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| It's back again |
We are back in business, and college football is about to become the #1 story each week. Every week we all will look at the rankings and check to see who is #1 in the AP poll. Where are the Buckeyes? Will we be complaining about media or coach bias? How often will we say that there is too much SEC love in the rankings? Well let’s take a look at the first set of AP rankings that have come out.
These are preseason rankings, so they really are not based on a lot. They are based on more what could happen that what has happened. It is almost guaranteed that by the 3rd or 4th week of the season these current rankings will be turned on their heads and new teams will be climbing and some of the blue bloods will have fallen.
The teams that I want to first look at are the teams ranked 2, 3, and 18 in the AP. These are Alabama, Oregon, and Ohio State. These 3 teams are routinely 3 of the best teams year in and year out in college football. However, each of these teams has had off-season troubles, however it appears that OSU has taken the hardest hit of the group. Honestly, I believe OSU is right around where they should be. What do we know about this team? We have no idea who will be the starting QB, RB, or WRs. Even with this position uncertainty drop off, in previous years we would have been irate at a preseason 16th ranking. We had one of the best coaches in the business. There is no way a Tressel team would be that bad (I know a ton of teams would love being ranked 16, but we are OSU we expect top 10 or better), but now we can list coach as one of those uncertainties. We have no idea what we have with Fickell. How will he do in tight games? Will he make the correct calls? Can he handle the pressure? We just do not know. So I would say middle of the road is a good starting off point for the Buckeyes. Now let’s take a look at some of the other teams.
First, let me just mention Alabama and Oregon. Yeah, they are good, they are loaded with speed and skill, but one other thing they are loaded with is controversy. Okay maybe ESPN hasn’t covered their transgressions as harshly (and unjustly) as they covered OSU’s difficulties, but they are there and I have to assume the NCAA will act on them at some point. The question is will these troubles prove to be on the field distractions or just bumps in the road?
Other highly ranked teams LSU (legal), Boise St. and Auburn (both NCAA) have possible off the field issues that could pose distractions during the season, but we will just have to wait and see. Then there are the other ranked Big Ten teams. Nebraska and Wisconsin at #10 and #11 respectively are being considered the cream of the Big 10. Preseason I have no arguments where these two teams are ranked. Wisconsin is coming back loaded, and have a nice new QB in Russell Wilson. However, I believe their fairy tale season comes to a very quick halt when they enter The Shoe in late October (I believe our Buckeyes will have a mighty large chip on their shoulder and will be looking for revenge).
Nebraska very well could be the class of the division, however they have a very difficult schedule and will be hard pressed to run the table. Truly, if there was a year when the Big Ten was up for grabs this is it. Other teams I see as being dangerous in the poll are 16th ranked Notre Dame. This is a team who has been remade under Brian Kelly. They are not just an offensive team anymore (though they have plenty of skill on that side of the ball), but now they have a very powerful and stingy defense, that played lights out in the last four games last season.
There is also a very good Texas A&M squad that is also playing with a chip on their shoulders. The Aggies, like Michigan State, are often considered secondary to the more “popular” Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns. The Aggies are out to prove with a very talented team that they are not secondary to anyone much less Texas or Oklahoma. Watch out for A&M in the Big 12 (10) this season. To everyone out there, I implore you to copy and save this 2011 Preseason AP poll, look at it before the bowl games and compare it to the December polls and I guarantee you it will look nothing the same. So sit back and enjoy the season, cheer on the Buckeyes, September 3rd is right around the corner.
