The Overall Top 20, Confidential-Style
Perhaps you have been keeping up with our ACC top 10? As it is now October, the time has come to take a look at the overall top 20. We like the top 20 because it reminds us of the days when there were not bowl spots for 78 teams and a trophy handed out to every participant. Don’t like our results? Well, there is still a lot of time for things to shake out. The top 20 does not look too atypical. Here you go:
1. Alabama, 71 points (2 first place votes), 5-0. #1 in both major polls, having the Crimson Tide here is not a surprise. What is a surprise is how close #2 is. Next up for ‘Bama: Kentucky. Yawn.
2. Oregon, 70 points (2 first place votes), 5-0. The Ducks have scored over 300 points. And allowed 59. With numbers like that, it is not surprising that the Confidential correspondences see #1/#2 a lot closer than the folks with votes that count. Next up for Oregon: @ Washington.
3. Clemson, 60 votes, 5-0. No #1 votes for Clemson, but plenty of consistent love nevertheless. And what is not to love? The Tigers have a Heisman Trophy candidate, solid skill players, and a vastly improved defense. The Clemson fan base may be walking on egg shells, but this is as good a team as Clemson has had in a long time. Next up: Boston College.
4. Stanford, 56 votes (1 first place vote), 5-0. Not sure about that #1 vote, but Stanford does have two wins over ranked teams, Washington and Arizona State. Next up: @ Utah.
5. Ohio State, 55 votes, 6-0. Urban Meyer has yet to lose at Ohio State. With wins over Wisconsin and Northwestern, the Buckeyes have played some opponents of merit too. Unfortunately, not all that much left on the schedule to impress voters until the finale against Michigan: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, and Penn State (who lost to Indiana and Central Florida this year). Yikes. Next up: Iowa on October 19th.
6. Florida State, 49 votes, 5-0. Unlike Ohio State, Florida State will get many chances to prove its worth. Games left on the schedule include @ Clemson, Miami, @ Florida, and perhaps even an ACC Championship Game. Have to think the Seminoles will get some computer points. Next up: @ Clemson on October 19th.
7. Oklahoma & Miami (tie), 39 points. The Sooners (5-0) and Hurricanes (5-0) have been kings of football for a long time. Miami has not been itself for about ten years, and believe it or not, but it has been 13 years since Oklahoma’s national title in 2000. It is nice to see these schools having good seasons. Next up for Oklahoma: Texas. Next up for Miami: @ North Carolina on October 17th.
9. Louisville, 38 points, 5-0. The Cardinals are 5-0, but you cannot be too impressed with the 14 point win over struggling Kentucky or the 30-7 win against winless Temple. Given what other programs are doing offensively, and when considering Louisville’s schedule, the style points are lacking here. Rutgers can change that for Louisville. Next up: Rutgers on October 10th.
10. Georgia, 31 points, 4-1. Georgia has beaten LSU and South Carolina, while losing to Clemson. How many teams have played one school at that level, much less three. Georgia is getting hammered with injuries, but they are well-deserving of the highest-ranked team with one-loss title. Next up: Missouri.
11. LSU, 27 points, 5-1.
12. Baylor, 16 points, 4-0.
13. Michigan, 13 points, 5-0.
14. Texas A&M, 12 points, 4-1.
15. Notre Dame, 9 points, 4-2.
16 (tie). South Carolina, 5 points, 4-1.
16 (tie). UCLA 5 points, 4-0.
18. Washington, 2 points, 4-1.
19 (tie). Virginia Tech, 1 point, 5-1.
19 (tie). Missouri, 1 point, 5-0.
What do you think? Issues?
The Confidential 