BLOGPOLL, WEEK TWO: RANK ANARCHY
This week’s Blogpoll ballot follows in all of its erroneous disaster. You’re damn right we voted Oklahoma number one. What? WHAT? Notes follow.
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | 2 |
| 2 | Georgia | — |
| 3 | Southern Cal | 2 |
| 4 | Florida | — |
| 5 | Penn State | 21 |
| 6 | Missouri | 4 |
| 7 | Ohio State | 2 |
| 8 | East Carolina | 18 |
| 9 | Kansas | 7 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 8 |
| 11 | LSU | 5 |
| 12 | Wake Forest | 1 |
| 13 | Texas | 6 |
| 14 | Oregon | 3 |
| 15 | Alabama | 3 |
| 16 | Auburn | 7 |
| 17 | Arizona State | 2 |
| 18 | Texas Tech | 4 |
| 19 | South Florida | 6 |
| 20 | Fresno State | 6 |
| 21 | West Virginia | 13 |
| 22 | Brigham Young | 3 |
| 23 | Georgia Tech | 3 |
| 24 | Oklahoma State | 2 |
| 25 | Illinois | 1 |
Overall tack: in the wind, losing sight of land. This week’s poll is a naked, unhidden, and biased embrace of power polling. USC sits on its hands? Well, we moved UGA down for playing cupcakes while boosting USC, no? Okay, then move ‘em back up while Pete Carroll figures out a way to top Neuheisel landing to meet recruits in his BeautifulUnicornCopter.
Oklahoma gets the one spot for looking buck nasty and heartily dismantling Cincinnati, a team just a few hairs better than the Central Michigan team Knowshon leapt over single-handedly on Saturday. It’s no huge insult to any of the teams, as they’re all running neck and neck in our minds, especially since it should be clear to all involved that Virginia is a wretched shitheap of a team, and that USC’s game against them should be read for minimal content value.
Point being: it’s one week, there’s no joy in being the king of carryover expectations, and you can only work with what you’ve got. Hinton’s been doing it for years, and to a lesser extent, so will we. It’s the only way a skeptical pollster should work in the first place after week one.
We save our insults for Ohio State, who will lose to any team that makes Todd Boeckman place himself in a position of effort. We. Do. Not. Trust. We crapped on Kansas for scheduling weakly, but at least Kansas salts the earth with their cupcakes. Ohio State let a MACrificial lamb (term copyright: Mark Hasty, Fanhouse) hang around deep into the fourth quarter, so there should be some minor consequences, like letting Florida leap ahead of you.
Beat non-schlmiels, get reward.We owed Kansas, so they bump up, and not just because commenter Pete Jayhawk gets hammered and then hammers us in comment threads for drinking bottles of corn syrup whole and disrespecting his beloved Jayhawks. At this point, they hold as much of a say in the Big 12’s fate as anyone does. Their first crux comes Saturday against USF: someone’s going somewhere in the next edition of the poll pending this outcome.
East Carolina. Well, yes. If we’re talking resume voting, they get an absurd ranking even after sending men off the bench and trebuchet’ing tacklers in from the parking lot to tackle Pat White. At times it looked like they had a whole Andrew WK concert tackling him, just waves and waves of screaming lunatics heading White-ward.
Oddities: Disdain of teams with lackluster performances does create some logical inconsistencies. Fresno State bumping up because everyone else sucked? The whole state of Alabama dropping for uniform mediocrity this weekend? We’ll just own up and admit that Oklahoma State’s defense will scuttle any real chance they have of climbing above the mixed-use housing of the low 20s, but T. Boone paid us $500K to put him there. Swindle Industries: Honesty in Corruption.

2
2 







1
WhiteSpeedReceiver says:
Excuse me sir, but we are undefeated. Please vote for us next week when we are still undefeated. Thank you.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:35 am
2
Mitch Cumstein says:
Not that it matters but the Jayhawks and Bulls will be your Friday night soup or salad course this week.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:36 am
3
joegamecock says:
Where’s the Fighting Commodores? South Carolina won’t be the only SEC team they surprise this year.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:37 am
4
AlanInDC says:
Orson, gotta rank those Ball State Cardinals. 2-0, big win over Navy, pending ease of the MAC schedule, win versus IU in 2 weeks. Get ‘em now, look like a genius later.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:37 am
5
Orson Swindle says:
Our SEC homerism stops at the Williamson/Davidson county line, Joe.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:38 am
6
Bobby Decatur says:
Holy Hell…I’d take ECU and give you 10 over that number 5 team of yours, Swindle. I mean, DID YOU NOT THINK ANYONE WOULD NOTICE???
September 8th, 2008 at 10:39 am
7
Brian O'Blivion says:
Ok, I’m not an alum or even a fan of Cal, but not ranking them after a 66-3 ass raping of WSU on the road is beyond absurd.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:41 am
8
WarCardinals says:
Apparently beating Tulane by 14 is more impressive than beating Southern Miss by 14. Alabama looked like shite in winning by 14, they were lucky to have that large of a margin of victory. On the other hand, Auburn was in control against USM despite fumbles inside the red zone. The game was much more lopsided than a 14-point game.
/Auburn homerism
September 8th, 2008 at 10:44 am
9
Orson Swindle says:
Bobby, it’s not like they’re a bunch of schlmiels.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:44 am
10
aventius says:
PSU @ #5?
I’m a PSU alum and even I’m shocked at that. Woooot!
September 8th, 2008 at 10:44 am
11
Stacy Keibler Luvs Me says:
USC is No 1 Dept:
The Okies and Ugas are good, but not No 1 material. I still think USC looked better doing nothing than these two this past weekend.
Pete Carroll going into the ghetto (unarmed) at 3AM, in a beat-up-station-wagon-without-plates-and-termited-wood-siding STILL out-mans Nuheisel macking it up on the helicopter. What, he is too scared to drive through the ghetto to see recruits?
September 8th, 2008 at 10:46 am
12
Edsall is God says:
How does UConn fall out? We won a game in a tropical storm! That should count for something.
And for all y’all S-E-C spleed people…college football in its purest form is 5,000 people in an NFL stadium during the worst weather imaginable. UConn rewarded my stupidity. Orange Bowl, here we come…
September 8th, 2008 at 10:47 am
13
Holly says:
Finally, someone ranked ECU higher than we did. Sweet everyone-else-off-a-bridge validation.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:47 am
14
Bobby Decatur says:
Ah, you’re just all goofy over those rag-a-muffins.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:49 am
15
TAFKastOSUB says:
Sobering thought of the day:
USC has lost 8 games in the last 6 years by a combined total of 30 points. No one has beaten USC in the last 6 years by more than 7 points – NO ONE.
That includes 4 SEC teams; ND every year; 6 BCS Bowl quality opponents; no FCS teams (or former 1AA teams) and EVERY team in the Pac 10 every year.
But they lost to Stanford last year so we have a shot this weekend.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:58 am
16
Harris says:
Put ECU at #1. They’re the only team to beat two ranked opponents this year. Show some balls or, in Holly’s case, some labia. (Maybe ovaries is more physiologically appropriate, but how does one show ovaries? Too messy.)
September 8th, 2008 at 10:59 am
17
Holly says:
SHOW YER TUUUBES!! ….oh, gross.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:01 am
18
Bobby Decatur says:
A college football poll leads to immediate references of ass raping and showing labia. 2008 indeed.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:02 am
19
yoyofutbawl says:
The Bring’Em Young Morons still at #22? Vandy desreves that just for beating the Gamechix alone.
BTW, the Gamechix hit a Trifecta this weekend. Also losers in soccer both Friday & Sunday, although those might only count 1/2 pt each.
The tradition continues unabated.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:03 am
20
now_a_hoo says:
Edsall is God is back! w00t!
Seriously, your Huskies aren’t good, but please be gentle with my Hoos this weekend. It’s my first trip to Hartford.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:04 am
21
Edsall is God says:
If you see a group of people wearing shirts that have Rick Astley’s face and the words “Never Going to Give UConn Up”….say hi.
It looks like UVA/UConn is going to be an offensive pillow fight…UConn can’t pass the ball and UVA doesn’t seem to have an offense.
I wonder how the ratings will be for the game on ESPNU the same time that Ohio St/USC is on.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:09 am
22
John says:
Orson,
Way to stick it to the WWL by putting Penn State at #5!
September 8th, 2008 at 11:10 am
23
blon says:
Orson,
Why did we drop 6? Did it have to do with the fact that our secondary sucks, our linebackers were average, our offensive line couldn’t handle a lousy UTEP blitz and we had absolutely no pass rush?
September 8th, 2008 at 11:21 am
24
Silver Britches says:
Yeah Meyer, Richt is the classless one. Not after the douchebaggery you displayed Saturday night.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:25 am
25
Dubyadee says:
Can’t believe you didn’t drop UF. “The best offense in the country” looked lost for three quarters. And that final score is very misleading. Not saying they aren’t good, or that they don’t have a chance to run the table, but the logic engine that drives much of the movement in this poll seemed to have stalled out when it comes to the Gates.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:28 am
26
ThreenOut says:
I have to admit… PSU has impressed the heck out of me… then i remembered… JoePa’s still there. of course.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:33 am
27
TJ says:
West Virginia? Really? Her?
I know they lost to your number 8 team, and on the road, but THREE POINTS. They score only 3 and get absolutely pounded, with nothing really good on the resume, and somehow this merits being ranked? Really?
September 8th, 2008 at 11:34 am
28
PeteJayhawk says:
I’ve been crowing about the scheduling double standards for over a year now. Thanks for finally realizing it.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:36 am
29
Les Miles has crystal balls says:
Um, excuse us Penn St, but you’re in our seat. Dropped 5 spots by a (real) hurricane? Really?
September 8th, 2008 at 11:39 am
30
Sullivan013 says:
@8 Don’t sweat the poor ranking of AU. Like always, no one will pay attention until after the LSU game.
Early season rankings really aren’t worth that much. Last year, South Carolina and Bama were ranked in the top twenty as late as the third week. By the end of the season, one went home (after making it to #5!!) and the other went to Shreveport.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:55 am
31
Bobby Decatur says:
And the Irish piggy cried wee wee wee wee wee all the way home!
September 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
32
GeneralZod says:
Thought there would be more complaints from Jayhawk fans….but then I realized that they saw their running game and 3rd down defense on Saturday night, too. And they know that a real big-boy (no pun intended) Div 1 schedule is comin’ down the pipe this year. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Not talking about next week’s “The You’re Not As Big As You Think You Are Bowl brought to you by Viagra,” either.
As far as BYU is concerned, they should be dropped out of the poll on sheer principle. Give the Pac-10 official Benedict Arnold the 22 spot.
OU looks angry, friends…very, very angry. Although I am wondering what might happen if they end up playing for the big, shiny punchbowl against Ohio State. I see a 2-2 tie broken in the 14th Overtime (with the game’s 6th First Down) will lead to Bob Stoops saying,
“Well…we just went out there and didn’t want to win it the least.”
I shudder. I truly shudder at the thought.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
33
dajo9 says:
Cal not ranked?
Your system is broken.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
34
ryan says:
uconn is atrocious.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
35
Edsall is God says:
34 – You play to win the game. UConn is 2-0.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
36
JB says:
I wholeheartedly agree that PSU should be ranked higher than the “experts” say. However, #5 is jumping the gun a little. NO? AWESOME! FUCK YEAH! GO STATE! DON’T LET THE “MAN” BRING YOU DOWN!!!!!!
September 8th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
37
Crabapple Buck says:
After putting away the ladder and rope, I can say that I am amazed you still have my Buckeyes ranked after that turd in a punchbowl game they played. I guess our expectations have been sufficiently lowered. That way we can expect the worst and a win will make us euphoric. Are we that dependent on one player? Is Todd Boeckman that mediocre? I will just hope that our defense matches up well with the SC offense, which thankfully, does not have a mobile QB. If Beanie is healthy, maybe we can give them a game (read: cover the ever increasing spread).
September 8th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
38
Spazzy McGee says:
Really not sure how you don’t have Cal on there…
September 8th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
39
Brian O'Blivion says:
@35, yeah, one of the UCONN wins was against “mighty” Hofstra and the other was against a Temple team that has had exactly one winning season in the last 20 years, and that was 18 years ago. And your team needed OVERTIME to do it. That’s not a case for a top 25 ranking.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
40
sycasey says:
Can I just ask what the f*** Cal has to do to get in your poll? Already beaten one team with a pulse (Michigan State) and just went on the road and beat WSU (a real BCS-conference team and everything) 66-3. 66-3!
September 8th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
41
TheMightyErik says:
Settle down Cal fans… I thought you guys were all living in trees and in love with mother earth and all that. You guys will be ranked someday. BTW, WTF did WSU ever do to you people to deserve that?
September 8th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
42
WarCardinals says:
You people? What do you mean, “you people”?
September 8th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
43
CincySooner says:
#41
what do YOU mean “you people”?
(low hanging fruit)
September 8th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
44
Tater Salad says:
Sullivan-
Are you retarded?
No one will pay attention to poor AU… Wait, what? They’re in the top 10 in the AP?
What more do you want?
September 8th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
45
Edsall is God says:
@38 – It was a hurricane man! Besides, if UConn doesn’t turn the ball over twice in Temple territory (once in the endzone) in the first half, it’s not a game. We’re still UConn…we take wins in any form.
And I hate to write something so stupid but Temple will win 7 games and make a bowl game this year.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
46
Brian O'Blivion says:
@44, yeah, yeah and if you’re aunt had balls, she’d be your uncle. I get it. That still doesn’t change the score, or the fact that they needed OT to beat fucking Temple. And winning 7 games with that schedule is not a big feat. The rest of Temple’s schedule, besides PSU, looks like every other team’s warmup games at the beginning of the season, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they won 6 of them. They have every directional Michigan school, Akron, Buffalo, Kent State…..but they are still Temple, so I’ll wait until it happens…
September 8th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
47
Edsall is God says:
To be fair, last year UConn needed a blown call to beat Temple. So winning in overtime is actually an improvement.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
48
Brian O'Blivion says:
To be fair, last year UConn needed a blown call to beat Temple.
Acceptance, finally. Kudos to you sir.
September 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
49
Spazzy McGee says:
@ #40
Over the weekend, UC finally started construction on a new athletic center. This is the message we sent mother earth:
http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2008/09/06/ba-stadium07_0499095244.jpg
great success!
September 8th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
50
Spazzy McGee says:
@#40, over the weekend Cal started construction on a new athletics center. This is the message we sent mother earth:
http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2008/09/06/ba-stadium07_0499095244.jpg
I believe it was “timber!”
September 8th, 2008 at 4:59 pm