SOONERGUYS Blog

Near the end of last season we were all clamoring about how football polls should not come out until October — after the top teams have some season under their belts and the Appalachian State upsets occur.  After all, just because one team gets picked number 1 in August (which really means in May), doesn’t mean they should be playing for the national championship in January if they muddle through a boring and unimpressive series of wins in a weak conference (can you say Ohio State?).

But, now it is August. The greatest time of football season. Everyone is undefeated. Excitement is in the air. Hope springs enternal. 

Even Baylor is looking forward to the new season.

And so, it is with this universal optimism that we forget our complaints and all look forward to that first NCAA Division 1 football poll, established by those objective and fair minded (SARCASM WARNING HERE) sports information directors (we know coaches don’t really vote on this stuff) for USA Today and ESPN.  Below is the poll.

It is probably a good spot for Oklahoma to be perched on the edge of the top tier by sitting at number 4.  Why West Virginia is only at number 8, considering Pat White is returning, is beyond me.  Texas is probably over-rated. Kansas will get spanked in the non-conference by South Florida and Fresno State will be rising like a meteor after they beat Rutgers, Wisconsin and UCLA.  You heard it here first.

Georgia gets a conciliatory number 1 vote, because after all they haven’t been there in a long time. But we all know that if they played number 2 USC, they’d get beaten down like a red-headed step child.  Florida should probably be in the top 3, with Tim Tebow at the helm.  LSU should be in the second 10, because they are cheered on by swamp rats with no teeth. I know that may be too scientific an analysis for some, but it is what it is.

– Mike D.

USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll
Aug. 1, 20081. Georgia (22) 11-2 1,438
2. Southern California (14) 11-2 1,430
3. Ohio State (14) 11-2 1,392
4. Oklahoma (3) 11-3 1,329
5. Florida (5) 9-4 1,293
6. LSU (3) 12-2 1,163
7. Missouri 12-2 1,143
8. West Virginia 11-2 1,008
9. Clemson 9-4 999
10. Texas 10-3 979
11. Auburn 9-4 888
12. Wisconsin 9-4 747
13. Kansas 12-1 714
14. Texas Tech 9-4 644
15. Virginia Tech 11-3 568
16. Arizona State 10-3 560
17. Brigham Young 11-2 547
18. Tennessee 10-4 506
19. Illinois 9-4 422
20. Oregon 9-4 399
21. South Florida 9-4 350
22. Penn State 9-4 313
23. Wake Forest 9-4 203
24. Michigan 9-4 112
25. Fresno State 9-4 91