them to their proper ranking (21st) based on the on-the-field results. If BYU keeps winning then you keep moving both of them up, together. You’re not dropping them after winning, you’re putting them where they should have been in the first place.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 6:06 PM MDT up reply actions
I think this week will tell us a lot about OU.
If they beat Miami, they’ll be deserving of their ranking. BYU can catch them and pass them if they, say, beat TCU.
Bla Bla Bla
The thing about opinions is that everyone’s got one. And that’s what polls are based on. Opinions. Let it go man.
Yeah, it's stupid to post an opinion on a poll
in the comments section of the blog. I mean, who wants comments on a blog post? That’s ludicrous. The only thing worse would be if someone was stupid enough to criticize criticism of a blog poll opinion. That would be downright moronic.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 4:42 PM MDT up reply actions
I noticed another one that makes no sense.
Why is Oklahoma State behind Georgia? Oklahoma State manhandled Georgia 24-10 and then lost to a top-10 Houston team. Georgia got manhandled by Oklahoma State and has since squeaked past So. Carolina, Arkansas, and Arizona State at home. Again, if the teams have the same record and played each other, why would you put the loser ahead of the winner?
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
Yikes, chill out man.
I didn’t criticize you, I said let it go.
But if you think you’re going to change his mind, by all means continue your rant. There’s no need to call anyone a moron though.
I'm not trying to change his mind.
Jazzy and I have known each other for over 5 years now (scary, isn’t it pinkie). I’m pointing out my opinions in the comments. Why on earth would you decide to tell me not to comment? Jazzy loves comments. He’s a fighter (just like me) and I’m sure he would much rather I tell him his blog poll ballot is stupid than just ignore it and not comment. Comments make the blog more interesting, that’s why they’re here. Why would you tell me not to comment?
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 5:07 PM MDT up reply actions
Oh, by the way
“Bla bla bla” sure seems like you’re being critical, doesn’t it?
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 5:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Ok man
I’m not trying to pick fights here — obviously you’re getting pretty defensive. I never told you not to comment. I think you’re reading way too much into what I said, especially considering both of my comments were quite short. I think you’re seeing a lot that just isn’t really there.
Sorry I said bla bla bla. I had no idea how offensive that could be. Certainly more so than calling someone stupid or moronic.
Seriously though, you need to chill. No one’s attacking you here.
I guess I just don't understand.
Why would you criticize my decision to comment on Jazzy’s blog? Particularly since he requests comments? It doesn’t make any sense.
And I apologize for calling you moronic. I just don’t understand why you would tell me that I shouldn’t comment and I should just “let it go”. If you have something to add, add it, but don’t tell other people not to make comments.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 5:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Trust me
If I had known saying “let it go” would upset you so much, I would have never said it.
I did not say “don’t comment on this blog”. I did not criticize you for commenting on this blog. I suppose I can kind of see how you would take it that way, but I think it’s a stretch.
What I think is silly is saying things like “you can’t rank [team a] over [team b]” or "you have to base it on [fill in blank]. Might as well say, “you can’t have an opinion different from mine.”
That’s what makes it sound like you’re trying to change his mind (which obviously isn’t happening), and that is why I said to let it go. Sorry you took it wrong, but again — I didn’t ever say not to comment.
I didn't say "you can't".
I said that I don’t understand how you can justify it and that I can’t rank teams that way. Obviously Jazzy feels differently. I just don’t understand why you would tell me to let it go instead of doing what we do every day on this blog, which is to comment.
And if your argument is with my opinions, then please make it and I’ll respond. But if it is with me having opinions, that does not make any sense.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 6:03 PM MDT up reply actions
I just told you.
I told you why I said let it go, and I also said that I’m sorry it upset you so much. Since I can’t give you my blood, that’s all you get.
Peace out.
It's just that you misread my post and then told me I was talking too much and should let it go.
You thought I told Jazzy he couldn’t rank his teams the way he had them and that he had to do it my way and base it on the head-to-head results.
What I actually said was:
. . . [I]n my opinion you have to base them on the actual results on the field.and
. . . I can’t justify ranking OU ahead of BYU until BYU has one more loss than OU.(emphasis added)and you told me that “bla bla bla, just let it go”. Why is my opinion so valueless?
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 6:14 PM MDT up reply actions
And your apology was not an apology.
“Sorry it upset you” is not an apology, it’s a slight because it means I shouldn’t have been offended, not that you are sorry for any action you yourself took. I apologized for calling you moronic. It was uncalled for and I should not have said it. I don’t want your blood, but I want you to understand that your comment was irritating because it added nothing and you were telling me not to make an argument on a blog post, despite the fact that blog posts are meant for that.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 28, 2009 6:16 PM MDT up reply actions
So wait...
Why are you telling me not to comment? ;)
Ok, how’s this:
I am sorry that I told you to let it go. I am sorry that I irritated you with my comment. I am sorry that my comment added nothing. I am sorry that I told you not to comment (since I can’t convince you that that wasn’t what I was trying to say). That is the best I can do.
Now, for the third and hopefully the final time. TO ME your comment sounds like you are trying to change his mind, and like you are trying to convince him that his opinion is wrong. That is why I said let it go.
Now, at the risk of setting you off again, can we please let this go?
Alright. Big hug, but with manly back pat.
I mean, not all of us are as . . . friendly as Jazzy. ;-)
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Sep 29, 2009 8:48 AM MDT up reply actions
South Florida
USF deserves some props for shutting down the seminoles offense last week. Good program at South Florida, haven’t been given as much credit because they haven’t quite put it all together for one season. Maybe this year they finally do.
Comments:
Rankings issues:
USC and Ohio State are rated to high. They should be near each other, but not in the top 10.
Oklahoma should also drop to 15-18. The FSU loss warrants BYU being below Oklahoma.
I think you are under rating Utah. At least we should be ahead of California.
Explaination issues:Nebraska has not played Troy or Middle Tennessee State, the top Sun Belt teams. Whether they could handle the Sun Belt is still an open question.
I think you are looking at the GT games wrong. Miami is good (unly loss to #4 VT), better than GT. GT is about the same as Clemson and better than UNC.
TCU should be closer to GT and Clemson as well.
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