Good Morning

So it is the middle of May so what better to do then start ranking the teams. ESPN decided to give us this gift for the weekend. Here is their top 25, the contenders and of course the power rankings for each conference. (Including the great Non BCS conference.) Obviously it is insanely early to be saying these things but what else could we possibly discuss? Real news? Heavens no.

Just a couple of observations from the list. Obviously Florida is number 1 and I think can only be followed by Texas, Oklahoma and USC in any order. I will be surprised if anyone outside of these teams play for the National Title in January. Florida is loaded and could drop a game and still make it in. Texas and Oklahoma are head over heels better than anyone in the Big XII and is why that duel in October will be so critical. (Sorry Joe, I couldn't find the "Teddy Lehman and he can flat fly clip.")USC is a little different because they lost so many players off that great defense and the 5th pick in the draft at QB. But it is USC and they will be considered a title contender. I think they will have an uphill battle though because it is an odd year and they have a ton of tough road games. They have tough in conference games that include at Oregon, at Cal and at Arizona St. On to top of that they have to travel to the Horseshoe and go to South Bend. (I know it hasn't been a game since this happened but you never know.) All these road games are going to be tough and that is why I think Aaron Corp starts over Barkley because that can be a ton to handle for a frosh.

Outside of those 4 teams I have a tough time for making a case for any other teams. Ohio St will be the best team in the Big Ten but their most talented players are sophomores and frosh so I expect them to be a year away. Virginia Tech will be the favorite in the ACC but with how deep that conference is I doubt they can make it through unscathed. Plus they play a team, Bama, in the first week that I think is a title contender. I will give any Saban team with a veteran defense a fighting chance so matter what they lost on offense. (If you want to learn more about Saban's defense, see here. Sometimes I get lost on Smart Football.) Not much in the Big East to get the blood pumping. Let me know your thoughts and who you feel can make a run at the dance or who can dance period. ?

Some other links from the week. The good Doctor broke down Non conference scheduling way better than I did here and here. Some people from a strange land are celebrating for some reason. (Argggggg, "Damn you Troy Smith, damn you!!!!!) Brian cranks out a pretty good article for a Friday.

That is all from me, take it easy.

"I Want A Hamburger, No A Cheeseburger..."

Non conference scheduling in college football can be a touchy topic. Its touchy because your talking about amateur athletes and their schedules being decided by, um money. The 12th game is about money plain and simple. I personally don't have a problem with that fact. I am glad someone has the bolts to say it. It just brings us to the discussion of what do these schools do with the extra game. It makes the most sense to have as many home games as possible. So thats why teams like Michigan are talking about playing UMass and are all set to play Delaware St this year. This of course prompts discussion about , "man I wish we played (insert big school.)" Obviously each has its ups and its downs. But what does non conference scheduling do for perception and more importantly how can it affect where your team ends up? Lets take a look at the numbers for all the BCS team and their non conference schedules.

In the SEC only two teams are not playing a FCS (Div 1-AA, I know, I don't get why they changed it, stupid marketing department.) Those two teams are LSU and Tennessee. Only one team, Ole Miss, doesn't play another BCS conference opponent. Only Georgia (3) and South Carolina (2) play more than one BCS opponent. So, for the most part SEC teams play one BCS non conference opponent, 2 randoms and 1 FCS opponent. Seems pretty simple and makes sense. They can get away with playing FCS teams because, well its tough enough in the SEC. At least that is the perception and it makes sense. The last three years the SEC has sent a team to the title game even though none of those teams was undefeated. So Georgia is an anomaly because they don't need those three games to earn the respect of the voters. But that’s what happens when you have a rival BCS team not in your conference. (Ga Tech)

The wacky ACC on the other hand has all of their teams play at least one BCS team and the majority play two. Why? Obviously I am just going off of perception but it makes the most sense for their teams to try and enhance their resumes. However, the ACC was quite good last year in non conference play and yet no one really talks about them as a top conference. My guess is because they didn't have a national title contender and are still waiting for the U and FSU to awake from their slumber. It doesn't help when your top team that was talked up all summer has this happen to them. The ACC gets another chance this year when Va Tech opens up in Atlanta versus Saban. So, it does come back to perception. It’s all about the big game. There is a reason Ohio St gets so much flack even though they win ten games in their sleep.

Another team that is on the opposite end of that perception spectrum is USC. They always seem to show up for the big games yet get roasted for playing in a conference that is perceived to be weaker. The Pac 10 is an interesting case because they only have three non conference games. No Pac 10 team plays a 1-AA team and all of them play at least one BCS team. And if you count one of their conference games, it is clear that the Pac 10 is ahead of every other conference based on strength of non conference scheduling.

And then, there is the Big East. Which is unique because I think, again, based upon the perception (generalizing is fun, I know why girls do it now) is considered the weakest conference. That is based off the fact of losing teams and quality coaches and because this man is coaching in the conference as well. Every team plays at least one 1-AA team and this might have something to do with their perception but it makes sense when you have to fill five slots. And, more than half of the teams play at least 2 BCS non conference games.

The Big XII and Big Ten are similar in that most teams play at least one 1-AA opponent. (Kansas State plays nine of them, sort of) Texas doesn't play a single BCS non conference opponent in 2009 and you wouldn't think that will hurt them because they are generally thought to be good. But, what if the same thing happens this year like last and Oklahoma's non conference schedule (which includes Miami and BYU) might push them over a one loss team in the computers. I doubt the voters would do that but those computers have no feelings.

So what did all that discussion get us. I am pretty sure its nowhere but what are you going to do. Personally, I would like to see my team, Michigan set up something with another BCS team. But, we have to play Notre Dame until the end of nautical time if there is such a thing. All this talk and wanting just goes like this though...

O well. On a side note, I can't get this song out of my head and it is driving me crazy. Mainly because it is a bunch of British people singing (stupid Norton) but because now I insert the words to anything. Like right now I am singing "theres only one Digornos pizza, oooonnnne Digornos pizza." Get out of my head. Sorry for the rant. Fire your comments. Take it easy and go Pens. "Theres only one Sidney Crosby..."

Hello Again

I hope all is well. SRM has gotten a make over and so have I. I am joking of course, I am still quite hefty, yet light on my feet and I spend way too much time thinking about college football. I will cover college football and all of its glorious topics from now and when, you know, stuff happens this summer. It is only May but college football has two never ending stories, the BCS and Tim Tebow. (Tebow Tebow, What do you know?) I will go into those two and anything else up that pops up this spring and then will eventually start going into in depth previews of 2009. As the good Doc puts it, we are halfway home. Look for more later on this week as I will tackle non-conference scheduling but for now here is a little something to fire you up



Hey I dont like USC either but you can't doubt their spirit. Take it easy and Go Pens.