Again this season I'll be a SB Nation BlogPoll voter. The BlogPoll voting philosophy encourages transparency and scrutiny. Each Monday I'll post my ballot along with some bullet points explaining my reasonings for my not so obvious rankings. It's your job to keep me honest, and looking sane. I welcome your feedback telling me what I screwed up and how to fix it.
My preseason poll is after the jump.
The Key Play: Ballot - Week 1
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 2 | Oklahoma Sooners |
| 3 | Oregon Ducks |
| 4 | Wisconsin Badgers |
| 5 | LSU Tigers |
| 6 | Stanford Cardinal |
| 7 | Texas A&M Aggies |
| 8 | Oklahoma St. Cowboys |
| 9 | Boise St. Broncos |
| 10 | Nebraska Cornhuskers |
| 11 | Florida St. Seminoles |
| 12 | South Carolina Gamecocks |
| 13 | Virginia Tech Hokies |
| 14 | TCU Horned Frogs |
| 15 | Mississippi St. Bulldogs |
| 16 | Arkansas Razorbacks |
| 17 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| 18 | Michigan St. Spartans |
| 19 | Georgia Bulldogs |
| 20 | Missouri Tigers |
| 21 | Florida Gators |
| 22 | Ohio St. Buckeyes |
| 23 | Auburn Tigers |
| 24 | West Virginia Mountaineers |
| 25 | Texas Longhorns |
SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »
- I'm bullish on Wisconsin. I don't think Russell Wilson is the player the media in the Triangle make him out to be, but he's a better than average quarterback. His arm will keep defenses honest and Wisconsin will be a two dimensional offense.
- Boise State still has Kellen Moore pulling the trigger, but they'll have to replace stud receivers Titus Young, Austin Pettis. It's a passing game that relies on timing, accuracy and familiarity. A lot of questions will be answered in the Dome against Georgia.
- Even with all that's gone on Ohio State is still a very talented, but young team. I have them lower than most, and they'd have the benefit of the doubt if Tressel was still there.
- Realistically, Auburn might go from national champion to missing a bowl. They've lost as much talent as any team in the country and play a hellish schedule. However, they've recruited well, and Gene Chizik has a great coaching staff working for him.
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Comments
Notre Dame
--Why, why, why do we continually anticipate this team as a top 25 year every year. They play USC, Missagain, Mich St, and Stanford this year. I cant see them winning more than 9.
-- Good call on Oklahoma, I smell a little bit of overhype. ill root for FSU but im sure they'll drop the ball against em.
--I think Texas in top 25 is more of a place holder. They shit the bed last year along with UF but I think the thought here is mediocrity isnt sustained for these two.
--UGA v Boise St will be the litmus test for both programs.
I honestly think WVU should be ranked a bit higher (maybe 15-19) just because of Geno smith. With him as well as the fact that they may run the table in the Big East, I see them finishing the season within the top 15.
Also, not entirely sure why Stanford is still ranked so high after losing Harbaugh. Yes they have Luck and yes they dismantled us in the 2nd half of the Orange Bowl, but they also happend to lose their iron man Marecic and a couple of tight ends and OL. Which can add up to being a huge issue if not dealt with appropriately.
Thumbs up
- Alabama. Meh, I'm getting sick of them. I'm hoping we get to see someone else on top this year, and soon.
- I think Stanford is going to deserve to be ranked higher, but it might take a few weeks for people to catch on since they begin their season playing San Jose State and Dook.
- Thank you for not over-ranking us.
- Agree with Hokiebonoz about Notre Dame. They shit the bed almost every year and its usually done in a fantastic fashion. I look forward to watching them crumble again this year.
Otherwise, all of your rankings seem reasonable and I don't hate any of them. Of course, we still have plenty of time for things to turn into a clusterfuck.
why aren't the hokies #1? and
why aren't the hokies #1?
and is texas a&m only ranked #7 because they are in the SEC?
I think there's about 6-8 very good teams across the country that after that it is a pure crapshoot
- Notre Dame almost has as weak a schedule as we do - FYI
- Going forward Wisconsin shall be known as the Wisconsin Honey Badgers
what are you smoking?
I get the sarcasm for the first two but uhhhhhhh ND has three teams pre ranked top 25 plus a few that will most likely hit in that range during the season.
Honey Badgers ftw led by Russel "honey" Wilson.
Proposal 1074 "Wisconsin Honey Badgers" Passed
I'll hand edit this in each week.
I can see
that for week 1.
As for the end of the year, Oregon is one injury away from 3 losses.
Stanford might be able to build on last year...which means top 3.
LSU won't sniff the top 10. Not all has to do with Jefferson. But, I think I heard the horseshoe just fall out of their a$$.
Boise is either top 4 undefeated or 10-2 at slot 19 or so.
We are higher at the end of the year. Happy at 12 for now...but not end of year!
My take
I'd make a few adjustments in the top 6...I agree that Bama should be 1, but I'd put Stanford at 2, Oregon 3 (2b, maybe?). The Stanford-Oregon game is gonna be must-see TV; Wisc 4, Oklahoma 5, LSU 6. Beyond that, I think 7-14, you can draw names out of a hat. My top six reasoning: Bama still has Saban, best coach in the SEC, and some of the best talent in the land; Stanford up to two, based on Luck's leadership. Yeah, I know, new coach, but he's out of the same system that Harby led, and I look for more of the same. Oregon is just freaky fast. Wisconsin has some big boys on the OL, and it will be interesting to see what Russel Wilson can do when he doesn't have to run...Oklahoma....can you smell the belts on the hype machine getting warm?...LSU, I think the suspensions and legal issues have an effect. Plus Les has to run out of luck on some of those wacky decisions sometime, right?
7-25 (Hokies included) all have some big questions to resolve before higher rankings are warranted, but I'd have Ohio St, Georgia, and Florida closer to the top of this group based on talent. Plus, the bucky boys are going to be playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, I think.
i don't get aTm and Okie St at 7 and 8. I know Texas shit the bed last year, and I guess the thinking is with a weak Texas it will be easier for the 2 of them in the Big 12, but IF aTm bolts for the SEC, the Horns will lay a Texas sized smack down going away present on them.
A&M drank the Big 12's collective milkshake to end the season last year with wins over OU, Nebraska and UT. And they're returning 18 starters. I might have them slightly outside the Top 10 but I think they'll be a force in the 12 this season.
Deja Vu?
Virginia Tech was ranked 13th in the 1999 preseason AP poll.