Sorry I haven't been updating more frequently. I will get back to it this week.
Many people are starting to believe that the Big 12 may be the best conference this year. This is in large part due to the crazy amount of points put up by some Big 12 offenses this year. Just look at the scores from this past weekend:
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/scoreboard?confId=4&weekNumber=8&seasonYear=2008
The Big 12 has some great quarterbacks, and I do believe that the QB position is the most important one on the field, but we still must remember that offense may win games, but defense wins championships. The SEC still fields the best defenses in the country.
Tennessee and Auburn being down this year really hurts the SEC. These two teams' poor showing thus far is really why the Big 12 has crept into the Best Conference discussion. Also, Missouri, Ok State, and Kansas are much better this year than they have been historically. Nebraska is the only traditional power from the Big 12 having a down year.
To be honest, I am really not sure which is the best conference, and we probably won't know who will come out on top until bowl season. Just for fun, though, lets match up the best six teams from each conference:
Texas vs Alabama
Oklahoma vs Florida
Oklahoma State vs Georgia
Texas Tech vs LSU
Missouri vs Vanderbilt
Kansas vs Kentucky
Really, all of these games are a push except for OSU/UGA and Mizzou/Vandy. Oklahoma State is a nice story, but they lack the athletes up front to stay with Georgia. Vanderbilt is a nice story, but they have been winning with smoke and mirrors and Chase Daniel would pick them apart. Besides OSU/UGA and Mizzou/Vandy, only one of these matchups has the potential to become the shootout that is seen week in and week out in the Big 12, and that is OU/UF.
The main problem the Big 12 offenses will face against SEC defenses is imbalance. Of all the Big 12 teams listed, only Oklahoma State has a reliable run game. Texas relies too much on McCoy to run the ball, OU's DeMarco Murray is going through a sophomore slump, Mike Leach does not list running back as an offensive position, and Kansas only averages 3.6 ypc and 125 yards a game on the ground. Teams who cannot grind out yards on the ground will not have much success against the best defenses the SEC has to offer. Only three teams in the SEC (Florida, Georgia, Alabama) have shown they can both run and throw the ball. These three teams also just happen to be ranked in the Top 10.
So what did you learn by reading this post? Not a whole lot, which is kind of the point. No real answers will come until the season is finished. However, I would love to see the SEC champ take on the Big 12 champ for the national title this year.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Good Perspective on the Title Chase
http://cfn.scout.com/2/795302.html
Pete Fiutak of CFN and Stewart Mandel of CNNSI are the best in the biz when it comes to talking college football. Fiutak posted his thoughts on all the upsets over the weekend, and I pretty much agree. His 7th point is particularly interesting and spot on.
Pete Fiutak of CFN and Stewart Mandel of CNNSI are the best in the biz when it comes to talking college football. Fiutak posted his thoughts on all the upsets over the weekend, and I pretty much agree. His 7th point is particularly interesting and spot on.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
OH THE IRONY
The day after I outline what not to do in this season of shortened games, the Gators go right down the list and do all the things you need to do to lose to an inferior team. Not much analysis is needed here. The Gators lost the turnover battle 3-1 (they also had a punt that went for no yards, so essentially they turned the ball over four times), they performed poorly in kickoff coverage, and of course the nail in the coffin was the blocked extra point (even though an Ole Miss defender illegally hurdled a Florida offensive lineman to get the block, so there should have been a penalty against Ole Miss on the play).
There is plenty of blame to go around for the loss. Percy Harvin and Tim Tebow uncharacteristically put the ball on the ground. The defense allowed two big plays to go for touchdowns, including the game winning 85 yard TD pass on a 3rd and long. The offensive line once again was outplayed. Tebow missed a few passes that would have gone for touchdowns or big gains.
Here is how I see it for Gator fans:
Good News:
The loss was to an SEC West team, so your chances of winning an SEC and national title are the same today as they were before the loss. Win the rest of your games, and you're in. The pollsters are not going to be kind to the Gators this week; they will most likely end up somewhere in the 11-14 range. However, BYU is the only team with an above average chance of going undefeated, but there is no way they are getting into the title game unless all other BCS contenders have two or more losses. Oklahoma looks great, but Oklahoma always looks great in September. They will likely drop a game or two along the way, and probably in the same way the Gators lost this game. Penn State has a shot, but they still have to play OSU and Wisconsin. The Gators will get opportunities to defeat fellow SEC contenders LSU, Georgia, and Alabama (if 'Bama makes it to the SECCG). If there are a handful of one loss teams vying for a spot in the title game, and there will be, the SEC champ will get that spot.
Bad News:
I don't know if it's the Heisman, the offensive line, the loss of Bubba Caldwell and CI, or the playcalling, but Tebow has not been as dominant as he was last season. As stated above, there were multiple reasons why the Gators lost this game, but Tebow left several plays out on the field that could have won the Gators the game. Twice that I saw he had open receivers he should have identified immediately based on what the defense was showing, but instead he went elsewhere with the ball. On first and second down during the final set of downs on the last drive he had open receivers streaking towards the end zone but overthrew them both times. Tebow bashers love to argue that Tebow cannot read defenses. For most of his career they have been incorrect, as Tebow has always done an excellent job at making the right decisions. However, this was not the case in this game as Tebow definitely left some plays out on the field. Florida is not going to win the rest of its games if Tebow cannot elevate his play.
Jim Tartt seems to make or break this offensive line. The fifth year senior guard missed the Hawaii, Miami, and Ole Miss games. It did not matter against an outmatched Hawaii squad, but Miami and Ole Miss were able to disrupt the offense by going at Tartt's replacement, Marcus Gilbert. Tartt's only start this season, against Tennessee, is the only game that Florida has won the line of scrimmage on the offensive side of the ball. The Gators either need to get Tartt healthy, coach Gilbert up, or insert James Wilson. On those 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 plays where they run Tebow, they almost always go left towards Phil Trautwein and Jim Tartt. With Tartt out of the game they decided to go right on that pivotal 4th and 1 play against Ole Miss, and were subsequently stuffed.
The Gator game plan does not seem to fit this offensive line. When the Gators go with five wide outs, they run these long developing plays that ultimately become disrupted by pressure on Tebow. They need to run shorter routes, get the ball out quicker, and let their athletes make plays. The Gators can line up Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy, Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, Deonte Thompson, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Carl Moore and Brandon James in WR positions. You put any of these five guys on the field at one time, there is going to be a major mismatch somewhere that can be exploited IMMEDIATELY. They do not need to run some 15-20 yard route. Get the ball in their hands ASAP. Hit them on a WR screen, a 5 yard slant or out pattern, and let them make the play.
Outlook:
Obviously, the Gators cannot afford to lose focus again like they did this week. It was possible to overcome three turnovers in the past. If you turn over the ball three times this year, you are going to lose unless your opponent is being as generous as you are. The loss to Auburn in 2006 was the catalyst for that year's championship run. The team did not get dejected, they got pissed off. They turned up the intensity and came out focused for every game after that. These 2008 Gators need to do the same. Assuming the Gators don't come out and beat themselves like they did in this game, they should only face significant resistance against LSU and Georgia. Georgia certainly looked beatable last night. Alabama was able to put Georgia in a position where Matt Stafford had to win them the game, and of course he was not able to come through. The Gators will follow the same game plan.
LSU is a whole different animal, however. This is the game that will make or break the Gators season. This is not really a surprise; the winner of this game the past two years has gone on to win the national title. LSU is similar to Ole Miss. While Ole Miss gets great offensive and defensive line play, LSU's lines are dominant. Both Ole Miss and LSU will try to control the game with a power running game and an eventual big play through the air off of play action. If the Gators can get passed LSU, they have an excellent shot at being in Atlanta for the SECCG.
There is plenty of blame to go around for the loss. Percy Harvin and Tim Tebow uncharacteristically put the ball on the ground. The defense allowed two big plays to go for touchdowns, including the game winning 85 yard TD pass on a 3rd and long. The offensive line once again was outplayed. Tebow missed a few passes that would have gone for touchdowns or big gains.
Here is how I see it for Gator fans:
Good News:
The loss was to an SEC West team, so your chances of winning an SEC and national title are the same today as they were before the loss. Win the rest of your games, and you're in. The pollsters are not going to be kind to the Gators this week; they will most likely end up somewhere in the 11-14 range. However, BYU is the only team with an above average chance of going undefeated, but there is no way they are getting into the title game unless all other BCS contenders have two or more losses. Oklahoma looks great, but Oklahoma always looks great in September. They will likely drop a game or two along the way, and probably in the same way the Gators lost this game. Penn State has a shot, but they still have to play OSU and Wisconsin. The Gators will get opportunities to defeat fellow SEC contenders LSU, Georgia, and Alabama (if 'Bama makes it to the SECCG). If there are a handful of one loss teams vying for a spot in the title game, and there will be, the SEC champ will get that spot.
Bad News:
I don't know if it's the Heisman, the offensive line, the loss of Bubba Caldwell and CI, or the playcalling, but Tebow has not been as dominant as he was last season. As stated above, there were multiple reasons why the Gators lost this game, but Tebow left several plays out on the field that could have won the Gators the game. Twice that I saw he had open receivers he should have identified immediately based on what the defense was showing, but instead he went elsewhere with the ball. On first and second down during the final set of downs on the last drive he had open receivers streaking towards the end zone but overthrew them both times. Tebow bashers love to argue that Tebow cannot read defenses. For most of his career they have been incorrect, as Tebow has always done an excellent job at making the right decisions. However, this was not the case in this game as Tebow definitely left some plays out on the field. Florida is not going to win the rest of its games if Tebow cannot elevate his play.
Jim Tartt seems to make or break this offensive line. The fifth year senior guard missed the Hawaii, Miami, and Ole Miss games. It did not matter against an outmatched Hawaii squad, but Miami and Ole Miss were able to disrupt the offense by going at Tartt's replacement, Marcus Gilbert. Tartt's only start this season, against Tennessee, is the only game that Florida has won the line of scrimmage on the offensive side of the ball. The Gators either need to get Tartt healthy, coach Gilbert up, or insert James Wilson. On those 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 plays where they run Tebow, they almost always go left towards Phil Trautwein and Jim Tartt. With Tartt out of the game they decided to go right on that pivotal 4th and 1 play against Ole Miss, and were subsequently stuffed.
The Gator game plan does not seem to fit this offensive line. When the Gators go with five wide outs, they run these long developing plays that ultimately become disrupted by pressure on Tebow. They need to run shorter routes, get the ball out quicker, and let their athletes make plays. The Gators can line up Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy, Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, Deonte Thompson, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Carl Moore and Brandon James in WR positions. You put any of these five guys on the field at one time, there is going to be a major mismatch somewhere that can be exploited IMMEDIATELY. They do not need to run some 15-20 yard route. Get the ball in their hands ASAP. Hit them on a WR screen, a 5 yard slant or out pattern, and let them make the play.
Outlook:
Obviously, the Gators cannot afford to lose focus again like they did this week. It was possible to overcome three turnovers in the past. If you turn over the ball three times this year, you are going to lose unless your opponent is being as generous as you are. The loss to Auburn in 2006 was the catalyst for that year's championship run. The team did not get dejected, they got pissed off. They turned up the intensity and came out focused for every game after that. These 2008 Gators need to do the same. Assuming the Gators don't come out and beat themselves like they did in this game, they should only face significant resistance against LSU and Georgia. Georgia certainly looked beatable last night. Alabama was able to put Georgia in a position where Matt Stafford had to win them the game, and of course he was not able to come through. The Gators will follow the same game plan.
LSU is a whole different animal, however. This is the game that will make or break the Gators season. This is not really a surprise; the winner of this game the past two years has gone on to win the national title. LSU is similar to Ole Miss. While Ole Miss gets great offensive and defensive line play, LSU's lines are dominant. Both Ole Miss and LSU will try to control the game with a power running game and an eventual big play through the air off of play action. If the Gators can get passed LSU, they have an excellent shot at being in Atlanta for the SECCG.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Clock Rules
Last week I listed three reasons why I thought the mid-majors and other programs who have never had much success have all of a sudden become relevant in college football. Well add another reason to the list: the new clock rules.
As we saw last night, the most talented team on the field now has a smaller chance of winning due to the shortening of the game. Most teams get about 8 or 9 possessions a game now. Last night, USC had three 3 and outs and two turnovers. You just cannot afford to do that now no matter who the opponent is. If you don't score on a drive, you at least have to gain a field position advantage or else you may waste an entire half's worth of possessions. This is what happened to USC last night.
With the old rules, you could afford to turn the ball over a couple of times because you could make up for it later on. This is no longer the case. Each turnover reduces a team's chance to win drastically. Special teams are also at an all time high value wise. Superior teams could get away with shaky special teams in the past, but this is no longer the case. Even though special teams have always been important, you barely ever hear an analyst discuss a team's special teams when talking about their chance at winning championships. I believe that will change as long as these new clock rules are in place; however, I don't think the new clock rules will last long.
As we saw last night, the most talented team on the field now has a smaller chance of winning due to the shortening of the game. Most teams get about 8 or 9 possessions a game now. Last night, USC had three 3 and outs and two turnovers. You just cannot afford to do that now no matter who the opponent is. If you don't score on a drive, you at least have to gain a field position advantage or else you may waste an entire half's worth of possessions. This is what happened to USC last night.
With the old rules, you could afford to turn the ball over a couple of times because you could make up for it later on. This is no longer the case. Each turnover reduces a team's chance to win drastically. Special teams are also at an all time high value wise. Superior teams could get away with shaky special teams in the past, but this is no longer the case. Even though special teams have always been important, you barely ever hear an analyst discuss a team's special teams when talking about their chance at winning championships. I believe that will change as long as these new clock rules are in place; however, I don't think the new clock rules will last long.
University of Southern Chokers
For the third year in a row USC drops a game they had no business losing. Jacquizz Rodgers, a 5'6" 180 lbs. running back, ran through the USC defense all night. It was truly remarkable to see him squirm his way out of tackles. He didn't exactly juke defenders, and he certainly didn't run over them, but somehow he managed to avoid getting tackled and consistently picked up 4-5 yards. Despite having arm strength that wouldn't even be considered good for a high school QB, Oregon State signal caller Lyle Moevao threw two touch down passes against USC's highly regarded secondary.
On offense, Mark Sanchez had good numbers, but he was consistently pressured. USC put together two great drives to start the third quarter, but could do little else the rest of the night. Joe McKnight had a terrible night, fumbling the ball once and managing just 10 yards on 7 carries. Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable had some success running the ball, but by the time USC got them on the field they were too far behind to run the ball.
In the end, I believe the new clock rules ultimately did USC in. Under the new rules, teams are losing one to two possessions a game. USC managed to run just 51 plays, and had the ball for only 22 minutes and 11 seconds. By the time USC found its rhythm on offense the game was all but over.
On offense, Mark Sanchez had good numbers, but he was consistently pressured. USC put together two great drives to start the third quarter, but could do little else the rest of the night. Joe McKnight had a terrible night, fumbling the ball once and managing just 10 yards on 7 carries. Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable had some success running the ball, but by the time USC got them on the field they were too far behind to run the ball.
In the end, I believe the new clock rules ultimately did USC in. Under the new rules, teams are losing one to two possessions a game. USC managed to run just 51 plays, and had the ball for only 22 minutes and 11 seconds. By the time USC found its rhythm on offense the game was all but over.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Greg Schianewb
This is why you bolt your inferior program the second you are offered a top tier job. Schiano could be roaming the side lines at Miami or Michigan right now, but instead he's still chopping away at Rutgers. After two years of moderate success, the Scarlet Knights are off to a more Rutgers-like 0-3 start. Losing Ray Rice hurts, but most of Rutgers' problems have come on the defensive side of the ball.
Many people think Schiano is holding out for the Penn State job, but will Penn State want Schiano three years down the road if Rutgers goes 12-24 over that time period? No one cares what you did five years ago. It's starting to get to the point where no one even cares what you did LAST year. Schiano can probably get Rutgers back into the Top 25 in the next couple of years, mostly because the Big East is pretty weak. If he does, is he going to decline more job offers from major programs?
Many people think Schiano is holding out for the Penn State job, but will Penn State want Schiano three years down the road if Rutgers goes 12-24 over that time period? No one cares what you did five years ago. It's starting to get to the point where no one even cares what you did LAST year. Schiano can probably get Rutgers back into the Top 25 in the next couple of years, mostly because the Big East is pretty weak. If he does, is he going to decline more job offers from major programs?
Weekend Observations
1. UF vs UT
It was business as usual for the Gators. The defense and special teams dominated the game and the offense took advantage of the opportunities that resulted from the other two units' efforts. Urban Meyer's plan to win this season has been simple, but effective: win the field position battle by playing great defense and not turning the ball over.
The offensive statistics have not been spectacular, but that is because they haven't really had to be. The Gators simply have not had to go very far to score. For those thinking the offense has been struggling, just consider that of Florida's 31 offensive possessions (I did not count possessions that ended with the Gators running the ball to end the half/game) this season, they have only had to punt 13 times. Since the Gators have not turned the ball over yet this season, this means they are scoring on 58% of their drives. Sounds pretty good to me.
The Gators are not going to match last years offensive numbers for two reasons: the new clock rules and the Gator defense. The new clock rules have taken away one to two possessions per game. The Gator defense has eliminated the need to take extra risks on offense. Last season, the coaches felt the need to score on every possession. This season they are much more comfortable punting the ball and letting the defense get the ball back for the offense. Hard to argue with this since the defense has forced 9 turnovers in three games and has only given up a total of 19 points.
As for the Vols performance, you really don't have to look any further than the recruiting rankings the past four years. The Gators' average recruiting class rank is 5.25 (including three Top 3 finishes the past three years) according to Rivals. The Vols come in at 16.25. Phil Fulmer has never been a great X's and O's coach, and when Tennessee was having success in the 90s and the earlier part of the decade, it was mostly due to their talent advantage. With that advantage gone the Vols are just a middle of the road SEC East team.
2. Ok Les Miles, you win.
I never thought that LSU would still be an elite team four years into the Les Miles era. Once Saban's players were gone, I thought LSU would regress back to the Gerry DiNardo years. That has not been the case. While it would be nearly impossible to duplicate Saban's recruiting efforts at LSU, Mile has come pretty close. LSU had the most talented team in the SEC from 2005-2007. I would say Florida and Georgia have caught up to them this season, but they are certainly still right up there.
Miles' game day coaching has been as impressive as his recruiting. You keep waiting for his gambles to cost him a big game, but it seems they work out every time. Emotion plays a huge role in college football, and Miles always seems to know what he needs to do to give his team the emotional edge.
I also expected the defense take a step back this season due to Bo Pelini leaving for the Nebraska head coaching job, but LSU looks as formidable as ever on that side of the ball. If Miles can go 2-1 against Florida, Georgia, and Alabama he will find himself in another SEC Championship Game playing for a spot in Miami.
3. Maybe Georgia should have traveled out west to play someone from the MWC.
Georgia manhandled an over matched Arizona State team. Georgia controlled the line of scrimmage the entire night, allowing Arizona State to rush for just 4 yards on 19 carries while the Dawgs were able to pound out 176 yards on the ground. This has become a fairly predictable stat line when top teams from the SEC take on out of conference opponents. It looks like Georgia will only be tested from inside the SEC this year.
There is a reason why the SEC had five of the top ten teams in last week's AP Poll. Every other conference except for the Big 12 is awful this season. Really, how do you even try to decipher the BCS conference rankings for the 3-6 slots? Here is a breakdown of each BCS conference and the amount of teams they have ranked:
Big East: 1 (#14 USF)
Pac 10: 2 (#1 USC, #22 Oregon)
ACC: 2 (#15 Wake Forest, #19 Clemson)
Big 10: 4 (#8 Wisconsin, #12 Penn St, #13 Ohio St, #21 Illinois)
Big 12: 5 (#2 Oklahoma, #5 Missouri, #7 Texas, #9 Texas Tech, #18 Kansas)
SEC: 6 (#3 Georgia, #4 Florida, #6 LSU, #10 Alabama, #16 Auburn, #25 Vanderbilt)
Because the Big East, Pac 10, and ACC didn't feel like fielding many Top 25 teams this season, mighty VANDERBILT, who has forever been the worst program in the SEC has cracked the Top 25. Pac 10 semi-contenders Arizona State, Oregon, and Cal have turned out to be duds. Hard to blame Oregon for falling short because of their QB situation, but their defense has also been woeful. In the Big 10, Ohio State and Illinois lost big to the only decent teams they've played this season, so they are only ranked because of their preseason rankings. Same goes for Clemson in the ACC and Kansas in the Big 12. Penn State has not yet played anyone decent.
4.The Jimbo Fisher Era has begun!
Some excitement was building in Tallahassee after the Seminoles demolished two FCS schools to open the season. Jimbo's offense was starting to take shape. 'Noles starting QB Christian Ponder displayed old school FSU cockiness by guaranteeing a victory. The Doak was rocking as Chief Osceola ran out to mid field to plant the flaming spear into the ground. The Seminole team gathered together and jumped up and down at midfield with anticipation.
And then Ponder was picked off on his first passing attempt and the 'Noles reverted back to the same team we have seen for the past seven years. You can't really even say they reverted because what they showed on offense was even worse than what we have become accustomed to seeing out of FSU. Seven turnovers and a 12-3 loss to Wake Forest. There were many negatives for Florida State in this game: the offensive line is worse than it's ever been, still no quarterback or running game, the best offensive play they have is still the jump ball. The worst part, though, had to be the realization that the Seminoles could not defeat a Wake Forest team that did not bring their A, B, or C game. Wake Forest did everything they could to keep them in the game and they still could not muster more than three points.
It was business as usual for the Gators. The defense and special teams dominated the game and the offense took advantage of the opportunities that resulted from the other two units' efforts. Urban Meyer's plan to win this season has been simple, but effective: win the field position battle by playing great defense and not turning the ball over.
The offensive statistics have not been spectacular, but that is because they haven't really had to be. The Gators simply have not had to go very far to score. For those thinking the offense has been struggling, just consider that of Florida's 31 offensive possessions (I did not count possessions that ended with the Gators running the ball to end the half/game) this season, they have only had to punt 13 times. Since the Gators have not turned the ball over yet this season, this means they are scoring on 58% of their drives. Sounds pretty good to me.
The Gators are not going to match last years offensive numbers for two reasons: the new clock rules and the Gator defense. The new clock rules have taken away one to two possessions per game. The Gator defense has eliminated the need to take extra risks on offense. Last season, the coaches felt the need to score on every possession. This season they are much more comfortable punting the ball and letting the defense get the ball back for the offense. Hard to argue with this since the defense has forced 9 turnovers in three games and has only given up a total of 19 points.
As for the Vols performance, you really don't have to look any further than the recruiting rankings the past four years. The Gators' average recruiting class rank is 5.25 (including three Top 3 finishes the past three years) according to Rivals. The Vols come in at 16.25. Phil Fulmer has never been a great X's and O's coach, and when Tennessee was having success in the 90s and the earlier part of the decade, it was mostly due to their talent advantage. With that advantage gone the Vols are just a middle of the road SEC East team.
2. Ok Les Miles, you win.
I never thought that LSU would still be an elite team four years into the Les Miles era. Once Saban's players were gone, I thought LSU would regress back to the Gerry DiNardo years. That has not been the case. While it would be nearly impossible to duplicate Saban's recruiting efforts at LSU, Mile has come pretty close. LSU had the most talented team in the SEC from 2005-2007. I would say Florida and Georgia have caught up to them this season, but they are certainly still right up there.
Miles' game day coaching has been as impressive as his recruiting. You keep waiting for his gambles to cost him a big game, but it seems they work out every time. Emotion plays a huge role in college football, and Miles always seems to know what he needs to do to give his team the emotional edge.
I also expected the defense take a step back this season due to Bo Pelini leaving for the Nebraska head coaching job, but LSU looks as formidable as ever on that side of the ball. If Miles can go 2-1 against Florida, Georgia, and Alabama he will find himself in another SEC Championship Game playing for a spot in Miami.
3. Maybe Georgia should have traveled out west to play someone from the MWC.
Georgia manhandled an over matched Arizona State team. Georgia controlled the line of scrimmage the entire night, allowing Arizona State to rush for just 4 yards on 19 carries while the Dawgs were able to pound out 176 yards on the ground. This has become a fairly predictable stat line when top teams from the SEC take on out of conference opponents. It looks like Georgia will only be tested from inside the SEC this year.
There is a reason why the SEC had five of the top ten teams in last week's AP Poll. Every other conference except for the Big 12 is awful this season. Really, how do you even try to decipher the BCS conference rankings for the 3-6 slots? Here is a breakdown of each BCS conference and the amount of teams they have ranked:
Big East: 1 (#14 USF)
Pac 10: 2 (#1 USC, #22 Oregon)
ACC: 2 (#15 Wake Forest, #19 Clemson)
Big 10: 4 (#8 Wisconsin, #12 Penn St, #13 Ohio St, #21 Illinois)
Big 12: 5 (#2 Oklahoma, #5 Missouri, #7 Texas, #9 Texas Tech, #18 Kansas)
SEC: 6 (#3 Georgia, #4 Florida, #6 LSU, #10 Alabama, #16 Auburn, #25 Vanderbilt)
Because the Big East, Pac 10, and ACC didn't feel like fielding many Top 25 teams this season, mighty VANDERBILT, who has forever been the worst program in the SEC has cracked the Top 25. Pac 10 semi-contenders Arizona State, Oregon, and Cal have turned out to be duds. Hard to blame Oregon for falling short because of their QB situation, but their defense has also been woeful. In the Big 10, Ohio State and Illinois lost big to the only decent teams they've played this season, so they are only ranked because of their preseason rankings. Same goes for Clemson in the ACC and Kansas in the Big 12. Penn State has not yet played anyone decent.
4.The Jimbo Fisher Era has begun!
Some excitement was building in Tallahassee after the Seminoles demolished two FCS schools to open the season. Jimbo's offense was starting to take shape. 'Noles starting QB Christian Ponder displayed old school FSU cockiness by guaranteeing a victory. The Doak was rocking as Chief Osceola ran out to mid field to plant the flaming spear into the ground. The Seminole team gathered together and jumped up and down at midfield with anticipation.
And then Ponder was picked off on his first passing attempt and the 'Noles reverted back to the same team we have seen for the past seven years. You can't really even say they reverted because what they showed on offense was even worse than what we have become accustomed to seeing out of FSU. Seven turnovers and a 12-3 loss to Wake Forest. There were many negatives for Florida State in this game: the offensive line is worse than it's ever been, still no quarterback or running game, the best offensive play they have is still the jump ball. The worst part, though, had to be the realization that the Seminoles could not defeat a Wake Forest team that did not bring their A, B, or C game. Wake Forest did everything they could to keep them in the game and they still could not muster more than three points.
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