BlogPoll: Week Three, Hasta La Vista, Irish

Following the close Michigan State loss, the Spartans had to join the poll higher than the Irish. I didn't penalize Cal as much as others for their close win at Illinois, because they were sans their starting running back and still breaking in their new QB. Do I think they'll finish the season ranked number seven? Oh, most definitely not, but Rocky Top's going to continue to fall if they don't pick a QB, Georgia's game against the Gamecocks looks even worse after the way Brodie handled them this weekend and Florida State's offense still looks absolutely terrible.

As far as the top of the poll goes, USC will remain number one until they lose. There isn't anything Va Tech, LSU, Florida or Texas can do to jump the Trojans, whose offense was one of the most - if not the most - impressive thing I've ever seen Saturday night. I don't care how many yards their defense is giving up, it isn't allowing that many points scored, and even if they were, would it matter? Wouldn't USC still score 20 more than the next team? We'll see how Oregon handles them up at Autzen this weekend.

The best thing about this poll is that even if it's a little off right now, things are going to shake out. Alabama and Cal won't keep their positions, and odds are pretty good Michigan and Ohio State will crawl back into contention before their annual match-up (unless Iowa is better than they looked against the Cyclones.) But as of now, it's USC, and then everybody else.

1) Southern Cal
2) Texas
3) Virginia Tech
4) Florida
5) Louisiana State
6) Louisville
7) Cal
8) Tennessee
9) Georgia
10) Florida State
11) Alabama
12) Georgia Tech
13) Miami (Florida)
14) Purdue
15) Michigan State
16) Notre Dame
17) Michigan
18) Texas A&M
19) Arizona State
20) Iowa
21) Minnesota
22) Wisconsin
23) Clemson
24) UCLA
25) Vanderbilt

26-30: NC State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas Tech, Iowa State


With his team cruising, Coach Carroll has time for other pursuits...