AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 05
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Questions about the coaches poll
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The USA Today preseason coaches poll came out on Friday and, as always, there are some questions. Here are my top five. Feel free to disagree:
1. Why did Florida get nine first place votes and finish No. 3? Yes, the Gators are the defending national champions and with the coaches that always seems to carry a lot of weight. But coaches are always the first to say that last year has no bearing on this year. The fact is the Gators lost nine starters on defense in a league where defense wins championships. Given the talent level, Florida probably deserves to be in the Top 10 but three seems a little high.
2. Should Tennessee be worried about its trip to Cal on Sept. 1? The coaches made the Bears No. 12 because they return eight starters from an offense that led the Pac-10 in scoring (32.6 ppg). But one of those missing is RB Marshawn Lynch. Still, any problems Tennessee may have in its secondary had better be buttoned up before the Vols get to Berkeley. Those guys can wing it and have revenge on their minds after a serious beat down last year in Knoxville.
3. Is the Big Ten REALLY that good? There are three teams in the Top 10 (No. 5 Michigan, No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 10 Ohio State). The good news is that, unlike last season when Wisconsin was complaining about not getting into the BCS at 11-1, all three teams play each other. That’s the good thing about having a conference championship game: If the regular schedule allows you to duck a really good team in your conference, chances are greater that you’ll have to eventually play them to win the championship.
4. Where’s the love for the ACC? Virginia Tech returns most of a great defense so the coaches made them No. 9. Florida State reworked its coaching staff to have to be better, right? The Seminoles are at No. 21. But that’s it. If the poll went to 28 Georgia Tech, Boston College and Miami would have gotten in. Wake Forest, the defending ACC champs, was 31. Does this league have something to prove this season? You bet it does. SEC fans, who have six teams in the Top 20, are going to take their shots.
5. Is West Virginia sitting in the catbird’s seat? Let’s start with the assumption that Southern Cal will go undefeated and stay at No. 1. So if everybody is is playing for No. 2, you have to like West Virginia’s chances.
The Mountaineers start at No. 6 and teams 2-5 (LSU, Florida, Texas, Michigan) all will find it very difficult to go undefeated. West Virginia’s two toughest road games will be at South Florida (Sept. 28) and at Rutgers (Oct. 27). They get Louisville at home on Nov. 8 in what will probably be for the Big East championship. And let’s go ahead and say this now: A one-loss SEC or Big Ten team is not going to get in the BCS title game ahead of an undefeated Big East champion because the human polls now dominate the formula. And if Southern Cal and West Virginia are the only two undefeated teams on Dec. 2, then that’s your game.
