This year will mark the first year your favorite Ole Miss blog will be participating in the renowned BlogPoll--a poll which will assuredly be more accurate than both the AP and Coaches polls. To compile our ballot, Ivory Tower, Whiskey Wednesday, Juco All-American, One Man To Beat, and I submitted a preseason top-25. Once slathered with thick coats of nerdy shit and run through an Excel spreadsheet, the following top-25 was pooped out:
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. USC
I don't think any explanation is necessary here. You've got the best team in the SEC, the two teams at a push for best in the Big XII, and the mighty Trojans of USC. After this though, it gets interesting. Promise you won't hate us.
5. Alabama
6. Penn State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Ole Miss
9. LSU
Do not blame me for this one. I had the Rebels above the Tide. The rest of the blog though, well they're bad Rebels (BAD REBEL ALERT!). Of course, as a group, these five are about where you'd expect them. You've got the three teams vying to be Florida's silver medalist, the best of the ACC, and a team which looks ready to repeat as Big 10 champs.
10. Ohio State
11. Georgia
12. Oklahoma State
13. TCU
14. Oregon
15. Boise State
Ohio State, a likely contender for the Big 10 title, tops this group. Georgia, perhaps a bit higher than one would expect (if you're looking for who to admonish, One Man and Ivory Tower all the way) is the SEC's 5th best squad and, unfortunately, the last one to appear in this top-25. Oklahoma State may receive more love from other blogs than we have given them, but our individual ballots had them anywhere from #8 to #17. The obligatory "top-15 omg maybe they could bUsT dA BCS" teams are here as well as the obligatory "could they unseed USC" pick from the Pac10.
16. Notre Dame
17. California
18. Nebraska
19. GA Tech
20. BYU
Yes. Notre Dame is 16th in our poll. They're not that good, but their schedule has them poised to win enough games to "warrant" such a ranking. Brian of MGoBlog and prince of the college blogosphere (King - Dr. Saturday, Queen- Orson Swindle) would like our selections to be primarily "resume based," but understands that these teams don't so much have a 2009 resume of which to speak right now. Notre Dame could end up anywhere, really. Cal, Nebraska, and GA Tech represent the teams expected to be strong in their conferences while not particularly contending for a title. BYU is the 3rd tier BCS buster.
21. Florida State
22. Kansas
23. Miami
24. Illinois
25. Pitt
LOOK! We included a Big East team! Florida State shouldn't be much of a surprise. Miami sorta snuck onto Whiskey's and my ballots as a team we look to continue improving. Kansas and Illinois have good enough offenses to warrant their placement.
Others receiving votes (in descending order):
Southern Miss, Iowa, Oregon State, North Carolina, ECU, Utah, Wake Forest, Cincy, Houston
Arguments (some good, some not so good) could be made for most of these teams to appear on top-25 ballots. Southern Miss has a very legitimate shot to win the CUSA, Iowa should have good quarterback play, and CIncinnati was the Big East champion last year.
Alright, so now the fun part. This ballot is a draft ballot. We do not have to turn in a completed top-25 for a couple of days or something. If there is enough discussion, debate, or outrage over some of our selections, we have the capability of changing them. So, where did we go wrong, Cup fans?