BLOGPOLL TOP 25: Boomer Losers
by BracketCat on Oct 25, 2011 12:00 PM CDT
in Football
Email
PrintI should have stuck to my guns.
It was staring me in the face last week as I completed my Week 8 SB Nation BlogPoll ballot.
There was every team in the top 10, each with at least one win over a currently ranked team.
LSU had collected the scalps of Oregon and West Virginia. Alabama had Arkansas. Wisconsin beat Nebraska. Oklahoma State outlasted Texas A&M. Clemson surprised both Auburn and Virginia Tech. Oregon was fresh off a killing of Arizona State. Arkansas punked division rivals Auburn and Texas A&M.
And then there was Oklahoma. (And Stanford, too, but the Cardinal acquitted themselves this week with flying color.)
Oklahoma's resume stood out by virtue of its lack of accomplishments. Florida State long since had tumbled out of the polls on the heels of a three-game losing streak. Texas had been exposed as the youth-filled rebuilding project it is.
I wanted to drop the Sooners to around No. 8 or so. It was all there on paper, plain as day. But I succumbed to groupthink. I let the masses tell me Oklahoma was a national-title contender, even after I saw that mess of a game at Kansas, even after the numbers didn't bear it out. And now look where we are.
This week, I stuck to my guns. Follow the jump if you can bear to witness the insanity that ensued.
Bring On The Cats Ballot - Week 9
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LSU Tigers | -- |
| 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | -- |
| 3 | Clemson Tigers |  2 |
| 4 | Oklahoma St. Cowboys | 2 |
| 5 | Kansas St. Wildcats | 6 |
| 6 | Boise St. Broncos | 1 |
| 7 | Stanford Cardinal | 3 |
| 8 | Oregon Ducks | 1 |
| 9 | Arkansas Razorbacks |  -1 |
| 10 | Michigan St. Spartans | 5 |
| 11 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 2 |
| 12 | Wisconsin Badgers | -8 |
| 13 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 1 |
| 14 | Oklahoma Sooners | -11 |
| 15 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 1 |
| 16 | Michigan Wolverines | 2 |
| 17 | Houston Cougars | 4 |
| 18 | Penn St. Nittany Lions | 4 |
| 19 | USC Trojans | 6 |
| 20 | Cincinnati Bearcats | -- |
| 21 | Southern Miss. Golden Eagles | -- |
| 22 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | -3 |
| 23 | Illinois Fighting Illini | -3 |
| 24 | Louisiana Ragin Cajuns | -1 |
| 25 | BYU Cougars | -- |
| Dropouts: West Virginia Mountaineers, Washington Huskies, SMU Mustangs | ||
SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings
Some of my decisions probably look baffling to you, so I'll discuss them in groups.
Undefeated Teams
Oklahoma's loss gave me permission to do something I almost did two weeks ago: Elevate Clemson to No. 3.
At the time, the Tigers had joined Alabama and LSU as the only schools with two wins over currently ranked teams.
With Auburn's (hopefully) final exit from the polls, that's no longer the case, but Clemson's win at No. 15* Virginia Tech still stands above anything the other unbeatens have on their resumes:
- Oklahoma State: @Texas A&M (16*)
- Kansas State: @Texas Tech (19*)
- Boise State: vs. Georgia (22*)
- Stanford: Washington (just fell out)
- Houston: nada
As you can see, I ordered the undefeated teams accordingly.
*Although I probably should be using the BCS rankings at this point, the continued stupidity of the coaches' poll forces me to reject it outright. I'm sticking with the AP poll for as long as I can, even if it does dint K-State slightly.
One-Loss Teams
These teams aren't strictly ranked by resume because you have to consider both the loss and all quality wins. So I separated them into tiers.
Tier One is Arkansas, Michigan State and Oregon, who complete my top 10.
Arkansas has a better signature win than Oregon (No. 16 Texas A&M vs. No. 23 Arizona State) and an approximately similar loss (at No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 LSU in a neutral site). But Oregon jumps back ahead of Arkansas this week based on the eye test. Arkansas' win at Ole Miss was extremely ugly, at best.
While Michigan State's loss is to unranked Notre Dame, that's outweighed by its two signature wins over No. 17 Michigan and No. 12 Wisconsin. Adding No. 13 Nebraska's scalp to that list could move the Spartans up further.
Tier Two follows this ordering of loss "quality," so to speak:
- Virginia Tech: Clemson (6)
- Wisconsin: @Michigan State (9)
- Nebraska: @Wisconsin (12)
- Oklahoma: Texas Tech (19)
- South Carolina: Auburn (unranked)
South Carolina (@Georgia) and Wisconsin (Nebraska) are the only two of these with wins over currently ranked teams, so there's some subjectivity at play here.
But Virginia Tech passes the eye test in beating a solid Miami squad, while losing to Clemson anywhere carries almost zero shame.
Nebraska has two decent wins over Ohio State and Washington, each of which have been ranked at some point.
OU fares the worst after the losing streaks of Florida State, Missouri and Texas took effect. But I still think the Sooners would handle South Carolina on a neutral field.
Tier Three simply is the remaining one-loss teams in the nation. Michigan and USC rise to the top of the tier, but each has built a resume almost totally dependent on beating Notre Dame, a horrendously overrated commodity.
Penn State has no signature wins and is about to play the meat of its schedule, but the one loss is even more forgivable than Virginia Tech's.
Cincinnati (@Tennessee) and Southern Miss (@Marshall) have much uglier losses and also no signature wins, but hey, they're one-loss teams, so I threw them a bone. Also, as you will see below, I basically ran out of eligible teams.
Two-Loss Teams
This is where things will get controversial.
Where's Texas A&M, you ask, with its two losses to top-10 teams and its signature win at Texas Tech? Or the aforementioned Tech, with two home losses to top-20 teams and an unthinkable victory in Norman? Or Georgia, riding a five-game winning streak? Or Arizona State, which only lost at Oregon and to an Illinois team I still ranked?
Well, they're the top four teams on the waiting list for next week, followed by Baylor, SMU, TCU, Texas, Washington and West Virginia. Each has a chance to play its way back in by becoming bowl-eligible in the next two weeks.
I decided to stick to my guns on this point: Once you lose two games with a third of the season still to be played, the burden of proof is on you to demonstrate you deserve re-inclusion. To me, that translates to six wins, or a .750 winning percentage.
But I must admit I'm wavering after seeing that principle result in the following placeholders at the bottom of my ballot:
- Georgia Tech and Illinois, both riding two-game losing streaks to unranked teams;
- Louisiana, coming off an ugly and frankly shocking loss at Western Kentucky, which had lost 18 straight at home, and still lacking any quality wins whatsoever;
- BYU, who lost to Texas and Utah (a combined 1-6 in conference play, with the one being a woeful Iowa State team), and has beat no team with a winning record.
Ick. I'll probably earn some demeaning award from the BlogPoll runners for this ballot, but I think it'll be just a one-week phenomenon. And what's a ballot without a little nonsense in it, after all?
Expect to see Texas A&M (Missouri), Texas Tech (Iowa State), Georgia (Florida) and Arizona State (I have no idea; who cares about the Pac-12 anyway?) in next week as long as they take care of their unranked opponent this week.
And if they can't, I would have been dropping them out anyway, so in a way, I'm simply refusing to overreact to recent signature wins until they're followed up with more winning (or, in the case of Georgia Tech and Illinois, recent slumps after perfectly solid 6-0 starts that shouldn't be discarded out of hand until the losing streaks hit three).
Three-Loss Teams or Worse
Call me when you have nine wins. Otherwise, shut up. You had your chance. Three strikes and you're out, Auburn.
26 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
While I still want to doubt that this KSU team is as high as you place them
Your reasoning on the rankings for the undefeated teams is solid. Obviously one more week, and we’ll no for sure. Snyder’s out coached the doubters all season long, why would I think this week should be any different?
"Nor yet in Dell?"
It's all about what have you done for me lately.
I see no reason not to be a shameless homer until they prove me wrong, in which case I’ll drop ’em like a rock. Someone has to pimp the purple in this thing, after all.
Also note that I’m not even in the top five of shameless homers as measured by standard deviation this week. Hell, I only have them three spots higher than they finished in the entire poll, and right at where the computers have them. Ignore the name and look at the resume/numbers.
If you watched OU and KANSAS
i think the warning signs were there. they were looking past TT at gameday in manhattan, and a battle of the big 12s best two coaches.
I dont see any way we lose two in a row, but if you guys pull it off it could be the start of something special.
good luck
@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd
The start?
Welcome to Miami.
/wherethefuckhasthisguybeen?
When life hands you lemons, make grape juice. Let them wonder how the F*ck you did it.
Stoops doesn't lose at home either
How did that work out for you? (Against a team KSU has already beaten.)
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse." - Mark Twain
after reading these comments
I cant wait to demoralize your team on their home field during homecoming.
and miami, what a awesome team they are this year.
so he is like 100-2 at home, which is less losses than any one SEASON for KSU
@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd
by AllenOU on Oct 25, 2011 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Florida State
How much was that win worth in hindsight?
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Less than the Miami win in my estimation.
First to identify a TEWWT (so what if it was unintentional)
by Jeremy Sharp on Oct 25, 2011 4:14 PM CDT up reply actions
First off
a team’s homecoming game is generally played on it’s home field. Hence the term “HOMEcoming”. So that was a bit of a redundant statement.
Also, isn’t this what just happened to OU on Saturday?
Not saying that OU will or will not win the game, but talking the kind of talk you are just after your team lost at home to a team we beat on the road is a bit foolish.
Like I posed earlier on one of your posts…can we expect to see you around these parts next week if OU should happen to lose on Saturday?
First to identify a TEWWT (so what if it was unintentional)
by Jeremy Sharp on Oct 25, 2011 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions
You can't wait to demoralize the Cats?
What position do you play?
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse." - Mark Twain
Recorder.
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. - Vince Lombardi
Recorder: the instrument that even clarinets make fun of.
"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come." *Victor Hugo*
by K.S.B. on Oct 25, 2011 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I know a little "band" humor.
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. - Vince Lombardi
Broken Recorder
He’s saying the same dumb stuff over and over again, Even for an OU fan…… come on!
GO STATE!!!!
actually, the TT loss was #3 @ home
Even I know Sooner history better than you:
2005 TCU, one of the Bedlam games I think it was 13-12, and then of course last Saturday.
So if in an average year you get 6 home games…and Bob Stoops has been there since 1999. That would mean he could win up to 72 (12 × 6) games. Subtract 3, and I would guess he’s closer to 69-3. Obviously that doesn’t take anything away from the great coach that Bob Stoops is, I’m just sayin’ 100’s a little inflated.
I don’t mind you wanting to demoralize our team at our place on Saturday. That comment I get. I would want to do the same to you at Gaylord Stadium. But please get your facts straight first. And yes we have had seasons at KSU with less than 3 losses.
And if two responses gets under your skin that bad…geesh!
And while Miami may not be “awesome” in your eyes, I would bet a TT-Miami game on a neutral field would prove to be quite entertaining.
Saturday should be a great game, I look forward to it. Unless we give the game away on stupid turnovers or something, I doubt I get down walking out of the stadium. I had this chalked up as a loss for quite some time, so a win is just gravy. And after what I witnessed for 7 games, I really like our chances. I too hope you can find some enjoyment out of your Sooners’ season as well.
"Nor yet in Dell?"
The miami FSU debate is a valid argument
Id like to think OU beat them twice. That was a VERY physical game. When healthy and playing at there best, I think FSU has an SEC caliber defense. I dont think miami does. At this point in the season, I would pick miami to beat FSU.
If we lose, I will take my crow served fried with ranch dressing. This team just has too much talent to lose two games in a row. If we don’t bring our A game for 60 minutes though, I will eat my words. I expect them to play as well as they do against Texas, and win by 11-14 points, pulling away late.
Good luck
@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd
by AllenOU on Oct 25, 2011 6:44 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I don't know how many KSU fans would argue about the talent disparity
Stoops has turned OU in to an amazing recruiting machine. I’m too lazy to look it up, but OU has to be one of the top-10 schools in the country in terms of recruits for the last decade. Hell, the OU QB of the future is from KSU’s backyard! (Not that OU is that much farther from Wichita, than KSU, but nevermind that.)
I think my indignity with your comments comes from your arrogance that OU is a better TEAM (I’ll grant that OU has better individual players at most spots). The Cats don’t win pretty, and they don’t usually win big, but they win. They play hard all the time, and they’re in the right spots to make the big plays needed. I think so far this season KSU has had the better team, even if OU has more superior talent.
Up until the TT loss, I was scared of OU, and I was expecting a 10+ point win for OU (I even voted for OU by more than 7 in our poll!). But now, I’m reasonably confident about the Cats chances. I don’t trust Jones on the road (and I don’t think you do either), which REALLY helps a D I still don’t fully trust. The Cats haven’t shown the ability to prey upon OU’s weak corners, but that doesn’t mean they can’t, just that they haven’t.
As much as I hate Stoops, he’s a great coach, and I can’t believe OU will come out and sleepwalk like they did against KU, or get themselves into a huge hole like they did against TT. This will either be a dog fight (and I like KSU to win that, because they’ve been able to do that over and over this season), or Jones will eat the KSU secondary alive, Klein will have to pass 35+ times, and OU wins in a walk.
I hope you enjoy your time in Manhattan.
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse." - Mark Twain
Good stuff
And at this point, I don’t trust Landry anywhere. He needs to get in a rhythm early to be great
@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd
by AllenOU on Oct 25, 2011 7:10 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
This is what I observed in the TT game.
Once they got behind, Landry was just chucking the ball everywhere.
Worse, and this is key, your receivers? They have no heart. None. In the fourth quarter, with the game still in reach, Landry actually WAS throwing the ball within range of your receivers… and they (Stills especially) weren’t even REACHING FOR THE BALL.
You guys have a grit problem. In baseball, I laugh at such things. In football, I don’t.
The Wiki (I Don't Have a Real Name Yet) -- The Blog (Those Other Guys) -- The Twitter
EDSBS Censor Librorum Promulgatio Media
We will see
What you think of broyles and stills, and hopefully jaz Reynolds, after the game on Saturday. They played a horrible first half no doubt. Whaley is the real key though, and I didn’t realize that until Saturday night.
@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd
by AllenOU on Oct 25, 2011 8:59 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
This was in the second half.
In the fourth quarter.
With your team needing to move the ball, and the game still within reach.
No guts.
The Wiki (I Don't Have a Real Name Yet) -- The Blog (Those Other Guys) -- The Twitter
EDSBS Censor Librorum Promulgatio Media
Much better the second time around here
Should be a good game. I would expect a 10pt or less win one direction or the other. A blow out either way would be surprising.
"Nor yet in Dell?"
One big difference between KSU and Texas is that you won't get half the seats in Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Oh, and KSU doesn’t suck.
"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come." *Victor Hugo*
WTF are you talking about here?
so he is like 100-2 at home, which is less losses than any one SEASON for KSU
Because this makes no sense at all. I mean in ‘98 we were undefeated going into the Championship game. So what exactly are you pushing here? I could list all of our 11 win seasons but I think we have debunked your hypothesis. BTW we don’t hold Homecoming on the same pedestal as Mizzou so good luck with that taunt.
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. - Vince Lombardi
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanShots on Bring On The Cats
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
