OK, this is not going to be a popular blog entry. All I ask is that readers scroll down and read my full reasoning before flying off the handle in the comments section.
Scroll down for my Week 10 SB Nation BlogPoll ballot:
Bring On The Cats Ballot - Week 10
Rank | Team | Delta |
---|---|---|
1 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 1 |
2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 1 |
3 | Kansas St. Wildcats | -2 |
4 | Ohio St. Buckeyes | -- |
5 | Oregon Ducks | -- |
6 | Florida Gators | -- |
7 | Georgia Bulldogs | 2 |
8 | Oregon St. Beavers | -- |
9 | Florida St. Seminoles | 1 |
10 | Louisville Cardinals | 1 |
11 | LSU Tigers | -4 |
12 | Oklahoma Sooners | NR |
13 | Texas A&M Aggies | 1 |
14 | South Carolina Gamecocks | -2 |
15 | Stanford Cardinal | -2 |
16 | UCLA Bruins | -- |
17 | Texas Longhorns | 5 |
18 | Kent St. Golden Flashes | NR |
19 | Clemson Tigers | -1 |
20 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | -1 |
21 | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 4 |
22 | Ohio Bobcats | NR |
23 | Toledo Rockets | NR |
24 | Northern Illinois Huskies | NR |
25 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | -4 |
Dropouts: Texas Tech Red Raiders, Mississippi St. Bulldogs, Boise St. Broncos, USC Trojans, Northwestern Wildcats |
SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings
The three at the top: This was an extremely tough call, but I decided to stay true to my system even though I really didn't like or agree with the outcome. And why should I? The two teams that looked most mortal Saturday jumped us.
Each of these teams has beaten two ranked teams. Each has an additional win against a team receiving votes in the Associated Press poll. Each is undefeated. Finding a difference between their résumés is like splitting hairs.
Ultimately, it came down to the fact that Notre Dame's and Alabama's two signature wins (Stanford and Oklahoma, Mississippi State and LSU) each have two losses, while one of K-State's (Texas Tech) has three. That's it.
Don't freak out too much about this. If I have proven anything, it's that my ballot is flexible. K-State very well could be back in front at this time next week, so just stay tuned.
The middle of the pack: I don't have a lot to say about this section, really. Most of the teams basically just moved up a slot or two. Newly bowl-eligible Oklahoma re-debuts at No. 12, which is on par with the national average.
Oh, and I look pretty prescient for ranking Texas last week after an ugly win over Kansas when everyone now is rushing to return the Longhorns to their ballots, don't I?
#MACtion: OK, Kent State lovers, this ballot's for you. Of all the one-loss teams at the bottom end of it, they're the only one with a win over a ranked team, so up the Golden Flashes go.
Ohio also returns to the ballot, while Toledo and Northern Illinois make their debut appearances. Only two Big Ten Teams ranked versus four MAC teams? Yeah, that's right. #MACtion.
Mr. Irrelevant: Well, somebody had to be No. 25. It came down to Northwestern and Nebraska, and Northwestern lost to Nebraska, so there you go. I hate Nebraska, but not so much that I can ignore the reality of their impending Rose Bowl.
Dropouts: Texas Tech and USC now are ineligible. Mississippi State and Boise State just kinda suck.
Waiting list: Mississippi State, Northwestern, UCF, Boise State, Tulsa, Utah State, Cincinnati and San Jose State.