Week one is behind us, and it was a pretty good opening round of CFB.  The big story, of course, was Appy State's take-down of Michigan in the Big House, totally eliminating the Wolverines from our poll.  Zero votes, lol.  Texas needed a succesful on-sides kick to be overturned by the ref's to preserve their shaky 21 -13 win.  The poll is out a little late this wee, due to the Monday night game and the fact that i have to earn a living.

Bloggers Poll, Week One

1. USC (8)          239
2. LSU  (3)          226
3. WVU               207
4. Wisconsin     189
5. Oklahoma     179
6. Florida (1)     171
7. Texas             163
8. Cal  (1)           150
9. Louisville       149           
10. Va Tech          122
11. Georgia          110
12. Penn State     106
13. Ohio State      105
14. UCLA                92
15. Nebraska        80
16. Auburn             60
17. Rutgers           48
18. Ga Tech          44
19. Arkansas        39
20. BC                    26
21. So Carolina    25
22. Hawaii             23
23. Miami               20
24. TCU                 19
25. Tennessee     17

Also recieving votes:  Oregon, Alabama, Texas A&M, UNLV, Wyoming, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Clemson, Oregon State, Washington State, Connecticut, Pitt, navy, Miami Ohio

SOME THOUGHTS ON WEEK ONE

Several of the big boys made quick work of the directional schools they had lined up for fodder.  There were some teams that looked good against legitimate competition, including Georgia's whooping of Oklahoma State, the" Greatest Offense in Stillwater", and Georgia Tech's dismantling of Notre Dame.  Wisconsin also looked sharp against WSU, and Cal made an SEC team look slow. (Can you say that?)   For the most part, everyone else did as expected.

We had 13 voters this week, about half the number we started with.  I'll continue to do this as long as there's interest, but fewer voters means the results can be skewered more easily by a single ballot.  So I had to make a slight change in the rules.  To keep a team from appearing because a single voter rated them very high, one that  no one else even acknowledged, teams must appear on at least two ballots to be included in the top 25.

Here's links to voters who blogged their picks.  If you blog your selections, be sure to let me know and I'll link it.

 http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/jgrace_12/2007/09/04/My_New_Top

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Nostradomus/2007/09/04/College_Football_Top

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Kellett69/2007/09/04/Kelletts_Top_25_WEEK

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Norcalfella/2007/09/04/Norcalfellas_Top_25_College_Football

BALLOT OF THE WEEK

Demonicume's ballot was markedly different from everyone elses, and the main reason I had to change the rules.  Demon is using a formula based on the RPI used by college basketball.  It rewards teams for wins, strength of schedule, and opponents SOS.  As would be expected, early season this will look somewhat disheveled.  I'll be interested to see how this shakes out as the season goes along.  So here's a big Hog Call to Demonicume, our voter of the week.

DEMONICUME'S BALLOT

i  know this will look kinda odd. But remember 3 things as you read these rankings:

1)this is based off the NCAA's basketball RPI. 

• Its winning percentage (as a decimal) times .25
• Its opponents' winning percentage times .50
• Its opponents' opponents' winning percentage times .25.

so i'm not grading people according to how well i think they may be, I'm grading them according to how well they've performed within their schedule. I don't care if ou have 55 blue chippers - until you beat someone, it don't matter. We've had plenty of examples of teams getting blasted despite how highly we regarded them (OSU last year against Florida, Michigan against App State.)

2) this ranking system is much more dynamic than the current one. this system allows unranked teams to compete for the national championship. as teams start winning and losing, they'll rise and fall by a dozen spaces of more. this means that if a Big East team goes into November with 3 ranked teams - even though they prolly only played 1 ranked opponent in that 9 weeks - they wont be in the top ten. or the top 20. They may even sit below teams with 2 and 3 losses. in my book, losses to LSU, Auburn and Florida mean more than blowout wins against rice, Maryland and Purdue. No one will sit in my top 25 simply because they have a big name.

3) I don't think we should be doing a poll until Week 4, anyways. All the so-called POWERHOUSES front-load their schedules with weaklings... *cough* Michigan.

this system rewards tams for winning big games and punishes teams for losing games they should win. Many people saw Michigan lose to App State and still felt they belonged in the top 25. That's ridiculous. Had S. Carolina lost to App State, no one would be touting our 'bad day'. Why is that? It's because we've decided in our minds that Michigan is a powerhouse and even when they lose, we give them a pardon. We should be pissed they even scheduled App State, SC fans would have paid $500k to see Michigan. And we would have won. They could have put out the collection plate in the stadium. The truth is that Vanderbilt had Michigan down the same way last season until their QB melted down. Michigan is not good and their schedule is designed to protect them. We've decided that the Trojans are good, even when they sucked against 4 straight opponents last season. We grade our favorate teams on a popularity curve and we stay in denial for years. in 3 years, Bobby Bowden will be gone and we'll all be quietly shocked that FSU is no longer any good. Everyone will wonder how it happened. i'll tell you how it happened: FSU has been in decline for nearly 5 years; but we always float them credit. like Notre Dame. FSU is the new Notre Dame... they'll be on TV even when they go 5-8. This ranking system puts these losers in their places. thanks to John Wobus for doing all the math...

1 California

2 Georgia Tech

3 Virginia Tech

4 Miami Florida

5 Connecticut

6 Pittsburgh

7 Penn St

8 Navy

9 Miami OH

10 UNLV

11 West Virginia

12 TCU

13 Nebraska

14 Wyoming

15 Southern Cal

16 UCLA

17 Missouri

18 Iowa

19 Oregon

20 Colorado

 

At the risk of being accused again of being a hater, I'll ring in on the Reggie Bush matter. We all know the particulars.  Bush's parents were put up in a $750,000 house for two years while their son was winning national titles and a Heisman Trophy.  The NCAA is moving on this, but they're having a hard time getting cooperation from Bush, his family and the shady characters who put Reggie's family up in that house. NCAA officials say it's the worst case of stonewalling they've ever had.

Hoping that nothing happened is a false hope. The evidence that Bush's family was put up in the house is undeniable. So, the question becomes who knew and when. And it's really a moot point. The NCAA will punish USC, same as they did Oklahoma. The degree is yet to be seen, but if they vacate wins as they did with OU, it'll be interesting to see if USC still claims that disputed NC, or if the AP takes it away.

I'll post the applicable NCAA rules that were broken. What everyone needs to remember is that it's the NCAA.  They justify their existence by finding violators and punishing them. Due process isn't much of a concern either.  Due process would allow the parties to sue if they thought the NCAA was being heavy-handed. But the NCAA is a voluntary organization, and as such members have very limited recourse. Short of withdrawing from the organization, they have voluntarily agreed to abide by the rules and decisions of the NCAA.

Here's the NCAA rule:

A "representative of the institution's athletic interests" is an individual.......who is known(or who should have been known) to:

(d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families;

(from NCAA rules and regs as posted at their website )

The shady characters who tried to ride Reggie's coattails are by NCAA definition and by-law "representatives of the institution's athletic interest." If USC says they didn't know, the NCAA's response will be that they "should have known".

 The NCAA,in their own mystical way, will put a dollar value on the violations, and that will to a large degree determine the severity of the punishment. USC's response to this has been "We wish we could help, but we don't have any sway with these people to force them to cooperate." Yet Carroll can get Reggie on the phone when McKnight is in his office. Ooops, I forgot, that never happened, lol.

Compare USC's response to Oklahoma's open and complete cooperation ( most schools do cooperate), I don't think it bodes well for USC.

IMO, the NCAA comes down hard on USC for this.

Here are some links to relevent stories.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2426429

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2741773

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2419723

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/05/29/cfb.mailbag/index.html

We continue our look at the top 25 teams as determined by the bloggers here at FoxSports. 

20.  Arkansas Razorbacks

2006 Record 10-4

Best Returning Player:   RB Darren McFadden    1647 yds  14 TD's

McFadden had a sensational soph season.  At 6'2 and 215 lbs, he posseses a great stiff-arm, unbelievable accelleration, and the ability to change the scoreboard every time he touches it.  D-Mac was the first soph to ever win the Daok Walker award as the nation's outstanding RB and finished second last year in voting for the Heisman. 

Strength:  Running Game

Arkansas' backfield is loaded.  Felix Jones would be the feature back for most teams, and FB Peyton Hillis is a punishing lead blocker and a receiving threat out of the backfield, with velvet hands.  The O-line is somewhat of a rebuild, but Arkansas has led the SEC in rushing 4 of the last 5 years, and should do so again in '07. 

Biggest Question Mark:   QB Casey D;ck

D;ck is the key to Arkansas' season.  If he can make some plays from the QB posision, the Hogs will contend for another SEC West title.  He was terrrrible at the end of '06, and without a threat of a passing game defenses won't hesitate to load up to stop McFadden and Jones.

Biggest Game:  LSU

LSU and Arkansas have represented the SEC West in Atlanta four of the last five years.  The game is in Baton Rouge the day after Thanksgiving.  The whole nation will be watching this one.

19.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2006 Record - 11-2

Best Returning Player:  RB Ray Rice  1794 yds  20 TD'd

Rice is another Heisman candidate, part of a crop of outstanding runners in college FB for 2007.  He's a workhorse who does much of his damage in the second half.  A powerful slasher, Rice won't break many long runs, but he has a knack for popping up the middle for 25 or 30 yards at key moments in games.

Strength:  Defense

The Scarlet Knights had one of the top defenses in the country last season, and several key players return.  Last year, Rutgers had 41 sacks and forced 31 turn-overs.  The high pressure tactics will continue in '07.  Rutgers must replace five starters, but the replacements are talented and fast.  Look for another big year on the defensive side of the ball.

Biggest Question Mark:   QB Mike Teele

Teele had his moments last year, just not enough of them.  He finished with more INT's than TD's, and if Rutgers wants to seriously contend for conference and national honors, he'll have to step up and show he can complete passes when everyone knows the Knights are going to throw it.

Biggest Game:   West Virginia

The Big East improved dramitcally in 2006, but there's only so much room at the top.  The winner of this one can continue to dream big dreams.  The loser will have to count on help from someone else.

18.  Penn State Nittany Lions

2006 Record - 9-4

Best Returning Player:   LB Dan Connor

Connor had a very good season in 2006, with 113 tackles.  The preseason All-American will contend for the Butkus Award, and every other post-season award out there for defensive players.  He's a great run-stopper who covers the field from sideline to sideline.

Strength:  Linebackers

It's no shock that the strength of PSU will be the LB core.  They've earned the nickname Linebacker U for a reason.   The Lions were very good on defense last season, and this group will make sure opponents earn every yard again in '07. 

Biggest Question Mark:  Offensive Consistency

If PSU wants to contend for the Big 10 title, they'll have to do better against the top teams.  Last year the offense scored a total of 32 points in their four games against ranked opponents.   The schedule is favorable, with most of the tough games at home. PSU has the weapons to be effective, but they won't be good without some big plays, something they sorely missed in '06.

Biggest Game:  Wisconsin

The winner moves on to meaningful show-downs with traditional powers Michigan and OSU.  The loser more than likely starts looking towards 2008. If you like hard-hitting smash-mouth football, you won't want to miss this one. I know I'll be watching.

17.  Tennessee Volunteers

2006 Record - 9-4

Best Player:  QB Erik Ainge   2989 yds 19 TD's 9 INT's

Ainge rebounded from a poor sophomore campaign to have a strong junior season.  Any hopes the Vol's have for 2007 begin and end at QB.  With all new receivers, and the recent suspension of RB LaMarcus Coker, Ainge will have to have a great season if the Vols hope to live up to the high expectaions in Knoxville.  He's certainly capable, but needs to stay injury free.

Strength:  Talent

Tennessee had a top 10 recruiting class in 2007.  That shouldn't come as any surprise. Every year, the Vols bring in great players. The new receivers are big and fast, and physically, Tennessee matches up with anyone.   In fact, the only thing that seems to have slowed down the Vols the last couple of years is...

Biggest Question Mark:  Team Chemistry

Coker's problems are nothing new at Tennessee, and the 2005 season disintegrated amid bickering and off-field turmoil.  Last year was better.  To return to the elite in the SEC, Tennessee needs to get their MoJo back.

Biggest Game:  Florida

With the Gators rebuilding and the game in September, the Vols have a chance to go into the Swamp and give Urban Meyer his first home loss.  Tennesee's offense will be the first real test for the young Gator defense.  The winner has the inside track for the SEC East title.

16.  Georgia Bulldogs

2006 - 9-4

Best Returning Player  QB Matt Stafford  1749 yds 7 TD's 13 INT's

Stafford is an incredible talent.  He struggled as a true freshman in the SEC, but by years end he looked like a real SEC QB.  He led the team to late season wins over Auburn, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.  Most Georgia fans now have a unique form of Turrett's, it seems every other word out of their mouths is Stafford.

Strength:  Coach Mark Richt

Richt may be the most underappreciated coach in college FB.  With over 60 wins in 6 seasons. he's done everything but win a national championship.  Unfortunately, in the SEC that puts him behind several other coaches.  After losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt in 2006, Richt found a way to rally the team and finish with nine wins and a bowl victory.  He'll need to do a great job again this year.

Biggest Question Mark:  How are they gonna do it?

Georgia is loaded with questions.  Eight starters are gone from the defense, the O-line features four new starters, and there is a serious shortage of playmakers at RB and WR.  Georgia's preseason ranking is more an acknowledgement of past success and coaching excellence.  If the 'Dogs win the SEC East this year, it will be Richt's best coaching job yet.

Biggest Game:   South Carolina

Georgia has owned South Carolina, and Spurrier makes no bones about wanting to change that.  The game is at Georgia, and the 'Dogs need to win this game against another contender to build some momentum.  Lose here, and the 2007 season could unravel in a hurry.

____________________________

Everyone loves to argue college FB.  Just look at Lisa's latest rundown of the USA Today Coaches top 25.  We all want to step up and defend our team, our conference, our coach and our players.  Wouldn't it be great though, to have some ammunition when these flare-ups happen.  Instead of just trading back and forth with "My team can whip your team," you could actually name a player or two, and sound like you're an expert.  Let's face it.  In college FB, like life, name-dropping is the secret to prestige, success, girls and fame. 

Okay, maybe i got a little carried away there..  But just think about it.  You're at the water cooler, and that smarmy little kid from IS (who can't even fix your inter-office e-mail that's been spammed so much you missed the one from your boss about that big meeting Friday afternoon so you slipped out early and went golfing and now your in deep doodoo,)  is spouting off about how "his" Boise State Bronco's are gonna wipe the field this fall.  Never mind that he graduated from East Central Kentucky  Technical Training Institute, and the only Boise State game he's ever seen was last years incredible Fiesta Bowl. 

Imagine, instead of shaking your head and spitting in disgust, or complaining about the weakness of the WAC, you throw the kid for a complete loop.  "Ian Johnson's a great back, but without Zabransky at QB, Boise's gonna have to prove they can do more than run the ball.  Tharp hasn't even proven he can beat out Hamden, and neither one has taken a meaningful snap in a game." 

Immediately, the kid realizes he's in over his head.  "Oh yeah!!" he says, with a glimmer in his eye of fear mixed with awe, then returns to his cubicle.  You smile to yourself, smug in the knowledge that, even though now he'll be deleting your e-mails from the boss, you have proven that you are the reigning office  college FB guru.

So where do you get such inside info?  How do you get to know some key names to drop, without spending way too much time on the internet researching all this stuff? 

Never fear, HogFan is here. 

I've been spending too much time on the internet for years, and I've mastered the art of name-dropping.  For the next few weeks leading up to the 2007 season, I'll be giving  you a rundown of the top 25 as determined by our Bloggers Poll .  Nothing overwhelming, just pieces of info that'll hopefully make the coming season more enjoyable, and put those water cooler flare-ups in your win column.  Hope you enjoy it.

25.  Boise State Broncos

2006 Record - 13-0

Best Returning Player:  RB Ian Johnson   1714 yds  25 TD's

Johnson was sensational in 2006, and captured the hearts of CFB fans with his on-field marriage proposal at the Fiesta bowl.  Now he's tied the knot, and looks poised for a great Junior season.

Strength:  Running Game

Johnson will be greatly helped by a veteran offensive line that should be one of the best units in the land.  Look for the Broncos to run often and with great success.

Biggest Question Mark:  QB

With Jared Zabransky graduated, the battle in the Spring for the next Bronco signal caller came down to Senior Taylor Tharp and Junior Bush Hamden.  Hamden had a slight lead at the end of Spring ball, but nothing is likely to be settled until one or the other steps up in game conditions.

Biggest Game:  At Hawaii. 

This game could well feature two undefeated teams and two Hesiman Trophy candidates with a BCS Bowl bid at stake.  It sounds like the WAC has arrived.

24.  South Carolina Gamec()cks

2006 record - 8-5

Best Returning Player:  LB Jasper Brinkley

Brinkley anchors a unit with eight returning starters, and is a powerful run stopper with a nose for the ball.  If you've never seen him play, this head-hunter may be the best linebacker in the SEC.

Strength:  Experience

South Carolina returns 17 starters, and the Ol' Ball Coach has had 'em in his system for a couple of years now.  The offensive line was improving at year's end, as was much maligned QB Blake Mitchell.  Leading receiver Sydney Rice is gone to the NFL, but Spurrier has always had great wide-outs. 

Biggest Question Mark:  QB Blake Mitchell

Mitchell has been in and out fo Spurriers dog house for two years.  He can be very good, as in his MVP performance in SC's bowl game, or he can be very bad, as when he was benched in the early part of last season.  He finished the year strong, and if he picks up where he left off, the real biggest question could be.....the schedule. SC plays at Georgia, at LSU, at Tennesee and at Arkansas.  Throw in home games against Florida and Clemson, and that's a rough road for any team with designs on a great season.

Biggest Game:   Florida

Almost every year, the biggest game in the state of South Carolina is the showdown with Clemson.  It's one of the most heated rivalries in all of sports.  But this year, SC will be focused on the Gators.  Spurrier's old team travels to Columbia, and after last year's miraculous escape, Meyer's troups will have their hands full in this one.

23.  Texas A&M  Aggies

2006 record - 9-4

Best Returning Player:  QB Stephen McGee   2295 passing 12 TD's  666 rushing 4 TD's

McGee is a really good QB in a conference loaded with QB's.  A true run-pass threat who seldom makes mistakes, the Junior signal caller will be key to Aggie success in '07.

Strength:  Running game

Texas A&M is loaded in the backfield, with talent equal to anyone in college FB.  Throw in an offensive line that many rate as the best in the land, and it means a long game for anyone who can't man up and slow down the ground attack. With McGee also a threat to run, play-action should set up enough big plays to make the Aggies very good offensively.

Biggest Question Mark:  The Schedule

No doubt the Aggies are good.  But it's also true that they have one brutal schedule.  Games at Miami, at Texas Tech, at Nebraska, at Oklahoma, and at Missouri.  Wow.  Throw in the season closer at home against Texas, that's not a schedule for the faint at heart.

Biggest Game:  Texas

This year, last year, every year.  Beat the Longhorns, and A&M's season is a success.  With Dennis Franchione on the hot seat last year, the big win in Austin bought him some relief.  This year, if the Ag's play up to their abilities, a trip to the Big 12 CG could be on the line.

22.  Florida State Seminoles

2006 Record - 7-6

Best Returning Player DB Myron Rolle

Rolle was arguably the best player on the team last year as a true freshman, and one of only a handful of defensive players who can personally swing the outcome of a game.  How good is he?  He could have played in the NFL last year.

Strength:  Defense

Florid State is loaded with returning talent on defense.  Seven returning starters will anchor what should be one of the top units in college FB.  They need to be really good because....

Biggest Weakness:  Offense

Bobby Bowden has finally put an end to the nepotism that has plagued the Seminoles' offense the last few seasons.  Son Jeff has been replaced by veteran Jimbo Fisher.  Fisher is one of the top OC's in all of football, and luring him away from LSU was a great move by Bowden.  I've seen teams with great defenses and subpar offenses tear themselves apart with internal strife. How quickly the offense can improve will determine the success for FSU this season.

Biggest Game:  Miami

It's hard to pick one big game for the 'Noles. Almost every game is key, and the schedule is tough.  Usually you would say Florida, because of the national implications.  But FSU has fallen so far that they first have to worry about climbing that ladder in their own state.  With Miami trying to get up off the mat also, the winner of this one can at least see hope that they're headed in the right direction.

21. Hawaii Warriors

2006 Record - 11-3

Best Returning Player:  Colt Brennan   5549 yds 58 TD's 13 int's

Brennan is everyone's pick for a Heisman darkhorse.  The perfect player for the system, or maybe the perfect system for the player.  Either way, Brennan is a handful.  His stat's are staggering, but I'm not sure the dink passing game gives Brennan enough chances at the kind of shake your head did-you-see-what-he-just-did plays to make a serious run at that famous trophy.

Strength:  The Schedule

While others in the top 25 have to figure out how to navigate through tough games just to stay competitive in their conference, all Hawaii has to do is keep from being their own worst enemy.  The schedule sets up for a serious run at national recognition.  There are probably dozens of schools that could navigate through the Warriors' schedule until that last game against Boise State.

Biggest Question Mark:  Running game

Brennan is a great passer.  Unfortunately, he's also the leading returning rusher.  Even a dynamic offense like Hawaii's need to find some backs who can hammer out that tough yard when it's needed.  Right now, it's unclear who that back is.

Biggest Game:  Boise State

This one should be for all the marbles in the WAC.  With the game at home, the Warriors should have no excuses in their quest for a perfect season.

______________________

The Old Ball Coach is at it again. It seems South Carolina coach Steve spurrier is upset  that a couple of his top recruits were denied admission to school because they didn't meet the academic standards of the institution. Spurrier is upset because the players met all NCAA requirements and qualify under NCAA guidelines.

Heres a link to all the details.   http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=251152

South Carolina, however, like most schools, has their own entrance requirements designed to ensure that incoming students can do the classwork. College admission standards typically exceed what is required by the NCAA. A special review committee can grant waivers to marginal students, but declined to do so in this case. Spurrier says if something doesn't change, he'll take his visor and go home.

His strong-arm tactics of intimidation and threatening to quit set a poor example for his school and for himself. If Spurrier had complained about bias in standardized testing or voiced an opinion that these kids were capable of getting a degree, his complaints might mean a little more. But plainly, his concerns were the loss to his team and his fear of how this will affect future recruiting. Certainly, other schools will use this against South Carolina. Recruits will be told, "Sign with USCe, you could make your grades and still not get into school."

This is a valid concern for the football coach, but shouldn't be for the institution. The nerve of the USCe administration, putting school before football. And in South Carolina, the heart of SEC country no less. The sad part about this is that Darth Visor's comments feed into the stereotype of SEC schools as first and foremost football factories. The conference has been slammed before, and will be again, for its perceived substandard academic requirements. (See Jim Donnan.)

Spurrier's rant is typical for him. He's always expressed himself freely. Sometimes he should stop and think first. The first word in student-athlete is student. Encourage the kids to be better students, don't slam your bosses for doing their job. And hey, if you can't do the job you were hired to do by following the rules of the school that hired you, don't let that caboose hit you in the rear on the way out the door. It will be interesting to see if the South Carolina administration stand up for academics, or bows down to the god that is SEC football.