Blogpoll roundtable

Barking Carnival is hosting the latest blogpoll roundtable. Here are my responses:

Please observe the latest ESPN Heisman Watch. What gridiron presence draws your suspicion and ire?

Javon Ringer is a good choice, but I’ll have to go with Graham Harrell. Eastern Washington, @Nevada (a game where his final line wasn’t even very good), SMU, UMass, and @K-State is the worst 5-game stretch of scheduling that I can recall. Texas Tech fans will likely point out that criticisms of Harrell as a “system” QB are unfair, as technically every team runs its own specialized system. That doesn’t change the fact that in lieu of running the football, Texas Tech frequently relies on dump off passes, which inevitably lead to a lot of yards after the catch.

In World War I, British troops were famously characterized as “Lions Led By Donkeys.” What Donkey leading a college football team of Lions is leading his troops into the Somme again this Saturday? Who should replace him after the court martial?

West Virginia’s Bill Stewart assembled one heck of an assistant staff by anyone’s account. However, when it comes to actual, you know, coaching, it’s hard to recall redeeming qualities that he’s displayed during the 2008 season. Sure, the Oklahoma win was fun, but Mountaineer fans are already regretting this shotgun marriage. I’m not sure how keen FSU will be on hiring Bobby Bowden’s anointed successor, so Jimbo Fisher will probably be free soon.

It’s conventional wisdom that it is “good for the game” when certain NFL teams – Dallas, Pittsburgh, Green Bay – or certain NBA teams – LA, Boston, New York – are strong. Others would contend that this is the arrogant self-importance of the traditional elite. With the resurgence of historic programs like Alabama and possibly Notre Dame (now believed to be turning-the-corner in 12 of its last 15 seasons) is it good for college football when certain name programs are strong? If not, why not?

No gods, no masters.

I always thought that reasoning was a load of nonsense. Those NFL teams picked up bandwagon fans during the 1970s, so it’s better that they’re successful than big market teams like the Giants, Patriots, or Bears?

I think the recent anything can happen mentality is refreshing, and not just because Rutgers is my favorite college football team. Parity has increased interest in professional sports, and it’s doing the same for college football. How can anyone say to a fan of say, Utah State, that their program has no chance of ever being successful because a school didn’t place much of an emphasis on a successful football team decades ago?

A related question: what team with some record of success could fall off of the face of the earth and CFB wouldn’t miss a beat? Who fancies themselves a name brand, but aren’t?

There are so many good choices here. Nebraska? They’re close enough to Texas that they should field a top 40 program merely owing to proximity. I think them (or any program really that isn’t located in a rich talent area) becoming a national power in the first place was due to a series of flukes and good fortune. Recent history for the blackshirts is less of a downturn and more of a regression recognizing the reality of their local demographics.

4. Texas/OU in Big D. Okie State @ Mizzou. Penn State @ Wiscy. LSU @ Florida. We have Longhorn, Cowboy, Badger, Tiger – which dog is most likely to get it done?

It’s hard to get a read on Texas, Oklahoma State, or LSU due to the weakness of their early schedules. Unfortunately, I think Penn State is very much for real this year, but Wisconsin is still the toughest test they’ve faced up to this point, and Camp Randall is a very tough stadium to visit.

What currently unranked team will we be hearing about soon?

I’m surprised that Cal isn’t ranked. I see them making noise in a down Pac-10. We’ve “heard” plenty about Notre Dame already, enough to last a couple lifetimes. Forecasting ahead on their schedule, they have a very good chance of coasting to double digit wins, a completely undeserved BCS bid, and the return of their annual overmatched drumming in a bowl against a far-superior opponent.

What ranked team will finish outside of the Top 25?

Oklahoma State. I don’t know very much about their team, but their schedule gets far tougher in the second half of the season.