chuck's Top 25

[chuck 0]

I have been fortunate enough to have wateched all of week 1 (from a sports book in Vegas) and almost all of week 2 (from a sports bar in Houston) and based on my careful analysis and viewing (which I am convinced is more then most pollsters do), here is my Top 25

1) USC

2) Texas

3) Virginia Tech

4) Florida

5) LSU

6) OSU

7) Tennessee

8) Notre Dame

9) Louisville

10) UGA

11) Purdue

12) Georgia Tech

13) Arizona State

14) Texas Tech

15) Iowa State

16) Iowa

17) Michigan

18) Cal

19) Clemson

20) Oklahoma

21) Virginia

22) Auburn

23) Florida State

24) Wisconsin

25) Miami

[chuck 0]

on top of that . .I'm not overly impressed with anyone yet this year except for USC and Virginia Tech. That goes for teams and conferences.

I want to say the SEC is great b/c of the 4 Top 10 teams, but after watching these teams play, I think we have a good shot at all of them - and we are not a Top 10 team as of right now.

The Pac 10 has USC and ASU, but ASU lost at home to LSU, and I'm just not overly sold on Cal or any other Pac 10 TEam

The ACC powerhouses of FSU and Miami are down, IMHO, and will be bolstered by their typical middle tierer's Clemson and Georgia Tech - although I do think VT will be in the MNC game.

The Big 10 was overrated to start the season, we leared that on Saturday when all 3 of their Top 10 teams lost. Wisconsin may be able to win that conference this year.

The Big 12 is horrible. Oklahoma is flat out not that great - the entire Big 12 North is "state of Mississippi" bad, and basically the entire conference are the three Texas schools (UT, TAMU (who already proved that they aren't THAT great), and Texas Tech.

[AWK 0]

I have been fortunate enough to have wateched all of week 1 (from a sports book in Vegas) and almost all of week 2 (from a sports bar in Houston) and based on my careful analysis and viewing (which I am convinced is more then most pollsters do), here is my Top 25

1)  USC

2)  Texas

3)  Virginia Tech

4)  Florida

5)  LSU

6)  OSU

7)  Tennessee

8)  Notre Dame

9)  Louisville

10)  UGA

11)  Purdue

12)  Georgia Tech

13)  Arizona State

14)  Texas Tech

15)  Iowa State

16)  Iowa

17)  Michigan

18)  Cal

19)  Clemson

20)  Oklahoma

21)  Virginia

22)  Auburn

23)  Florida State

24)  Wisconsin

25)  Miami

180736[/snapback]

Miami below GA Tech????? Iowa State ahead of Miami and Fl State?

[chuck 0]

again, this is my opinion, so I'm not just so sold on this that I don't believe its possible I'm off . . but . .

did you watch the Miami vs. FSU game? Neither team has a QB - one thing that college football has proven over the years is that you DO NOT WIN without a QB - Miami has one loss and still has to play Clemson, Ga Tech Virginia, and VT - I think they will lose 3 of those 4 games.

FSU has to get by BC, Virginia, Clemson and Florida - which will probably equal 2 more losses for them (they are lucky they don't have VT on the schedule).

Iowa State was a bowl team last year, beat a ranked Iowa team, and at least has an established QB.

Oh, and for the record, i think both Bobby Bowden and Coker are mediocre gameday coaches - and win purely on talent levels - talent that they just don't have in key positions this year (QB).

[AWK 0]

again, this is my opinion, so I'm not just so sold on this that I don't believe its possible I'm off . . but . .

did you watch the Miami vs. FSU game?  Neither team has a QB - one thing that college football has proven over the years is that you DO NOT WIN without a QB - Miami has one loss and still has to play Clemson, Ga Tech Virginia, and VT - I think they will lose 3 of those 4 games.

FSU has to get by BC, Virginia, Clemson and Florida - which will probably equal 2 more losses for them (they are lucky they don't have VT on the schedule).

Iowa State was a bowl team last year, beat a ranked Iowa team, and at least has an established QB. 

Oh, and for the record, i think both Bobby Bowden and Coker are mediocre gameday coaches - and win purely on talent levels - talent that they just don't have in key positions this year (QB).

180750[/snapback]

I agree, but i watched the Iowa State v Iowa game and believe it was just a momentum thing, such as all they have heard about is how good Iowa was gonna be this year and etc., i do not think they would be able to beat a FSU or Miami(even if Bowden and Coker rely on talent), just my 2 cents

[chuck 0]

no, you are probably right - but I do think Iowa would be FSU and Miami - and I couldn't rank Iowa ahead of ISU . . .

[AUJarhead 70]

Chuck, good list. But, why Louisville in the top-10? To be fair, I didn't see the game against Kentucky, but it looked (at least on the scoreboard) to be close, 31-24, I believe. Either UL really let up, or do we need to be concerned going to Lexington this year?

[rebdawg 5]

I have to say that this is probably one of the most accurate top 25 lists I have ever seen. I am not sure I would still have Miami in it and as much as I hate to say it I would have to replace them with . But I cannot argue with the placements. Miami and FSU are both pretty mediocre teams. Miami has a good young QB but no o-line and no running backs - fair defense. FSU has no QB, no running back, no O-line, and a slightly better than average defense. If they played in the SEC I am not sure they would be .500 in league play and I am not sure they will do much better than that in the ACC.

[OregonTiger 0]

I just don't see Oklahoma as a top 25 team. They lose to TCU who then loses to SMU. Then they struggle with Tulsa. No way they are top 25. Just my opinion.

[Draven 0]

I just don't see Oklahoma as a top 25 team. They lose to TCU who then loses to SMU.  Then they struggle with Tulsa. No way they are top 25. Just my opinion.

180825[/snapback]

yeah, OU should be no place near the top 25 mabye even top 50 I will say I think we should send to play usc and not vandy might give them a game.

for the rest of the year my motto might be give'em he!! VANDY. personally i am glad to see them win a few.

[AUloggerhead 2,253]

I have been fortunate enough to have wateched all of week 1 (from a sports book in Vegas) and almost all of week 2 (from a sports bar in Houston) and based on my careful analysis and viewing (which I am convinced is more then most pollsters do), here is my Top 25

180736[/snapback]

Just curious, chuck, but how many hours did you devote to watching each of Week 1 & Week 2? Did you attend any games live or did you catch them all on the tube?

[AWK 0]

He said he caught all of the games at a casino, which means they were all on the tube

[sportwareagle 0]

I personally think it is a pretty accurate list. I do believe, however, that GA Tech will not be a top 15 team by the end of the year. Yes, they played that way against us, but I don't think they'll play that way against everyone, i.e. Saturday's game vs. UNC!!

[Aufan59 80]

If Va Tech impressed you so much, why isn't NC State in the top 25? Losing to a great team by 4 points and having an off week is much more impressive than losing to GT and beating MSU or losing to TCU and beating Tulsa.

Louisville won't win the Big East and isn't a top 10 team. I don't think they will even beat Oregon State.

ND won't beat in the top 25 by years end. They can beat an overrated Michigan team who loses early every year. Michigan will drop atleast 3 more in the Big 10 without "throw it my way and I'll catch it" Edwards opening up their offense like last year and be out of the top 25.

[chuck 0]

A few responses (very good comments and opinions by all - what I was hoping for) - again, I don't claim any of this as full on fact - just my opinions . .:

a) Game Watching - All the games I have watched were on the tube - I spent litereally all day in a book in Vegas - from 9am until about 11pm watching games during week 1.

Week 2 was not quite as intensive, although it did run from 11am until the end of the LSU vs. ASU game.

Louisville - the whole Auburn/Tuberville/LSU thing aside. I think Petrino is a great head coach. Louisville was a 1 loss team last year, which included beating previously undefeated Boise State in a bowl game. They didn't lose a ton of talent on the field, and I think the score of the Louisville vs. KY game does not accurately reflect the final outcome. Louisville had a TD taken away with around 2 minutes left that would have made the score 38-24 (and the over would have hit) which would have been a bit more impressive. Looking over their schedule - I don't see who they will lose to in the regular season (I think they beat Oregon State) - so with the Big East having an automatic BCS bowl bid - you are looking at an undefeated Louisville Team playing a BCS Game. That's top 10 in my opinion.

c) Oklahoma still has a great defense, Adrian Peterson, and a great head coach. Tulsa and TCU were in their games against them primarily due to their lack of QB play. However, all things being equal, I still think the above three things make them a Top 25 team. My guess is that they go on to lose only to Texas, TAMU and Texas Tech to finish the season 7-4.

d) I think GT is a strong team this year. They have proved to have a strong defense led by a great DC, they have a duel threat QB who has so far proven this season that he is maturing as a field leader, and they have possibly the top WR in the nation. Pat Nix is showing himself as a good OC - and GT has recruited strong enough talent to support the above mentioned players. GT could easily go 9-2 in the regular season, losing to a combination of VT, UGA and Virginia (VT and UVA being my best guesses).

e) Valid point about NC State - but I have a problem placing an 0fer team in a Top 25 - my guess on NC State is 7-4 (losses to a combo of VT, GaTech, Clemson, BC, and maybe FSU).

f) Notre Dame - right now . they DESERVE to be where they are . .regardless of where they should have been - they have beated two tanks ranked in the Top 25 when they played them, one in the Top 5. Say what you want, but if Auburn had done that . .we would be SCREAMING if we weren't in the Top 10. But ND will be tested, with games still against MSU, Purdue, USC, and Tennessee - my gut is they will lose to Purdue and USC and beat UT. . .9-2 and hello BCS . .

My goal is to keep this going for the season . .see how much it moves . . .and how wrong I am . .

[AUloggerhead 2,253]

Game Watching - All the games I have watched were on the tube - I spend litereally all day in a book in Vegas - from 9am until about 11pm watching games during week 1.

Week 2 was not quite as intensive, although it did run from 11am until the end of the LSU vs. ASU game.

My goal is to keep this going for the season . .see how much it moves . . .and how wrong I am . .

181199[/snapback]

So, on the average ... about 10-12 hours per weekend? Do you think you can maintain this schedule all during the season?

What I'm getting at is my premise about polls: I think it's impossible to watch all the top 25 team's games week in & week out without suffering some kind of overdose/fatigue symptoms. Thus, the idea that current head coaches (or sportswriters for that matter) are spending as much time as you have the past two weekends to inform themselves to vote intellilgently each week is ridiculous. And your last sentence says it all for me -- your voting is nothing more than a guess.

[SouthLink02 8]

I am not sure how Louisville is ranked ahead of us when they squeeked by maybe the worst team in the SEC.

Again, I guess it depends on how your rankings go...do you rank teams on potential or what they have done so far. Potential, I am not sure that Louisville has shown much other then struggling to replace what they lost.

[SKCAUB 0]

NOTRE DAME????!!!!!

[chuck 0]

AULoggerhead . .I have no doubt that I could watch 10-12 hours of college football every Saturday during the season, not to mentioned Thursday night games . . my wife, however, would probably leave me around the Auburn vs. South Carolina Game. I have just been fortunate up to this point. I expect the number to decline this weekend. Your point is valid though . .these coaches and media types are probably not bouncing around games as much as I do . ..

Slink . .I'm basing mine off a little of both, what they have done so far, but also by what I expect them to do. My primary thing is that I base it off who I think would win in a head-to-head matchup - which I am probably basing somewhat of my expectations of that team, and somewhat of what I have already seen. I see your point though.

[tgr4lfe 220]

I have been fortunate enough to have wateched all of week 1 (from a sports book in Vegas) and almost all of week 2 (from a sports bar in Houston) and based on my careful analysis and viewing (which I am convinced is more then most pollsters do), here is my Top 25

1)  USC

2)  Texas

3)  Virginia Tech

4)  Florida

5)  LSU

6)  OSU

7)  Tennessee

8)  Notre Dame

9)  Louisville

10)  UGA

11)  Purdue

12)  Georgia Tech

13)  Arizona State

14)  Texas Tech

15)  Iowa State

16)  Iowa

17)  Michigan

18)  Cal

19)  Clemson

20)  Oklahoma

21)  Virginia

22)  Auburn

23)  Florida State

24)  Wisconsin

25)  Miami

180736[/snapback]

I watched a lot of football both Saturdays also, except for the times I was at JHS!!I agree with the majority of your poll, in particular the top 4. UT? still needs to prove more...they continually are in the top 10 an can't seem to follow thru the expectations, and with two weak opponents squeking out wins, I not sold yet. Notre Dame has earned there entrance into the top 25, as high as the top 10, I guess so, since they beat a then #3 ranked Michigan team. Miami will beat alot of folks this year, but the ACC is tough. Va Tech, Ga Tech, BC, NC State. OU still has to prove to me they are worth a flip. I agree tjhe Pac 10 will be lucky if Arizona St can hang around in top 25 with USC. Cal probably will b/c they don't play anyone but USC and UCLA (who knows how good they are??) They have a shot at being a one loss team. I still think Louisville wins the Big EAst probably finishing undefeated, but they play no quality opponent, IMO. Ohio St wins the Big 10 hands down. Texas will win the Big 12. I still think we got a great shot at winning the SEC West and SECCG. Right now in the SEC, UGA and UF are playing the best ball of anyone. I think you should have UGA ranked higher than UT and better than #10, IMO. We'll keep watching lots of football and tracking 'em like Tigers.