BLOGPOLL FINAL DRAFT: WE ACTUALLY AREN'T LAUGHING AT THIS ONE

by Orson on Oct 11, 2006 12:13 PM EDT

The final draft for our blogpoll ballot this week. We're almost happy with this one, but see notes for clarifications and thanks to our observant readers.

A note: don't follow the arrows--they reflect corrections from previously submitted drafts, not movement from last week.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Ohio State	--
2	Southern Cal	1
3	Michigan	1
4	Florida	--
5	Tennessee	3
6	Texas	1
7	Louisville	--
8	California	1
9	West Virginia	3
10	Notre Dame	--
11	Georgia Tech	--
12	Auburn	--
13	Iowa	4
14	Oregon	2
15	LSU	5
16	Clemson	3
17	Oklahoma	2
18	Arkansas	4
19	Missouri	4
20	Nebraska	6
21	Wisconsin	5
22	Georgia	1
23	Boise State	2
24	Rutgers	3
25	Washington	1

Dropped Out: Virginia Tech (#18), Wake Forest (#22), Houston (#24).

Notes, errors, and more errors:

* In our original draft, we accidentally carried Houston over, leading to a slew of emails and comments pointing out how completely retarded this was. Leaving anyone who loses to Louisiana-Lafayette in your ballot is obviously a red flag for wack balloting, especially given that their name spells out "UL-LAF" on the scoreboard. Many opponents do, actually...

* There are a few obvious instabilities in the poll, logjams to be resolved by upcoming matchups that will even out conference distribution a bit. Michigan/OSU will knock out that logjam provided both teams remain undefeated.

* But past rationale in our blogpoll has been this: believe the zombie is dead when you see the head rolling. USC may have almost lost, but they remain undefeated and beat the daylights out of an Arkansas team that just paved Auburn. That game puts them back at two in our poll, where they'll remain until someone manages beat them. Again, no rolling zombie head, no bump down. Doing so in prior weeks was a mistake.

Poll rule occasionally followed: believe the zombie is gone when you see the head roll.

* Tennessee is the best one-loss team in the nation, so they hit their ceiling right under Florida, whose offensive stuttering prevents us from placing them any higher.

*Texas only moves down with a victory because of Tennessee's resilience and eventual dominance on the road at Sanford Stadium. We think they'd beat Texas, so down one seat you must slide.

* We're of the mindset that Louisville's improved defense sets them apart from WVU, a team that's gotten sloppy in the doldrums of their midseason schedule. They slide down due to their own recent lassitude and the synced-up performance of Cal, who put the cables to Oregon. "NOBEL PRIZE! NOBEL PRIZE!"

*The only hedge we have in this poll is putting WVU ahead of Notre Dame. The game would likely be a shootout similar to WVU's Sugar Bowl matchup with Georgia, but that's just hypotheticals here, like "what if Orson could lay off the Robitussin for a few days," and that just gets us nowhere, doesn't it?

*LSU is the best two-loss team in the nation, but another lackluster showing and we'll happily boot them out of the polls. They're probably overranked here, especially given their dismal run game. They're the Oklahoma of the SEC, just with the offensive deficiencies reversed.

* We dropped Virginia Tech for being unmemorable thus far. We have no other justification besides this and our readers insisting we were overrating them.

* Washington's back in, since losing to the clock and the number two team in the nation is nothing to weep over.

* Given what you've seen this year...couldn't every team in this poll beat the team ranked below it? That's what governs the "grab-bag" section between, say, 13 and 25.

Submit your vehement disagreements below.

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Comments

You moved Southern Cal up one for a squeaker over Washington where the latter was jobbed by the clock operator, why?

by Jackwraith on Oct 11, 2006 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

Zombie rule.

by Orson Swindle on Oct 11, 2006 12:33 PM EDT reply actions

good job on Va Tech.

by random thoughts boy on Oct 11, 2006 12:38 PM EDT reply actions

What about wolverine zombies?

by Dave on Oct 11, 2006 12:46 PM EDT reply actions

Now Swindle, no need to take pot shots at the University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns. I thought you were above that. Besides, this is a team that should easily win the Sun Belt Conference and go to the New Orleans bowl. Not quite the Sugar Bowl, but it’s better than nothing. So cut us some slack….

by RaginCajunRebel on Oct 11, 2006 12:49 PM EDT reply actions

Well done… this one is MUCH better.

But I don’t think ND would let WVU up by 28 in the first 16 minutes.

by CouchBurnin'Girl on Oct 11, 2006 12:57 PM EDT reply actions

“couldn’t every team in this poll beat the team ranked below it? That’s what governs the "grab-bag" section between, say, 13 and 25.”

Good thing you didn’t say teams 12-25. Because you know, Arkansas might have something to say about that.

by irishjihad on Oct 11, 2006 1:10 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with WVU being over-rated. The Mounaineer defense made Mississippi State look like it had an actual offense, with a quarterback and wide receivers and stuff. In fact, WVU got a cheap TD late after State’s 4th string quarterback went 3 and out.

by Travis Swenson on Oct 11, 2006 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

You’d be best off putting Texas and Tennessee at the same rank. But if your hand is forced – Texas is the better team. They have a running game far outclassing Tenn, and Tenn’s air attack isn’t that much better. You’re more likely to get a game-deciding mistake out of Ainge than McCoy, who’s proven he can manage the game competently.

Plust Texas’ D is filthy. Tenn wouldn’t stand a chance.

by DisplacedTexan on Oct 11, 2006 1:17 PM EDT reply actions

…a step backward, IMHO. Arkansas is not 18, if Auburn is 12. Who has LSU beat, by the way? As far as I’ve noticed, they’ve thumped some sorry teams, and got beat by the two real teams they play.

by Will on Oct 11, 2006 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

This looks a lot better from top to bottom Orson.

by Chuck on Oct 11, 2006 1:42 PM EDT reply actions

This poll begs the question: where will Tenn be if Auburn beats Fla?

Tie their legs together – if one drowns, the other goes down as well hehehe

by futbawl fan on Oct 11, 2006 1:58 PM EDT reply actions

RaginCajunRebel enough with the jinx already SLI, USL, ULL has not won a conference out right since the days they belonged to the Southland Confrence.

by RaginCajun on Oct 11, 2006 1:58 PM EDT reply actions

So you essentially dumped VT for (a) not playing last week and (b) all the noise BEFORE the GT loss and subsequent 8-11 point drop about the Hokies being overrated (which they were pre-drop)? Good work.

by JoshC on Oct 11, 2006 1:59 PM EDT reply actions

How can Arkansas be ranked six spots behind the team it convincingly beat last weekend?

Also, although Michigan is having a great season, on strength of schedule Florida deserves a better ranking.

by Allaha on Oct 11, 2006 2:02 PM EDT reply actions

Auburn suffered far less for their loss AT HOME to Arkansas than Georgia did for their loss (shameful and humiliating though it was) at the hands of a comparatively higher ranked opponent. I’m not so sure you’ve got it wrong with regard to Georgia, but Auburn is benefitting from EASILY (Early Ass Sucking Is Like Yeast) in the polls. The distance between AU and Ark only highlights this.

by Ohiodawg on Oct 11, 2006 2:09 PM EDT reply actions

The late 1 pt. win over 0-6 Colorado should have taken Georgia out of the top 25. #22 seems generous after the drubbing.

by Canuck on Oct 11, 2006 2:15 PM EDT reply actions

There’s no reason to think teams drop 10 to 15 spots due to close or ugly wins (OSU in their NC season almost losing to Cincinnati). And, AS I SAID, I’m not saying Georgia should be higher. My comment was directed at AU.

by Ohiodawg on Oct 11, 2006 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

Is the New Orleans Bowl better or worse than the Bourbon Bowl?

by Sean on Oct 11, 2006 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

We were no doubt overrated when we floated up to 10th. That was laughable with our weak sister OOC sched and the multiple new guys on the line. We’re short about 12 guys in the NFL this year compared to last. Low to mid teens feels right.

by Hokie Andrew on Oct 11, 2006 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

ND tied with GT? We beat them on the road. I do think WVU would beat us on a neutral field right now.

Any ND fan watching the clock run out in the UW-USC got deja va from the home losses to Pitt and BC in his final year. But he is a great coach. 71-62 is AWESOME!!!!!! That must mean that the Zooker’s 23-15 record at Florida was doubly AWESOME!!!!

All kidding aside, Stanback looks like a great playmaker.

by Bill on Oct 11, 2006 3:02 PM EDT reply actions