This week, however, wants not for content as we have the first edition of the BCS poll (meaning the pro-/anti-playoff mobs sharpen their pitchforks), three legitimate undefeated teams, a realization that UConn might be mediocre (at best), and status quo in the ACC. Of course, by writing about all of these potential/impending posts I pretty much accept that they will never be written and I'll begin the next post with the usual excuses (studying, Gossip Girls, invasive fungi).
But enough about me, let's talk about you. Onto the Mumme Poll!
Top Five:
Bama- Yeah I know: a win is a win is a win is a win. They're in the top five because they won, however their boa constrictor grip is a little looser than it was last week. The injury to the gargantuan NT Terrance Cody is the worst thing that could have happened to the Tide; Matt Hinton points out that it was not until Cody left the game that Mississippi found an offense. The evidence is damning, Bama needs Cody in a big, big way. With Cody, the Tide held the (formerly) vaunted Clemson rushing attack to 0 yards (that happened months ago and its STILL impressive) and the vaulting Knoshown Moreno to 34, and, until Ole Miss, the Tide gave up 0, 2.69, 1.91, 2.97, 3.13, and 1.75 yards per carry. The Rebs mustered only 6 carries for positive yardage (for a whopping, 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, and 6 yards) and a total of 99 yards on 6 possessions, 5 of which went for three or fewer plays, while Cody was in the game. But the Rebs went for 218 on 7 possessions after Cody went down. The importance of Terrance Cody cannot be overstated. Although...the Tide play Tennessee next week and a defensive line consisting of an third grader, my sister, and a half a box of Krispy Kremes could hold Tennessee to under 50 yards rushing.
Texas- Wow...just wow. Colt McCoy was perfect, enough has been said of that. The offense scored touchdowns on 8 of 11 possessions (the 11th possession went 65 yards and ended the game, could easily have been a 9th TD) and had 3 drives of more than 80 yards...enough has been said of that. Perhaps the most impressive bit from the Horns demolition derby, and there was a LOT of impressiving done by the Horns, is this: Mizzou had -6 yards through the first four possessions, three of which went 3 and out. While the pass defense has been unsurprisingly torched, the run Texas run defense has only once surrendered 2 or more yards per carry, and they've held Oklahoma and Mizzou to 1.85 and 1.58 ypc respectively. A cliche dictates that you win by running and stopping the run (see Bama, above), and Texas is certainly stopping the run. Their porous pass defense makes me think that they'll trip up in a shoot out somewhere, probably Texas Tech or Okie State, but for the time being this is easily, easily the nation's best team.
Penn State- The Lions were in trouble the first half. The Lions were in business the second half. So what changed from one half to the next? Blogger Black Shoe Diaries attributes the successful second half to certain changes in the linebacking corps, not to take away from the follies of Nick Sheridan, who has absolutely no business playing quarterback at an FBS level, let alone at a program of Michigan's prestige. Royster was his usual beast-tastic self and Clark went for his customary 200-250 total yards and a few touchdowns in a game that can be summed up as "easy-peezy-lemon-squeezy." If the team gets by Ohio State this weekend then all that stands between PSU and an undefeated season, in what is undoubtedly JoePa's swan song, is a sneaky tough trip to Iowa City, the Hoosiers, and Sparty.
Florida- I was tempted to put Georgia here, as Florida was off and Georgia's record is very comparable, if not slightly better. Florida's dominating win over a s0-s0 LSU team is as good as the sum total of the Georgia's win over ASU and Vandy. Both teams' have hung a half-dozen-ish mediocre pelts on their belts but get chances to really proves themselves during the coming weeks, with Georgia playing the same so-so LSU and the WLOCP.
But for whatever reason I consider Florida's loss to Ole Miss more reasonable than Georgia's prison raping by Bama. The fact that I'm still high on Florida (sort of like Marcus Thomas!) and the emergence of the sprinting sprites Jeff Demps and Brandon James give the Gators the nod here. If the LSU game was any indication, this team is only beginning to fulfill the expectations I laid down during the off-season.
USC- There's nothing funny about a team who surrenders all of ten points in a three week stretch, and those ten coming all at once against Oregon. That being said, you just know this team is going to slip up somewhere-you just know it. The question with USC is always when? They look unbeatable but, if you're aware of their trend of head-scratching losses, its a given that they'll drop a few that they shouldn't. Will it be Arizona this weekend, Cal next, Stanford again? Who knows?
I'm hoping that loss comes soon because I really don't want to hear the talking heads of ESPN deem USC as "playing the best football of anyone right now." What the hell does that even mean?
Rest of the Top Twelve:
Okie State
Tulsa
Utah
Boise State
Georgia
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Notes and Musings
- Tulsa is in here only as long as they are undefeated. I give them the nod based upon their record and the silly numbers they put up.
-I'm glad Okie State beat Baylor as badly as they did as the win gave me an excuse to drop Texas Tech.
-God have mercy if I have to rank Georgia Tech or Boston College anytime soon.
-Pitt/USF is bound to break the Big East shutout...aren't they.
