Mandels Power Rankings, Surprise, OSU is not #1

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/10/16/power.rankings8/index.html

I love his polls, he truly tries to get it right. LSU #2

 

I respect what USF has done (beating AU and WVU) but nobody wants to see them matched up with LSU, OSU, OU etc in a championship game. It will seem like a good game\story all the way leading up to 1st quarter, but would ultimately be as bad as last years game. I don't see them winning out anyways. But what the hell do I know, this is the year for upsets. If they had to get in any year it may as well be this one.

 

Meh, 2007 version of Boise State or Wake Forest. Give them a BCS bowl, sure, but keep them away from the championship. My God. If Tulane can go undefeated and not even sniff a BCS bowl, why should USF get a title shot? LSU jumps USF if they win out, so it makes no difference.

 

USF has played a better schedule than any other undefeated. They are balanced offensively and defensively, are ahead in the east, and beaten quality opponents.

I don't understand how anyone can say "It would be fine until the first quarter" after last years games. "The" Ohio State got facestomped by the gators, and Boise State beat OU.

USF (Or another comparable school last year) could've gotten whooped by UF just as well as OSU. Boise state proved that college football is becoming alot more equal and anyone can beat anyone else a game.

If USF goes undefeated, when else would you let them in the NC? All the favorites are out already, and if you bitch about schedules, then OSU shouldn't even be in the running.

 

I don't mind them going to a BCS game, just not the championship game.

Exactly. Boise State would have gotten face planted by Florida even worse that OSU did. The same would happen to USF. That's my point.

I did say this would be the year for them to go because of the upsets. That we agree on.

 

They have earned their right to the NC (Assuming they go undefeated). They may beat a bunch of over-hyped scrubs in the Big East, but so do others (OSU is just blatent this year). My biggest complaint about the big east is their teams are never balanced, see Louisville and WVU who are all offensive and no D. Can't say that about USF, and no matter what spin you put on it, going into Auburn and beating them gets your props.

Unless you have some crazy mind power I don't, I will just disagree with you on the Boise State thing. I think they probably would've lost, but worse than OSU? I doubt it, at least they looked like they were awake for their game against OSU. I bet high school teams would've been dominated less than OSU.

Your last sentence confuses me. I agree with it, but the rest of your post is basically argueing why they shouldn't get in this year.

I am usually against a USF getting in over an 1 loss school (to a quality oppnent) and a tough schedule, but who falls into that category? LSU is only one that comes to mind, and of all the undefeats, I say USF has earned the #1 spot the most.

If OSU goes undefeated not beating a ranked team (What a joke of a schedule), they are in. If USF goes undefeated, beating at least a few people that will end the season ranked, they shouldn't be in. Just doesn't make sense to me.

Even if the game is over in the first quarter, does that really matter? USC did it to OU, UF did it to OSU.

Saying just because they are from a big conference/school does not mean it will be a good game, it means there will be a game that anyone can win, just like if USF was there.

 

I guess what I should have said is that because of all the upsets USF has the best chance to get in if undefeated, due to the voters and the way the season has gone so far.

All of this is nonsense anyway because USF will lose in the next few weeks. If they are a one loss team where would you put them amongst the rest of the one loss teams? Only behind LSU? You know as well as a do that they would probably fall out of the top ten. And for good reason because they don't belong where they are to begin with.

 

I have to agree with his poll also, very well thought out. He thinks the way all the pollsters should think even if they don't come to the same conclusions.

 

We should probably come back to this at the end of the season, too many ifs :lol: I enjoy this convo tho, so I apologize if I bore you with my wall of text.

Anyways, in all my football wisdom, I will do my best.

If they lose to anyone left on their schedule, it probably won't be a ranked team, and that will hurt them. Out of the top 10? Maybe, maybe not. Depends who they lose to.

At that point they would have 2 big wins (WVU and Auburn) and a bad loss (Rutgers or cinci would probably be ranked, but anyone else wouldn't). Sooo...

The undefeateds would be ahead (OSU, BC), and the teams with a semi respectable loss, and some decent wins (LSU, USC, UK, OU). But the rest are all in a bubble.

USC has no decent wins, and a terrible lose. USF prolly ahead of them.

Oregon had a respectable loss, but have only blown out mediocre teams besides that. Cal has 1 decent win, and a horrible loss. ASU is undefeated, but no good wins. Should USF be ahead or behind these? Who knows.

Oh well I had fun playing an AP voter, probably just as clueless. Gotta come back at the end though.

 

I agree with your rankings of the one loss teams should USF lose. Just remember Louisville was ranked in the top ten to start the season too, and USF still has to play them. The bottom line Is that I have no respect for the Big East. Guess I should have started with that.

We will have to revisit. If anything is certain, it's that nothing is certain in college football. And that's why I love it.