USA Today releases its top 25 college fball poll

[MartinBlank]

Here is the top 25 from the coaches poll:

1. Florida (53) 13-1 1,466 1
2. Texas (4) 12-1 1,386 3
3. Oklahoma (1) 12-2 1,358 5
4. Southern California (1) 12-1 1,321 2
5. Alabama 12-2 1,134 6
6. Ohio State 10-3 1,126 11
7. Virginia Tech 10-4 1,020 14
8. Penn State 11-2 988 8
9. LSU 8-5 917 NR
10. Mississippi 9-4 889 15
11. Oklahoma State 9-4 861 18
12. California 9-4 711 25
13. Georgia 10-3 707 10
14. Oregon 10-3 694 9
15. Georgia Tech 9-4 559 22
16. Boise State 12-1 542 13
17. TCU 11-2 461 7
18. Utah 13-0 404 4
19. Florida State 9-4 371 23
20. North Carolina 8-5 293 NR
21. Iowa 9-4 257 20
22. Nebraska 9-4 236 NR
23. Notre Dame 7-6 194 NR
24. Brigham Young 10-3 178 21
25. Oregon State 9-4 165 19

[gremlin]

Wow, 7-6 ND ranked pre-season? I should act suprised, but then I remember the hardon everyone gets over the Irish. I'd say out of every team in CFB, they have to prove anything the least. I'm not saying they won't have a good season, but ranked already? Christ. pun intended.

[Justin7]

Go Notre Dame f*ck yeah!

[Deuce]

Iowa, ND, BYU, UNC,

[Fishhead]

Wow, 7-6 ND ranked pre-season? I should act suprised, but then I remember the hardon everyone gets over the Irish. I'd say out of every team in CFB, they have to prove anything the least. I'm not saying they won't have a good season, but ranked already? Christ. pun intended.

Phil Steele has their WR's unit ranked the best in the country and has their overall team FINISHING the season ranked #7 in the country.........indicating they will be surprisingly good this year.

Iowa is ranked where they should be and will in all liklihood finish the season in the 16th-30th range..........but they have a better chance of finishing below 30th than above 16th in my opinion, as they play AT PENN STATE, AT MICHIGAN ST. and AT OHIO STATE.

[pavyracer]

This is the most useless form of information. Lets make a poll before anyone plays a game to decide who is the better team. Brilliant idea! What's next? Give them the trophy now and if they win they keep it but if they lose we take it back.

[Fishhead]

Iowa had only 4 losses last year, by a total of 12 points!!

They return 9 starters on the defensive side of the ball and have arguablly the best offensive line in the Big Ten and one that is ranked 6th nationally by Steele.

Yes, they lose Shonn Greene, but they have 3 dynamite youngsters in sophomore Jewell Hampton, red-shirt Florida freshman Brinson, and true freshman do everything 5 star recruit Brandon Wegher. If these three guys stay healthy for their careers, Iowa will be set at RB for three years and this group could become the best RB corps in the nation come 2011.

[Deuce]

Wow, 7-6 ND ranked pre-season? I should act suprised, but then I remember the hardon everyone gets over the Irish. I'd say out of every team in CFB, they have to prove anything the least. I'm not saying they won't have a good season, but ranked already? Christ. pun intended.

Phil Steele has their WR's unit ranked the best in the country and has their overall team FINISHING the season ranked #7 in the country.........indicating they will be surprisingly good this year.

Iowa is ranked where they should be and will in all liklihood finish the season in the 16th-30th range..........but they have a better chance of finishing below 30th than above 16th in my opinion, as they play AT PENN STATE, AT MICHIGAN ST. and AT OHIO STATE.[/quote]

Uni of Mich will beat them too.

[Fishhead]

Uni of Mich will beat them too.

Hope not, plan on attending that night game in Iowa City if Iowa starts the season 3-0.

[TodaysAction]

Iowa, ND, BYU, UNC,

at least three of those four will go bowling this season.

[footballmoney]

at least three of those four will go bowling this season.

I think they all go bowling, can't see any of them loosing more that six games!

[Fishhead]

I think they all go bowling, can't see any of them loosing more that six games!

Iowa could lose six games and only have four wins against FBS teams and not be bowl eligible at 6-6 if two of their wins are against Northern Iowa and Arkansas State.

[footballmoney]

Iowa could lose six games and only have four wins against FBS teams and not be bowl eligible at 6-6 if two of their wins are against Northern Iowa and Arkansas State.

I really don't see Iowa finishing worse than 8-4. But yes a 6-6 team with two wins over FCS schools would not deserve to be in a bowl game.
Northern Iowa-win
@Iowa State- win
Arizona- close win
@PSU-loss
Arkansa St-win
Michigan-win
@Wisconsin- toss up
@Mich St- loss
Indiana- win
Northwestern- win
@OSU-loss
Minn-win

[Intuitive_Edge]

At least UT is above OU. Took em a year to get that right

[seaborneq]

Florida has the toughest schedule if they played the usual suspects. UGA, Ole Miss, FSU, LSU, and possibly Alabama in the SEC Championship game. I will take the under on 11 wins if that is the case.

[ZBOIZ]

My Tigers is at #9 in the nation. By week 4 when they face Georgia they should be in the top 5

[MartinBlank]

My Tigers is at #9 in the nation. By week 4 when they face Georgia they should be in the top 5

Z, why will LSU be Top 5 when they play Georgia in week 4?

LSU actually plays Georgia in WEEK 5 by the way, but anyway.

Look at the schedules of the teams in front of LSU, and tell me how LSU is going to jump 4 of those teams?

1. Florida: Charleston Southern, Troy, Tennessee, AT Kentucky
2. Texas: UL-M, Wyoming, Texas Tech, Wyoming
3. Oklahoma: BYU, Idaho State, Tulsa, BYE WEEK
4. USC: San Diego State, Ohio State, Washington, Washington State
5. Alabama: VT, FIU, North Texas, Arkansas
6. Ohio State: Navy, USC, Toledo, Indiana
7 Virginia Tech: Alabama, Marshall, Nebraska, Duke
8. Penn State: Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Iowa

Florida, Texas, and OU are virtually guaranteed of being 4-0.

The winner of USC/Ohio State will also be without a loss.

Same for the winner of Alabama/VT.

Penn State plays 4 straight home games to begin the season.

LSU opens up with Washington, Vandy, UL-Lafayette, and Mississippi State. The combined record of those teams last year 17-26. Not exactly murderer's row, and no one big enough to vault LSU past any teams above them.

Z..I get that you are an LSU fan, but man, you are incapable of actually being objective AT ALL about your team. It is brutal.

[pavyracer]

Anyone knows when the English Premier League will post its poll? Because a poll is what decides who is the best team. A fukking poll..yeah!

[MartinBlank]

Anyone knows when the English Premier League will post its poll? Because a poll is what decides who is the best team. A fukking poll..yeah!

Pavy, you are preaching to the choir here.

They should blow up the BCS.

I can't imagine there is actually a college football fan who does not want a playoff system.

When the NCAA comes to their senses, they will realize how much cash an NCAA football playoff will generate. It will be bigger than anything they can imagine.

For a bunch of smart people, they sure are stupid.

[pavyracer]

Martin...Maybe they like the poll because people have nothing to talk about for 4 months. Hey Bubba...My team is #6 on the poll but yours is #12. We are better baby! We will never play each other but we kicked your ass at the poll this year Bubba!

[ZBOIZ]

V.T will have a tough time against Nebraska. That will be no slouch game. Also they have to play Bama. But I do think VT has a good chance against Bama, and I think VT has a tough task against Nebraska. It could happen

[ZBOIZ]

Also I strongly believe Ohio State will finally get that out of conference victory against a major team this year against USC

[MartinBlank]

V.T will have a tough time against Nebraska. That will be no slouch game. Also they have to play Bama. But I do think VT has a good chance against Bama, and I think VT has a tough task against Nebraska. It could happen

The VT/Nebraska game is in Blacksburg.

Nebraska did not win a single road game last year.

VT beat them in Lincoln.

Nebraska's QB--Zack Lee will be making his first road start in Blacksburg.

You still like Nebraska?

[ZBOIZ]

I wouldn't be supise if Nebraska pulled the upset. It should be a low scoring game just how I think the Alabama game will be.

[MartinBlank]

I wouldn't be supise if Nebraska pulled the upset. It should be a low scoring game just how I think the Alabama game will be.

Last year, VT beat Nebraska 35-30.

Why do you think this year will be "low scoring"?

Alabama/VT I could see as being low scoring, but Nebraska's defense has a LOOOOOONG way to go before they are compared to their old blackshirt d.

[head_strong]

Here is the top 25 from the coaches poll:

1. Florida (53) 13-1 1,466 1
2. Texas (4) 12-1 1,386 3
3. Oklahoma (1) 12-2 1,358 5
4. Southern California (1) 12-1 1,321 2
5. Alabama 12-2 1,134 6
6. Ohio State 10-3 1,126 11
7. Virginia Tech 10-4 1,020 14
8. Penn State 11-2 988 8
9. LSU 8-5 917 NR
10. Mississippi 9-4 889 15
11. Oklahoma State 9-4 861 18
12. California 9-4 711 25
13. Georgia 10-3 707 10
14. Oregon 10-3 694 9
15. Georgia Tech 9-4 559 22
16. Boise State 12-1 542 13
17. TCU 11-2 461 7
18. Utah 13-0 404 4
19. Florida State 9-4 371 23
20. East Carolina 9-5 293 NR
21. Iowa 9-4 257 20
22. Nebraska 9-4 236 NR
23. Notre Dame 7-6 194 NR
24. Brigham Young 10-3 178 21
25. Oregon State 9-4 165 19

I fixed your typo with UNC at #20, I'd say this looks about right.....although VT is not a top 10 team.

[MartinBlank]

Well played HS.

Go Pirates. I like Skip Holtz, hope he wins there.

[fiveteamer]

How is Oklahoma 3rd?

[MartinBlank]

How is Oklahoma 3rd?

Where should they be?

They did play in the title game last year and have the Heisman winner returning.

[gremlin]

I wouldn't be supise if Nebraska pulled the upset. It should be a low scoring game just how I think the Alabama game will be.

Nebraska should get blown out by VT. I can't imagine Tech will be underdogs this year, but I'm interested in seeing how the ML for this game pans out. Because there is no reason for a VT loss in BBurg versus a Husker team with a weaker offense than last year.

[MartinBlank]

Nebraska should get blown out by VT. I can't imagine Tech will be underdogs this year, but I'm interested in seeing how the ML for this game pans out. Because there is no reason for a VT loss in BBurg versus a Husker team with a weaker offense than last year.

That was my line of thinking too Gremlin.

I can't see how Nebraska's first year starting QB, playing his first game on the road---with 4 starters back on offense, and just 6 on defense---can walk into Blacksburg and face a 17 starters back---including 9 on offense---and win this game.

Just using comparative power numbers, I put this line in the VT -12/-13 neighborhood.

VT rolls them.

There is nothing Z can point to that would give him reason to believe Nebraska will win. They lost in Lincoln last year to VT, they haven't won a road game since 2007, and they are breaking in a new QB.

Yet, Z thinks Nebraska has a shot. Just don't see it.

[flyingillini]

The Illini will be ranked this season.

[seaborneq]

The Illini will be ranked this season.

The Illini will be ranked this season.

Didn't the Illini cost you money last year by NOT winning more than 7 games? No team with 7 wins or less will be in the polls at the end of the year.

[flyingillini]

Yes they did cost me money last year with their win total. What does that have to do with this year?

[MartinBlank]

Yes they did cost me money last year with their win total. What does that have to do with this year?

I speak from experience.

Don't bet on teams that you are attached to. It usually ends up burning you.

And while I do think Illinois will have a decent year, Ron Zook is a lot like Roy Munson. Sometimes you just get "Zook'd".