BLOGPOLL QUESTIONS: ROUND 2
The notice is out: Blogpoll, Round 2, is officially underway. Hide the women and children, secure all doors, and remember, in the words of the Zombie Survival Guide, “Use your head–aim at theirs.”
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Shaun says: remember to aim for the head.
Your questions for this week:
1. What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene? We’re looking for the one that will influence the most outcomes in a single span of sixty minutes. Please try to diversify your answers and think of something other than Ohio State-Texas, for example.
2.What’s the most critical matchup for your team? Again, we know we’ll hear OSU-Michigan from you
Wolverines, but we ask you to think in terms of multiple scenarios here.
3. What’s your wingnut upset prediction of year?
No hedging (or common sense) wanted here; we know everyone has a paint-chip eating, lunatic pick lurking somewhere in their brain. Go ahead and fess up on the record so you can gloat with pride later.
Hit the comments below, and get blogging! (For those who want to link to this entry, just click the time post for the permalink.)
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51
Joey says:
http://straightbangin.blogspot.com/2005/06/blog-bickering-2.html
June 29th, 2005 at 4:32 pm
52
Heismanpundit says:
click on the above for the trackback from Heismanpundit.com
June 29th, 2005 at 5:36 pm
53
Heismanpundit says:
click above for HP’s response
or cut and paste:
http://heismanpundit.com/?postid=364
June 29th, 2005 at 5:37 pm
54
Heismanpundit says:
The problem is that who does USC play, outside of Cal, who will be able to keep USC honest in the passing game enough to run well? You could argue Cal, but their QB is less proven that USC’s defensive tackles. Oregon? They don’t really have a great running back to make the Trojans pay. Neither does ASU. UCLA, by game 11, might be the answer to this question. However, there can be no doubt that USC’s defense will only get better as the year goes on and those young guys get experience. It goes back to the notion that to beat USC, it has to happen early. That’s why I picked Oregon as the most likely scenario: tough stadium, good QB and new, funky system. However, even given that, teams will have to out-score USC.
June 29th, 2005 at 5:42 pm
55
Pitt Sports Blather says:
BlogPoll Questions, Round 21. What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene? We’re looking for the one that will influence the most outcomes in a single span of sixty minutes. Please try to diversify your answers and think of something other than Ohio State-Texa…
June 29th, 2005 at 7:00 pm
56
Kenneth "go noles" Julian says:
1.Well since strength of opponents schedule isn?t on the BCS list, clearly the vaunted Idaho vs. UL-Monroe game won?t matter that much. But a game that could seriously take the nation by storm is Miami vs Virginia Tech. Think about it, assuming FSU loses to Miami right, then goes undefeated the rest of the way they are in the ACC championship game. Ok well then who would the Noles rather face in the game? Va Tech or Miami. Take into consideration the teams with one loss who will be behind FSU if they run the table, seeing as where they only lost in game number one. *Side note maybe one team will go undefeated this year (its my law of averages rule). * Anyway, with FSU playing Miami then National Championship game may be very different than if FSU played Va Tech.
2.As a Seminole fan the easy way out would be Miami, but that is not the case for me, I figure if we lose that game then the rest of the schedule is winnable until we get to a nemeses more hated than even the ?Canes. Yes people the UF game. Urban Meyer has that team on the cusp and I am thinking they will be the only thinig standing between FSU and a National Championship. Sure we have to get thru landmines like Virginia and Clemson, but those games are at home. Florida is going to be our ticket in.
3.I really don?t think anybody is going undefeated and that includes USC. Something about that Oregon game just doesn?t rub me right. It?s not early enough to get the full attention of the staff, and its not really late enough for the team to be fully aware that the season is underway. And I mean it is in Autzen.
June 29th, 2005 at 8:36 pm
57
James says:
For what its worth, I was torn between Oregon and Cal for USC’s toughest opponent in my first post. Settled on Cal because of Tedford. However, the thing that worried me about Oregon was the fact that it is played at Autzen.
To beat USC, you must be able to either run the WCO to perfection (see Tedford and 28 straight completions), or sustain a running game. I believe (not certain though) that every game that USC has lost since 2002, they allowed over a hundred yards rushing. The key to beating SC is to be able to run for 4+ yards a pop, which brings us to their run defense.
The only position that I am truly worried about on USC’s defense is the D tackle position formerly occupied by Sean Cody. Sedrick Ellis has stepped up to replace Mike Patterson, and they basicly have 2 returning starters at linebacker (Sartz and Rivers – there is a reason he is wearing #55). Middle linebacker? A slight concern, but not huge due to the logjam of talent at the position – expect either Thomas Williams or Oscar Lua to start the season, but dont be surprised to see Rey Maualuga getting an awful lot of minutes, even as a true freshmen.
In the end though, talent helps, but what really matters is coaching. In his first season, Carroll’s defense allowed over 21 points four times, and over 30 once. I doubt that anyone believes that this defense is less talented then that. Toss in an offense with everyone and their cousin returning, and I believe two things.
One, there will be 1 or 2 games that the offense will have to win. Two, I believe in the effectiveness of the senior quarterback in college football, and SC has a (very good) senior quarterback coming back. Can they be beaten? Yes. Would I bet money on any specific team on the schedule doing so? No.
June 29th, 2005 at 10:17 pm
58
Anonymous says:
Holy shit, did we get a Nole on this site? Welcome! You have balls of steel, Kenneth-great to see you. We should mention that we have a common enemy: Jeff Bowden, for you because he’s killing your team’s once-potent offense, and for us because he’s bad at what he does. So see, there’s common ground in every relationship.
That BC game is fucking sketchy for y’all. New stadium, tough D, and a team that makes very few mistakes would all concern us. That’s one of the reasons the Alabama game concerns us as a Florida fan-we’re looking ahead already.
June 29th, 2005 at 11:27 pm
59
Anonymous says:
Oh, and can we give Straight Bangin’ the quote of the day award?
June 29th, 2005 at 11:29 pm
60
John B. says:
Well, my post is up here: http://catholicpackerfan.blogspot.com/2005/06/blogpoll-roundtable-2.html
I have some sane picks and some longshots…that’s what its all about.
June 30th, 2005 at 12:09 am
61
Jay says:
Just wanted to say…these BlogPoll discussions are wonderful.
June 30th, 2005 at 12:19 am
62
Catholic Packer Fan says:
Blogpoll Roundtable #2My picks: read now, laugh now, and heck, probably laugh harder later.
June 30th, 2005 at 12:28 am
63
Joey says:
Thanks for the award. I have so many people to thank and the music has already started…
June 30th, 2005 at 12:51 am
64
Anonymous says:
My quick and dirty answers… sarcasm and facile analysis to come later…..
1) OSU v TEXAS: A bowl game at the beginning of the season. Conference bragging rights on the line from the start. Two potential MNC contenders… only one can survive! And think about the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon-style who can beat who this matchup sets up for the rest of the season. Great Stuff.
2) FLORIDA v TENNESSEE: The tone setter for Urban Meyers’ first year… and possibly career at the unforgiving University of Florida. If he wins, he retains rock star status. If he loses… is he a mid major phenom? One caveat… I sat in the rain in Rocky Top watching the Zooker lay the smack down on the Vols in his first big game…. and look how he ended up.
3) WINGNUT PICK: Sort of…. South Carolina over Georgia in a rout. There is nothing the Spurr Dogg likes better than dropping 50 on the Bulldogs. Even if he has to rotate 5 quarterbacks in, I think he’ll find a way to run it up on them.
June 30th, 2005 at 7:48 am
65
Anonymous says:
If Spurrier drops 50 on the Cocks this year, we’ll walk down Peachtree in a miniskirt. Then again, we’d have plenty of company in our neighborhood.
June 30th, 2005 at 8:38 am
66
Michael says:
1, LSU-Florida (and I’ll have two chances to be right)
2. Georgia-Auburn
3. Arizona State-USC
You’ll have to click on the link to get all of my ill-reasoned statements justifying those picks.
June 30th, 2005 at 9:45 am
67
Cheap Seats says:
Blog Poll Questions #1 and #2What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene? Boise State-Georgia.
This is the biggest chance the little guys have to break up the college football power structure ever.
Most critical game for your team? Texas Tech-Oklahoma. If Mi…
June 30th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
68
R.D. Baker says:
What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene?
Boise State-Georgia. It will either shake the power structure of college football or discourage non-BCS schools for years to come.
What’s the most critical matchup for your team?
Texas Tech-OU. If Mike Leach doesn’t beat OU this year when they are rebuilding, they ain’t never gonna beat OU under Leach.
What’s your wingnut upset prediction of year?
Texas Tech over Texas A&M. It’s insane because Texas A&M is much better than Texas Tech this year (and my pick to win the South), but for no good reason other the game is in Lubbock and I’m a homer, I’m picking my Red Raiders.
June 30th, 2005 at 1:35 pm
69
Chris Lawrence says:
Orson on Oxford cabs:
Oxford has exactly
June 30th, 2005 at 3:16 pm
70
Chris Lawrence says:
Er, that was exactly one cab, and you’re not going to find it on the Square at closing time. Coach O really needs to tell his coaches to walk home… although, at this point, they’ve got enough goodwill that any frat guy would take ‘em home. (We’ll see in early November whether or not the goodwill holds up…)
June 30th, 2005 at 3:18 pm
71
Brad Wilson says:
The biggest national game this year? I’d love to say Ohio State-Texas, in the hopes that it WILL be and will encourage more teams to play such terrific intersectional tilts rather than cash in against the likes of Buffalo and Louisiana Tech. But it won’t be. Ohio State-Michigan? So 1970’s. Penn State-anybody? Nah. USC-Cal? Trojans by 27. Florida-Tennessee? Maybe, but Meyer may take a while to settle in. Big East … right, you said critical game … Iowa at Ohio State? Now this is getting close. I can’t stand either team, but the winner may be in the Rose Bowl playing for it all.
But given that, under the BCS, there seems to be a rule that the Big 12 gets a team in the final, and the only Big 12 game that will matter is Oklahoma-Texas as the other 10 don’t have a prayer against the big two, I pick the Red River Shootout, or whatever it’s called, as THE game.
Critical game for my team: Penn State at NORTHWESTERN, Sept. 24. I think the Nits are paper lions, that Joe is washed up, and all this yapping about a PSU comeback is wishful thinking from a media too used to just picking the same old names and going back to sleep. If my Wildcats can muster enough defense win this, we’re going bowling. Go Cats!
Wingnut upset pick: Northern Illinois over Michigan would be delicious. Ditto Temple over Wisconsin. But in the realm of rationality, how about Steve Spurrier ruining ANOTHER Tennessee season? I’ll go with that.
July 1st, 2005 at 4:54 am
72
Anonymous says:
If we could watch the Ol’ Ballcoach hang fifty on Fulmer one more time in our lifetime, we’d die happy.
July 1st, 2005 at 9:19 am
73
Sporting Fools says:
http://sportingfool.blogspot.com/2005_06_26_sporti1. What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene? I think it will be USC hosting Fresno State on Nov. 13. It’s a matchup the Trojans took after Pat Hill publicly goaded Pete Carroll over and over again. And to Carroll’s credit he reali…
July 1st, 2005 at 10:02 am
74
Sporting Fools says:
Blogpoll Discussion #21. What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene? I think it will be USC hosting Fresno State on Nov. 13. It’s a matchup the Trojans took after Pat Hill publicly goaded Pete Carroll over and over again. And to Carroll’s credit he reali…
July 1st, 2005 at 10:03 am
75
Paulwesterdawg says:
1. Texas vs. Oklahoma – “How big a boy are ya?”
As a UGA fan for the past 16 years, I know what it’s like to be owned. The Gators owned from ‘90-2003 much in the same way that we owned them from ‘65-84. Once you’ve been owned for that long a period of time, overcoming the mental side of the game is huge. If Tejas can get past OU, they should run the table til USC in the Rose Bowl.
2. UGA vs. UF
The game vs. UT will probably have a more immediate and possibly even large impact on THIS season’s SEC East race. But the UF game is larger. We just got the monkey off our backs with a win vs. Zook last year. Starting Meyer off in the Cocktail Party series with a win, would put us right back behind the 8 ball.
3. UT vs. SC
I’m picking the Gamecocks. It’s not an absurdly impossible prediction, but I’m going with it.
July 1st, 2005 at 11:47 am
76
AgRyan04 says:
1. OU v. texas…..This could very, very easily determine the regular season Big XII Champ. A texas win could give them the confidence to roll.
2. Texas A&M v. texas tech…..The only reason this is the most critical game for us, IMO, is because our schedule is pretty weak until our last 3 games…..@tt, @OU, home v. texas. We could be going into those final games with a 7-1 record and winning a game in Lubbock, a place where we have simply sucked, would be a huge emotional boost for the team going into those final two against OU and texas.
3. Just randomly I’m going to go with ISU over Iowa on September 10th. Rivalry games always give you crazy results and this one is so early in the season and Iowa seems to stumble early in the season.
July 1st, 2005 at 10:26 pm
77
Matt says:
1. What’s THE critical game of the season on the national scene?
Lots of good games to choose from. Here are a couple of good options.
Sept. 17 Florida/Tenn – The Vols. have great potential and could win the SEC. Urban Meyer has a great chance to make an immediate impact in the SEC.
Oct. 8 OU/Texas – OU has a 5 game winning streak over Texas, but Mac Brown has the better team this year. Should that matter? It’s “do or die” time for Brown and the Longhorns.
Oct. 22 Auburn/LSU – Les Miles will, “play any sucker in America”, and he has the defense to do it now. Question for both teams is, who is going to play QB. Winner of this game should play for the conference championship.
Michigan/Iowa – Look for Iowa to make some noise in the Big 10 this year. This game could be between two top 10 teams.
Nov. 5 Miami/Va. Tech – These teams used to play for the Big East Championship, now they will play to decide the ACC championship.
2.What’s the most critical matchup for your team?
OU/Texas Oct. 8. OU has enjoyed a 5 game winning streak and has also reaped the benefits by winning the recruiting wars. If OU keeps winning the best recruits in Texas will keep coming.
3. What’s your wingnut upset prediction of year?
Sept 24 – Oregon over USC
July 2nd, 2005 at 11:37 pm
78
The Bemsuement Park says:
SEPTEMBER’S NOT COMING FAST ENOUGHVia Every Day Should Be Saturday, here are three quick questions on the college football season:
July 6th, 2005 at 8:55 am
79
idoc says:
A week (or two late) and more than a dollar short . . .
1. ND-USC. To be perfectly honest, I don’t follow the national scene that closely. I’d have to go look up schedules to even know what key games are being played this year–and that would require like, um, work. However, of the teams I am familiar with, I’d have to go with the Notre Dame-USC game. Why???? Hell if I know. But let’s look at it this way. ND–like them or not–play 3 teams that have dreams of going all the way–the Wolverines, the Trojans, and Tennessee. They open with Pitt that dreams of repeating as Big East chmapion. ND is a big question mark–new coach. Do they have the talent? The Irish have the opportunity to be major spoilers on the scene this year. Hey I had to pick something.
2. NORTHWESTERN. Read it again. A lot of talk is focused on Minnesota. Some are even thinking 5-0 before knocking helmets with the Buckeyes. Beep, beep, beep. Back the bandwagon up a bit. PSU has not won a Big Ten Opener since 1999.
The talk in Happy Valley this year is a new attitude. Winning first. Blah, blah, blah. Is it just talk or can we walk the walk??? If we don’t choke on the first conference game, then I’ll start to think about becoming more optimistic. But who cares about Minnesota or Ohio State if you can’t get by the Purple Mildcats.
3. We Beat Michigan at Ann Arbor. Can’t get much nuttier than that.
And wolverine fans will probably be giddy as Pitt fans counting recruits when they see I mentioned them twice in these answers.
July 12th, 2005 at 11:14 am