It's an early blogpoll, and just like all those guys I complain about, it's full of the usual suspects! Well, okay, except Notre Dame.
LSU at #1 because everyone returns except for Jordan Jefferson. Alabama because Nick Saban is still Nick Saban, they'll still be a great defense, and the SEC has won the BCS. Five SEC teams are in my top ten. Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson returns for his senior season, and Georgia? Well, I have a soft spot for Mark Richt.
USC gets back in the top five by virtue of Matt Barkley returning while Oregon loses Darron Thomas and LaMichael James, two players who aren't easily replaced. I'll pick Michigan to win the Big Ten on the basis of Denard Robinson, Fitzgerald Toussaint, and a defense that only stands to get better given that in a single season they turned around as much as they did.
Wisconsin drops despite Montee Ball returning, largely because there is no one who will do what Russel Wilson did for them this season. I've stated my problems with Michigan State earlier - I think they'll still be good, but not top ten good.
Nebraska - ranked at 20th. I believe we'll contend for the division, but until the Huskers show they can put together a good season that's where they'll stay.
And to show what a nice, unbiased guy I am I've ranked Texas even thought their offense is full of the biggest bunch of untough overrated pansies in the Big 12.
We will release periodic blogpoll updates throughout the offseason. Feedback is welcome, if for no other reason than there ain't much else going on.
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LSU Tigers |
 2 |
| 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | -- |
| 3 | USC Trojans | -- |
| 4 | Michigan Wolverines |
8 |
| 5 | Oregon Ducks |
 -1 |
| 6 | Oklahoma Sooners |
10 |
| 7 | TCU Horned Frogs |
6 |
| 8 | South Carolina Gamecocks |
-1 |
| 9 | Georgia Bulldogs |
11 |
| 10 | Arkansas Razorbacks |
-4 |
| 11 | Virginia Tech Hokies |
10 |
| 12 | Wisconsin Badgers |
-4 |
| 13 | Michigan St. Spartans |
-4 |
| 14 | Boise St. Broncos |
-4 |
| 15 | Kansas St. Wildcats | -- |
| 16 | Oklahoma St. Cowboys |
-15 |
| 17 | Florida St. Seminoles |
6 |
| 18 | Stanford Cardinal |
-13 |
| 19 | Southern Miss. Golden Eagles |
-1 |
| 20 | Nebraska Cornhuskers |
5 |
| 21 | Texas Longhorns | -- |
| 22 | Washington Huskies | -- |
| 23 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | -- |
| 24 | Cincinnati Bearcats |
-5 |
| 25 | BYU Cougars |
-1 |
| Dropouts: Baylor Bears, Houston Cougars, West Virginia Mountaineers, Clemson Tigers | ||
SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings "
0 recs | 24 comments
Is it possible for Florida State to underperform at 17?
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 19, 2012
If there's a way to underperform, Florida State will find it
Billgrip - January 19, 2012
But wait, there's a new team in the ESPN butt-kissing extravaganza!
ESPN’s all ready puckered up to kiss the behind of one of their all-time favorite anointed. University of Southern California, come on down! Now on the other-side of their NCAA wrist slaps, get ready to hear about how good they are from everyone all the time!
Let me sum up what we’ll see between August and December this year-
“Tonight’s top story on Sportscenter, we talk about how great the SEC is for the first half hour, followed by how great USC is for the last half hour. We ask you the viewer, why do you even bother watching college football since we know it WILL feature USC and LSU this season. We also won’t be having a Heisman trophy presentation because we already shipped it to Matt Barkely last December. We had already voted him the winner of the 2012 Heisman trophy, and the UPS had a special deal on shipping…so why not?”
Billgrip - January 19, 2012
If you have a copy of ESPN's College Football Encyclopedia, published in 2004...
…flip it open and check out the back pages, where an interviewer asks Kirk Herbstreit to name the greatest team in history, and Herbstreit says that would be Southern Cal…2005.
They never learn.
HailVarsity - January 19, 2012
I'm really glad LSU lost in the national championship
If they had won, I’m sure everyone would be arguing about whether or not they were the greatest team of all time…and actually I don’t know that there would be much of a counter argument. They would have beaten the #2 team twice, blew out the #3 team, and didn’t really struggle with anyone else.
Luckily, that didn’t happen. Even if they had won I’d still take the 95’ huskers against them.
Billgrip - January 19, 2012
Well, in Herbie's defense, he cries whenever someone mentions Nebraska 1995.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 19, 2012
Why not UCLA and Florida?
How could they not root for these teams! They’ve got CHARLIE WEIS, ready to turn Kansas into the the USC of the Plains! And JIM MORA, ready to end the football monopoly in Los Angeles (at least, before five NFL teams move simultaneously to LA, thus making all of the football irrelevant).
DON’T BRING UP BILL CALLAHAN WE’RE SELLING UNDERDOG STORIES.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 19, 2012
Michigan
Don’t really understand the love. Yes, Hoke’s done a great job there, but anyone who watched them could plainly see that they were still a deeply flawed team. They finished 11-2, but without a doubt should have lost to both Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. They barely beat a 6-6 Ohio State team and their most impressive win of the season was a result of A&M-esque officiating combined with Nebraska’s worst effort in recent memory. On top of it all they had one of the softest schedules in the Big Ten this year.
2012:
Alabama (neutral)
Air Force
@ Notre Dame
Michigan State
@ Nebraska
@ Ohio State
They’re receiving their comeuppance for last year’s schedule plus a little interest. At best they’re 9-3 next year, probably 8-4 though.
jdhusker - January 19, 2012
I think it's based on who they have coming back
You’re absolutely right about this year…but it’s hard to pick against a team that went 11-2 with their first year coach and has most of their starters coming back, as well as a top 10 recruiting class.
Billgrip - January 19, 2012
Until we beat Michigan, we can't discount them.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 19, 2012
Oh I don't discount them
If it were my ballot, NU would be a couple spots lower than Jon has them and Michigan would be around 10th. To me, top 5 = legitimate national title contender. I don’t see that when I look at Michigan.
jdhusker - January 19, 2012
what the hell with everyone loving florida state and texas
Florid State always, and i mean always is on the verge of turning it around ( so says everyone) and then fails every year to do much of anything. Maybe its time to wake up and c that maybe those so called talent on there team isnt that talented if they were they would be a top 10 team every year.
Texas what did they finish with 7 wins enough said on that.
Michigan should be like 14th or maybe 10th at the highest, i think they’re good but i’ve never seen a team have so much luck fall there way in games in my life. They’re playing too much on luck and not skill to be a top 5 to me.
Nebraska i think is a top 10 team because i think they got talent but refer to the fstate comment if so much talent then why not playing good. But i got to stay hopeful because i love em. But i would have the huskers about 17 to 20 range till they prove themselfs.
DirtySkers - January 19, 2012
Change the first line of your reply to Nebraska
And you have them same arguement against us. How long have we been “Nebraska’s Back!”? Doesn’t quite feel like we’re back yet.
Conspiracy* - January 19, 2012
I would never rank Nebraska.
PROTEST VOTE.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 19, 2012
Michigan is too high…. No way a top 5 school.
kittmurry - January 19, 2012 via Android app
if you
bring up that someone’s too high, you have to recommend a replacement for them.
look, I think I made a rule or something? (HOW THE HELL THAT HAPPEN?)
Jon Johnston - January 19, 2012
I vote Eastern Michigan to replace Michigan.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 19, 2012
I can handle
us where we are at but Mich. at #4 a little premature in my estimation. I like Michigan but not that much.
Huzkerfan - January 19, 2012
A bit puzzled why So. Miss is ranked at all.
Losing their greatest QB ever, his top two receivers and a lot of defensive talent.
And they lost their hairgel coach to UNC, and although Ellis Johnson was an elite coordinator at South Carolina he has never been tested as a HC on the FBS level.
Honestly no C-USA team should be ranked at all as well… we’re the derpiest little league in America. Everybody has at least one puzzling loss that looking back at only looks worse.
RjTheMetalhead - January 20, 2012
what mid-major
would you replace them with?
or would you rather just see traditional powerhouses ranked because that’s easier during the offseason?
You know that at least one mid-major is going to have a decent season and be ranked. Houston? Northern Illinois?
Jon Johnston - January 20, 2012
UMASS.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 20, 2012
Hell I dont know.
I wouldnt just throw in a random midmajor team to fulfill some quota though.
But as a fan of one of those derpy little C-USA teams (East Carolina) replacing talent at this level is hard as hell becasue you are starting with scraps to begin with.
Takes years to build up talent so you can have one good run like So. Miss and Houston had last year with their senior laden teams. No teams from there really stand out as rankable at all.
If I had to say any team though I’d say Temple.. the Divemaster seems to be a better coach then we thought.
RjTheMetalhead - January 20, 2012
Maybe Jon wants the Golden Eagles to be rated high at the start of the season
so that it makes us look good when we beat them ;)
Doc1028 - January 21, 2012
I'm pretty sure there is a segment of the fanbase who would have an outright conniption if we were ranked lower than Southern Mississippi in August.
ESPN IS TRYING TO BRING THIS PROGRAM DOWN BECAUSE BECAUSE MR. HERBSTREIT DOESN’T LIKE US AND HE’S IN CONTROL.
Salt Creek and Stadium - January 21, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Corn Nation to post a comment.