2007 Preseason and Regular season Polls

[PlanetFrnd]

I didn't want to post this in the most recent (now defunct) Mandel thread, but you've got to love his most recent rankings:

SI.com - Writers - Stewart Mandel: Week*8 College Football Rankings - Tuesday October 16, 2007 4:36PM

NCAA Football Power Rankings

1.
South Florida Bulls (6-0)
The defense carried UCF yet again last week, holding the NCAA's leading rusher, UCF's Kevin Smith, to 55 yards on 18 carries, but it was also a huge day for Bulls QB Matt Grothe. The sophomore accounted for a season-high 312 yards (including 100 rushing) and four touchdowns.
Last game: Beat UCF, 64-12.
Next game: Thursday at Rutgers.

2.
LSU Tigers (6-1)
The past three Auburn-LSU games have been decided by scores of 10-9, 20-17 and 7-3 and have become known for their incredibly physical nature. With both teams once again fielding top 10 defenses, and Auburn coming off a 9-7 win over Arkansas, expect more of the same this year.
Last game: Lost to Kentucky, 43-37 (3 OT).
Next game: Saturday vs. Auburn.

3.
Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)
The Buckeyes may have played a light schedule to date, but that changes in a hurry starting Saturday. All five of Ohio State's remaining opponents (Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan) currently hold 5-2 records and should boost its schedule rating tremendously.
Last game: Beat Kent State, 48-3.
Next game: Saturday vs. Michigan State.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

He kind of explained this ranking in an interview with Hooley that was aired on 1460thefan about an hour ago.

He said that USF has the best defense in the country. Seriously.


Out of one side of his mouth he made it sound like it was all about that southern/florida speed that the Bulls defense has.

Then they got onto another subject and out of the other side of his mouth he says that "if you took a stopwatch to OSU and Mich and then took it down to the SEC there wouldn't be that much difference". He explained that the real difference in the conferences is coaching. He said that Big 10 coaches were pretty bad for the most part, and that Tressel was the lone exception (who had one bad game last January).

This last point seemed to make sense, but it wasn't clear if he was even aware that he was contradicting himself, albeit in a roundabout way.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

On the positive side, that should enable Ohio State to enjoy a wildly successful stretch of conference dominance, though national perception of the entire conference will absolutely be predicated on how the Buckeyes perform in their bowl games and OOC games, possibly in similar fashion to the way the old Big East was judged on Miami, and the old ACC was judged on Florida State.

Remind someone to ask me if I give a shit about "national perception" while I'm watching JT hold up the crystal football on January 7, 2008...

 

[schwab]

If Washington was 4-2 right now vs 2-4, I dont think half as many people would be railing on our OOC SOS, but there not.

I believe that UW was at least respectable when the deal was made. I also believe that USC was an after-thought so few years ago (as hard as it is to believe), such that UW could have been running the P10 just as likely. They got the right coach at the right time, and the giant awoke. Nevermind the current chokehold on their trachea....

If we had that USC-ND OOC game every year, then we could count on our OOC SOS being respectable. But we dont have that consistency, so we have to hope that the big-time team we schedule is still big-time by the time we get to play them.

Yep, you are right. It's called being in a conference. Something ND has yet to learn about or figure out. They act like it's our fault when explaining why we suck because the rest of the B10 is down. Don't forget, we go into enemy territory and steal players that would have otherwise been strengthening our competition. It's not our fault we directly weaken our opponents.

Also, people point out that we play 3 Ohio pansies, but almost every school in the country does the same (for example, LSU- Middle Tennessee, Tulane, Lousiana Tech, and VT). 3 D1-AA or lower tier 1A schools, and 1 good BCS conference foe. Just so happens our good BCS conference foe hasn't been very good since after we scheduled them.

It's what happens when you keep winning. There has to be a reason for it, and since obviously we don't have SEC speed or the top classes every year, the justification is that we just don't play anyone. Trust me, it's a never ending battle, so the sooner we quit fighting it, the longer we will all live. They just live to hate the Bucks, and that's cool with me. If we sucked, they wouldn't care. Oh, but they do care!!!

 

[CausticMick]

You have to agree with my notorious thread, though. He's supports my claim regularly.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I believe that UW was at least respectable when the deal was made. I also believe that USC was an after-thought so few years ago (as hard as it is to believe), such that UW could have been running the P10 just as likely. They got the right coach at the right time, and the giant awoke. Nevermind the current chokehold on their trachea....



Yep, you are right. It's called being in a conference. Something ND has yet to learn about or figure out. They act like it's our fault when explaining why we suck because the rest of the B10 is down. Don't forget, we go into enemy territory and steal players that would have otherwise been strengthening our competition. It's not our fault we directly weaken our opponents.



It's what happens when you keep winning. There has to be a reason for it, and since obviously we don't have SEC speed or the top classes every year, the justification is that we just don't play anyone. Trust me, it's a never ending battle, so the sooner we quit fighting it, the longer we will all live. They just live to hate the Bucks, and that's cool with me. If we sucked, they wouldn't care. Oh, but they do care!!!

 

[BengalsAndBucks]

I believe that UW was at least respectable when the deal was made. I also believe that USC was an after-thought so few years ago (as hard as it is to believe), such that UW could have been running the P10 just as likely. They got the right coach at the right time, and the giant awoke. Nevermind the current chokehold on their trachea....


Yep, you are right. It's called being in a conference. Something ND has yet to learn about or figure out. They act like it's our fault when explaining why we suck because the rest of the B10 is down. Don't forget, we go into enemy territory and steal players that would have otherwise been strengthening our competition. It's not our fault we directly weaken our opponents.

I think we are saying the same thing, only for some reason disagreeing. I was saying that we have to rely on a team being good when we schedule them 5 years in advance, and when its a team that isn't good year-in and year-out, then we have to hope we get them in a good year. And its not only that we are in conference, look at Florida-FSU, Clemson-SC, or even UK-UL. If you have an OOC game every year where you know the opponent is at least going to be respectable, then your ok. But when you dont have that guaranteed quality OOC game, it can really hurt your OOC SOS, like it did this year. Washington was pretty good when we scheduled them, but have since disappeared from the national scene.

 

[schwab]

I think we are saying the same thing, only for some reason disagreeing.

I was trying to agree with you. :)

 

[Carmen Ohio]

OSU Really #1 - Hell Yes!

Everytime I hear these sports analysts (especially everyone but Donnan or Holtz on ESPN) talk about Ohio State being #1 by default I want to kick my television. When they say LSU is really the best and USC and Florida still having a chance at the NC I wonder if they REALLY think about what they're saying or just pander to keep the interest of the broadest base of viewers. Some things the commentators aren't saying:

Ohio State vs. USC: OSU did not win 7 games against inferior competition. We DISMANTLED 7 teams and made them look inferior. Neither the starting offense nor defense has had to play a full game! We destroyed the "bottom feeders" of our conference while USC lost at home to one of theirs, struggled at home with Arizona and was lucky to beat another who we destroyed. Why do certain commentators continue to think the injury-riddled Trojans can win @Cal, @Oregon and @ ASU when they can't beat Stanford at home! Pete Carroll is even waffling now, telling reporters that outside expectations and the reality of this team are totally different. I'll repeat what I said last week in another thread... I would not be surprised if Notre Dame beats them this week. It shouldn't happen but I won't be surprised. This year at least, you're about to see the fall of Troy.


Ohio State vs. LSU or Florida: Who have THEY really beaten. The first time LSU played a team with a pulse on the road their vaunted defense gave up 43 points and didn't get a mitt on Andre' Woodson. They lost to the same Kentucky team that was held in check by Kent State at the half and totally befuddled at South Carolina. That's the same South Carolina team that lost but held it's own at LSU. The Tigers' "quality" win? At home against Florida (I don't count the "Disaster Bowl" against Virginia Tech). The same Florida who lucked out at Mississippi State and lost at home to Auburn who lost at home to South Florida and Mississippi State. NOT the same Florida who beat OSU 41-14 last year (and OSU is not the same team who lost to them). Why would anyone assume Florida will win @Kentucky, @Georgia and @ South Carolina? They might, but why is that reasonable? The record shows nearly every home team can hang with nearly any visiting team in the SEC this year but parity does not make that conference superior... just as Michigan's losses to Appalachian State and Oregon don't mean the Big Ten is having a "down year".

Ohio State vs. Ohio State: So far The numbers for this year's defense are better than almost any in OSU's history. I just heard Chris Spielman lay out some reasons why. There's an 8 to 10 hungry and talented front rotating in... last year's good linebackers are playing great... and the secondary is light years ahead in man coverage making any repeat of last year's Florida debacle almost unthinkable. Week after week, the OSU scout team is the best team we play.

Oh yeah... the OSU offense won the jersey scrimmage.

 

[fourteenandoh]

Take off the scarlet colored glasses for a minute.

They've got a point. We haven't beaten anyone. We have looked very impressive against horrible football teams. Our best opponent is NW for pete's sake. Until we beat someone, us being #1 will drive the country up a wall. The good news is, that if we take care of business we'll be right where we want to be. That's all we can ask for at this point in the season.

 

[DaytonBuck]

Florida lucked out at Ole Miss

 

[Mike80]

Negative.

While Washington is mainly a mediocre team and Purdon't will probably end up in a bowl game, the rest of the schedule HAS BEEN relatively weak. It's just the way the schedule has fallen this year. Remember when the Washington game was scheduled, they were coming off of a Rose bowl appearance (if I'm thinking of the right year, and if I'm not, I'm probably only a year off). That the school essentially destroyed it's athletic department in the wake of the Neuheisal gambling/NCAA pool incident is on them, not Ohio State.

Ohio State has done one thing that no one ranked ahead of them to start the season has: They've beaten the team in front of them every weekend. Honestly none of the games have been very close (whereas everyone else has lost AND had a close call to go with it).

Here's the deal however: the meat of the Ohio State schedule is coming up starting this weekend. Everyone they face from here on out is 5-2 going into this weekend. If you go by the SOS rankings that the various services put out, Ohio State faces the #3 hardest schedule from here on out.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

It has been said several times already, but I get the distinct impression that people need frequent reminders of this:

The entire nation sneering with derision at OSU's #1 ranking is not a bad thing. If you can think of a better way for a #1 team to fight complacency, by all means call Jim Tressel and let him know. Many #1 teams have tried to play the faux-disrespect card; this #1 team can play the real-disrespect card in a big way.​

You want to hear a best-case scenario?​

OSU wins out and plays South Florida or BC for the championship and wins a close one. The Buckeyes hoist the crystal football, and then ESPN goes on to do a 40-night retrospective on the most undeserving national champions in college football history. They end the series by unanimously deciding that the 2007 Buckeyes edge out the 1985 BYU Cougars for the title of Most Undeserving Champs Ever.​

The collective disrespect keeps the ridiculously loaded 2008 Buckeyes hungry and they tear through their schedule with a vengeance and return to the NC game in Miami in January 2009. Facing them will be an SEC team; and the entire world will say "watch what happens when the Buckeyes face real competition for the first time in two years".​

Then the Buckeyes go out and destroy them.​

Can we agree that the scenario above would be sweet? Can we agree that few experiences as a Buckeye fan could be better?​

Victories are sweet if they are hard fought and bring with them a feeling of redemption. The greater the current disrespect, and the longer it lasts, the sweeter the redemption.​

Being a Buckeye in that moment of glory will be incredibly easy.​

But are you missing how sweet it is to be a Buckeye right now?​

 

[Steve19]

It has been said several times already, but I get the distinct impression that people need frequent reminders of this:

The entire nation sneering with derision at OSU's #1 ranking is not a bad thing. If you can think of a better way for a #1 team to fight complacency, by all means call Jim Tressel and let him know. Many #1 teams have tried to play the faux-disrespect card; this #1 team can play the real-disrespect card in a big way.​

You want to hear a best-case scenario?​

OSU wins out and plays South Florida or BC for the championship and wins a close one. The Buckeyes hoist the crystal football, and then ESPN goes on to do a 40-night retrospective on the most undeserving national champions in college football history. They end the series by unanimously deciding that the 2007 Buckeyes edge out the 1985 BYU Cougars for the title of Most Undeserving Champs Ever.​

The collective disrespect keeps the ridiculously loaded 2008 Buckeyes hungry and they tear through their schedule with a vengeance and return to the NC game in Miami in January 2009. Facing them will be an SEC team; and the entire world will say "watch what happens when the Buckeyes face real competition for the first time in two years".​

Then the Buckeyes go out and destroy them.​

Can we agree that the scenario above would be sweet? Can we agree that few experiences as a Buckeye fan could be better?​

Victories are sweet if they are hard fought and bring with them a feeling of redemption. The greater the current disrespect, and the longer it lasts, the sweeter the redemption.​

Being a Buckeye in that moment of glory will be incredibly easy.​

But are you missing how sweet it is to be a Buckeye right now?​

That deserved a GPA!

 

[BrutusBobcat]

It has been said several times already, but I get the distinct impression that people need frequent reminders of this:

The entire nation sneering with derision at OSU's #1 ranking is not a bad thing. If you can think of a better way for a #1 team to fight complacency, by all means call Jim Tressel and let him know. Many #1 teams have tried to play the faux-disrespect card; this #1 team can play the real-disrespect card in a big way.​

You want to hear a best-case scenario?​

OSU wins out and plays South Florida or BC for the championship and wins a close one. The Buckeyes hoist the crystal football, and then ESPN goes on to do a 40-night retrospective on the most undeserving national champions in college football history. They end the series by unanimously deciding that the 2007 Buckeyes edge out the 1985 BYU Cougars for the title of Most Undeserving Champs Ever.​

The collective disrespect keeps the ridiculously loaded 2008 Buckeyes hungry and they tear through their schedule with a vengeance and return to the NC game in Miami in January 2009. Facing them will be an SEC team; and the entire world will say "watch what happens when the Buckeyes face real competition for the first time in two years".​

Then the Buckeyes go out and destroy them.​

Can we agree that the scenario above would be sweet? Can we agree that few experiences as a Buckeye fan could be better?​

Victories are sweet if they are hard fought and bring with them a feeling of redemption. The greater the current disrespect, and the longer it lasts, the sweeter the redemption.​

Being a Buckeye in that moment of glory will be incredibly easy.​

But are you missing how sweet it is to be a Buckeye right now?​

There is one problem with your scenario. Ohio State message boards will be unreadable for 12 months. :tongue2: