Thoughts on the weekend:
1. The regular season IS a playoff! If so, then we can get rid of a lot of teams. But I have a feeling Florida, Georgia and USC will all still be in this come December. Watch.
2. College sports are games of emotions! If so, then this weekend was its poster child.
3. This sport is crazy and too exciting not to have a tournament at the end of the season. It really is, and college football is just missing the chance to really cement itself as THE season of all sports seasons, whether college or professional. A 16-team tourney, with six BCS conference winners and ten at-large berths competing in a four-week tournament, would be THE MOTHER of all events in this world.
On to the rankings:
1. Alabama (5-0): I don’t know how you can’t have Little Nicky at the top with the wins this team has in the young season. Impressive.
2. Vanderbilt (4-0): Why am I putting them here? Because the SEC is clearly dominate, and Vandy is 2-0 in the SEC.
3. Utah (5-0): Clearly, Michigan is a good team, which makes Utah look even better.
4. Oklahoma (4-0): The Big XII probably has the best shot left at producing an unbeaten BCS team, but will it be the Sooners or one of the many Big XII teams below? Sorry, but maybe the Big XII is the best conference this year.
5. Boise State (3-0): We all know Boise State is better than the Sooners, right?
6. Northwestern (5-0): The best Big Ten team left? Oh dear Lord.
7. Texas (4-0): Why not?
8. Penn State (5-0): Clearly, PSU >>> USC. Penn State could run the table in the Big Ten, but that would be … weird.
9. LSU (4-0): Les Tigres still hasn’t done much to impress (other than win, of course), and they won’t get through the SEC, anyway.
10. BYU (4-0): Maybe they should join the Pac-10. Utah, too.
11. Oklahoma State (4-0): I can’t name a single person on this team, but I do know the coach. He’s a man!
12. Connecticut (5-0): The beasts of the East!
13. Texas Tech (4-0): Always a gimmick until they get that BIG win.
14. South Florida (5-0): I hope they don’t crumble under the hype THIS year.
15. Ball State (5-0): Letterman is proud.
16. Missouri (4-0): Clearly, their “best” win is now dubious.
17. Kentucky (4-0): Bottom of the top of the SEC. Nothing to complain about. Andre who?
18. Tulsa (4-0): Everyone rides the Golden Hurricanes to something better.
19. USC (2-1): They really should be ashamed of themselves. It’s like, they just don’t care. The Trojans have passed from greatness, because they’re more interested in being NFL stars than being college champions. Pete Carroll needs to connect those dots for his players.
20. Virginia Tech (4-1): Nothing wrong with a road win in Lincoln.
21. Georgia Tech (3-1): I hope Paul Johnson succeeds here, because I always enjoyed watching this offense.
22. Georgia (4-1): I am sure the ‘Dawgs will still make the BCS title game. Otherwise, the voters will have to admit their ridiculous preseason stupidity.
23. Wisconsin (3-1): Looks like the Badgers borrowed a page from Sparty.
24. Wake Forest (3-1): Doh!
25. California (3-1): I think a lot of teams will stop scheduling cross-country road games at BCS opponents in September. If you’re going to play a BCS team early, you only play host. Or at least stay in your general region.
Also receiving consideration (in order): Florida, North Carolina, Ohio State, TCU, Fresno State, Oregon, Auburn, Duke (!), Minnesota, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Maryland, Air Force, Kansas, Cincinnati, Florida State, Colorado, Arizona, Boston College, Kansas State
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The McTop 25: September 21, 2008
Thoughts this week:
1) USC needs to play every week.
2) Jimmy Clausen sucks.
3) Florida is the best team in the SEC, hands down.
4) 90% of the Pac-10 sucks.
5) The Holtz family is overrated.
On to the rankings …
1. USC (2-0): No team did anything impressive enough this week to unseat the idle Trojans. See below for explanations.
2. Florida (3-0): Not that beating Tennessee means anything, but Florida has impressive wins over BCS teams to match the Trojans somewhat. I really hope Florida can get through the SEC unscathed, because I’d love to see an SEC-USC matchup in the BCS title game so the SEC can be shut up once and for all. But I am sure Vandy will knock off the Gators at home on November 8 …
3. Wake Forest (3-0): The DDs have three wins over three BCS teams. Talk about “great” scheduling … Are they this good? Maybe not, but so far, they have three “quality” wins, and my rankings are about results, not predicted potential.
4. Georgia (4-0): If ASU hadn’t lost to UNLV the week before, the Bulldogs’ first trip west of the Mississippi in 40 years might have actually meant something. As it was, it was a good road win over a mediocre BCS squad. Combined with the previous week’s mediocre win over South Carolina, Georgia still hasn’t done anything noteworthy to earn/deserve its preseason hype.
5. Vanderbilt (4-0): They have two BCS wins so far; actually, it’s two SEC wins as well. This could be the year they break .500 and go bowlin’. I seriously think they can surprise some people in the SEC. And if Vandy’s making noise, the conference can’t be THAT good. Then again, if Vandy’s makin’ noise, the conference might be THAT good.
6. Alabama (4-0): They also have two DOMINATE wins over BCS teams, so the SEC might be THAT good. But they don’t play Florida this year. That’s why the SEC continues to be lame: unbalanced scheduling.
7. BYU (4-0): Okay, with two BCS wins over Pac-10 mediocrity, it’s not saying much, but … hey, two BCS wins are two BCS wins. It’s smart scheduling.
8. Oklahoma (3-0): I hate bye weeks. But I like Sam Bradford a lot.
9. Connecticut (4-0): More creative scheduling nets two early BCS wins for the Huskies. Generally, I respect the University of Connecticut, so I’d like to see them get a football program to match their basketball program. BUT … they need a signature, come-of-age win this year to really put themselves on the Big Least map.
10. Northwestern (4-0): Again, two BCS wins makes the schedule look better than it is, but it’s what we’ve got to work with.
11. Penn State (4-0): Ditto. And I am positive Penn State is a better team than Northwestern, but for now, the Nittany Lions take a back seat to their purple friends in Evanston.
12. Utah (4-0): We now get into the teams with only one BCS win on their slate so far. And sure, all the Utes did was beat a raw Wolverine team in Ann Arbor, but it counts for something.
13. Colorado (3-0): With great pride, I place the Buffaloes in the Top 25 this week. Sure, West Virginia clearly sucks (maybe Rich-Rod knew what he was doing after all?), but that was a big win for Dan and Cody.
14. LSU (3-0): Beating a team that only beat MSU South by a 3-2 score last week is not impressive. Needing a last-minute comeback to do so is even less impressive. This is why LSU doesn’t impress me. They need last-second wins against teams they should be crushing, if they were as good as advertised. They’re underwhelming at best, but again, this is the only true measure we have of LSU so far: a road win that was much harder than it should have been. I’ll call it rust and give them another shot next week.
15. Boise State (3-0): Gritty win in Autzen. With East Carolina choking, the field narrows for the singular BCS crasher spot (don’t get me started on THAT lame-ass BCS limitation, either). The 2006 McMNC could be poised for another good run.
16. Ball State (4-0): It is what it is. Deal with it.
17. South Florida (4-0): The Big Least does suck, doesn’t it?
18. TCU (4-0): Stanford is its one BCS win, but creative scheduling gives them an edge on many teams below who have yet to beat a BCS team.
19. Kentucky (3-0): Livin’ large off that opening win over Louisville.
20. Oklahoma State (3-0): Washington State has given a lot of teams access to my Top 25.
21. Missouri (4-0): Yes, they’re better than this, but they still haven’t done much outside of that Illinois win.
22. Wisconsin (3-0): The best of the no-wins-over-BCS-teams bunch.
23. Texas Tech (4-0): Some seriously WEAK scheduling here.
24. Minnesota (4-0): Ditto. But did they need this, or what?
25. Tulsa (3-0): I have no idea.
Also considered (but then rejected): Nebraska, Texas
1) USC needs to play every week.
2) Jimmy Clausen sucks.
3) Florida is the best team in the SEC, hands down.
4) 90% of the Pac-10 sucks.
5) The Holtz family is overrated.
On to the rankings …
1. USC (2-0): No team did anything impressive enough this week to unseat the idle Trojans. See below for explanations.
2. Florida (3-0): Not that beating Tennessee means anything, but Florida has impressive wins over BCS teams to match the Trojans somewhat. I really hope Florida can get through the SEC unscathed, because I’d love to see an SEC-USC matchup in the BCS title game so the SEC can be shut up once and for all. But I am sure Vandy will knock off the Gators at home on November 8 …
3. Wake Forest (3-0): The DDs have three wins over three BCS teams. Talk about “great” scheduling … Are they this good? Maybe not, but so far, they have three “quality” wins, and my rankings are about results, not predicted potential.
4. Georgia (4-0): If ASU hadn’t lost to UNLV the week before, the Bulldogs’ first trip west of the Mississippi in 40 years might have actually meant something. As it was, it was a good road win over a mediocre BCS squad. Combined with the previous week’s mediocre win over South Carolina, Georgia still hasn’t done anything noteworthy to earn/deserve its preseason hype.
5. Vanderbilt (4-0): They have two BCS wins so far; actually, it’s two SEC wins as well. This could be the year they break .500 and go bowlin’. I seriously think they can surprise some people in the SEC. And if Vandy’s making noise, the conference can’t be THAT good. Then again, if Vandy’s makin’ noise, the conference might be THAT good.
6. Alabama (4-0): They also have two DOMINATE wins over BCS teams, so the SEC might be THAT good. But they don’t play Florida this year. That’s why the SEC continues to be lame: unbalanced scheduling.
7. BYU (4-0): Okay, with two BCS wins over Pac-10 mediocrity, it’s not saying much, but … hey, two BCS wins are two BCS wins. It’s smart scheduling.
8. Oklahoma (3-0): I hate bye weeks. But I like Sam Bradford a lot.
9. Connecticut (4-0): More creative scheduling nets two early BCS wins for the Huskies. Generally, I respect the University of Connecticut, so I’d like to see them get a football program to match their basketball program. BUT … they need a signature, come-of-age win this year to really put themselves on the Big Least map.
10. Northwestern (4-0): Again, two BCS wins makes the schedule look better than it is, but it’s what we’ve got to work with.
11. Penn State (4-0): Ditto. And I am positive Penn State is a better team than Northwestern, but for now, the Nittany Lions take a back seat to their purple friends in Evanston.
12. Utah (4-0): We now get into the teams with only one BCS win on their slate so far. And sure, all the Utes did was beat a raw Wolverine team in Ann Arbor, but it counts for something.
13. Colorado (3-0): With great pride, I place the Buffaloes in the Top 25 this week. Sure, West Virginia clearly sucks (maybe Rich-Rod knew what he was doing after all?), but that was a big win for Dan and Cody.
14. LSU (3-0): Beating a team that only beat MSU South by a 3-2 score last week is not impressive. Needing a last-minute comeback to do so is even less impressive. This is why LSU doesn’t impress me. They need last-second wins against teams they should be crushing, if they were as good as advertised. They’re underwhelming at best, but again, this is the only true measure we have of LSU so far: a road win that was much harder than it should have been. I’ll call it rust and give them another shot next week.
15. Boise State (3-0): Gritty win in Autzen. With East Carolina choking, the field narrows for the singular BCS crasher spot (don’t get me started on THAT lame-ass BCS limitation, either). The 2006 McMNC could be poised for another good run.
16. Ball State (4-0): It is what it is. Deal with it.
17. South Florida (4-0): The Big Least does suck, doesn’t it?
18. TCU (4-0): Stanford is its one BCS win, but creative scheduling gives them an edge on many teams below who have yet to beat a BCS team.
19. Kentucky (3-0): Livin’ large off that opening win over Louisville.
20. Oklahoma State (3-0): Washington State has given a lot of teams access to my Top 25.
21. Missouri (4-0): Yes, they’re better than this, but they still haven’t done much outside of that Illinois win.
22. Wisconsin (3-0): The best of the no-wins-over-BCS-teams bunch.
23. Texas Tech (4-0): Some seriously WEAK scheduling here.
24. Minnesota (4-0): Ditto. But did they need this, or what?
25. Tulsa (3-0): I have no idea.
Also considered (but then rejected): Nebraska, Texas
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The McTop 25: September 14, 2008
Thoughts for the week:
* USC is clearly the team to beat. Considering the poor Pac-10 showing on the day, the Trojans may need these two early wins to convince the SEC-biased world that they deserve a BCS title game slot, or else we're going to end up with an All-SEC BCS title game;
* Will LSU schedule some decent opponents, please?;
* Oklahoma and Missouri look very good.
* Quick look at the Big Ten standings tell us that Michigan is the only Big Ten team under .500 right now. Weird ...
That is all for now. Without further adieu, your McTop 24 for the week:
1. USC (2-0): The Trojans have beaten Virginia and Ohio State by a combined score of 87-10. Hmmm. Not sure what else can be stated here. The Trojans made mistakes and still throttled the Buckeyes. Not that the latter was a surprise, but if the Trojans stay focused, no one is beating them this season.
2. East Carolina (3-0): The Pirates have beaten Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Tulane. Still the best slate out there so far. But they need to really BEAT teams if they want a crack at the BCS title game.
3. Oklahoma (3-0): The Sooners have beaten Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Washington. At least they scheduled some BCS teams.
4. Oregon (3-0): The Ducks have beaten Washington, Utah State and Purdue. Not bad. But lose the white helmets, fellas.
5. Wake Forest (2-0): The Demon Deacons have beaten Baylor and Mississippi. Not super impressive, but they are clearly the class of the ACC at this point (insert joke here).
6. BYU (3-0): The Cougars have beaten Northern Iowa, Washington and UCLA. Mixed bag, but two BCS wins already. Not many others can say that right now.
7. Missouri (3-0): The Tigers have beaten Illinois, Southeast Missouri State and Nevada. They have scored a lot of points. They gave up too many points against their only real competition, though.
8. South Florida (3-0): The Bulls have beaten Tennessee-Martin, Central Florida and Kansas. Solid.
9. Florida (2-0): The Gators have beaten Hawaii and Miami-FL. Eh.
10. Penn State (3-0): The Nits have beaten Coastal Carolina, Oregon State and Syracuse. Looks better on paper than it is in reality.
11. Alabama (3-0): The Tide have beaten Clemson, Tulane and Western Kentucky. If Clemson wasn’t such a perennial choke artist, this might mean something.
12. Northwestern (3-0): The Wildcats have beaten Syracuse, Duke and Southern Illinois. What? Baylor and Stanford weren’t available? Vanderbilt say no?
13. Georgia (3-0): The Bulldogs have beaten Georgia Southern, Central Michigan and South Carolina. Three directionals, and only a lackluster win over the Ol’ Ball Coach is worthy of anything. Eh.
14. Vanderbilt (3-0): The Commodores have beaten Miami-OH, South Carolina (by the same margin that mighty Georgia did), and Rice. Eh.
15. Utah (3-0): The Utes have beaten Michigan, UNLV and Utah State. Whatever.
16. Notre Dame (2-0): The Irish have beaten San Diego State and Michigan. Yawn.
17. Auburn (3-0): The Tigers have beaten Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State. Since the only win over a BCS team was that 3-2 shootout against the Bulldogs, well … BFD.
18. Connecticut (3-0): The Huskies have beaten Hofstra, Temple and Virginia. Whatever.
19. North Carolina (2-0): The Tar Heels have beaten McNeese State and Rutgers. But beating the Scarlet Knights isn’t meaningful anymore.
20. Kentucky (3-0): The Wildcats have beaten Louisville, Norfolk State and Middle Tennessee. This might have meant something in 2006, but everyone beats Louisville now.
21. Oklahoma State (3-0): The Cowboys have beaten Washington State, Houston and Missouri State.
22. Iowa (3-0): The Hawkeyes have beaten Maine, Florida International and Iowa State. Whatever.
23. TCU (3-0): The Horned Frogs have beaten New Mexico, Stephen F. Austin and Stanford. BFD.
24. Wisconsin (3-0): The Badgers have beaten Akron, Marshall and Fresno State. At least Fresno State had a pulse.
Also considered but later dismissed since they haven’t beaten ANY noteworthy teams yet (in no order): Florida State, Nebraska, Kansas State, Minnesota, LSU, Arkansas, Boise State, Troy, Ball State, Air Force, Tulsa, Colorado, Texas Tech, Texas, Indiana
* USC is clearly the team to beat. Considering the poor Pac-10 showing on the day, the Trojans may need these two early wins to convince the SEC-biased world that they deserve a BCS title game slot, or else we're going to end up with an All-SEC BCS title game;
* Will LSU schedule some decent opponents, please?;
* Oklahoma and Missouri look very good.
* Quick look at the Big Ten standings tell us that Michigan is the only Big Ten team under .500 right now. Weird ...
That is all for now. Without further adieu, your McTop 24 for the week:
1. USC (2-0): The Trojans have beaten Virginia and Ohio State by a combined score of 87-10. Hmmm. Not sure what else can be stated here. The Trojans made mistakes and still throttled the Buckeyes. Not that the latter was a surprise, but if the Trojans stay focused, no one is beating them this season.
2. East Carolina (3-0): The Pirates have beaten Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Tulane. Still the best slate out there so far. But they need to really BEAT teams if they want a crack at the BCS title game.
3. Oklahoma (3-0): The Sooners have beaten Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Washington. At least they scheduled some BCS teams.
4. Oregon (3-0): The Ducks have beaten Washington, Utah State and Purdue. Not bad. But lose the white helmets, fellas.
5. Wake Forest (2-0): The Demon Deacons have beaten Baylor and Mississippi. Not super impressive, but they are clearly the class of the ACC at this point (insert joke here).
6. BYU (3-0): The Cougars have beaten Northern Iowa, Washington and UCLA. Mixed bag, but two BCS wins already. Not many others can say that right now.
7. Missouri (3-0): The Tigers have beaten Illinois, Southeast Missouri State and Nevada. They have scored a lot of points. They gave up too many points against their only real competition, though.
8. South Florida (3-0): The Bulls have beaten Tennessee-Martin, Central Florida and Kansas. Solid.
9. Florida (2-0): The Gators have beaten Hawaii and Miami-FL. Eh.
10. Penn State (3-0): The Nits have beaten Coastal Carolina, Oregon State and Syracuse. Looks better on paper than it is in reality.
11. Alabama (3-0): The Tide have beaten Clemson, Tulane and Western Kentucky. If Clemson wasn’t such a perennial choke artist, this might mean something.
12. Northwestern (3-0): The Wildcats have beaten Syracuse, Duke and Southern Illinois. What? Baylor and Stanford weren’t available? Vanderbilt say no?
13. Georgia (3-0): The Bulldogs have beaten Georgia Southern, Central Michigan and South Carolina. Three directionals, and only a lackluster win over the Ol’ Ball Coach is worthy of anything. Eh.
14. Vanderbilt (3-0): The Commodores have beaten Miami-OH, South Carolina (by the same margin that mighty Georgia did), and Rice. Eh.
15. Utah (3-0): The Utes have beaten Michigan, UNLV and Utah State. Whatever.
16. Notre Dame (2-0): The Irish have beaten San Diego State and Michigan. Yawn.
17. Auburn (3-0): The Tigers have beaten Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State. Since the only win over a BCS team was that 3-2 shootout against the Bulldogs, well … BFD.
18. Connecticut (3-0): The Huskies have beaten Hofstra, Temple and Virginia. Whatever.
19. North Carolina (2-0): The Tar Heels have beaten McNeese State and Rutgers. But beating the Scarlet Knights isn’t meaningful anymore.
20. Kentucky (3-0): The Wildcats have beaten Louisville, Norfolk State and Middle Tennessee. This might have meant something in 2006, but everyone beats Louisville now.
21. Oklahoma State (3-0): The Cowboys have beaten Washington State, Houston and Missouri State.
22. Iowa (3-0): The Hawkeyes have beaten Maine, Florida International and Iowa State. Whatever.
23. TCU (3-0): The Horned Frogs have beaten New Mexico, Stephen F. Austin and Stanford. BFD.
24. Wisconsin (3-0): The Badgers have beaten Akron, Marshall and Fresno State. At least Fresno State had a pulse.
Also considered but later dismissed since they haven’t beaten ANY noteworthy teams yet (in no order): Florida State, Nebraska, Kansas State, Minnesota, LSU, Arkansas, Boise State, Troy, Ball State, Air Force, Tulsa, Colorado, Texas Tech, Texas, Indiana
Sunday, September 7, 2008
The McTop 25: September 7, 2008
Some observational thoughts this week:
1) The celebration penalty called against Washington on Saturday was just asinine. I am going to echo the talking heads on ESPN who said that kind of bonehead call can cost a coach his job. The officials must do a better job calling penalties like that;
2) The SEC officials tried to steal a game against Wake Forest on Saturday. That pass interference call on the Demon Deacons right before Ole Miss scored to take the lead? Absolutely laughable: no one was within five yards of the area where the ball landed, and no one was capable of catching it. At the bare minimum, neutral officiating crews need to call non-conference games between BCS schools. Otherwise, calls like this one can really do too much damage long-term;
3) Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Michigan struggles to beat a MAC team at home, leading only 10-6 in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame struggles to beat a Cal State school at home, trailing 13-7 in the fourth quarter. It’s ridiculous that either team is getting any press this year. If either team was in the Pac-10 or the SEC, they’d never finish above .500 on the season. This headline actually appeared on MSNBC.com Saturday night: “Aerial assault powers Notre Dame to victory”. Oh dear Lord …
4) You want cupcakes? You don't get ranked in my book.
Okay, on to the Top 25:
1. East Carolina (2-0): No one else has beaten two ranked opponents already this season. Sure, they were both home wins, but now Skip Holtz’s team becomes a trendy pick to crash the BCS.
2. USC (1-0): I have a feeling it is going to get ugly for the Buckeyes this weekend in Los Angeles. But at least Ohio State will play USC in the City of Angels.
3. Vanderbilt (2-0): Laugh all you want, but they beat Miami-OH on the road by twice as much as Michigan beat them at home, AND they beat a ranked SEC team to open league play with a win.
4. Utah (2-0): Yes, we have some random team crashing the Top 25 this week, but I don’t reward teams for playing cupcakes. The Utes are BCS slayers.
5. California (2-0): Maybe they should be higher than the Utes, but Wazzoo isn’t a real BCS team this season.
6. UCLA (1-0): They have more wins over SEC teams than Florida does.
7. Fresno State (1-0): With a road win over a BCS team, they belong here. Another potential BCS crasher. We could have three BCS crashers this year; that would be far out.
8. Florida (2-0): The win over Miami was impressive, showing Florida isn’t afraid to schedule good teams.
9. BYU (2-0): They were helped by a lame call (see above), for they could have lost that game in overtime. But in the end, a win’s a win, right?
10. Oklahoma State (2-0): They’re not as good as Cal, based on the comparative Wazzoo scores, but …
11. Alabama (2-0): They’ve played Clemson. They’ve played Tulane. Who else has Tommy Bowden coached?
12. Wake Forest (2-0): The ACC isn’t that bad, is it?
13. LSU (2-0): With a single win, over a FCS team at that, you just can’t rank them any higher right now.
14. Georgia Tech (2-0): Beating BC on the road counts for something.
15. Texas Tech (2-0): For some reason, their SOS rates kind of high. Not sure I buy it.
16. Minnesota (2-0): Ditto.
17. Auburn (2-0): Then you remember that Auburn played Louisiana-Monroe, and you realize why Texas Tech and Minnesota have played better schedules so far.
18. Wisconsin (2-0): MAC-friendly Bucky.
19. Colorado (2-0): Dan Hawkins’ kid can play ball.
20. Arizona State (2-0): Stanford rates in the SOS.
21. Oregon (2-0): Washington does not.
22. Nebraska (2-0): Not sure how you need a 21-point fourth quarter to pull away from a Cal State school at home, but …
23. Notre Dame (1-0): See above, except change the number from 21 to 14.
24. Oklahoma (2-0): Playing a BCS team offsets playing Chattanooga.
25. Georgia (2-0): Still waiting for the Dawgs to play a real team.
Also considered, but rejected for lack of scheduling prowess: Texas, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Tulsa, Ohio State, Penn State, TCU, South Florida, Air Force, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State, Iowa, Florida State, Boise State, Purdue.
1) The celebration penalty called against Washington on Saturday was just asinine. I am going to echo the talking heads on ESPN who said that kind of bonehead call can cost a coach his job. The officials must do a better job calling penalties like that;
2) The SEC officials tried to steal a game against Wake Forest on Saturday. That pass interference call on the Demon Deacons right before Ole Miss scored to take the lead? Absolutely laughable: no one was within five yards of the area where the ball landed, and no one was capable of catching it. At the bare minimum, neutral officiating crews need to call non-conference games between BCS schools. Otherwise, calls like this one can really do too much damage long-term;
3) Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Michigan struggles to beat a MAC team at home, leading only 10-6 in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame struggles to beat a Cal State school at home, trailing 13-7 in the fourth quarter. It’s ridiculous that either team is getting any press this year. If either team was in the Pac-10 or the SEC, they’d never finish above .500 on the season. This headline actually appeared on MSNBC.com Saturday night: “Aerial assault powers Notre Dame to victory”. Oh dear Lord …
4) You want cupcakes? You don't get ranked in my book.
Okay, on to the Top 25:
1. East Carolina (2-0): No one else has beaten two ranked opponents already this season. Sure, they were both home wins, but now Skip Holtz’s team becomes a trendy pick to crash the BCS.
2. USC (1-0): I have a feeling it is going to get ugly for the Buckeyes this weekend in Los Angeles. But at least Ohio State will play USC in the City of Angels.
3. Vanderbilt (2-0): Laugh all you want, but they beat Miami-OH on the road by twice as much as Michigan beat them at home, AND they beat a ranked SEC team to open league play with a win.
4. Utah (2-0): Yes, we have some random team crashing the Top 25 this week, but I don’t reward teams for playing cupcakes. The Utes are BCS slayers.
5. California (2-0): Maybe they should be higher than the Utes, but Wazzoo isn’t a real BCS team this season.
6. UCLA (1-0): They have more wins over SEC teams than Florida does.
7. Fresno State (1-0): With a road win over a BCS team, they belong here. Another potential BCS crasher. We could have three BCS crashers this year; that would be far out.
8. Florida (2-0): The win over Miami was impressive, showing Florida isn’t afraid to schedule good teams.
9. BYU (2-0): They were helped by a lame call (see above), for they could have lost that game in overtime. But in the end, a win’s a win, right?
10. Oklahoma State (2-0): They’re not as good as Cal, based on the comparative Wazzoo scores, but …
11. Alabama (2-0): They’ve played Clemson. They’ve played Tulane. Who else has Tommy Bowden coached?
12. Wake Forest (2-0): The ACC isn’t that bad, is it?
13. LSU (2-0): With a single win, over a FCS team at that, you just can’t rank them any higher right now.
14. Georgia Tech (2-0): Beating BC on the road counts for something.
15. Texas Tech (2-0): For some reason, their SOS rates kind of high. Not sure I buy it.
16. Minnesota (2-0): Ditto.
17. Auburn (2-0): Then you remember that Auburn played Louisiana-Monroe, and you realize why Texas Tech and Minnesota have played better schedules so far.
18. Wisconsin (2-0): MAC-friendly Bucky.
19. Colorado (2-0): Dan Hawkins’ kid can play ball.
20. Arizona State (2-0): Stanford rates in the SOS.
21. Oregon (2-0): Washington does not.
22. Nebraska (2-0): Not sure how you need a 21-point fourth quarter to pull away from a Cal State school at home, but …
23. Notre Dame (1-0): See above, except change the number from 21 to 14.
24. Oklahoma (2-0): Playing a BCS team offsets playing Chattanooga.
25. Georgia (2-0): Still waiting for the Dawgs to play a real team.
Also considered, but rejected for lack of scheduling prowess: Texas, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Tulsa, Ohio State, Penn State, TCU, South Florida, Air Force, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State, Iowa, Florida State, Boise State, Purdue.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The McTop 25: September 2, 2008
Welcome back to another fall of the McMisanthrope Top 25, where teams only get ranked the old-fashioned way -- they earn it ($1 to Smith Barney and John Houseman). But remember, these rankings have little weight so early in the season, so before mianderson gets his panties in a bunch, just fuckin' chill, bitches.
1. USC (1-0): They beat a BCS team by 45 points. Easily the top performance of the weekend. I don't know how any one could claim they aren't the best team in the country, right here, right now ($1 to Jesus Jones).
2. Alabama (1-0): So they beat Clemson. Everybody does that in games that matter. Little Nicky is back! But the question really is this: when will Tommy Bowden get the boot?
3. Missouri (1-0): Wow, they can't play defense, can they? Or is Juice just that good? Nope. They can't play defense. Oklahoma will SHRED them when the time comes.
4. UCLA (1-0): They beat an allegedly good SEC team. Not much else to say here but what's already been said: the Pac-10 is better than the SEC.
5. Cal (1-0): They beat a BCS team, which is more than a lot of teams this week can claim. But it was just self-defeating Sparty, so ... it don't mean a lot right now.
6. Stanford (1-0): Hey, Oregon State is better than all these other opponents below.
7. Oregon (1-0): Still better than beating a non-BCS team. Poor Ty ... he never should have left Stanford.
8. Oklahoma State (1-): Beating Wazzou on the road by 26 points is good enough for Week 1's Top 10.
9. South Carolina (1-0): Beating an ACC chump is not noteworthy, but at least they shutout a BCS team.
10. Wake Forest (1-0): Poor Baylor. They never should have left the SWC.
11. Fresno State (1-0): I would love to see two non-BCS teams crash the party this year, so here's to the 'Dogs.
12. Utah (1-0): Not much of an upset, but still another bad surprise in Ann Arbor.
13. Northwestern (1-0): Everyone beats the 'Cuse.
14. Florida (1-0): So now we're on to teams that scheduled non-BCS opponents. As for the Gators, they look fine. But poor Hawai’i. When will an SEC team ever travel to Honolulu to face them?
15. Wisconsin (1-0): They beat an FBS team, so they will automatically go ahead of any school that beat an FCS team. But they had to wait until the third quarter to really pull away. Not a good sign.
16. Ohio State (1-0): Now, we're onto the teams that merely beat 1-AA squads. They shut out their FCS opponent, unlike other teams lower on this list. And Youngstown State is no FCS weakling. Or is it now that Tressel isn't there anymore? Put this one on the list of favors paid.
17. Oklahoma (1-0): Pardon me, boy, was that the Chattanooga choo choo? Track 57, boy, you can gimme a safety! I can afford to brat a Chattanooga choo choo; I've got my fare and just a few points to spare.
18. LSU (1-0): While they played an FCS team, they at least played the FCS champs. And they did what they should have done: win big. But beating an FCS team isn’t like beating an FBS team. And it’s not like beating a BCS team, either. And even the second-team defense should be able to hold an FCS team scoreless.
19. Georgia (1-0): Maybe this is the trend -- play an FCS team, but play a “good” one? Just don’t cough up 21 points on defense, however.
20. BYU (1-0): At least Northern Iowa had a semi-pulse. Or did they?
21. Arizona State (1-0): Regional matchups as a favor need to end. I am stealing this idea off RSFC (can't remember who wrote it?), but they should have pre-season interconference series every year between BCS teams.
22. Texas Tech (1-0): Ugh, these early schedules are paining my heart.
23. Texas (1-0): When is Mack Brown going to get bored in Austin?
24. Kansas (1-0): Ditto. Since Kansas was screwed last year, hopefully they will learn for the future like K-State never really did.
25. Auburn (1-0): Ditto, although from an SEC team, it's merely business as usual. As these SEC teams see the Vols get their hats handed to them two years in a row on the Best Coast, there's NO way this trend is going to change -- thereby making most SEC teams merely .500 squads against real opponents.
Also receiving consideration due to their cupcakes scheduling: South Florida, West Virginia, Penn State
1. USC (1-0): They beat a BCS team by 45 points. Easily the top performance of the weekend. I don't know how any one could claim they aren't the best team in the country, right here, right now ($1 to Jesus Jones).
2. Alabama (1-0): So they beat Clemson. Everybody does that in games that matter. Little Nicky is back! But the question really is this: when will Tommy Bowden get the boot?
3. Missouri (1-0): Wow, they can't play defense, can they? Or is Juice just that good? Nope. They can't play defense. Oklahoma will SHRED them when the time comes.
4. UCLA (1-0): They beat an allegedly good SEC team. Not much else to say here but what's already been said: the Pac-10 is better than the SEC.
5. Cal (1-0): They beat a BCS team, which is more than a lot of teams this week can claim. But it was just self-defeating Sparty, so ... it don't mean a lot right now.
6. Stanford (1-0): Hey, Oregon State is better than all these other opponents below.
7. Oregon (1-0): Still better than beating a non-BCS team. Poor Ty ... he never should have left Stanford.
8. Oklahoma State (1-): Beating Wazzou on the road by 26 points is good enough for Week 1's Top 10.
9. South Carolina (1-0): Beating an ACC chump is not noteworthy, but at least they shutout a BCS team.
10. Wake Forest (1-0): Poor Baylor. They never should have left the SWC.
11. Fresno State (1-0): I would love to see two non-BCS teams crash the party this year, so here's to the 'Dogs.
12. Utah (1-0): Not much of an upset, but still another bad surprise in Ann Arbor.
13. Northwestern (1-0): Everyone beats the 'Cuse.
14. Florida (1-0): So now we're on to teams that scheduled non-BCS opponents. As for the Gators, they look fine. But poor Hawai’i. When will an SEC team ever travel to Honolulu to face them?
15. Wisconsin (1-0): They beat an FBS team, so they will automatically go ahead of any school that beat an FCS team. But they had to wait until the third quarter to really pull away. Not a good sign.
16. Ohio State (1-0): Now, we're onto the teams that merely beat 1-AA squads. They shut out their FCS opponent, unlike other teams lower on this list. And Youngstown State is no FCS weakling. Or is it now that Tressel isn't there anymore? Put this one on the list of favors paid.
17. Oklahoma (1-0): Pardon me, boy, was that the Chattanooga choo choo? Track 57, boy, you can gimme a safety! I can afford to brat a Chattanooga choo choo; I've got my fare and just a few points to spare.
18. LSU (1-0): While they played an FCS team, they at least played the FCS champs. And they did what they should have done: win big. But beating an FCS team isn’t like beating an FBS team. And it’s not like beating a BCS team, either. And even the second-team defense should be able to hold an FCS team scoreless.
19. Georgia (1-0): Maybe this is the trend -- play an FCS team, but play a “good” one? Just don’t cough up 21 points on defense, however.
20. BYU (1-0): At least Northern Iowa had a semi-pulse. Or did they?
21. Arizona State (1-0): Regional matchups as a favor need to end. I am stealing this idea off RSFC (can't remember who wrote it?), but they should have pre-season interconference series every year between BCS teams.
22. Texas Tech (1-0): Ugh, these early schedules are paining my heart.
23. Texas (1-0): When is Mack Brown going to get bored in Austin?
24. Kansas (1-0): Ditto. Since Kansas was screwed last year, hopefully they will learn for the future like K-State never really did.
25. Auburn (1-0): Ditto, although from an SEC team, it's merely business as usual. As these SEC teams see the Vols get their hats handed to them two years in a row on the Best Coast, there's NO way this trend is going to change -- thereby making most SEC teams merely .500 squads against real opponents.
Also receiving consideration due to their cupcakes scheduling: South Florida, West Virginia, Penn State
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
On haitus until Fall 2008
In the meantime, check out my off-season exploration of who I would have selected as the "mythical" national champion in football over the last 70+ years:
http://mcmncs.blogspot.com/
See you again in September!
http://mcmncs.blogspot.com/
See you again in September!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
McMisanthrope’s Top 25 – FINAL
A flawed system which just embarrasses the NCAA on all levels …
1. Kansas (12-1): Sure, it’s an unpopular pick, because people will say they played an easy schedule. But you know what? They played in a BCS conference, they finished with one loss, and they won a bowl game. No one else in the country has the same claim, and why crown a two-loss champion to embarrass the game if you don’t have to? They won the Orange Bowl, beating a team many felt had a claim to the BCS title game. They only lost to the two-loss Cotton Bowl champion. They played a BCS conference schedule they had NO control over. Sorry, but if people truly understood what college athletics were about, Kansas would be the champion. And so they’re my champion. Congratulations, Jayhawks!
2. Hawaii (12-1): They lost their Sugar Bowl, but no way Georgia flies to Honolulu and wins. Hawaii has perhaps the best HFA in college football right now, and it makes them a better team than they showed in New Orleans. One loss, even a blowout one at the end of the year, shouldn’t kill your season. Ask the 2004 Oklahoma Sooners.
3. USC (11-2): Two years in a row, the best team on the field had no chance at the BCS title, which simply shows how biased and corrupt the BCS system really is today. It doesn’t crown a champion; it makes a mockery of the MNC concept. The Trojans would have beaten Florida last year, and they would have beaten LSU this year. That simple. I find it ironic that LSU made the title game on perceived reputation, even though USC started the season ahead of LSU in the polls based on those same reputations. The anti-Pac 10 bias came through again, once again demonstrating the corruption rampant in the BCS system. USC would clean LSU’s clock, and Pete Carroll is ten times the coach Les Miles is. Pathetic.
4. West Virginia (11-2): I guess this is really all THEIR fault. If they had just been able to beat friggin’ Pitt, LSU would never have been allowed to mess all this up. Fuck you, West Virginia. Forever. I do find it ironic how they BLEW OUT the Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl, when they couldn’t even score in double digits against Pitt. It defies logic; it really does, like USC losing to UCLA last year in roughly the same fashion. I suspect the Wolverines won’t be happy when their new coach pulls the same garbage against Sparty, Purdue and Iowa, though.
5. LSU (12-2): I guess they have to be someone’s champion in order to pay the bills, right? A flawed champion of a corrupt system where votes are bought and sold like currency? When college football finally gets around to doing things the right way, the debates will rage on about these laughable BCS title games in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2007. I’m sure someone will prove that Michigan or Notre Dame really should have been the BCS champions in all those years, and they’d be just as right as the assclowns who put FSU (twice!), Nebraska, Oklahoma, Florida and LSU into these “championships”. I also find it laughable that LSU has won both its BCSMNCs in the Sugar Bowl; send these fuckers to Pasadena? They’d get snot-fucked sideways. Yet another reason why college football is a joke, and the LSU Tigers are its poster children.
6. Missouri (12-2): Justification of sorts? Not really. Our highest non-BCS entry won its bowl game easily, and they had a great season. If there had been an eight-team tournament, they wouldn’t have been in it. This is the equivalent of winning the NIT. Enjoy it, Tigers.
7. Ohio State (11-2): What can you say? The Big Ten does suck. But they did win it.
8. Georgia (11-2): Different draw, and it could have been them beating Ohio State for a tainted BCSMNC. BTW, they are behind Mizzou, because they didn’t even make it to their league title game.
9. BYU (11-2): Quietly under a lot of voters’ radars for two seasons in a row now.
10. Oklahoma (11-3): Heh. Told you they sucked.
11. Virginia Tech (11-3): The ACC sucks, too. The Hokies lost to someone else’s version of Beamer Ball. That has to hurt.
12. Texas (10-3): It’s amazing how bad college football was this year, when severely flawed teams like OU and Texas can still win 10+ games and finish so high.
13. Arizona State (10-3): They’d beat LSU if the Tigers played in Tempe.
14. Boston College (11-3): Weak bowl win over a mediocre team from a mediocre conference. BTW, some teams can play 14 games in a season, but a playoff/tournament would add too many games to the season? Whatever. The BCS sucks; LSU as a two-loss champion is more proof.
15. Cincinnati (10-3): Should Michigan have hired Brian Kelley? Only time will tell.
16. Boise State (10-3): Never should have lost that bowl game.
17. Oregon (9-4): Nice bowl win without their Heisman QB. Every season has multiple layers of storylines, and the Dennis Dixon Story has been overlooked. If he stays healthy, Oregon wins the BCS title. What a shame … reminds me of the Kenyon Martin injury right before the 2000 NCAA Basketball tournament.
18. Tennessee (10-4): See the Texas note above and see the Boston College note above. If teams THAT HAVE NO CHANCE AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP can play 14 games in a season, explain again WHY a tournament wouldn’t work? Oh yeah … the BCS sucks cocks.
19. Oregon State (9-4): Mike Riley is quietly making this program very good on a yearly basis.
20. Auburn (9-4): I have nothing interesting or original to say about Auburn.
21. Michigan (9-4): Nice to see Lloyd Carr go out on a high note. The man deserved better than this, but his seniors let him down. At least they finally won a bowl game, though.
22. Penn State (9-4): JoePa is going to coach forever, isn’t he?
23. Texas Tech (9-4): My early, dark horse Heisman prediction for 2008? Mr. Crabtree.
24. Florida (9-4): Lame bowl loss. Watch out for this team in 2008.
25. Wake Forest (9-4): Nothing to complain about for this follow-up to their 2006 ACC championship.
Also considered: South Florida, Clemson, Illinois, Utah, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Virginia, Central Florida, Air Force
1. Kansas (12-1): Sure, it’s an unpopular pick, because people will say they played an easy schedule. But you know what? They played in a BCS conference, they finished with one loss, and they won a bowl game. No one else in the country has the same claim, and why crown a two-loss champion to embarrass the game if you don’t have to? They won the Orange Bowl, beating a team many felt had a claim to the BCS title game. They only lost to the two-loss Cotton Bowl champion. They played a BCS conference schedule they had NO control over. Sorry, but if people truly understood what college athletics were about, Kansas would be the champion. And so they’re my champion. Congratulations, Jayhawks!
2. Hawaii (12-1): They lost their Sugar Bowl, but no way Georgia flies to Honolulu and wins. Hawaii has perhaps the best HFA in college football right now, and it makes them a better team than they showed in New Orleans. One loss, even a blowout one at the end of the year, shouldn’t kill your season. Ask the 2004 Oklahoma Sooners.
3. USC (11-2): Two years in a row, the best team on the field had no chance at the BCS title, which simply shows how biased and corrupt the BCS system really is today. It doesn’t crown a champion; it makes a mockery of the MNC concept. The Trojans would have beaten Florida last year, and they would have beaten LSU this year. That simple. I find it ironic that LSU made the title game on perceived reputation, even though USC started the season ahead of LSU in the polls based on those same reputations. The anti-Pac 10 bias came through again, once again demonstrating the corruption rampant in the BCS system. USC would clean LSU’s clock, and Pete Carroll is ten times the coach Les Miles is. Pathetic.
4. West Virginia (11-2): I guess this is really all THEIR fault. If they had just been able to beat friggin’ Pitt, LSU would never have been allowed to mess all this up. Fuck you, West Virginia. Forever. I do find it ironic how they BLEW OUT the Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl, when they couldn’t even score in double digits against Pitt. It defies logic; it really does, like USC losing to UCLA last year in roughly the same fashion. I suspect the Wolverines won’t be happy when their new coach pulls the same garbage against Sparty, Purdue and Iowa, though.
5. LSU (12-2): I guess they have to be someone’s champion in order to pay the bills, right? A flawed champion of a corrupt system where votes are bought and sold like currency? When college football finally gets around to doing things the right way, the debates will rage on about these laughable BCS title games in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2007. I’m sure someone will prove that Michigan or Notre Dame really should have been the BCS champions in all those years, and they’d be just as right as the assclowns who put FSU (twice!), Nebraska, Oklahoma, Florida and LSU into these “championships”. I also find it laughable that LSU has won both its BCSMNCs in the Sugar Bowl; send these fuckers to Pasadena? They’d get snot-fucked sideways. Yet another reason why college football is a joke, and the LSU Tigers are its poster children.
6. Missouri (12-2): Justification of sorts? Not really. Our highest non-BCS entry won its bowl game easily, and they had a great season. If there had been an eight-team tournament, they wouldn’t have been in it. This is the equivalent of winning the NIT. Enjoy it, Tigers.
7. Ohio State (11-2): What can you say? The Big Ten does suck. But they did win it.
8. Georgia (11-2): Different draw, and it could have been them beating Ohio State for a tainted BCSMNC. BTW, they are behind Mizzou, because they didn’t even make it to their league title game.
9. BYU (11-2): Quietly under a lot of voters’ radars for two seasons in a row now.
10. Oklahoma (11-3): Heh. Told you they sucked.
11. Virginia Tech (11-3): The ACC sucks, too. The Hokies lost to someone else’s version of Beamer Ball. That has to hurt.
12. Texas (10-3): It’s amazing how bad college football was this year, when severely flawed teams like OU and Texas can still win 10+ games and finish so high.
13. Arizona State (10-3): They’d beat LSU if the Tigers played in Tempe.
14. Boston College (11-3): Weak bowl win over a mediocre team from a mediocre conference. BTW, some teams can play 14 games in a season, but a playoff/tournament would add too many games to the season? Whatever. The BCS sucks; LSU as a two-loss champion is more proof.
15. Cincinnati (10-3): Should Michigan have hired Brian Kelley? Only time will tell.
16. Boise State (10-3): Never should have lost that bowl game.
17. Oregon (9-4): Nice bowl win without their Heisman QB. Every season has multiple layers of storylines, and the Dennis Dixon Story has been overlooked. If he stays healthy, Oregon wins the BCS title. What a shame … reminds me of the Kenyon Martin injury right before the 2000 NCAA Basketball tournament.
18. Tennessee (10-4): See the Texas note above and see the Boston College note above. If teams THAT HAVE NO CHANCE AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP can play 14 games in a season, explain again WHY a tournament wouldn’t work? Oh yeah … the BCS sucks cocks.
19. Oregon State (9-4): Mike Riley is quietly making this program very good on a yearly basis.
20. Auburn (9-4): I have nothing interesting or original to say about Auburn.
21. Michigan (9-4): Nice to see Lloyd Carr go out on a high note. The man deserved better than this, but his seniors let him down. At least they finally won a bowl game, though.
22. Penn State (9-4): JoePa is going to coach forever, isn’t he?
23. Texas Tech (9-4): My early, dark horse Heisman prediction for 2008? Mr. Crabtree.
24. Florida (9-4): Lame bowl loss. Watch out for this team in 2008.
25. Wake Forest (9-4): Nothing to complain about for this follow-up to their 2006 ACC championship.
Also considered: South Florida, Clemson, Illinois, Utah, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Virginia, Central Florida, Air Force
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