USA Today top 25

[LVCARDFREAK]

Records through Sun Aug 5, 2007
USA Today Ranking
Rank Team Record Pts Last Week
1. USC (45) (0-0) 1481 NR
2. LSU (4) (0-0) 1372 NR
3. Florida (9) (0-0) 1278 NR
4. Texas (0-0) 1231 NR
5. Michigan (2) (0-0) 1218 NR
6. West Virginia (0-0) 1205 NR
7. Wisconsin (0-0) 1114 NR
8. Oklahoma (0-0) 1026 NR
9. Virginia Tech (0-0) 1005 NR
10. Ohio State (0-0) 919 NR
11. Louisville (0-0) 836 NR
12. California (0-0) 763 NR
13. Georgia (0-0) 604 NR
14. Auburn (0-0) 595 NR
15. Tennessee (0-0) 583 NR
16. Rutgers (0-0) 466 NR
17. UCLA (0-0) 454 NR
18. Penn State (0-0) 440 NR
19. Nebraska (0-0) 388 NR
20. Arkansas (0-0) 360 NR
21. Florida State (0-0) 301 NR
22. TCU (0-0) 233 NR
23. Boise State (0-0) 222 NR
24. Hawaii (0-0) 214 NR
25. Texas A&M (0-0) 209 NR

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Couple of suprises here to me.

I think Michigan is too high. I dont even think they are the best team in their conference.

Think VA Tech is too low. They will play with a chip on their shoulder this year and with the return of Brandon Ore, they should be top 5 imo.

Hawaii and Boise St in the top 25? Seems like there is a hangover from last years Fiesta Bowl

WVU returns two heisman candidates and plays Louisville at home. Top 6 is respectable, but they should have been top 3.

Suprised WakeForest isnt in the top 25 considering all their returning lettermen from last year. Equally suprised FSU is that high

 

[Nasser22]

Florida will drop. They had a great recruiting class during the last off-season, but they are just too young. I don't see them being #3 after going through the other SEC teams. They should hang around the top 10 though.

 

[Ryanwb]

WVU returns two heisman candidates and plays Louisville at home. Top 6 is respectable, but they should have been top 3.

Come on... I'll give you Steve Slaton but anyone else is WVU homers overhyping their guys as usual. Were you going to say Owen Schmitt or Pat White?

... cause I've got a biglaugh waiting for you right here

 

[Rivercard]

Come on... I'll give you Steve Slaton but anyone else is WVU homers overhyping their guys as usual. Were you going to say Owen Schmitt or Pat White?

... cause I've got a biglaugh waiting for you right here

If Pat White progresses as a passer he will be scary good.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Come on... I'll give you Steve Slaton but anyone else is WVU homers overhyping their guys as usual. Were you going to say Owen Schmitt or Pat White?

... cause I've got a biglaugh waiting for you right here

Pat white...and pick up a publication or two. He is a legitimate Heisman candidate. He is a good passer, he just didnt attempt enough last year or he would have been top 10 in effiecency rating....

No homerism here...he is a dark horse to actually win it, but he is 2nd team all american...

 

[SECTION 11]

Sam Keller, Heisman darkhorse.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Sam Keller, Cocaine Hobbyist

 

[Russ Smith]

UCLA is rated too high, they return 20 starters and beat USC but they completely overhauled their offense with a new OC and new coaches and everything I've read said their defense just completely dominated the offense
in spring practice. The OL is the problem they have talent at QB, RB and some at WR, but their OL isn't very good. It takes more time to put in a new offense, I think they struggle first half of the season. Their problem is they should be getting comfortable about the time they run into notre Dame and Cal in consecutive games.

I also think Cal is overrated they lost too much on defense and they're really taking for granted that Forsett will be able to adequately replace Lynch. He was great as a part time player or injury replacement starter but he's now THE guy and I'm not convinced even with an addiitonal 10 pounds he's strong enough to handle that.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Cal's got the best player in the conference (and maybe the country) and he makes an impact in multiple facets of the game. No way they finish below third in the Pac which is Top 25 worthy.

UCLA is getting a lot of hype based on beating USC, but everyone forgets they got hammered a few weeks later by a mediocre Florida State team playing 3,000 miles from home. They'll be good, but not Top 15 as some outfits predict.

 

[Russ Smith]

Cal's got the best player in the conference (and maybe the country) and he makes an impact in multiple facets of the game. No way they finish below third in the Pac which is Top 25 worthy.

UCLA is getting a lot of hype based on beating USC, but everyone forgets they got hammered a few weeks later by a mediocre Florida State team playing 3,000 miles from home. They'll be good, but not Top 15 as some outfits predict.

My main issue with Cal is defense, I forget how many starters they lost but they lost KEY starters, top CB, top 3 DL's, top LB's etc.

I love DeSean Jackson but the problem he has is as a WR he needs someone to pass him the ball and so far Longshore hasn't been consistent enough. They swear he's looking great in camp from what I've read. There were so many times last year where Jackson was wide open and Longshore missed him. Teams are probably just going to not kick to him in the punt game anymore he's just too dangerous in that regard.

Cal will be explosive on offense, and it's year 2 of trying to add the spread so maybe that will pay off, but I worry about their defense, particularly the combination of young DL's and young CB's.

With UCLA it's the offense, they weren't very good last year because of the OL and all they really did was bring in a new system and coaches, they have 4 of the 5 OL starters back. Unless they all got a lot better in the offseason I fear like the Cards, the OL will let them down.

 

[Gaddabout]

I'll be interested to see how Eric Scott's arrest will impact UCLA. You have to figure it will hurt their recruiting before January, but he was the emotional spark plug for a lot of the current guys on the roster.

 

[Rivercard]

WVU returns two heisman candidates and plays Louisville at home. Top 6 is respectable, but they should have been top 3.

WVU/Louisville - one of these teams will be unbeaten after they play. Brace yourself for the all out assault from the SEC/Big10 and some of the media to keep the Big East out of the NC game.

The long shot to ruffle the college football establishment's feathers this year.........South Florida

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

WVU/Louisville - one of these teams will be unbeaten after they play. Brace yourself for the all out assault from the SEC/Big10 and some of the media to keep the Big East out of the NC game.

The long shot to ruffle the college football establishment's feathers this year.........South Florida

Yep I agree...should be an interesting year. UL, WVU, Rutgers, and South Florida are all gonna be good. Lets hope they dont end up knocking each other out....

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

It's very likely that nodody in the Big East has a tough enough schedule to get into the National Championship game. A one loss Michigan, USC, or SEC/Big12 team would likely get in over an undefeated West Virginia or Louisville. South Florida has a shot, but they'll get trounced at Auburn.

 

[Rivercard]

It's very likely that nodody in the Big East has a tough enough schedule to get into the National Championship game. A one loss Michigan, USC, or SEC/Big12 team would likely get in over an undefeated West Virginia or Louisville. South Florida has a shot, but they'll get trounced at Auburn.

Last year an undefeated Louisville or WVU would have gotten in. Both are in high enough position to be at the top of the polls if undefeated again this year. South Florida has a long way to climb so it would be tough for them to get in even if undefeated. Rutgers at #16 is borderline.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Last year an undefeated Louisville or WVU would have gotten in. Both are in high enough position to be at the top of the polls if undefeated again this year. South Florida has a long way to climb so it would be tough for them to get in even if undefeated. Rutgers at #16 is borderline.

Both WVU and Louisville finished behind teams with more losses than them (USC, LSU for Louisville, multiple others for WVU) in last year's BCS. I'd imagine it would be the same this year.

 

[Nasser22]

Both WVU and Louisville finished behind teams with more losses than them (USC, LSU for Louisville, multiple others for WVU) in last year's BCS. I'd imagine it would be the same this year.

But they lost didn't they? They didn't go undefeated I don't think. They are starting out as the #6 ranked team...if they go undefeated I think they'll get in.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

But they lost didn't they? They didn't go undefeated I don't think. They are starting out as the #6 ranked team...if they go undefeated I think they'll get in.

It's all what the computers spit out and no matter what USC, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and whoever will have significantly better strength of schedules and comparable rankings than any Big East team not named South Florida. That's what happened last year.

 

[Rivercard]

But they lost didn't they? They didn't go undefeated I don't think. They are starting out as the #6 ranked team...if they go undefeated I think they'll get in.

Yeah they both did lose. But Louisville's BCS "points" before their loss would have been enough to put them in the NC had they beaten Rutgers.

 

[Rivercard]

It's all what the computers spit out and no matter what USC, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and whoever will have significantly better strength of schedules and comparable rankings than any Big East team not named South Florida. That's what happened last year.

Computers and SOS are a just small fraction of the formula. That's one reason why the big boys don't want to schedule anybody good out of conference.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Yeah they both did lose. But Louisville's BCS "points" before their loss would have been enough to put them in the NC had they beaten Rutgers.

So would have WVU had they stayed undefeated. Although Michigan with one loss did jump them. Moot anyway, coz of the UL and S.Florida loss