USA Today coaches pre-season CFB poll - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

transplant99 · 08-07-2009, 07:33 AM

As with every pre-season poll, this one has to be taken with a grain of salt.

That being said...hard to argue with much of it based on what's been discussed all off-season. The top 3 are no-brainers and can be put in any order IMO. The one i would question is Penn State behind Ohio State...makes little sense to me.

1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. USC
5. Alabama
6. Ohio State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Penn State
9. LSU
10 Mississippi

the rest....

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...l/usatpoll.htm

carom · 08-07-2009, 10:06 AM

#1 - Defending National Champions, I don’t know how you can make a strong argument against this.
#2 - After last year I believe that Texas is the team this year with the most to prove
#3 through #5 - I think you could make a case that #3 and #4 could be switched in order based purely on the schedule. USC, Oklahoma, and Alabama are the contenders that need to convince me that they are for real. They look the part but need to show that any holes in the lineup from the draft are filled. I’m not saying that the top two teams don’t have holes to fill but for the preseason I will give them the benefit of the doubt. I need to see that the sooners o-line is back in form, the trojans QB and LBs are shored up, and the new bama offence can score some points in the SEC.

#6 through #10 - Obviously a lot more of a crap shoot to pick these places. I don’t have much to say about these teams but I think you could make a good case to fit OK State and BoiseState somewhere in these places.

***this is based purely on feeling and very little research. I would love to see some hard evidence to prove me wrong.

PIMking · 08-08-2009, 12:48 AM

GO GATORS!!!

Well the defending national champions should be number one with 21 starters coming back and the whole defense.

This is going to be a fun season.

Its even better since I will be moving to Alabama monday so I will back in SEC country.

GO GATORS

valo403 · 08-08-2009, 02:15 PM

Notre Dame #23, what a fataing joke. A great example of why preseason polls are 100% BS, that team hasn't proven a thing. I'm not a playoff backer for the most part, but when votes like that happen I get where the Utah people are coming from.

PIMking · 08-09-2009, 01:31 AM

When Utah joins a real conference then they can bitch. But playing in a non bcs conference then they have nothing to wine about. They should be happy they even got a BCS bid.

Now on to ND. They always get the benifit of the doubt. Look at the classes they have. They are always ranked high. its the ND way.

valo403 · 08-09-2009, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PIMking

When Utah joins a real conference then they can bitch. But playing in a non bcs conference then they have nothing to wine about. They should be happy they even got a BCS bid.

Now on to ND. They always get the benifit of the doubt. Look at the classes they have. They are always ranked high. its the ND way.

And that makes it right?

As for Utah, which conference exactly has presented them an option of joining? Last time I checked you couldn't just put your name down and hop into the Pac-10.

Gugstanley · 08-09-2009, 07:45 AM

Still the Utah hate on here even after they go out and mess up BCS teams. The MWC top three teams can hang with the top teams of any conference dispite not having the player payroll of Florida or USC. Every conference has it's share of cupcakes. I'm sure that Texas fans circle the Baylor date on their calendar because that is always a close one. How could anyone miss the game when your team has a conference game scheduled against Duke?

We have been through this before and the MWC held their own against the BCS conferences and even beat up on the PAC 10 as usual. A team like Utah can't just put themselves into another conference and nobody has an opening. Best option probably is to bring in the next three strongest teams and try for a BCS auto bid.

Yes I hate it when Wyoming and SDSU are on the schedule but every conference has teams like this. SEC has Tennesse as Wyoming went to Tennesse and beat them last year.

moon · 08-09-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gugstanley

Still the Utah hate on here even after they go out and mess up BCS teams. The MWC top three teams can hang with the top teams of any conference dispite not having the player payroll of Florida or USC.

I know you are a huge Utah homer but you can't actually believe this?

Some years Utah is close to the 2nd or 3rd teams in the big conferences, but rarely (if ever) are they at the level of the top teams in the SEC, PAC or Big Ten.

The 2nd and 3rd teams in the MWC aren't ever close to the top teams in the big conferences.

FlamingLonghorn · 08-09-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gugstanley

. I'm sure that Texas fans circle the Baylor date on their calendar because that is always a close one.

Baylor is actually going to be legit this year. Their sophmore QB is going to open some eyes. I was pissed when UT didn't offer him a qb scholarship (offered db), because Gilbert from here in Lake Travis said if UT offered Griffin he wouldn't come. I think Griffin will ultimately prove he is > Gilbert. He won all freshman qb honors nationally pretty much. Art Briles is turning that program around just like he did Houston. I think they have a good chance to finish 4th in the south behind Texas, OU, and OK St. My guess is 8-4. 7-5 at worst.

ricoFlame · 08-09-2009, 08:49 AM

this year Boise, TCU, Utah and BYU all have a shot. They're actually starting at decent rankings, so if one of them runs the table... well, let's not go there yet. good stuff though.

And that's if the AP somewhat mirrors the USA today rankings.

transplant99 · 08-09-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

We have been through this before and the MWC held their own against the BCS conferences and even beat up on the PAC 10 as usual.

What??

In their history, the MWC record against BCS conferences...

ACC................6-8
Big 10.............6-14
Big 12.............17-28
Big East..........3-5
PAC 10...........26-44

Utah specifically....

ACC.............. 2-1
Big 10........... 7-8
Big 12........... 7-23
Big East........ 2-0
PAC 10......... 34-69-2

I like the Utes...but this isnt even debateable IMO. Even the weakest BCS conference is much much tougher than the MWC.

FlamingLonghorn · 08-09-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

this year Boise, TCU, Utah and BYU all have a shot. They're actually starting at decent rankings, so if one of them runs the table... well, let's not go there yet. good stuff though.

And that's if the AP somewhat mirrors the USA today rankings.

Well one of UT or OU is going to run the table most likely so that's one spot sealed up. The question is would any of those teams undefeated get in over a 1 loss Florida team?

Gugstanley · 08-09-2009, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transplant99

What??

In their history, the MWC record against BCS conferences...

ACC................6-8
Big 10.............6-14
Big 12.............17-28
Big East..........3-5
PAC 10...........26-44

Utah specifically....

ACC.............. 2-1
Big 10........... 7-8
Big 12........... 7-23
Big East........ 2-0
PAC 10......... 34-69-2

I like the Utes...but this isnt even debateable IMO. Even the weakest BCS conference is much much tougher than the MWC.

Utah Specifically in the BCS era 1998-present

Big East... 2-0
SEC......... 1-0
Big Ten ....3-1
Acc ..........2-1
Pac 10......8-7
Big 12.......1-1

I don't like the MWC and wish Utah could move out to a different conference. A playoff system would also be a nice finsih to the college season and that isn't happening anytime soon. No question Utah's defense will have to carry them this year. TCU probably has the best shot at runn.ing the table in the MWC. BYU will get embarrased by OU.

transplant99 · 08-09-2009, 07:41 PM

I cant believe i left out the SEC!!!..

LOL...wow.

6-9 aganst them BTW.

The MWC champs can NEVER complain about their lot in life when you compare things though...just cant.

I agree that every BCS conference has a couple cupcakes...but compared to what the MWC offers? They are friggin david and Goliath. Its not WAC or MAC bad but it is a distant ways from any of the BCS conferences.

PIMking · 08-09-2009, 08:00 PM

The pac10 and Big11 need more teams to round out the conference. They need 12 teams like sec, big 12, and ACC.

Utah isn't a bad team but you cannot say that they are just as good as a florida and USC, OSU, Texas, OU.

The game against Alabama was a joke. They lost their best lt and basically gave up after florida beat them in the SECCG.

I do think Utah could join the Pac10 and make some noise because that isn't a stellar conference either. Hell the big east doesn't even have a team ranked in the top 25 yet this year but they will get a BCS game.

I think they should reward let say Utah for the Big East championship BCS game over a big east team. Like any conference say the sec winner has a 4 loss record and utah has one loss let them take the spot of the sec or big 11 or 12 so on and so forth.

I just think its a complete joke that Utah fans think they can hang with the big boys night in and out. They just cant.

moon · 08-09-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gugstanley

The MWC top three teams can hang with the top teams of any conference dispite not having the player payroll of Florida or USC.

How can you say that the top 3 teams can hang with the top teams of any conference when the best team in the MWC has mediocre records against the average teams in most conferences:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gugstanley

Utah Specifically in the BCS era 1998-present

Big East... 2-0
SEC......... 1-0
Big Ten ....3-1
Acc ..........2-1
Pac 10......8-7
Big 12.......1-1

and then state that one of the top 3 teams is likely going to get killed by one of the top teams in a BCS conference:

Quote:

BYU will get embarrased by OU.

It seems like you agree that the top 3 teams in the MWC can't hang with the top teams in the BCS conferences.

ricoFlame · 08-09-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sowa

Well one of UT or OU is going to run the table most likely so that's one spot sealed up. The question is would any of those teams undefeated get in over a 1 loss Florida team?

exactly the same old story.

well, OU is losing to BYU on september 5th, so...

ricoFlame · 08-09-2009, 10:29 PM

...BTW, did anybody happen to notice Idaho State's first two games of the year?

Arizona State and OU.......YIKES. The Bengals were brutal last year. good on their AD for securing those games, good for the school i guess, so long as they don't give up 100 in one of those games.

Gugstanley · 08-10-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

It seems like you agree that the top 3 teams in the MWC can't hang with the top teams in the BCS conferences.

I'll give you that one. BYU has a slow defense and OU is a top team.
I prefer a playoff system so every team has a chance to win it all and evens out the revenue a little.
I'm a Utah homer no doubt that goes with watching all of the games. They haven't always had a quality program but the last ten years have been competitive. I don't see them running the table this year but they should be strong on D it all depends on how the quarterback situation rolls out.

If the MWC pulls in Boise State, and two other schools say Tulsa and Fresno State does that make them a BCS conference?

FlamingLonghorn · 08-10-2009, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gugstanley

I'll give you that one. BYU has a slow defense and OU is a top team.
I prefer a playoff system so every team has a chance to win it all and evens out the revenue a little.
I'm a Utah homer no doubt that goes with watching all of the games. They haven't always had a quality program but the last ten years have been competitive. I don't see them running the table this year but they should be strong on D it all depends on how the quarterback situation rolls out.

If the MWC pulls in Boise State, and two other schools say Tulsa and Fresno State does that make them a BCS conference?

Utah is going to have to wait until they get the invite to the PAC-10. The Big 10 and Pac 10 are eventually going to go to 12 teams each. I don't think Utah is that far away. I am pretty sure that UT, OU, Florida, LSU, USC would win a conference 9 times out of 10 with those teams in it (Utah, Boise St., Fresno St, Tulsa, TCU, BYU).