rockymtn devil
08-01-2008, 11:09 AM
The first USA Today Coaches Poll was released today so I thought I'd get the ball rolling on discussion of it.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex
I can't argue with the top 5 for the most part. I think the top 4 are correct, and it's great that #2 and #3 play in September. Florida at #5 seems a bit high for me. This is the same Florida defense that got shredded by Michigan last January (a Michigan offense that gained all of 96 yards against Ohio State) and I'm not sure a year more experience is going to make that big of a difference. They remind me of last year's preseason #5--Michigan, whose defense got shredded by Ohio State and USC in its last two games.
I'm also confused about LSU at #6. The Tigers lost their best defender and the top two QBs on their 2007 depth chart. Auburn is the class of the SEC West, IMO, and should be above LSU. Clemson at #9 seems right, but we all know what Clemson does with expectations.
I guess Wisconsin is getting the benefit of the doubt at #12. They too have to break in a new QB, but they've also quietly racked up 11 win seasons over the past few years, so perhaps it doesn't matter who takes the snaps. I think Illinois is the second best team in the B10 and would have them just outside the top-10. Why Michigan is ranked is beyond me. I keep hearing that the Wolverines will surprise this year--and they may--but on paper, this is the seventh best team in the B10 (OSU, Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State, MSU, Purdue). No QB and no offensive line is a problem, especially when breaking in a new offense.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex
I can't argue with the top 5 for the most part. I think the top 4 are correct, and it's great that #2 and #3 play in September. Florida at #5 seems a bit high for me. This is the same Florida defense that got shredded by Michigan last January (a Michigan offense that gained all of 96 yards against Ohio State) and I'm not sure a year more experience is going to make that big of a difference. They remind me of last year's preseason #5--Michigan, whose defense got shredded by Ohio State and USC in its last two games.
I'm also confused about LSU at #6. The Tigers lost their best defender and the top two QBs on their 2007 depth chart. Auburn is the class of the SEC West, IMO, and should be above LSU. Clemson at #9 seems right, but we all know what Clemson does with expectations.
I guess Wisconsin is getting the benefit of the doubt at #12. They too have to break in a new QB, but they've also quietly racked up 11 win seasons over the past few years, so perhaps it doesn't matter who takes the snaps. I think Illinois is the second best team in the B10 and would have them just outside the top-10. Why Michigan is ranked is beyond me. I keep hearing that the Wolverines will surprise this year--and they may--but on paper, this is the seventh best team in the B10 (OSU, Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State, MSU, Purdue). No QB and no offensive line is a problem, especially when breaking in a new offense.