November 15, 2005
Fanblogs XIV Poll - Week 12
Poll of the Fanblogs.com authors & contributors for games played through November 14, 2005:
First place votes in parenthesis. Weighted ballot points appear beside team name. Teams are ranked on likelihood to beat lower ranked teams on a neutral field, rather than a forecast of final season rankings.
1. Texas (6) 136
2. Southern California (4) 134
3. Miami (Fla.) 117
4. LSU 109
5. Penn St. 100
6. Virginia Tech 82
7. Alabama 71
7. Notre Dame 71
9. Ohio St. 64
10. Auburn 41
11. Oregon 40
12. West Virginia 31
13. Georgia 19
14. UCLA 15
Others Receiving Votes:
TCU 10, Michigan 7, South Carolina 2, UTEP 1
How They Voted:
Kevin Donahue:1) Texas, 2) Southern California, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) LSU, 5) Penn St., 6) Notre Dame, 7) Ohio St., 8) Virginia Tech, 9) Georgia, 10) Auburn, 11) Oregon, 12) Alabama, 13) TCU, 14) West Virginia
Dave Frey:1) Texas, 2) Southern California, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) LSU, 5) Notre Dame, 6) Penn St., 7) Virginia Tech, 8) Ohio St., 9) Alabama, 10) Oregon, 11) Auburn, 12) UCLA, 13) Georgia, 14) West Virginia
John Ludwig:1) Texas, 2) Southern California, 3) LSU, 4) Miami (Fla.), 5) Penn St., 6) Ohio St., 7) Notre Dame, 8) Alabama, 9) Virginia Tech, 10) Oregon, 11) Auburn, 12) West Virginia, 13) TCU, 14) Michigan
Mike Boone:1) Texas, 2) Southern California, 3) LSU, 4) Miami (Fla.), 5) Virginia Tech, 6) Penn St., 7) Notre Dame, 8) Alabama, 9) Oregon, 10) Auburn, 11) Ohio St., 12) West Virginia, 13) Georgia, 14) UCLA
Josh McClain:1) Southern California, 2) Texas, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) Penn St., 5) LSU, 6) Alabama, 7) Virginia Tech, 8) Notre Dame, 9) West Virginia, 10) Ohio St., 11) Oregon, 12) Auburn, 13) Georgia, 14) TCU
Dave:1) Southern California, 2) Texas, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) LSU, 5) Virginia Tech, 6) Alabama, 7) Penn St., 8) Notre Dame, 9) Ohio St., 10) Auburn, 11) Georgia, 12) Oregon, 13) West Virginia, 14) TCU
Robert Knodell:1) Texas, 2) Southern California, 3) Penn St., 4) Miami (Fla.), 5) LSU, 6) Alabama, 7) Virginia Tech, 8) Notre Dame, 9) West Virginia, 10) Ohio St., 11) Oregon, 12) UCLA, 13) TCU, 14) UTEP
Michael Hickerson:1) Texas, 2) Southern California, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) LSU, 5) Penn St., 6) Notre Dame, 7) Alabama, 8) Virginia Tech, 9) Michigan, 10) Ohio St., 11) West Virginia, 12) Auburn, 13) South Carolina, 14) Georgia
Matt Shobe:1) Southern California, 2) Texas, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) LSU, 5) Penn St., 6) Virginia Tech, 7) Auburn, 8) Ohio St., 9) Alabama, 10) UCLA, 11) Oregon, 12) West Virginia, 13) Georgia, 14) TCU
Aaron White:1) Southern California, 2) Texas, 3) Miami (Fla.), 4) Penn St., 5) LSU, 6) Virginia Tech, 7) Ohio St., 8) Alabama, 9) Notre Dame, 10) Oregon, 11) Auburn, 12) UCLA, 13) West Virginia, 14) TCU
Comments:
Gerald said:
posted on November 15, 2005 6:12 PM — 216.113.128.239 — link — abuse?
Funny that Notre Dame is in everyone's top 7 but South Carolina is in "others receiving votes." They have the same number of victories against winning BCS schools (1). Oh, I can't forget their victories against winning mid - majors! Again, the same number (1), except that where Notre Dame's came against Navy (for the 42nd time in a row, wow), South Carolina's came against UCF, the #1 team in Conference USA. Do not get me wrong, Notre Dame is better than South Carolina, but the difference is not the difference between a consensus top 6 or 7 team and "others receiving votes." And oh look, Notre Dame plays 1 - 8 Stanford next week! They had better watch that computer rating! And closing out the season against likely to be 5 - 6 Stanford won't help their computer ratings either. Ah, but since several teams in front of them played actual opponents, ND will probably be ranked #12 in the BCS on the strength of their being ranked #5 or #6 in the polls (they will be FAR FAR LOWER in the computers). Ah well ... whoever said that college football was fair! As I said in another post, this will actually be the 2nd time that a 10 - 1 Virginia Tech team whose only loss was to Miami will have to sit at home while a Notre Dame team that beat no one in particular will claim a BCS spot. Now, the last time this happened, 1999, Notre Dame was destroyed by Oregon State! Unless ND lucks out and gets West Virginia this time around, I expect a similar outcome. Although I do admit that this ND team, filled with players that Tyrone Willingham recruited but could not coach, is far better than that hapless Bob Davie squad (bad coaching AND recruiting).
posted on November 15, 2005 8:18 PM — link — abuse?Kevin Donahue said:
Gotta disagree, Mike. Take away the run & make Vick beat you seems to be a pretty workable strategy for that PSU defense.
Dan said:
posted on November 16, 2005 1:27 AM — 66.71.73.139 — link — abuse?
Mike, how do you respond to the fact that Penn State is one of only two teams (Texas being the other) ranked in the top 25 in both scoring offense and scoring defense, while playing in a very good big ten? It's been evident time and again that you can't run against our Lions (Maroney and Calhoun come to mind), and since our outstanding D gets pressure with just the front four most of the time, that leaves Marcus Vick to throw against an incredibly talented linebacker corps and secondary. Let's not forget, also, that Penn State has seemingly gotten better and better each week, while the Virginia Tech Chokies might just be on their way to another typical VA Tech November (8-7 in November since 2001-2002, and that's coming off of some very impressive starts). Of course, I'm defending my team, but I think they are, in fact, better than the Hokies. Don't worry, I still think Notre Dame is the most overrated team in the top ten.
matt said:
posted on November 16, 2005 9:25 AM — 24.96.199.254 — link — abuse?
Well as an Auburn fan, I sure am glad that we aren't the center of any BCS controversy this year. We'll take top ten, especially with what we initially thought was going to be a tough season. But I tell you, with Brandon Cox (a sophomore) and Kenney Irons (a junior) along with Brad Lester (a freshman), I think we might suprise some people again next year.
Paul Kislanko said:
posted on November 16, 2005 11:08 AM — 70.157.20.2 — link — abuse?
Mike, how do you respond to the fact that Penn State is one of only two teams (Texas being the other) ranked in the top 25 in both scoring offense and scoring defense,
That didn't look right, so I checked and it isn't. There are nine such teams
Scor Def Scor Off Name
6 1 Texas
2 22 Virginia Tech
25 4 Texas Tech
5 24 Ohio St.
8 5 Fresno St.
7 15 Auburn
24 10 Toledo
11 11 Penn St.
16 21 TCU
MisterMister said:
posted on November 16, 2005 12:03 PM — 69.150.65.103 — link — abuse?
Tie-Ins to Bowl Games... does not = Great Teams. 14 straight wins against ranked teams (15 after this weekend)....does = a great team. Giving up over 500yds against the #6 team in another conference.... does not = a great defense team (even though you'll be the conderence champ). A team that for the "season" has a QB with over 3,000 passing yds, 2 running backs with over 1,000 rushing yards, 1 reciever (2 after this weekend) with over 1,000 recieving yds....= a great team. Put your pride in your back pocket and admit it, if your team mascot isn't a white horse with Ben Hur riding it, your team is second rate. Go debate with a Leprechaun or a Lion.... they both start with a "L"
Trey said:
posted on November 16, 2005 4:20 PM — 24.161.7.25 — link — abuse?
I have to agree with Gerald's post, the writing is on the wall for VATech to get screweded over by voters and polls enamored by the "great legacy" of Notre Dame. It has happend in the past (see 60 point loss in BCS 1999) and will probably happen again. I used to respect and even root for ND, but I am so sick of this team that refuses to join a confrence, has their own
tv contract (that takes air time from more relevent games), and writes their own schedual. All of these things for what has become only a slightly above average program. Yes they have a great history, but that should have no bearing on todays rankings, or in BCS selection. Notre Dame..Join a confrence, play a confrence schedual, and get a bowl game the right way...Earn it. But I guess why would you go out and earn what is handed to you year after year..Trey said:
posted on November 16, 2005 4:25 PM — 24.161.7.25 — link — abuse?
oh and the Penn State bandwagon needs to remember that VT has a defence too...and I doubt they will repeat the lack luster performance against Miami. The big 10 is good...but I think it's time the new acc starts getting some respect too...and once again ND you are not that special..join a confrence.
duckman said:
posted on November 19, 2005 4:58 AM — 66.223.208.241 — link — abuse?
Gerald and Trey;
It pains me to say this, but I agree with you on the ND issue!!! However, ND looks dam sharp this year. Whoever ends up playing them in a bowl game had better bring everything or ND fans will have a lot to cheer about.
Charlie said:
posted on November 20, 2005 12:39 PM — 12.221.198.39 — link — abuse?
Let's see. ND lost to a 5-6 team. Ohio State lost to the Texas and Penn State (2 top 5 teams). And Ohio State beat that same 5-6 team. That should be enough to put them in the top 5 behind USC, Texas, Penn State, and LSU (in whatever order you want).
Nate said:
posted on November 21, 2005 11:59 AM — 69.171.152.196 — link — abuse?
When is the college football nation going to realize that USC is NOT the best team in the country, possibly not even a top 5!! After watching their last two games how can anyone have them as No. 1? If they played in a real conference like the Big 10, they would have at least 2 losses this year. They have not produced points like Texas, and have taken control of games like PSU, VT, or OSU. It is probably safe to say that there are 3 or 4 teams better than USC right now. I cannot wait til the bowl games and USC is dominated by Texas. In fact, I think it will be the least exciting out of all the BCS games, as Texas rolls over them with ease. If this happens, then I can say my beloved Buckeyes are a top three team at the end of the year.
Fanofthepac said:
posted on November 21, 2005 2:13 PM — 63.87.122.42 — link — abuse?
The college football nation will realize USC is not the best team when, ummm, they actually lose a game. Until then the Trojans continue to take everybody's best punches and remain standing.
There may be several teams better than USC, but its safe to say that Ohio St. is not one of them. Don't forget the overrated Buckeye defense gave up over 500 yards to Minnesota, and couldn't stop Texas and Penn St when they had to so how on earth could they stop USC? No BCS for the Buckeyes! A more deserving one-loss team should get the bid.
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Mike Boone said:
posted on November 15, 2005 5:31 PM — 68.35.231.61 — link — abuse?How can you put The Pennsylvania State University ahead of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University? I think VT wipes the floor with PSU almost every time, and I will be vindicated when they demolish the Wahoos this weekend.