I hate the Big 12
Without a doubt the Big 10 and the SEC have the toughest conferences in college football. Every year each conference puts out 6 or 7 top 25 teams, and membership in either conference gives you a good indication that a given great team has a shot at a National Championship.
Let me give you an example: this year the Big 10 has 6 ranked teams. The SEC right now has 4, though without a doubt you'll see Auburn and mebbe even Tech make it into the top 25. Heck, and I'll even posit that the "rivalry" nature of the SEC is higher then that in the Big-10, since dang near every team is somehow a rival of every other team.
These factors mean that in a given season if you are in either of these conferences is is exponentially more difficult to go undefeated then say if you're in, well, let's call them "pansy" conferences like the Big East, Big 12, and/or MAC. To rise to the top, and stay at the top in the SEC all season is virtually impossible. Each year it's a race that usually comes down to the last couple games, then it's on to the SEC championship game. The winner is never clear from the beginning or middle of the season. Why? Because nearly every dang team is solid.
So now we've got Oklahoma for whatever stupid reason sitting at number 1. My wife has this "Oklahoma Sooners" t-shirt she got from a thrift store. I used to think it was cute. Now I think it's the hell-spawned mark of the football beast.
Let me point out that they [Oklahoma] play 2 ranked teams all season, and only 1 of those teams are/were even in the top 15. Now yes, their victory over Texas was impressive. But I contend that in either conference, Big 10 or SEC, they'd be eaten alive by the constant grueling games against top ranked teams.
All that to say as much as I don't like it, Miami should be number 1, and Georgia should be number 2 (after VT's loss to W. Virginia this past thursday). Oklahoma, if we're really nice, should be 'round 10 or 11.
I'm not even gonna entertain the suggestion that USC should be 1 or 2. One decent team with something resembling tradition doesn't makeup for the fact that the west coast in general has no idea what it means to a. play sports and b. be a sports fan. I know. I lived there. It's just 'cause the whole place is so transient; nobody sets down roots.
Also, the biggest game this weekend is Michigan(15) vs. Purdue(10). Pending my wife's full disclosure, I'll be at Taco Mac watching the game. Feel free to join.
Oh, next week is the Miami(2) vs. Virginia Tech (3). That game is gonna be incredible.
Josiah Q. Roe | By Josiah Roe | 11:45 AM
Comments
To add to the mess is the problem that Florida, Florida State, and Miami play each other ever year (well, not every year for Florida and Miami, but if they did, it would be even worse), potentially knocking all 3 teams from title contention. Even when one of those three teams is not a championship contender, the way the rivalries work out, there is a good chance that the lower ranked team could play spoiler and knock the other ones out of contention. Meanwhile, as all the Florida teams are busy knocking each other out of contention (except for Miami, which has been lucky), schools like Oklahoma get to cruise to the top of the standings.
Posted by: kathryn at October 24, 2003 01:20 PM
The second biggest game of the weekend is Auburn vs. LSU. As ESPN's columnist correctly stated, this game will probably decide who goes to the SEC championship game this year. Here's hoping Auburn upsets a third Top Ten opponent. War Eagle!
Posted by: John at October 24, 2003 02:37 PM
Does the SEC have a school named "Tech?" You're not thinking of Georgia Tech, are you? They are in the ACC.
Posted by: RobU at October 24, 2003 05:55 PM
Actually the SEC has six top 25 teams, in both polls (AP and ESPN). Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Florida. Auburn is 17 in the AP and 21 in the ESPN poll.
Posted by: John at October 24, 2003 09:48 PM
if all goes according to plan.. i'll be at the va tech - miami game. can't wait!
and you are right on.. you should make your own poll. the QP instead of the CP.
Posted by: Honi at October 25, 2003 02:40 AM
Lets not forget a big rivalry game like Bama and UT! ROLL TIDE! and then also coming up in the next couple of weeks is Michigan and Michigan State. and Ole Miss and Arkansas tonight. big 10 and SEC football will never cease to entertain. the national championship game is a total joke as evidenced every year since 93 when Notre Dame was set aside by boston college at the very end and Nebraska [big 12 team] and Florida State [who ND had beat the week before losing to BC] were invited. i think it should have been a ND FSU rematch...and so did everyone else in america except nebraska fans....like...all 15 of them. A pox on the system and may the SEC and Big 10 always remain glorious!
Posted by: pnut at October 25, 2003 06:33 PM
Bama is poised to pull off a big upset against the Vols, which only figures since I was bold enough to predict they couldn't do it in my latest blog entry...
I do love to see an underdog when a big rivalry game.
Posted by: John at October 25, 2003 06:58 PM
concerning the tide and the volunteers: it was a close game, but the big orange prevailed once again.. go vols! sorry to you bama fans though. your team played a great game!
Posted by: Honi at October 26, 2003 12:59 AM
Sorry Auburn fans.
Posted by: Robbie at October 27, 2003 10:31 AM
The Auburn team that showed up in Death Valley is the same one that showed up at Georgia Tech. Pitiful, embarrassing, shameful. What a horrible game.
Posted by: John at October 28, 2003 05:48 PM
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