Monday, September 10, 2007

BlogPoll Transition Week

My original preseason BlogPoll was based on some talent ranking data I had accumulated because I didn’t have any idea which teams were worthy of ranking in the top 25, much less any sort of order.

Admit it, neither did you.

I’m calling this “Transition Week” as we move from the hybrid talent-results poll of last week to a pure results oriented poll this week. That means if you aren’t 2-0, you aren’t in the top 25.

Including you 1-and-0 USC. Build up that resume if you want to play.

By my count, 35 Division I-A teams are 2-0. So, 10 of those teams are not making the top 25. The ten not to be included are –

Air Force
Arizona State
Hawaii
Indiana
Northwestern
Ohio
Pitt
Purdue
Texas A&M
Texas Tech

It’s nothing personal to these ten, but I’m either not very impressed with who you have played, not very impressed with how you won, or some combination thereof. Go 3-0, and we’ll talk.

Of the remaining teams, I see 4 categories of 2-0 winners –

1. A “good” win and a “patsy” win – this would include LSU, Oklahoma and yes even Washington. These teams will get priority rankings.

2. A “good” win and a “bad” win – this would include teams like Cal and Texas. They get secondary rankings.

3. 2 “pasty” wins – Sure, you are blowing out the little guys. But we don’t really know you yet. This get’s 3rd priority rankings.

4. A “patsy win” and a “bad” win – Nebraska and Ohio State. Bringing them in at 24th & 25th.

Which gives this our Week 2 regular season results-oriented poll –

RankTeamDelta
1 LSU 1
2 Oklahoma 2
3 Oregon 20
4 Clemson 5
5 Washington 21
6 Georgia Tech 6
7 Penn State 1
8 South Carolina 18
9 Missouri 17
10 Cincinnati 16
11 UCLA 7
12 Boston College 14
13 Wisconsin 3
14 South Florida 12
15 California 12
16 Texas 5
17 Florida 12
18 West Virginia 3
19 Alabama 8
20 Rutgers 6
21 Michigan State 5
22 Iowa 4
23 Louisville 7
24 Ohio State 17
25 Nebraska 5

Dropped Out: Georgia (#1), Southern Cal (#6), Auburn (#13), Hawaii (#14), Miami (Florida) (#17), Boise State (#19), Texas A&M (#22), Texas Tech (#24), Tennessee (#25).


Mr Manic-Depressive again, I am sure.

I imagine Week 3 will start to see a firming up of our poll, as we are forced to perhaps include teams with a 2-1 record (You can be sure a Gator loss will drop them from my top 25). How USC plays at Nebraska will also be very interesting toward ranking the Trojans.

2 comments:

Gator Duck said...

Ah, Mergz. Obviously you couldn't get enough of the E-ticket rides when you were a kid. (Neither could I)

I don't care what talking heads say, this is the way the early season polls should be. There was Herbstreit Saturday night saying USC was still #1 ahead of LSU. They have done nothing to earn that spot. It's all bullzook.

Mergz said...

E-ticket, eh duck?

Dating yourself there.

Of course, I fully understand the reference.