Red all Over

This was taken after the "game" between Alabama and Florida, I think I look like some kind of Gator Grim Reaper.

It was definitely a red kind of weekend, rolling red tide and red river rivalry.

Alabama is Number 1: The lack of domination last week in Arkansas might have raised some flags that Alabama was ready to be taken down. I had thought so, and maybe they are, but it will take someone better than Florida to do it. Alabama struck hard and fast, they put the game away before half time. Florida's offense was able to make drives but they never were able to score when they got into the red-zone. The best thing to sum up the Florida offense was watching Burton try to pull off a Tebow jump pass and it totally bombed. They are definitely not the same offense without Timmy...and all of those great receivers.

Oklahoma breaks the streak: After coming off a humiliating loss, I thought Texas would be ready to go and prove themselves. They proved they are not a top 25 team when they got smashed in the face by the Sooner's offense. Texas' D looked good but the offense could never get anything going, until the final quarter when it seemed like the Longhorns might come back. OU scores, with a rather impressive rush TD, and finally wins the RR Shoot out. OU end another big steak for the Longhorns, they had the longest streak of being in the top 25. UT had a streak of like 160 something weeks and now the Buckeyes have the longest with 90 something.

Notre Dame Soars over the Eagles: This is a weird one for me to talk about, since I should be happy. Notre Dame gets its second win of the year out in Boston College, which quickly went lopsidedly in the Irish's way. I am really happy for them to snap their losing streak but it doesn't make me feel very good about the team. BC looked terrible so it was basically a cupcake game for the Irish, which all of the teams schedule. I assume Buckeyes fans feel only marginally better about a win over Eastern Michigan, since its just stat padding. Notre Dame's next game is going to be a lot harder as Pitt comes to South Bend. Pitt has underwhelmed, like all of the Big East, but Pitt has beat ND the last couple of years. Brian Kelly, on the other hand, has beaten Pitt each time while coaching Cincinnati...so one of those patterns will continue.

Pre-season College Polls

College Football, finally, starts next weekend. Much like in the world of politics, college football is ruled by polls. And much like the world of politics, pre election polls can be quickly worthless and mostly for chattering about. The pre-season college polls basically tells us what people think of these teams and what they will accomplish over the year. The only poll that really matters is the BCS rankings poll that decides which two teams will play each other in the Championship game. And the formula for that, is incredibly convoluted and stupid, and you have to wonder who came up with it.

1. Alabama

No real surprise, they are defending champions from last year. Its not been a stroke of luck of recent years to be ranked number 1 at the start of the season, they don't usually stay there.

2. Ohio State

Oh the Buckeyes, the rulers of the Big Ten, are in at second place. The Buckeyes finally won a big out of conference game at the Rose Bowl, so maybe the pattern of constantly losing the game that counts is broken. I don't think the problem will be the big game this year as much as it will be the gimme game that they lose, which usually happens when they play another Big Ten school like Purdue or Illinois.

3. Boise St, possibly.

While the first two teams seem to be unanimously at the top, the polls begin to differ at three. I will stay with Boise St since it is at 3 in the majority of polls. Could this be the year of the BCS Bronco Buster? They only have two real games to win this year and most of the time they show up for those spotlight games. Boise St comes from a non-qualifying conference, so they have to be undefeated just to get mentioned in the BCS conversation. They play a pathetic schedule and its not that hard to run the table, so their problem is the one they have had every year they have gone undefeated. Are they worthy of playing in the Championship game versus a one less team from a major conference like the SEC? Most people say no. What really could be a problem this year is if TCU, another non-qualifying school that is ranked at around 6-8, also goes undefeated. Would you put both schools into a BCS championship over one of the one less powerhouse conference teams?

4. Florida

Even without Tebow and much of their championship starters, Urban Meyer's team is still a contender. Florida has a new quarterback who is much more prototypical than Tebow was, so it will be a different type of offense. I don't think it will be possible for Florida to get the Championship game undefeated as they play Alabama at Alabama, and then possibly rematch them in the SEC championship game. A clean sweep of the Tide seems really unlikely, even for the Tebow ver Gators, so they would need to win the SEC championship game. Even then it would depend on where they are in the standings, the win would have to vault them to number 2.

5. Texas

The pride of Texas, Longhorns, could they repeat the win of the Big 12 and get back to the big game? They have a tough schedule to do it with thats for sure. Really, it will all come down to two games. The Red River Shoot out with Oklahoma, which Texas has taken control of in recent years, and then the Big 12 Championship which will be with Nebraska. They also have a new QB, who got his debut during the BCS Championship game last year when McCoy was knocked out of it. Texas is in the tougher Big 12 Division so its more likely Nebraska will be the winner of the Big 12, as I don't see much in Oklahoma to get excited about. Hook'm horns!

Not doing all 25 teams, but no Notre Dame ranking again, hopefully something happens with Kelly and his team this year. I just be happy for a strong performance and second tier bowl win.