2010 sj.com college football poll -- FINAL POLL now POSTED!!!

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK TWO POLL, PAGE 2

Just about everyone's aboard ... thanks to all.

We'll have the poll (and story) posted by noon (PDT).

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK TWO POLL, PAGE 2

Saturday night’s all right for football

By I SHOULD COCO
Crocodile rocker

Let’s say, hypothetically, you’re stuck inside all weekend. It could be because ...

* It’s rainy and 40 degrees out all day Saturday and Sunday;

* You spent your last dime Friday night and have the headache to prove it;

* Your doctor did a small procedure Friday afternoon and wants you to spend some quality time with a bag of frozen peas.

Whatever the reason, you’re inside and it’s fall. Which day of the weekend should be spent binging on football?

There’s no wrong answer to this question ... unless you said “Sunday.”

Catching a college football game in person is so vastly superior to attending an NFL game that it doesn’t even need to be discussed.

But the college game is also way more entertaining on the tube, as this past weekend proved from coast to coast, from early-morning games to late night in the desert.

Want to see the same lame wide-receiver screen passes and two-deep zone defenses from every single team? Watch the NFL.

College teams employ a wide array of offenses and defenses -- especially offenses. From new-look option attacks led by QBs such as Denard Robinson, Taylor Martinez and Colin Kaepernick to gunslinging passing attacks featuring the big arms of Ryan Mallett and Andrew Luck, there’s a variety of philosophies on Saturday. Hell, even the good ol’ veer and triple option are still employed in the college game (thank you, military academies!).

Want predictable, play-it-safe play calling and field goals galore? Tune in for the No Fun League.

In college, you’ll see teams go for touchdowns (or go for two on the conversion) at the end of games rather than take their chances in overtime. The early regular season games still mean everything, instead of being ugly slugfests whose most important function is to allow networks to promote their new fall lineup.

When the games do go overtime, college rules provide way more drama than the exchange of punts and jockeying for field goal position of the NFL. For proof, consider this weekend’s games in Auburn and East Lansing. Do you think many NFL coaches would call a fake field goal with the game on the line? (best wishes to Mark Dantonio, by the way).

And this just covers the Division I-A level of college football. Among all the crazy games this past weekend, the best might have been in Cheney, Wash., as FCS power Montana was stunned by Eastern Washington in the first game on red-turfed Ross Field.

A 31-yard field goal with 4 seconds finished a second-half rally and put the Eagles ahead of their Big Sky rival, 30-27. Montana took the kickoff and attempted several laterals as time expired and EWU fans and band members began to flood the field. (I have searched in vain for online video of this play).

Although the Grizzlies were tackled short of the end zone, the fans on the field led to a penalty, so the field was cleared and Montana had one last shot. The Grizz QB was sacked, Eastern’s Renard Williams scooped up the ball, then rumbled 34 yards for a TD as fans swarmed the field a second time.

All that, and it’s only mid-September. We’ve got two and a half months to go, college football fans. Bring it on!

Here’s the latest SportsJournalists.com college football poll:

SportsJournalists.com COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL
WEEK THREE — 9/20/10

RK. TEAM (1st) PTS Last
1. Alabama (22) 692 1
2. Ohio St. (3) 661 2
3. Boise St. (3) 624 3
4. Texas Christian 575 5
5. Texas 572 4
6. Nebraska 541 10
7. Oregon 538 6
8. Oklahoma 495 7
9. Florida 478 9
10. Wisconsin 423 11
11. Arkansas 399 14
12. Louisiana St. 355 12t
13. Utah 351 12t
14. South Carolina 297 15
(tie) Stanford 297 17
16. Auburn 246 18
17. Arizona 241 24
18. Iowa 215 8
19. Miami 203 16
20. Southern Cal 183 19
21. West Virginia 144 21
22. Michigan 130 20
23. Penn St. 128 22
24. Oregon St. 48 —
25. Michigan St. 40 —

Also receiving votes: Oklahoma St. 39, Missouri 35, Pittsburgh 32, Nevada 23, Air Force 21, Florida St. 21, Northwestern 11, Georgia Tech 10, Fresno St. 9, Georgia 5, N.C. State 5, Temple 5, Kansas St. 4, Texas Tech 4.

The SportsJournalists.com college football poll committee: I Should Coco (tabulator), KY Sportswriter, Della9250, McNuggets Man, Crusoes, Joe Schmoe, Evil ... Thy Name is Orville Redenbacher, Mystery Meat II, Huggy, Ben Hecht, WS, AgatePage, Piotr Rasputin, Oz, Layman, Wendell Gee, Hank Scorpio, TrooperBari, Precious Roy, Boom 70, Madhavok, slappy4428, dparker85, Songbird, Suicide Squeezer, Starman, Dragon Steamboat, sportsguydave. Not voting: beanpole.

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Yeah, it's not like I really care who knows who I am

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Here we go. My ballot after Week 4:

1. Alabama (4-0)
2. Ohio State (4-0)
3. Nebraska (4-0)
4. Oregon (4-0)
5. Boise State (3-0)
6. Oklahoma (4-0)
7. Florida (4-0)
8. TCU (4-0)
9. LSU (4-0)
10. Wisconsin (4-0)
11. Utah (4-0)
12. Auburn (4-0)
13. Stanford (4-0)
14. Arkansas (3-1)
15. Arizona (4-0)
16. South Carolina (3-1)
17. Iowa (3-1)
18. Miami (2-1)
19. Michigan (4-0)
20. USC (4-0)
21. Texas (3-1)
22. Florida State (3-1)
23. Penn State (3-1)
24. Nevada (4-0)
25. Michigan State (4-0)

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Week 4 and only 26 undefeateds left to choose from the entire lot.

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

1, Alabama
2, Ohio State
3, Boise
4, Oregon
5, TCU
6, Nebraska
7, Stanford
8, Oklahoma
9, Wisconsin
10, Florida
11, Arkansas
12, LSU
13, Utah
14, Iowa
15, Auburn
16, Oklahoma State
17, Michigan State
18, Michigan
19, Nevada
20, South Carolina
21, USC
22, Arizona
23, Miami
24, Penn State
25, UCLA

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Well, just leave one of those 26 out and you've got your ballot done!

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Good morning gang (hey, it's early out here in PDT country).

Looks like we're rolling as we approach the noon CDT deadline. Just four voters still deliberating on how high they should rank Colorado State after its stirring comeback: Mystery Meat II, AgatePage, Starman, sportsguydave.

Getting caught up on ballots now; will have results/story posted by early afternoon CDT.

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Done.

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3

Every ballot is in; muchos gracias, everyone!

Poll story and results will be posted shortly.

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK THREE POLL, PAGE 3


Courtesy photo
This week's New Business Profile is the Nevada
Wolf Pack football team of scenic Reno, Nev.

New business profile: The Nevada Wolf Pack

By I SHOULD COCO
Podunk Chamber publicity chairperson

The Podunk Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce this week’s New Business Profile is the Nevada Wolf Pack football team!!!

With seating for 30,000 at Mackay Stadium in Reno, Nev., the Wolf Pack has plenty of room to accommodate the sports viewing, dining and drinking needs of many clients.

Let’s learn more about our New Business of the Week:

Business manager: Chris Ault, who has been in his position 24 years and has more than 200 wins at Nevada.

What does your business offer?: An exciting offensive attack known as “the pistol.” First gained notice the previous fiscal year as Luke Lippincott, Vai Taua and Colin Kaepernick all rushed for 1,000 yards using this system.

What new products are available?: A top-25 football program, as rated by the Associated Press, USA Today/ESPN/coaches and SportsJournalists.com. It is the Wolf Pack’s first ranking by the Associated Press since 1948 (that year began with Nevada’s 13-6 win over North Texas in the Salad Bowl).

Why Podunk residents would know about your business: In 1923, Nevada had an improbable 0-0 tie versus California. Although Cal entered the contest on a 50-game unbeaten streak, the unheralded Wolf Pack held the powerful Golden Bears scoreless, in a game veteran sportswriter spnited called “one of the most exciting 0-0 ties I’ve ever witnessed.”
More recently, the Wolf Pack showcased its business attributes on the Home Shopping Network ESPN-2 with a Friday night, 52-31 win over California.

Business networks/associations: The Western Athletic Conference, at least for now. The Mountain West Conference, in the near future (exact date subject to litigation). Previously a member of the Big West, Big Sky, Northern California Athletic Conference and Far West Conference.

Future challenges: A long business trip to Hawaii (Oct. 16). A visit to the hostile business climate known as the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho (Nov. 6). And a potentially tough business meeting with Boise State (Nov. 26).

Manager Chris Ault says (Saturday, Sept. 25, after 27-13 win at BYU): “I don’t want to talk about polls; they don’t matter until after the season ends.”

Manager Chris Ault says (Sunday, Sept. 26, after AP poll released): “It’s very exciting news. I’m sure our players will be fired up.”

Now here’s what SportsJournalists.com college football voters have to say after four weeks of action:

SportsJournalists.com COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL
WEEK FOUR — 9/27/10

RK. TEAM (1st) PTS Last
1. Alabama (24) 719 1
2. Ohio St. (2) 678 2
3. Boise St. (3) 660 3
4. Texas Christian 613 4
5. Oregon 607 7
6. Nebraska 556 6
7. Florida 532 9
8. Oklahoma 514 8
9. Wisconsin 471 10
10. Louisiana St. 426 12
11. Stanford 418 14t
12. Utah 394 13
13. Auburn 379 16
14. Arizona 308 17
15. Arkansas 295 11
16. Miami 259 19
17. Southern Cal 222 20
18. Iowa 214 18
19. Texas 204 6
20. Michigan 203 22
21. South Carolina 166 14t
22. Penn St. 134 23
23. Michigan St. 82 25
24. Nevada 73 —
25. Oklahoma St. 72 —

Also receiving votes: North Carolina St. 64, Missouri 52, Florida St. 36, West Virginia 27, Northwestern 22, Air Force 14, Kansas St. 7, Oregon St. 3, UCLA 1.

The SportsJournalists.com college football poll committee: I Should Coco (tabulator), KY Sportswriter, Della9250, McNuggets Man, Crusoes, Joe Schmoe, Evil ... Thy Name is Orville Redenbacher, Mystery Meat II, Huggy, Ben Hecht, WS, AgatePage, Piotr Rasputin, Oz, Layman, Wendell Gee, Hank Scorpio, TrooperBari, Precious Roy, Boom 70, Madhavok, slappy4428, dparker85, Songbird, Suicide Squeezer, Starman, Dragon Steamboat, sportsguydave, beanpole. EVERYONE VOTED!

 

Re: 2010 SportsJournalists.com college football poll -- WEEK FOUR POLL, PAGE 3

Spnited's been everywhere, man.