Bloody Weekend for top ranked teams...

[Birds of B'more]

A lot will depend on what happens Saturday, but I agree that the computers will probably only drop them somewhere in the 5-10 range. But the human voters may not be so kind, since USF looked pretty sloppy tonight. And the fact that it was nationally televised with no other games of significance being played isn't going to help them........unless by some stroke of luck the voters simply happened to be watching the Boston-Cleveland game instead.

[Birds of B'more]

Rutgers is a decent team, USF losing @ Rutgers is a lot more respectable than say USC losing to Stanford and we saw how meaningless that loss was for the coaches/SIDs. Much like w/USC, I predict the computers will go a long way towards balancing out the coaches/SID bias.

And perhaps tonight's result will add a little more luster to the Terps' victory up there 3 weeks ago.

[mweb]

Rutgers is a decent team, USF losing @ Rutgers is a lot more respectable than say USC losing to Stanford and we saw how meaningless that loss was for the coaches/SIDs. Much like w/USC, I predict the computers will go a long way towards balancing out the coaches/SID bias.

Of course it's more respectable than losing to Standford, it's hard not to be. Meaningless is clearly the wrong word to use there as well.

This is a bad loss for a top team though, Cincy and MD both have gone to Rutgers recently and came out with W's, and neither of those teams are close to being top teams. USF certainly has two very good wins, so the computer will rank them highly, but by watching them in this game and the WVU game, I don't get the impression that this is a legit top 10 team.

[geschinger]

Of course it's more respectable than losing to Standford, it's hard not to be. Meaningless is clearly the wrong word to use there as well.

This is a bad loss for a top team though, Cincy and MD both have gone to Rutgers recently and came out with W's, and neither of those teams are close to being top teams. USF certainly has two very good wins, so the computer will rank them highly, but by watching them in this game and the WVU game, I don't get the impression that this is a legit top 10 team.

Whom they lost to seems to have been meaningless to the voters, not the loss itself. They were not punished any for losing to an awful team. They only dropped in the polls about as much as one might expect them to have dropped if they had lost to a good team.

For USF, absolutely, it was a tough loss. But I suspect if one was sheltered from the preseason hype and only saw USC in their last two games one would get the same impression as you have of USF, no? Same goes for Oklahoma's loss to Colorodo.

[mweb]

Whom they lost to seems to have been meaningless to the voters, not the loss itself. They were not punished any for losing to an awful team. They only dropped in the polls about as much as one might expect them to have dropped if they had lost to a good team.

For USF, absolutely, it was a tough loss. But I suspect if one was sheltered from the preseason hype and only saw USC in their last two games one would get the same impression as you have of USF, no? Same goes for Oklahoma's loss to Colorodo.

If USC lost at Cal or Oregon, they probably would have stayed in the top 5 in both polls, assuming a close game.

I'm not sure why you're harping on USC here, I didn't bring them up, nor am I saying they've been more impressive.

I will say the main difference between USC's and Oklahoma's losses are they basically gave those games away, especially USC. USF was outplayed by Rutgers, and were given the gift of 2 muffed punts and a fumble to give them the ball late and in Rutgers territory only needing a FG, and they still lost.

And since you brought up USC, I do think they'd beat USF on a neutral field if they are reasonably healthy.

[Birds of B'more]

If USC lost at Cal or Oregon, they probably would have stayed in the top 5 in both polls, assuming a close game.

I'm not sure why you're harping on USC here, I didn't bring them up, nor am I saying they've been more impressive.

I will say the main difference between USC's and Oklahoma's losses are they basically gave those games away, especially USC. USF was outplayed by Rutgers, and were given the gift of 2 muffed punts and a fumble to give them the ball late and in Rutgers territory only needing a FG, and they still lost.

And since you brought up USC, I do think they'd beat USF on a neutral field if they are reasonably healthy.

Again, as I pointed out earlier, I think a big part of this is the national TV coverage that the USF/Rutgers game got, as well as the USF/WV game before it. It's one of those instances where having the entire college football audience to yourself can come back and bite you. Conversely, with the losses that USC and Oklahoma suffered, I doubt many people outside of California and Oklahoma/Colorado actually saw those games, including those with votes in the polls. Assuming that, many voters probably gave Oklahoma and USC the benefit of a doubt for those losses based on their overall talent since they didn't actually get to see how badly they may have played that night. But last night USF's imperfections were out there for all the world to see, and the warts they showed will probably hurt them in the eyes of human voters.

[geschinger]

If USC lost at Cal or Oregon, they probably would have stayed in the top 5 in both polls, assuming a close game.

I'm not sure why you're harping on USC here, I didn't bring them up, nor am I saying they've been more impressive.

I will say the main difference between USC's and Oklahoma's losses are they basically gave those games away, especially USC. USF was outplayed by Rutgers, and were given the gift of 2 muffed punts and a fumble to give them the ball late and in Rutgers territory only needing a FG, and they still lost.

And since you brought up USC, I do think they'd beat USF on a neutral field if they are reasonably healthy.

I only bring up USC in that I'm sure the coaches/SIDs will judge USF's loss much harsher than they would if it was say a USC or Oklahoma that lost under identical circumstances. But in the end it doesn't matter much as like I said, much like w/USC the computers will go a long way towards addressing the problems with the coaches/SIDs rankings.

If USC rights the ship and starts playing like they are capable of then I do agree they'd beat USF wherever they played. However if it's the USC team from the last couple of weeks there is no doubt in my mind that USF could and would beat them.

[mweb]

I only bring up USC in that I'm sure the coaches/SIDs will judge USF's loss much harsher than they would if it was say a USC or Oklahoma that lost under identical circumstances. But in the end it doesn't matter much as like I said, much like w/USC the computers will go a long way towards addressing the problems with the coaches/SIDs rankings.

If USC rights the ship and starts playing like they are capable of then I do agree they'd beat USF wherever they played. However if it's the USC team from the last couple of weeks there is no doubt in my mind that USF could and would beat them.

I know you hate on Booty, but he played with a broken finger on his throwing hand against Stanford, that's why they lost, not because he's a bad QB, or because their not a very good team. With a healthy Booty, and with a couple other guys back from injury, I have full confidence in USC beating USF.

[Sports Guy]

The difference in talent level between USC and USF isn't close.

If/when USC wins out, including winning at Oregon and Cal, they will end up in the national title game IMO or at least have a great shot at it.

2 of Oklahoma, OSU, LSU and USC will be in the title game.

[geschinger]

The difference in talent level between USC and USF isn't close.

If/when USC wins out, including winning at Oregon and Cal, they will end up in the national title game IMO or at least have a great shot at it.

2 of Oklahoma, OSU, LSU and USC will be in the title game.

Barring a lot more upsets it's going to be two from among OU, OSU and LSU. Even w/big wins against Oregon and Cal it'll be hard to get all the way from #14 to top 2.

Even w/the disappointing loss in Lexington, I still think LSU is the best team in the country and will get back into the top two and play for a national title.

[geschinger]

I know you hate on Booty, but he played with a broken finger on his throwing hand against Stanford, that's why they lost, not because he's a bad QB, or because their not a very good team. With a healthy Booty, and with a couple other guys back from injury, I have full confidence in USC beating USF.

Hate is the wrong word, but I do think he's overrated. Injury or not, it was predictable that he was going to cost USC a game or two.

[mweb]

Hate is the wrong word, but I do think he's overrated. Injury or not, it was predictable that he was going to cost USC a game or two.

No it wasn't. The only reason why he cost them the game is the injury, he's a very good QB, the WR corps isn't nearly as good as it has been in the past though. The O-line has had injury issues as well.

[Birds of B'more]

The difference in talent level between USC and USF isn't close.

If/when USC wins out, including winning at Oregon and Cal, they will end up in the national title game IMO or at least have a great shot at it.

2 of Oklahoma, OSU, LSU and USC will be in the title game.

It's a bad news/good news scenario for USC.

The bad news is, USC's remaining schedule is brutal. Including the games at Cal and at Oregon they also have to play at #8 ASU, plus games against Oregon State and UCLA, both of whom beat USC last season. No matter how good they are, it is going to be extremely tough for them to win out.

The good news is, USC's remaining schedule is brutal. If they can manage to win all of those games they will earn a lot of respect from both the human voters and the computers, which should move them far enough north in the polls to be in position to play for the NC.

[geschinger]

No it wasn't. The only reason why he cost them the game is the injury, he's a very good QB, the WR corps isn't nearly as good as it has been in the past though. The O-line has had injury issues as well.

Sure it was. It's not like I was alone in making such a prescient observation before the season. And to blame his poor performance on the injury is to ignore his subpar performance the week before against Washington. They might have lost that game too if another Booty interception wasn't overturned by replay allowing USC to kick the deciding FG.

[Sports Guy]

Barring a lot more upsets it's going to be two from among OU, OSU and LSU. Even w/big wins against Oregon and Cal it'll be hard to get all the way from #14 to top 2.

Even w/the disappointing loss in Lexington, I still think LSU is the best team in the country and will get back into the top two and play for a national title.

I agree that LSU probably gets there.

They have at Alabama and Auburn at home...The rest of their games should be cake walks.

So, i think it will really come down to them winning the SEC title game or not IMO.

Oklahoma has a few games they could lose but it will likely come down to the Big 12 title game.

OSU ends with home date against Ill and Wisconsin and away games against Penn St and Mich.

I doubt they win out.

So, it looks like Oklahoma and LSU have the leg up right now.

The question will be does USC do enough to impress the voters with their tough schedule to vault them over Oklahoma?? I think it is possible.