OK, a few observations about that preseason Coaches’ Poll:
|
1.
|
Georgia (22) |
11-2
|
1,438
|
3
|
|
2.
|
Southern California (14) |
11-2
|
1,430
|
2
|
|
3.
|
Ohio State (14) |
11-2
|
1,392
|
4
|
|
4.
|
Oklahoma (3) |
11-3
|
1,329
|
8
|
|
5.
|
Florida (5) |
9-4
|
1,293
|
16
|
|
6.
|
LSU (3) |
12-2
|
1,163
|
1
|
|
7.
|
Missouri |
12-2
|
1,143
|
5
|
|
8.
|
West Virginia |
11-2
|
1,008
|
6
|
|
9.
|
Clemson |
9-4
|
999
|
22
|
|
10.
|
Texas |
10-3
|
979
|
10
|
|
11.
|
Auburn |
9-4
|
888
|
14t
|
|
12.
|
Wisconsin |
9-4
|
747
|
21
|
|
13.
|
Kansas |
12-1
|
714
|
7
|
|
14.
|
Texas Tech |
9-4
|
644
|
23
|
|
15.
|
Virginia Tech |
11-3
|
568
|
9
|
|
16.
|
Arizona State |
10-3
|
560
|
13
|
|
17.
|
Brigham Young |
11-2
|
547
|
14t
|
|
18.
|
Tennessee |
10-4
|
506
|
12
|
|
19.
|
Illinois |
9-4
|
422
|
18
|
|
20.
|
Oregon |
9-4
|
399
|
24
|
|
21.
|
South Florida |
9-4
|
350
|
NR
|
|
22.
|
Penn State |
9-4
|
313
|
25
|
|
23.
|
Wake Forest |
9-4
|
203
|
NR
|
|
24.
|
Michigan |
9-4
|
112
|
19
|
|
25.
|
9-4
|
91
|
NR
|
First, here’s the breakdown by conference of the top 25:
- SEC – 5 (3 in top 6; 4 in top 11)
- Big Ten – 5
- Big XII – 5 (all in top 14)
- Pac 10 – 3
- ACC – 3
- Big East – 2
- Mountain West – 1
- WAC – 1
If that holds up to any extent, it’s a big help for Ohio State. The coaches hold the Big Ten in higher esteem than the average SEC fan does, that’s for sure.
Along the same lines, Georgia plays five teams ranked on that list. The only other top 25 5 school that does that is Ohio State.
Missing in action from last year’s preseason top 25? Texas A & M, Hawaii, Boise State, TCU, Florida State, Arkansas, Nebraska, UCLA, Rutgers, California and Louisville.
When’s the last time that Notre Dame failed to crack the preseason top 25 two years running?
Things are very bunched at the top, which is probably a leftover from the craziness of last season. For comparison’s sake, Southern Cal collected 45 of the coaches’ first place votes in ’07 and no other school was in double digits.
Neither Pete Carroll nor Bob Stoops are listed as members of the group of 61 coaches who cast votes.
Get The Picture 
Here’s an oddity that Feldman pointed out on his blog–would anyone have ever predicted that Wake would be ranked while FSU and Miami weren’t.
Miami, in fact, received ZERO votes.
P.S.
Take note, USC, and give Pete Carroll whatever the hell he wants to stay in college.
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Someone put NotreDame on their ballot evidently. If the guy who criticized Spurrier for the Duke vote doesn’t do the same to this guy, he’s a hypocrite. They ought to let everyone know who voted ND in their poll.
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